In this review, we will be comparing LX-2 MKII and QX-1 MKII, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Mission.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission LX-2 MKII and Mission QX-1 MKII first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission LX-2 MKII | Mission QX-1 MKII |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1.5" Ring Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Composite fibre | 5" Composite fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-20k Hz | 55-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-100 watts | 25-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.34kg / 13.9lbs | 6.20kg / 13.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12" x 7-7/8" x 10-3/16"
305.0 x 200.0 x 258.0mm | 11" x 7-11/16" x 10-1/4"
280.0 x 195.0 x 260.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Mission LX-2 MKII and Mission QX-1 MKII speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Mission LX-2 MKII |
Mission QX-1 MKII |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both LX-2 MKII and QX-1 MKII are 2-way speakers.
Mission LX-2 MKIIMission QX-1 MKII
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Mission LX-2 MKII |
Mission QX-1 MKII |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.5-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
LX-2 MKII features a 1" Microfibre Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3.2kHz. On the other hand, the QX-1 MKII features a 1.5" Textile Ring Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.4kHz.
Frequency Response
LX-2 MKII has a frequency range of 55-20k Hz whereas QX-1 MKII has a frequency range of 55-24k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
LX-2 MKII is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the QX-1 MKII which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the QX-1 MKII can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 87 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though LX-2 MKII is rated 20-100 watts and QX-1 MKII 25-100 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both LX-2 MKII and QX-1 MKII features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Mission LX-2 MKII's and Mission QX-1 MKII's external dimensions. Mission LX-2 MKII has external dimensions of 305.0 x 200.0 x 258.0mm (12 x 7-7/8 x 10-3/16inch) whereas Mission QX-1 MKII has external dimensions of 280.0 x 195.0 x 260.0mm (11 x 7-11/16 x 10-1/4inch).
Mission QX-1 MKII is 5mm narrower and 25mm shorter than Mission LX-2 MKII but it is also 2mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. Mission LX-2 MKII is 25mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Mission LX-2 MKII is approximately 516.0cm2 / 80.0inch2 and base area of the Mission QX-1 MKII is approximately 507.0cm2 / 78.6inch2. The LX-2 MKII requires 2% more surface area than the QX-1 MKII which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Mission LX-2 MKII weighs 6.34kg / 13.9lbs and the Mission QX-1 MKII weighs 6.20kg / 13.6lbs. This makes the LX-2 MKII 2% heavier than the QX-1 MKII.
Here is a comparison of how LX-2 MKII and QX-1 MKII's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Price per pair* |
369USD
vs
499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.9 ohms
vs
3.8 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
24k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
280mm
vs
305mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
507cm2
vs
516cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Mission LX-2 MKII |
Mission QX-1 MKII |
| Brand |
Mission |
Mission |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-100 watts |
25-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
3.9 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-20k Hz |
55-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fibre |
Composite fibre |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.5" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Ring Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3.2kHz |
2.4kHz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
305.0mm (12") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
195.0mm (7.7") |
| Depth |
258.0mm (10.2") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
6.34kg (13.9lbs) |
6.20kg (13.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Both are Mission, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (55Hz vs 55Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Mission LX-2 MKII is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Mission LX-2 MKII: bi-amping; Mission QX-1 MKII: bi-amping. Mission LX-2 MKII sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Mission LX-2 MKII is cheaper - $369 against $499, about 26% less. |
A Mission LX-2 MKII B Mission QX-1 MKII
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Mission LX-2 MKII has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Mission LX-2 MKII is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $130 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.