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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
 
Yes I did.

I read too much before doing mine. My daughter and I are going through my vinyl collection this weekend to sort out the worn ones. (she loves doing that and I am not sure why) Where I had doubts and was not sure before there is no doubt now! You can hear clear as day a worn or even slightly worn vinyl.

I am wiring up the other speaker tomorrow.

Also getting another vintage amp. Looking right now. I have become convinced that there is something about the vintage amps. Maybe the resistors or caps or maybe just the tubes. Not sure yet.

My SS sounds like listening in Black and White. I know some say tube amps are colored. Give me color over Black and White any day.

One thing is for certain I have become a HUGE Duelund fan. Upon switching from one speaker to the other the difference is staggering.

I have become a fan of not just the caps but Steen's findings.

I am buying a second amp that is largely the same, for parts as well. I want all plastic out. I have been reading some vintage stuff and guys say that when they change the resistors and caps in the amps you lose the sound. Of course they will have been going to plastic caps.

This has been very humbling for me. I used to think you needed to spend a ton of $ on a system.
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
I think I found the problem in the vintage amp.

The one and only plastic cap the wire going in has gotton very hot. What I do not know is was it even supposed to be there?? Can anyone help with vintage Fisher schematics and more in particular fisher x101d.

I bought a capacitance testers. I wanted to know how the old Klipsch caps were. The tweeter caps test right on 2.0uf but sound noisy. The mid cap tests 14uf but sound good (real good) but should be 13uf.

I tested quite a few caps in the the fisher and very close to original value.

The problem with the plastic cap (in the fisher) is it seems to be added for no reason?? Also the value says brand KMC value 100uf and 200v No where else is there a vintage cap of this value??

Was this just someone doing there own sound mod?

It is clearly the source of the heat problem. I can not see any other damage. It guages out nowhere near 100uf?
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
I did find out the cap runs from the 12Ax7 low level (phono pre-amp) tube to the output tube. All along I have thought this amp sounded very good on digital and terrible with the turntable. It blew up when using the turntable.

Also does anyone know if Electrolytic caps are used on tube phono stages?

I know I read these tube amps were supposed to have decent phono stages. I found this one lousy! Great line stage.

Another question does anyone have any recommendations for the cap for the phono stage?
magfan
1,583 posts
 
don't worry about a part that doesnt' measure 'exactly' as marked. All have a built in tolerance. Lower/better=$$$$$
I haven't plowed thru the whole thread, but how old was the cap that smoked? They do that, you know. Caps age.
If a piece of gear has been sitting...and I mean years not weeks, be careful when firing it up again.
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
Magfan the part that smoked (the capacitor) was the only new part I know of in the amp.

I had used the Fisher for a few months and tons of hours but when the phono stage was hooked up it went up in smoke. I wonder if the cap was the incorrect voltage?
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