In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Mission. Mission QX-C MKII is a Center Channel speaker whereas the QX-5 MKII is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission QX-C MKII and Mission QX-5 MKII first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission QX-C MKII | Mission QX-5 MKII |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.5" Ring Dome | 1.5" Ring Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 2 x 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Composite fibre | 12" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-24k Hz | 32-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.60kg / 18.9lbs | 34.00kg / 74.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6-7/8" x 21-5/8" x 7-1/16"
175.0 x 550.0 x 180.0mm | 44-1/8" x 8-11/16" x 16-1/8"
1120.0 x 220.0 x 410.0mm |
|---|
QX-C MKII and QX-5 MKII are members of Mission's QX MKII series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Mission QX MKII Series
History
What size room are the Mission QX-C MKII and Mission QX-5 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 QX-C MKII |
Mission QX-5 MKII |
| Near-field |
Good |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Good |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that QX-C MKII is a 2-way design whereas the QX-5 MKII is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Mission QX-C MKIIMission QX-5 MKII
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Mission QX-C MKII |
Mission QX-5 MKII |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
1.5-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
2 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
1 x 12-inch
|
QX-C MKII features a 1.5" Textile Ring Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.6kHz. On the other hand, the QX-5 MKII features a 1.5" Textile Ring Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 12" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 180Hz,1.8kHz.
Frequency Response
QX-C MKII has a frequency range of 58-24k Hz whereas QX-5 MKII has a frequency range of 32-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the QX-5 MKII can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the QX-C MKII's min frequency of 58Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
QX-C MKII and QX-5 MKII have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. QX-C MKII sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the QX-5 MKII's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Mission QX-5 MKII a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission QX-C MKII, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the QX-C MKII and the QX-C MKII can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
QX-5 MKII can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas QX-C MKII has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the QX-5 MKII.
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 QX-C MKII and QX-5 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 QX-C MKII's and Mission QX-5 MKII's external dimensions. Mission QX-C MKII has external dimensions of 175.0 x 550.0 x 180.0mm (6-7/8 x 21-5/8 x 7-1/16inch) whereas Mission QX-5 MKII has external dimensions of 1120.0 x 220.0 x 410.0mm (44-1/8 x 8-11/16 x 16-1/8inch).
Mission QX-C MKII is 945mm shorter and 230mm less deeper than Mission QX-5 MKII but it is also 330mm wider.
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.
Mission QX-C MKII needs about 10% more floor or shelf area. Mission QX-5 MKII is 230mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Mission QX-5 MKII is 945mm 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 QX-C MKII is approximately 990.0cm2 / 153.5inch2 and base area of the Mission QX-5 MKII is approximately 902.0cm2 / 139.8inch2. The QX-C MKII requires 10% more surface area than the QX-5 MKII which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.