In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Mission. Mission LX-4 MKII is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the LX-3 MKII is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission LX-4 MKII and Mission LX-3 MKII first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Mission LX-4 MKII Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5" Composite fibre Woofer
- 45-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
- Weight:15.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 36-1/4" x 7-7/8" x 10-3/4" ( 920.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm )
Mission LX-3 MKII Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Composite fibre Woofer
- 45-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-120watts
- Weight:8.42kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 13-9/16" x 8-7/8" x 12-1/8" ( 345.0 x 226.0 x 308.0mm )
LX-4 MKII and LX-3 MKII are members of Mission's LX MKII series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Mission LX MKII Series
History
What size room are the Mission LX-4 MKII and Mission LX-3 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-4 MKII |
Mission LX-3 MKII |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Mission LX-4 MKII and Mission LX-3 MKII compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both LX-4 MKII and LX-3 MKII are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Mission LX-4 MKII |
Mission LX-3 MKII |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
LX-4 MKII features a 1" Microfibre Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3.0kHz. On the other hand, the LX-3 MKII features a 1" Microfibre Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3.2kHz.
Frequency Response
LX-4 MKII and LX-3 MKII has exactly the same frequency range of 45-20k Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
LX-4 MKII and LX-3 MKII have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. LX-4 MKII sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the LX-3 MKII's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Mission LX-4 MKII a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission LX-3 MKII, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
LX-4 MKII features Binding post type posts and LX-3 MKII has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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-4 MKII's and Mission LX-3 MKII's external dimensions. Mission LX-4 MKII has external dimensions of 920.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm ( 36-1/4 x 7-7/8 x 10-3/4inch) whereas Mission LX-3 MKII has external dimensions of 345.0 x 226.0 x 308.0mm ( 13-9/16 x 8-7/8 x 12-1/8inch) .
Mission LX-4 MKII is 26mm narrower and 35mm less deeper than Mission LX-3 MKII but it is also 575mm 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-4 MKII is approximately 546.0cm2 / 84.6inch2 and base area of the Mission LX-3 MKII is approximately 696.1cm2 / 107.9inch2. The LX-4 MKII requires 22% less surface area than the LX-3 MKII which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.