Capacitor log Mundorf Silver in Oil


I wished I could find a log with information on caps. I have found many saying tremendous improvement etc. but not a detailed account of what the changes have been. I have had the same speakers for many years so am very familiar with them. (25+ years) The speakers are a set of Klipsch Lascala's. They have Alnico magnets in the mids and ceramic woofers and tweeters. The front end is Linn LP12 and Linn pre amp and amp. The speaker wire is 12 gauge and new wire.

I LOVE these speakers around 1 year ago they started to sound like garbage. As many have said they are VERY sensitive to the components before them. They are also showing what I think is the effect of worn out caps.

There are many out here on these boards I know of that are using the Klipsch (heritage) with cheaper Japanese electronics because the speakers are cheap! (for what they can do) One thing I would recommend is give these speakers the best quality musical sources you can afford. There is a LOT to get out of these speakers. My other speakers are Linn speakers at around 4k new with Linn tri-wire (I think about 1k for that) and the Klipsch DESTROY them in my mind. If you like "live feel" there is nothing like them. In fact it shocks me how little speakers have improved in 30 years (or 60 years in the Khorns instance)

In fact I question Linn's theory (that they have proved many times) that the source is the most important in the Hi-Fi chain. Linn's theory is top notch source with lessor rest of gear including speakers trumps expensive speakers with lessor source. I think is right if all things are equal but Klipsch heritage are NOT equal! They make a sound and feel that most either LOVE or hate. (I am in the LOVE camp and other speakers are boring to me)

So here goes and I hope this helps guys looking at caps in the future. Keep in mind Klipsch (heritage Khorns Belle's and Lascala's especially) are likely to show the effects of crossover changes more then most.

1 The caps are 30 years old and
2 the speakers being horn driven make changes 10x times more apparent.

Someone once told me find speakers and components you like THEN start to tweak if needed. Don't tweak something you not in love with. Makes sense to me.

So sound
Record is Let it Be (Beatles)
The voices are hard almost sounds like a worn out stylus.
Treble is very hard. I Me Mine has hard sounding guitars. Symbals sound awful. Everything has a digital vs. analog comparison x50! Paul's voice not as bad as John's and George's. Voices will crack.

different lp
Trumpets sound awful. Tambourine terrible. Bass is not great seems shy (compared to normal) but the bad caps draw soooooo much attention to the broken up mid range and hard highs that are not bright if anything it seems the highs are not working up to snuff. I have went many times to speaker to make sure tweeters are even working.

All in all they sound like crap except these Klipsch have such fantastic dynamics that even when not right they are exciting!

Makes me wonder about the people who do not like them if they are hearing worn out caps and cheap electronics? Then I can see why they do not like them! If I did not know better from 25+ years of ownership that would make sense.

For the new crossover I have chosen Mundorf Silver in Oil from what I have read and can afford. I want a warm not overly detailed sound as Klipsch already has lots of detail and does not need to be "livened up" they need lush smooth sounding caps. Hope I have made the right choice?

When the crossover is in I will do a initial impression on same lp's. Right now it goes from really bad (on what may be worn vinyl) to not as bad but NOT great on great vinyl. (I know the quality of the vinyl because tested on other speakers Linn)

The new caps are Mundorf Silver in Oil and new copper foil inductors are coming. I will at the same time be rewiring the speakers to 12 guage from the lamp cord that PWK put in. PWK was a master at getting very good sound often with crap by today's standards components.

The choice of speakers would be a toss up now depending on what I am listening to. Klipsch vastly more dynamic but if the breaking up of the sound becomes to much to effect enjoyment the Linn would be a better choice on that Lp. If I could I would switch a button back and forth between speakers depending on song and how bad the break-up sound was bothering me.

volleyguy
Every step for me John.

I took criticism for doing it that way but kept one network stock and one with each new part. Duelund used to laugh because I would order 1 cap at a time. EVERY Duelund part was an improvement to me accept the tweeter inductor and in my mind it should be said once you change resistance all bets are off if it will sound better.

I did it that way for the vary reason to not be duped into I spent a pile so it should be better. If you remember at the beginning I put in one network of Sonicaps had my wife hear blind and she went Wow! That is wayyyy better. She was talking about the vintage foil caps!

In that case I have one Duelund tweeter inductor not used.
So have about 550 hours on all the Duelund parts in the new tweeter/midrange XO of magnepan 3.6Rs. Very neutral, quiet, extended & refined. May go back to the stock XO and do a comparison over the coming weeks. Aural memory's far from perfect but for all it's shortcomings, and it had several, the stock XO seemed to have a bit more presence and was just a bit more exciting. It's an impossible comparison (VCaps in electronics; Duelund in an XO) but I will say it anyway, the VCap CuTF is a touch warmer/sweeter in the upper mid, lower treble than the Duelund Cast. The Cast reminds me of the VCap TFTF - a great cap but just a bit cool sounding.
Forget the prior post. Despite all the time on the parts, they're still not broken in yet! The sound has changed a lot but hasn't settled in. Others that posted their opinions probably weren't dealing with 17uF Cast capacitors that weigh between 1 1/2-2 lbs each. Back later.
The room is being drywalled this week. I am putting down a wood sub floor and sound deadening insulation in I hope the right spots. Water leak fixed, I hope!

Then back to some new caps and hopefully a better sounding room.

I really wish someone would try a paper in oil power supply.
Sub floor installed. For sure a room changing sound. Very excited to get this project finished. Then get back to capacitors.