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
I also feel that when possible, a single cap is the best solution. I feel that paralleling multiple caps, especially on the HF circuit, can lead to some smearing. But, I would still take two high quality caps paralleled over a cheap or mediocre cap.
Jimmy has done it again.

I think he wanted to make sure the Duelund was worth the extra cost over the Jensen.

Once I am done figuring out which coupling cap matters most, I expect phono stage tube cap but do not know maybe a CAST cap there? I can say that would be before any turntable or cartridge upgrades.
The Duelund WPIO inductor is here.

As with all Duelund products it has a smell that makes you feel you could eat it.

It has a similiar look as the vintage inductor (meaning wax paper type) except again clearly better made. The vintage wires (and is not a foil) are not held so tight. Clearly Duelund looks like a quality product. Duelund is just one hard chunk. Looks different than the pics too guys? The whole inductor is sealed like CAST?

The first 15 minutes are VERY good. Again Duelund sounds excellent right out of the box. Duelund has been the only product that is better than vintage in EVERY way and once again EVERYTIME.

The North Creek inductor was better in some ways but not in others. (ringing)

I took a big risk (for me) on this inductor. I knew the caps were worn out an inductor of course does not wear so the change from Duelund from vinage would have to be all in quality of part.

The sound is much more open than the vintage that while it does not ring is somewhat dead and muffled. How Duelund does this I do not know? The sound is alive.

Duelund keep stunning balance.

I have more Jensen Copper paper tube caps here and will do one signal in them. So far they are pretty good but even the Jensens which are better than the vintage in the phono stage but the vintage does sound more alive? Jensen nice from top to bottom but so far not liquid alive sound like Duelund parts?

I will see if that is a Jensen trait?

Maybe I am gettin too picky? Like Jimmy says once you hear Duelund nothing else seems to cut it.

Right now the test is with no Jensen caps in the signal just off the CD.

One Duelund trait not many mention is they make your best and worst CD sound better. To me this is very important as who cares if just your best sounds better.

I will get to do a full comparison in the next few days after the inductor is broke in. I will do a Duelund/North Creek as well.
Not to get off topic But I see Dueland will be at the RMAF
this year.Is anyone going? This should be exciting .I guess they will be displaying a speaker system with all cast components installed.
I hope to see u all at the show.
Don C.
Volleyguy,

Glad you took the plunge with the Duelund inductors. As you know I have used North Creek 8 AWG inductors and feel they work best on the bass.
I use all Cast Duelund products in my crossover.
So just when I think I am done Frederik @ Duelund ups the ante and has developed a Cast version of their Silver graphite resistors. I placed my order and will report back when I receive them. I will be comparing them to the current Duelund resistors.
Maybe Frederik will jump in and comment on the differnce between the two resistors.