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
Undertow you must not be using the simple "A" or "AA" in your Klipsch? There is no resistor at all. Very basic circuit. The "A" even simplier.

Undertow I do agree with Duelund being "transparent". They seem to get more signal though whether it is the caps or wire or inductors.

I really should measure the two inductors to see. I am trying to get the measurement off the vintage. The Duelund of course is in the speaker.
DCR is flavour changes and once I get to that then I will be done. I only want quality improvements. (which I have got)

The friend who was over listening (and buying my old speaker wire making room for the Duelund Silver) owns a set of Khorns think both sides (of mine) sound amazing. (his are just stock) To me the Silver Wire makes a big difference.

I am getting near the end though and I know it. Changing the parallel tweeter inductor was one of the last parts not Duelund.

I would say to anyone wathcing this thread that parallel parts do not give the same Wow! as series parts. They affect the sound at some %, just not sure how much compared to series parts. Maybe a guess later?

Even going from a Duelund VSF tweeter cap to CAST had me put my ear to the tweeter to see what was going on. (big difference) Nothing like that with parallel tweeter inductor.

Chris at parts connexion looked over my schematics and said not to go crazy with this part. Good advice.

I might have found my first Duelund part not working in this application?

The inductor sounds bright and agressive. I am going to check some tubes to make sure all is Ok but just changed power output tubes not long ago. The inductor makes the speaker much louder than the other and not a nice loud.

The last time I changed the DCR with the North Creek in the woofer it did not work out well at all either. DCR from what I have seen is not something to mess with. Even a better part will not sound right?
Duelund out vintage back in and much better.

These parts make a BIG difference, meaning parallel.

Play with DCR like playing with fire.
Changing the DCR can alter the transfer function and overall driver efficiency. You should keep the DCR within 10%(preferably 5%) of the original value.