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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 have been listening for a few days to the wire comparison. It is just against Linn 12 guage which cost around $3 per foot so at Duelund price for Silver x2 it should be a LOT better.

I will say it sounds like two speakers out of phase. Likely caused by resistance difference.

Silver is NOT bright that is for sure. Not sure where it gets that reputation?

There is much less high freq noise or what I thought might have been tape hiss?

Stranded copper favours as it did in the internal wire it's own freq. which is the highs. The Silver sounds much more liquid top to bottom.

There is more tighter dynamic bass. Actually more dynamic across the range.

I do find myself thinking about turning up the treble though. I seen Duelund once selling a really high end tweeter.
dgarretson
2,599 posts
 
I've been listening to Duelund 2.0 V2 wire for several days now in modified Merlin VSM-MX. 2.0 replaced stock Cardas copper bulk wire of perhaps 15awg. It's nowhere near broken in but initially promising. Similar to Volleyguy I'm principally hearing more LF and midrange development. There is very natural intonation of bass lines. Due to development across the lower spectrum the treble seems less prominant and airy. However this will probably change for the better with break-in.

There is background relaxation and quiet that actually led me to strobe test the TT to be sure that it was not running slow. I mean this in a good way.
duelund_coherent_audio
110 posts
 
Volleyguy,

What you're hearing is the absence of plastic around the wire.

Also what you're not hearing, brightness, less treble etc. Are again plastic induced artifacts that are suddenly no longer present, nor should they be, they were never on the recording in the first place.

Dgarretson,

I did the exact same thing first time I got cables from Steen Duelund, everything seems relaxed and slower, somewhat akin to the musicians being at ease with what they do as opposed to beginners who may sound hurried and flustered, everything gains an understanding and sense of aahh there it is...

I know this may sound strange but many have commented the exact same thing, when removing plastic from their systems.

Duelund himself talked about a lack of echo effect, he theorized plastic was inducing.
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
Dgarretson
I am not sure that the air will come around? Duelund has a signature sound for sure. Or one could say plastic has a signature depends on point of view.

When listening to Miles Davis the wire changes everything.

Almost re-aranging who gets top billing. I can not imagine that Miles was giving top billing to the drummer with the cymbal, high hat and snare drum? This would be putting himself, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley and Bill Evans all in the background?

With the stranded copper the piano sounds like in an echo chamber. Just a joke.

Stranded (at least with plastic) seems to favour it's own freq. (the high)

I notice a big difference in dynamics! I assume this is because of the lack of echo? Silver sounds much more alive.

Without a doubt no one can think it sounds the same!

I remember getting the first CAST tweeter cap and being shocked. Soooo quiet and yet clearer? Yet part of me missed the "air". (even the air added by the VSF)

The wire does take getting used too. The highs although maybe do not have the same air are clearer.
volleyguy OP
789 posts
 
The order is being sent from Parts Connexion for the for the tweeter inductor.

Once that goes in I will have only 2 parts left that are not Duelund (in one side). One cap in the amp and the autoformer.

A friend was by that bought the same speakers etc. He hears the wire difference which I think is very big but he thought it sounded fantastic even before. He did notice more bass with the Silver wire and not as bright.
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