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
Ait I think the voltage is 800VAC. Mundorf's are not really a oil cap. Know do they sound good there I have no idea? It is just sitting here so I thought I might as well use it.
I believe Ralph from Atmasphere was warning against using PIO caps in tube amps in another thread on Audiogon - his quote was:

"Paper and Oil caps can develop electrical leakage over time that can damage other parts- this is something that most other dielectrics including Teflon don't tend to do!"

I have heard various stories about the Mundorf SIO caps - some say they are metallized paper film in oil, other say they are polypropylene in oil. If they are truly paper, then I would hesitate to use them in that application.
The mundorfs are not a Voltage risk, however yes if they are any type of oil I would not use them as they will be in a possible leaking or high heat location..

By the way perfect Film bypass caps for electrolytics I have been using with Zero issues or failures over the years are the Solen Fast caps.. 400 volt, unless you have a really high power appication.

They are fairly small and compact, and they will sound the same in a power bypass cap just the same as a Duelund will! I have used them over the top grade Black Gates with excellent results..

Also use 1.0 uF size on everything and your fine as long as they will fit, any smaller value is almost pointless on big value uF electrolytic caps. One issue is they have exposed solid leads with no insulation dielectric, so you don't want them to touch anything. Otherwise you could pay 15 times the cost for a no more superior cap and use the Auricap yellows, or kimbers that are the same in the 600 volt versions which are harder to find, but they do have regular wire leads on them with insulation.
Undertow
Your results seem to concur with Tempo Electric who rates the Solens as Tier B with the Mundorf Supreme and of course cost much less.

I only have that one Mundorf sitting here that did not sell the rest did.

I am rebuilding right now to ASC caps (only because of what Tempo said Tier A and not that expensive) in the power supply for two reason the Electrolytics could be done anyway and am very curious what top notch power supply means?

Duelund has been a blessing and a curse. They sound fantastic but makes you start to think and that costs money!

What does a good air core inductor mean? (which I hope is here today)
Then it is what does top notch coupling caps mean?
What about Duelund wire? (which I hope is here today as well)

Undertow have you ever tried a full poly (Solen) power supply? So what does even bypass mean as far as sound?
The North Creek inductor is here.

Like all of you guys I am trying to get the most improvement for the $ I have or am willing to spend.

I actually like it when someone says your nuts. It keeps you in check. I agree with Dgarretson that a system is only as good as the weakest link. I have tried to go after those right away.

I choose Air Core low DCR inductor as this was talked about by Steen as area of importantce. Since I had Iron and maybe some corrosion and a higher DCR I am expecting improvement here. Just not sure how much.

I also choose to fix the power supply in the vintage tube amps as they are likely worn anyway. So again going from Electrolytic and possibly/probable worn (meaning going bad) another area of weakness to top notch poly power supply and maybe even adding some uf's.

Another area is Klispch used lamp cord wire back then and cheesy guage. So I have went to plastic free Duelund and heavier guage. So possibly corrosion and for sure not good quality to beging with. So again I am hoping for some improvement. But also a area that is not a waste anyway.

So guys feel free to shoot down my thoughts and say something like you should dump the old amp. Are not basic tube circuits pretty much the same? Just parts quality they are done with?

My thoughts are getting a new/newer amp with a top notch power supply and top notch coupling caps would not be cheap either.

For about $1500 or so you can have either all AN, Jensen, V-Caps in coupling and ASC in power supply good vintage tubes etc. To me I would think that would sound very good for $ involved and since looks are not a factor what do you think?