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
Dear Volleyguy: +++++
This proves Steen's theory that all things being equal you want a bigger cap. +++++

Everything equal a bigger cap has higher inductance than generate higher distortion. So that does not proves anything

You can take the MIT caps ( that I think were the first commercial caps with multiple caps design. No it was not Mundorf. ) with almost similar design that the Mundorf and are a not so good cap, some people say are a crap and I say is not so good.

As good as Sonicaps are ( IMHO ) they are better running some in parallel, example if you need 16uf then use four Sonicaps of 4uf. This estrategy is valid with almost any cap.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Stormen do you have any more writings by Steen?

Also have you heard the difference from the VSF and the CAST ones? I can't even imagine.

Does it cost more to get special values? I see a 10uf or 15uf is $337 or $379 so should I assume a 13uf is in the middle for cost?

This would be much more cost effective than a 10uf and 3uf. The combo totals $500.

I think I am going that way. I will order tomorrow.

I can't wait to hear the reviews of the CAST ones from Tony Gee and others to hear if it is even better.

I guess I could bypass with a small Mundorf if I think it is needed.

Stormen these things are not good though it can ruin one for any other kind of cap. (and ruin your wallet)

If all goes well there I will look later at their inductors.

Thanks Volleyguy

I have contacted Partsconnextion for the quote. The worst thing that will happen is I do not like the cap in the midrange but am thrilled with them in the tweeter and feel it to be worth every penny there.
Dear Volleyguy: +++++ " read (on the net) it would be easy to replace the vintage caps as they were not very good compared to modern caps. I have found this simply to NOT be true " +++++

+++++ " I said I do want the dynamics of the original caps" +++++

Guess why? are the original better caps?, both statements are really learning when you answer the whys about you will understand the whole speaker crossover subject.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
$500 for caps? Fostex t90a $300 pair, t900a under $800. With a just a solen would do better than the klipsch tweeter no mater what cap you use. With a mundorf silver gold even better....