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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
duelund_coherent_audio
110 posts
 
As you correctly state, Steen was of the conviction that plastic was a malaise when it came to sound reproduction. He considered all statically chargeable materials imperfect in that regard. Stated popularly he meant only natural materials would create a natural sound.

His theories are certainly the reason why we use no plastic in our products. Be advised that his findings are based on listening tests, I cannot claim irrefutable evidence.
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
Frederik in my test which of course is only my one set of speakers. I could mix and match vintage foil in oil in one speaker and Duelund in the other and listen to both speakers. As soon as one speaker had plastic caps and one with the vintage foil I could listen to only one or the other speaker at a time. It was almost like they were out of phase.

Also when a plastic cap was put in for the midrange and Duelund for the tweeter and the signal goes through midrange cap. The Duelund did not give the same improvement. (yet the Duelund did when used with the vintage foil midrange cap)

By far the second best cap was the original foil cap in the midrange. Again no plastic. Many Klipsch fans say the AA crossover is the best I often wonder if it the foil caps they used then. Newer Klipsch crossovers used plastic (industry norm) and do not have the following.

I have yet to hear a customer of yours not think your caps make a natural sound.

My modern SS amp did not make the same improvement using Duelund as the vintage tube amp does either. My amp of course was loaded with plastic caps.

There is also a large following of vintage guitar amps, (my tech guy who plays guitar would have nothing but vintage tube guitar amp) vintage stereo amps all with no plastic as a common thread. The thing both vintage guys will talk about is the tone!

I do want to thank you as I have yet to find a downside to you caps.

My gut says and I am going to find out if your caps do the trick in a vintage amp. My gut says a vintage tube amp with (no plastic anywhere almost) and a set of Duelund coupling caps will blow me away. All the "real feel" of the vintage/foil with a massive noise reduction to really let you hear what is going on. To me your caps are the best of both worlds.
duelund_coherent_audio
110 posts
 
I can sense, there's little chance we're going to disagree on your findings. :)
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
Frederik one comment I made a few months ago was that the bigger the cap the bigger the dynamics. Even a bigger plastic cap had better dynamics than the small one. I took a lot of heat for that comment.

Comments were very common that "the size of the cap has nothing to do with anything". Some said it complete lunacy. Steen said "Go for older types following the simple rule that bigger is better".

You can correct me or disagree as I have no problem with that.

I kind of thought you would have thought the vintage foil in oil for the midrange being the second best to your caps (Duelund) by a long shot a crazy statement?

I found wayyyyy more difference in a Duelund CAST and VSF in the tweeter than a VSF and vintage foil in oil in the midrange.

Are coupling caps as important as passive crossover caps?

I do not know if you know of Arthur Salvatore but he ranks the Klipschorns as the greatest of vintage speakers and were class C (upper) used to be Class B. I have emailed him knowing he is a Klipschorn fan (and he is formerly from Toronto just over an hour from me) saying he has got to hear these speakers when up hear. If stock they were Class C (in a tough list) these are of NO comparison. I have owned them for 28 years and can say they ain't your Dad's Klipschorns!

duelund_coherent_audio
110 posts
 
I don't disagree at all, Steen aimed to take the best of the vintage technology and utilise it better.

Prior to his own designs, he used vintage designs such as paper in oils, and wax/paper types.
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