Mission 778s and 778cdt
Finally, the unicorn Mission 778cdt and 778s have broken cover and arriving next week!
After being unveiled approx 18months ago, the Mission 778x amplifier has now got some siblings in the 778cdt CD Transport and 778s Silent Angel powered Audio Streamer.
At its core, the 778CDT features a custom CD transport mechanism and a precision servo control system, developed to ensure stable disc rotation, clean tracking, and robust error correction. A temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) serves as the master clock, dramatically reducing jitter and delivering a pristine SPDIF output to your DAC.
True to Mission form, the design avoids unnecessary complexity. The CD servo architecture is intentionally streamlined, with dedicated low-noise power supplies isolating key functions — the transport, laser, decoder, and master clock. By preventing cross-interference at the circuit level, the 778CDT ensures that the output signal remains clean, stable, and true to the source.
Digital output is available via both coaxial and optical SPDIF, designed to pair effortlessly with the internal DAC of the 778X, or any high-quality DAC system.
To expand digital versatility, the 778CDT also supports USB-HDD playback with high-resolution digital file compatibility, directly from USB storage devices. FLAC, WAV, MP3, WMA, and APE files are supported — all handled with the same precision clocking and low-noise output architecture as CD playback, making the 778CDT a versatile digital transport for both physical media and locally stored music libraries.
778s - Mission’s first-ever wireless music streamer, designed in direct response to the needs of 778X owners and modern music lovers alike. The 778S is the perfect digital companion to the 778X, designed to be the streaming soul of any modern hi-fi system.
As with any network audio device, the streaming platform’s stability and fidelity are paramount. With the 778S, beneath the Mission styling lies a platform developed in collaboration with Silent Angel, maestros in high-end digital audio streaming. Powered by a custom implementation of the Silent Angel streaming engine — and optimised by Mission engineers — the 778S delivers superior fidelity, rock-solid stability, and remarkable versatility.
Accessing music is effortless through the Mission 778S app, which carries the full power of the Silent Angel ecosystem. Stream directly from Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, TuneIn Radio, DLNA, Airplay 2 and USB HDD devices, all with a sleek, responsive interface. And for advanced users, the 778S is fully Roon Ready — certified for bit-perfect playback and seamless integration over Wi-Fi or Ethernet, with no setup required.
Performance, however, is where the 778S truly shines. As with the 778X, it features a custom-designed power supply and noise-isolated signal path to preserve signal purity from source to output. At its heart is the ESS ES9038Q2M Reference DAC, utilising ESS Technology’s 32-bit HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator — a proven formula for achieving ultra-low noise, exceptional signal integrity, and lifelike musical realism.
But the 778S goes further. All incoming audio is precision upsampled (to 352.8kHz or 384kHz)— a rare feature in this category. This upsampling isn't just for spec sheets: it pushes digital artefacts beyond the audible spectrum, reduces jitter, and provides a cleaner, more stable signal to the DAC.
This allows the ESS chip to operate in its optimal linear range, producing sharper transients, greater dynamic nuance, and a wider, more natural soundstage.
To support a wide range of systems and preferences, the 778S offers both digital (USB Audio, SPDIF coaxial, optical) and analogue outputs. Whether paired with the 778X, a standalone DAC, powered speakers, or integrated amp, the 778S adapts to any setup with elegance and ease.
Analogue outputs unlock the full potential of high-resolution formats like DSD, bypassing the sample
rate limitations often found in digital-only connections such as SPDIF. The result is pure,
uncompromised sound — exactly as the DAC was designed to deliver.
Prices:
Mission 778CDT Black or Silver £449.00
Mission 778S Black or Silver £799.00
Mission 778CDT and 778S bundle Black or Silver £1099.00 (saving £149.00)