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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
 
I do have one question for Duelund as well. Yes the wire sounds excellent being coated in in silk oil but does oil not dry out in time???

What happens then?

I am literally back to listening to one speaker the difference is so big now. I still have some small sections to replace as well! So will get even better.

I am for sure doing the entire chain in Duelund wire the amp everything.
duelund_coherent_audio
110 posts
 
The oil is dried when you get the cable. It does not need to be wet, to perform its intended function.
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
Thanks Duelund

Well most of the speaker is all Duelund wire. (couple little bits to replace)

Duelund is known for their natural sound. Why?

I think Duelund has a signature of lower resonance deeper fuller tones. At first their products might come across as darker. They seem to not exaggerate the highs. They change the sound stage. To me this is for the better. The high res parts bring forward instruments that give high freq. High res can also give the impression of false detail.

The solid copper wire is sharper yet smoother than the stranded wire. It does bring forward the sound stage somewhat.

A long time ago when I had one crossover of foil (vintage) and one of poly (Sonicaps) you could not listen to both speakers at the same time. It was like they were out of phase. It is like that with one speaker wired with Duelund one with cheap wire but not to the same extent.

It has had me thinking is this caused by the slowing of the signal from plastic or thinner wire or the stranded wire? (or all three)

The vintage wired speaker might sound Ok at one freq then a slow mess below. (say on Jazz) The acoustic bass player say is playing with intentions on the Duelund wired and lazy, sleepy on the vintage.

The Duelund wired speaker much better but could still be better. Jazz is tough and I am still running Linn K20? 12 guage stranded wire to the speakers.

The vintage speaker has more of droning sound? Slowness of the wire?
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
I am starting to wonder if I have not gone to far.

The Duelund wire (Copper) was great for the woofer. I am now not so sure for the mid's and tweeter. I sounds quiet mellow and dark. For the first time I have turned up the treble. It is just hard to believe how much different wire can sound.

I can see now why Irish says I need to try for myself. I am curious to what Silver will sound like? Expectation may be copper to the woofer and Silver elsewhere?

I would like the highs a little hotter.
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
I have researching wire. I never expected it to sound so different???

I mentioned earlier that the two speakers Duelund Solid Copper wired and stranded wire do not sound good together. It is the stranded wire that sounds faster. (tilt of the sound to upper freq) The Duelund thicker wire for the tweeter and mid range is quiet but tilts the sound down. The speaker sounds darker, maybe slower. The thick solid gauge seems to block or slow the highest freq?

Although the very low noise is welcome the speaker moves from realistic to more hi-fi sounding.

I have never heard stranded vs. solid. I thought it was going to be like just gauge change. (solid is much smoother)

It feels like you can hear the signal jump all over the stranded wire. The cheap thinner wire might sound faster but adds substantial distortion. You get a hard grainy sound. (nasally sound)

I have some Duelund Silver Foil coming.

Will the Silver be worth it? I am curious to hear if the skin affect is real?

I know the North Creek inductor while having good points was for sure noisier than Duelund's foil type. Frank said Duelund's original wire wound inductor was not so great either? Mapleshade Audio and so many others claim great things of foil and for sure silver foil.
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