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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
regismc
112 posts
 
Looking for some advice. Run a full tube rig w/6c33 monos, tube pre,
modwright transporter, audio magic liquid cables, hot rodded da-1s.
Rolled the clarity mr caps into the pre, very nice upgrade, lots of air, great
extension & spaciousness. I am considering either the MR or the dueland
Alexandria for the tube monos. Someone mentioned that duelands don't
mix well with other caps so I am hesitant...... any experience/suggestions?

Thanx.
undertow
1,033 posts
 
Regismc,
Never heard the Duelund Alexandria's. I have heard the Duelund VSF, and the Clarity MR. Both are great, both can't go wrong. And the only comment on Mixing was directed toward trying to combine another type of cap either bypassing a duelund or in a circuit like a crossover using more than one type or several positions of capacitors, then your better off with all Duelund 100% or all Clarity MR 100%, not a mix of the 2.

As for your amps I am sure both are great, but Clarity MR's I have used in an all Tube preamp with stellar results, and I have used a Duelund VSF in a tube PHONO amp with also zero compromise results.

The VSF may be slightly more natural, the Clarity MR might have a little more detail which doubles as "Airy". Depends on the tubes, if they are very soft or warm it might be a nice contrast using the Clarity MR's as you have already had first hand experience. Also Size consideration physically comes very important in play. If a Duelund or Clarity MR' depending on the Value you need is just too big to fit.

If one of these caps has a smaller body for the comparable value (Alexandria vs. MR) than you might be better off with the physically smaller cap depending on the space you have available as both are winners. The VSF is a bigger flat body almost guaranteed to take more space and may not fit at all, then again depending on the setup might fit better with a big flat cap opposed to a big round body cap.
michaelvv
52 posts
 
HI Regismc , I am listening to a pair of 6c33 mono's right now. The have the V-CAP CUFT 0.022 uF in each and they are playing fantastic. Be Aware they need a lot of break-in time these monos has been playing with the caps for 168 hours right now. V-CAP has no problem with mixing with other caps, i have the Clarity MR in my tannoy speakers.

If you won't go for Duelund , V-Cap because they are costly , try the Jensen Copper , Then are really good and does not cost a fortune. Which Values do you need ???
regismc
112 posts
 
Thanx fellas. All caps r .22's, both pre & monos. A pr. In each
mono & a pr. of .22 MRs already installed in the pre. Each mono
has 2 6C33C bottles w/4 12at7s, about 50wpc. The V-cap coppers
'sound' attractive, as I've a friend w/the 'non coppers' in a pr. of monos
which always sound really good, but, I gotta choose btw. the MRs or
the Dueland 'Alex's @this time. Sale prices thru July @PartsConnection. I've heard the other Duelands @RMAF as I live in CO. & they are always amongst the best sounding rooms, (@least in speakers), & the MRs r
doing a lot of things right. Decisions, decisions...
undertow
1,033 posts
 
By the way as a side note, I am not sure the verdict on (Oil Capacitors) in electronics reliability these days? I know when the Jensens came out 15 years ago and started this whole DIY high end capacitor landslide that some say they did not always survive the test of time without leaking?

I assume the Duelund Oils / Alexandria's are better today, and I am sure better sounding, however I had Jensen oils "Stock" in Balanced Audio Technology amp, and they used these in Tube and Solid state gear. I replaced them with the newer Jupiter HT's a couple years ago, and they are much better... No oil, and they are better than the Mundorf Oils as well.

I am not totally sold on the Oil in electronics, I do like them in Speakers and they will last there due to low heat and voltage. I also owned a CARY Tube mono pair with Jensen oil's, was not blown away, as a matter of fact I found the reliability and sound better from even something like the Jantzen superior Z caps.

So for me I think the MR's or the Jupiter HT's are the best for the MONEY. Duelund Alexandria's are a little more than both it looks like so if you want oil, I don't know myself how oil sounds in comparison to an original Duelund VSF style as this is a very different product for them, but I do know all other oil caps do not compare to a VSF or Clarity MR' so that's just my 2 cents.
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