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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
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
JohnK is this your speaker company and do I understand you use Mundorf Silver in Oil and Alnico Magnets in your speakers? Have you ever tried the Duelund's with your horns?

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/realitycheck2/kalinowksi.html
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,975 posts
 
Yes KCS is my company. Many of our models use mundorf caps and sport quality alnico magnet drivers. I have used Duelands and they are very good but its the transducer that maters more than the cap. On my Klipsch and altecs I used t900a t500amk2 as tweeters. Still have 2 pairs of altecs bunch of other vintage but I collect because Iam interested in the design and construction of vintage not bacause its equal to modern in quality of sound. Though the altecs after a wee bit of work are close to modern horns in quality of sound. Have heard many highly modified and stock k horns a good friend uses 4 arround his pool!! Sure can be fun for partys. I use 1 pair of altecs in my bedroom hooked to a small TV and SACD DVDA player sound is very pleasent great for late night presleep listening. Good luck with you quest and happy listening, email if you want a pic of my main horn rig. JK-K.C.S.
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
The Mundorf Supreme and Mundorf Silver in Oil and Duelund caps are in should be a fun weekend. The Mundorf Supreme is even much larger then the Sonicaps. (over twice as large) The Mundorf Silver in Oil is huge! The size is at 2.2uf is larger then the Sonicaps at 13uf. The are many many times bigger than the 2uf Sonicaps. When you hold one up to the other the Sonicaps look like toys! The Duelunds are shockingly heavy! My goodness they even make the originals seem lightweight by comparison. The Mundorf Silver in Oil by size and volume of cap is close to original oil filled caps.

I do not know what this means but will have an idea this weekend but at least for all that money both the Mundorf Silver in Oil and the Duelund's do NOT look like toys.

Can't wait to hear the difference?!
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
I have one Sonicap and the Mundorf Supreme in one speaker. I can not say anything yet as I do not know if there is or even should be any improvement or change from the 2 Sonicaps. I am expecting to hear more difference when the Silver in Oil is added in and will be two Mundorf's together.

From here down is about the Sonicaps only. This was before the Mundorf was installed.

I did write down impressions on a Nirvana Nevermind CD. (I know what you guys are thinking)(not normally what I listen to either)

There is a rawness to Cobains voice that when put through the Sonicaps was sterilized. On the vintage oil caps
1. There was a mid bass drone. Highs dead. But again a raw rauncy realism to Kurt's voice.

On the Sonicaps reverb not there. They sound cheap. Kurt is very distant with a not there feel. Controlled and sterilized.

I always found this album to be sad in that it never come across right on CD. I have always been going to buy the vinyl and did once but kept coming through warped.
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
First hour impression of the (one) Mundorf Supreme is good. Seems to be more dynamic. Voices already sound more real than just Sonicaps. There is some sssss though. I am almost sure Mundorf's are a louder cap than Sonicaps. The Mundorf's are going to be in better balance for sure. The Sonicaps are far to quiet compared to the original. Almost like going through a filter. The Mundrorf Supreme has MUCH more energy than Sonicaps. As I undertand caps they are like batteries and the voluume (size) in the Mundorf Supreme is likely 30x and the Mundorf Silver in Oil at least 50x. The leads on the Mundorf are at least twice as thick.

I am hearing the drone on the old caps more and more in comparison.
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