2. speakers
  3. 1211428524

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
volleyguy1's avatar
volleyguy1
343 posts
 
Johnk

I did for months compared modified to stock both in real time. I even used digital and analog sources and used SS and tube amplification to compare. Modern and vintage amps as well. New tubes old tubes everything I could think of within reason. As you recall I took some flak for testing this way one chanel at a time.

I have since sold off some of the gear but even when comparing amps it would be one circuit stock and one modified. I started with the poorest sounding amp leaving the best stock one as the benchmark. All of this until recently. Now I have no stock amps. I have stock phono section that will compare when the CAST goes in.
volleyguy1's avatar
volleyguy1
343 posts
 
Sorry about this reply I think I was on another section of the thread.

How does the Alexander compare to Jensen? I would think close?
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
I`m in no position to declare the Duelund CAST the best capacitor ever. I used the tin foil V-Caps in my 100 watt push-pull tube amp and the OIMP V-Cap in a preamp. The results were very good and certainly worthwhile.

My recent use of the CAST capacitors in my speaker and DAC has been fabulous! The CAST have a larger impact and could be considered near profound in effect(no hyperbole). I spent 850.00 for the speakers CAST (one pair) and 440.00 for CAST to go into the DAC(one pair output caps). I can`t imagine any better use of money to improve audio components(and these were already very good sounding respectively).

So for 1300.00 USD the overall level of my system has been raised an entire level,there is`nt a single downside or compromise either. I think it`s quite special(and rare) to increase system resolution, nuance and clarity yet get more 'natural' sound and tone also.

I don`t know that this amount of money spent on cables or other upgrade attempts will come close to what the CAST capacitors have done so convincingly.
I think the CAST given its stunning contribution is an underated and under appreciated product in the audiophile community.
Regards,
volleyguy1's avatar
volleyguy1
343 posts
 
I can say that I am using Duelund Silver 2.0 version II speaker cables and as good as they are they do not make the difference CAST caps do.

If the choice was one or the other for the same dollar gets caps.
houstonreef
74 posts
 
Finally the Dueland cast caps arrived yesterday. They are physically ways bigger then Mundorf Supreme. I thought i have to return them but i think i can manage to store 2 of them in a tweeter (Avantgarde Duo). I have questions for you and need your helps.
1. Due to the location i have to extend the lenght of terminal wires of the cap by welding more wires on each terminal( 3 to 5 inches). Does it effect the performance of the cap?
2. Porarity of the cap: i do not see neg/pos marked on the crossover board and also is the Mundorf caps. In addition, the Dueland Cast does not mark either. Please advise me how to connect the Duelan to the crossover.
More to discover