I checked in with them, error on the website, have none and not expecting any.
Sounds like recommended care for a vintage car not a fine piece of modern hi fi 
itāll get usedā¦ā¦dinnae fretā¦.
3 Likes
Having looked for the last couple of months at Kanās and Naim speakers, IBL and SBL but not having been able to make a decision (some of them being pick up only and too far away, some no or questionable history re. modifications from owners after I have approached them), I watched HifiRiffs emphatically positive YT video, made some 2 months ago of Missions 780 vintage stand mount from the early 90ās. They loved it.
I am a self confessed Mission fanboy (752 Fās in use) but could do with a smaller speaker with relatively tight bass to pair the N50 with. So I thought Iād see if there are any half decent ones on the bay and found this one, newly listed today I believe;
Cheap and they seem in fine fettle. I have no problem doing a little refurb and change ferro fluid/replace Xover parts if needed. I paid slightly over the odds at a hundred quid as they apparently go for slightly less but this is the SE in lovely rosewood (as my 752ās) so I donāt mind.
Being Missions I hope they preserve the drive and PRAT inherent in their earlier speakers. If not, nothing lost and the search for (probably) some Kanās will continue. These little Missions have always been budget speakers so I do not expect miracles but David and Mike seem to compare them to current PMC speakers/Prodigy so they canāt be that bad either.
The other avenue I want to once again pursue are actives and this will probably go to Acoustic Energy.
3 Likes
Glad to hear it 
I have tried and still own the small AE1 actives.. I have to say I have been disappointed with themā¦ not upto standard of a moderately good amp and fairly descent passive speakers in my opinion by quite a degree.. especially in the upper mid/high end.. obviously YMMV.
Those small Missions look the part (without the grill covers)ā¦ I wonder if they need careful matching with stands to flesh out the lower octaves.
As an aside listening to Bashinā : The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith through my DAVE/ N50 into my Falcon Acoustic Gold Build LS3/5a ā¦ and it is just superb.. great pace, measure, and nuance with vibe and a wonderful sound stage that makes the music sound aliveā¦
3 Likes
Thank you Simon. I will, on another occasion approach you about the AE1 Actives. As an owner I value your opinion.
I have no idea how the Missions will sound in my room but I quite like the idea of less bass than I currently have.
1 Like
What if itās faulty?
Repair it?
A friend used to have these and I always thought they boogied along rather nicely.
About 10 years ago I decided to try a bunch of small cheapies on the end of the big Naim system. There were a few revelations; the first was just how entertaining decent cheap speakers could be when fronted by a top notch system and sat on really good stands. The second was just how inexpensive you could go - Ā£10 for a pair of secondhand Goodmans Maxim 2s (great)! And the the third was when I put a pair of KEF Coda 7SEs on the stands. They were lightweight and a bit plasticky, but their performance was frankly amazing considering the cost (@Ā£50 a pair).
6 Likes
It is always satisfying to find something that exceeds expectations for little money. How often do we find it is the other way round. I also find satisfaction in giving something pre loved a good home.
1 Like
Those speakers work with N50, but become much better with the bigger Naim amps and of course top notch source.
Not a great match with the little Nait then, even at lower volumes. Thank you.
Especially at lower volumes,they donāt produce enough bass ,with N50= thin sound.
Id be cautious on some feedback here - I find the N50 drives insensitive speakers very well (down to 82/83 dB) across the pass band - which is the case for many quality small speakers, and there is no issue with bass control or depth - quite the opposite in my personal experience including down to sub bass. The only consideration is that on insensitive speakers the overall sound pressure will be limited, more noticeable in larger rooms at high volumes
I believe the high current output of the N50 design helps with impedance dips in the lowest octave that might impact lesser amps which might occur with some speaker designs. Higher impedance speakers. ie 15 ohms or higher might struggle on impedance increases in the impedance curve, due to the N50 relatively lower voltage, but I have not found that the case in practice.
The N50 is a master on relative dynamics and works well with good relative differentiation at low and high volumes.. notably better than my previous NAP250 - which at the time I had no complaints with.
But yes some speaker designs are not optimum at very low volume levels.
2 Likes
Have you actually tried Linn Kans and Naim IBL , with the Nait 50 ?
not on my N50, but sufficiently with other small low efficiency speakers with the N50 that power and performance at low volume with many speakers are not related to efficiency.
The N50 peak power output of over 200 Watts on low impedances is sufficient for many speakers.
However as I noted some speakers perform poorly at very low volume with their EQ response as they are not designed to perform optimally that way but that is not related to amp power per seā¦.
I also found with smaller speakers low volume performance can sometimes be quite dependent on stand type and coupling
an underpowered amp with respect to speaker will likely cause a slower sound that will sound less clear and warmer assuming the impedance dips are in the lower octaves upto around 140Hz
Better to try yourself,before speculating..
Nothing new Linn Kan and Naim IBL really grows with the bigger amps.
Not speculating - just challenging folk lore or anecdote as being taken as definitive.
I suggest after 40 years I have a modicum of experiences here - and over those 4 decades I have seen much misinformation and early on suffered from being told itā¦ and power and speakers, eq and sensitivity and speaker performance is often rife with it.
So I suggest the individual decides for them selves with their N50, a high current design, with the target environment, placement and stands if they can to see if it is optimum for them. I know with other Naim amps the placement of the Kans are crucial for bass response.
6 Likes
I disagree with SiS on the merits of AE1 actives, which I use in a second system. Do they compete with the active ATCs in my main sysytem? Of course not and Iād be pretty cross if they beat a set costing eight times as much. But theyāre remarkable value for money if used appropriately. Mine are on AEās dedicated stands, driven by an Auralic Vega G2, are real good lookers and have that out-of-the-box stability of imaging I find very addictive.
I wouldnāt use them in a large room or if I was after chest-thumping bass and Iām not sure how well active speakers in general would work with an N50, but theyāre at least worth an audition IMO.
Roger
1 Like