MISSION 778S

The Mission 778S is the brand’s first wireless music streamer, designed as the ideal companion to the acclaimed 778X integrated amplifier. Created to meet the demands of modern music enthusiasts, it combines high-quality streaming, intuitive app-based control, and exceptional connectivity flexibility, all housed within an elegant half-width chassis that echoes the retro-inspired styling and distinctive design language that contributed to the success of the 778X.

Positioned as a complete and future-ready streaming hub, the 778S delivers music with the naturalness, presence, and sonic refinement that have long defined the Mission name. Following the company’s return to integrated amplification with the 778X—more than three decades after its previous amplifier designs and widely recognized as a new benchmark in compact high-fidelity electronics—the 778S completes the system by bringing the full potential of modern streaming technology while maintaining the same engineering philosophy, visual harmony, and attention to detail that characterize the series.

Renowned for loudspeakers that consistently exceed expectations, Mission brings its expertise in refined sound, thoughtful design, and outstanding value to the 778 range. The series successfully combines vintage-inspired aesthetics with advanced technologies, creating a balanced fusion of heritage and innovation.

At the core of the 778S lies a streaming platform developed in collaboration with Silent Angel, a specialist in high-end digital audio solutions. Thanks to a customized implementation of the Silent Angel streaming engine, further optimized by Mission’s engineering team, the unit delivers exceptional sonic fidelity, outstanding operational stability, and remarkable versatility.

Accessing music is effortless through the dedicated Mission 778S app, which integrates the full capabilities of the Silent Angel ecosystem. Its responsive and user-friendly interface provides direct access to Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, TuneIn Radio, DLNA servers, AirPlay 2, and USB HDD storage devices. Advanced users can also take advantage of full Roon Ready certification, ensuring bit-perfect playback and seamless integration over both Wi-Fi and Ethernet networks without the need for complex setup procedures.

Installation is quick and straightforward thanks to support for dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. Playback can be controlled from smartphones, tablets, or computers, providing a smooth and intuitive user experience at all times.

The technological heart of the 778S is the ESS Technology ES9038Q2M Reference DAC, featuring a 32-bit HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator technology designed to minimize noise and preserve signal integrity. All incoming audio signals are precision upsampled to 352.8 kHz or 384 kHz, moving digital artifacts beyond the audible spectrum and allowing the DAC to operate under optimal conditions. The result is cleaner transients, improved dynamic expression, and a more natural and convincing soundstage, where music and detail gain greater depth, texture, and realism.

To accommodate individual preferences and varying source quality, users can disable the upsampling function and choose from five available DAC reconstruction filters, providing an effective means of tailoring the listening experience.

Versatility is further enhanced by a comprehensive selection of digital and analog outputs. USB Audio, coaxial SPDIF, and optical connections ensure compatibility with a wide variety of systems, while the analog outputs allow direct connection to integrated amplifiers, active loudspeakers, or external DACs. Particularly noteworthy are the balanced XLR outputs, which are designed to fully exploit the capabilities of high-resolution audio formats such as DSD while overcoming the limitations often associated with digital-only connections. The balanced signal path also minimizes noise and interference over longer cable runs, preserving signal purity and ensuring playback faithful to the DAC’s original design objectives.

The Mission 778S also incorporates a dedicated headphone amplifier capable of driving a wide range of headphone designs with authority and precision. Whether paired with reference-grade audiophile headphones or everyday dynamic models, it delivers a level of performance comparable to dedicated standalone headphone amplifiers, making it a complete listening solution for both hi-fi and head-fi applications.

As with every Mission product, technical specifications are only the starting point. The ultimate objective remains the faithful and engaging reproduction of music, ensuring that technology always serves the listening experience rather than defining it.

Technical Specifications

• Type: Network player / audio streamer.
• Design philosophy and key technologies: ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M 32-bit DAC; RK3399 processor featuring ARM Cortex-A72 cores up to 2.0 GHz and ARM Cortex-A53 cores up to 1.5 GHz; Mission 778S control app for iOS and Android; Silent Angel streaming technology with IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi support; 2.23-inch high-contrast OLED display.
• Supported services and protocols: Spotify Connect; TIDAL Connect; Qobuz Connect; TuneIn Internet Radio; Roon Ready; AirPlay 2.
• Storage and file playback: Network shared storage via SMB/CIFS; USB flash drives and USB hard drives with single-partition FAT32 or exFAT file systems.
• Inputs: 1 x USB-C for PC connection; 1 x Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T port; 1 x USB-A for MCU updates; 2 x USB-A for storage devices.
• Outputs: 1 x stereo RCA analog output; 1 x stereo balanced XLR analog output; 1 x optical digital output; 1 x coaxial digital output; 2 x USB-A USB Audio outputs; 1 x headphone output.
• Supported audio formats: DSD Lossless (DSF, DIFF, DoP); PCM Lossless (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, APE); compressed formats MP3, WMA, AAC, and OGG.
• Supported sampling rates: PCM from 44.1 kHz to 768 kHz (including 705.6 kHz/768 kHz fixed-point support via app streaming); DSD64, DSD128, DSD256 (DoP), and DSD512 via PC USB input.
• Digital section: Digital output level 500 ±50 mVpp; output impedance 75 Ohms; frequency response -0.01 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz, ref. 1 kHz); maximum sampling rate 192 kHz / 24-bit; coaxial, optical, and USB Audio digital outputs.
• D/A converter section: ESS ES9038Q2M DAC; variable output voltage 0 – 2.05 Vrms (RCA) and 0 – 4.1 Vrms (XLR); frequency response ±0.5 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz, ref. 1 kHz); total harmonic distortion below 0.001% (1 kHz @ 2.05 Vrms); maximum sampling rate 768 kHz / 32-bit; signal-to-noise ratio greater than 116 dB (RCA) and 120 dB (XLR); output impedance 120 Ohms (RCA) and 56 Ohms (XLR).
• Headphone amplifier: Total harmonic distortion below 0.01% (1 kHz, 50 mW); output impedance 2.35 Ohms; compatible load impedance from 20 to 600 Ohms.
• Power supply: 220–240 V ~ 50/60 Hz or 100–120 V ~ 50/60 Hz depending on market requirements.
• Standby power consumption: Less than 0.5 W.
• Available finishes: Black; Silver.
• Supplied accessories: Power cord; remote control; user manual.
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 236 x 98 x 357 mm.
• Net weight: 5.3 kg.