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
Vn101606,

I would like to hear your feedback regarding the inductors. I use an all Cast xover and found it to be money well spent.
Irish and I are both in the inductor camp. (as in I can not believe how much difference they make)

A friend was over who has Khorn's and subs and he could not believe how much bass was coming out of my Lascala's a bass shy speaker. His speakers are rated for 20hz lower, his system is home theater based with subs and yet mine which is two channel has more bass. (not deeper but much more)

I know the reason and it is the Duelund inductors. I only have VSF inductors and the thoughts of going from them to CAST has enter my mind many times...
Hi
I have taken the plunge and ordered CAST PIO-cu + VST-cu caps and CAST copper inductors for my speaker (satelite- see my virtual system) 1.order serial crossover (at least i think it is 1.order. Serial filters is quite complex and i have an expert doing the filter design). One cap and one inductor in signal path (and a L-pad). The CAST components will be the only components in series with the signal. The VST cap will be in paralell to tweeter signal. All resistors are already Duelund CAST. Paralell caps for midrange will be either Mundorf supreme or SIO (open for suggestions) mixed with some Mundorf SGIO that i already have and use in the crossover.

I have only one inductor in each serial crossover, a North Creek 8 AWG which i think performs absolutely superb (my BLH Nagaoka satelites do the job from 130-7000Hz). The NC replaced a good foil-inductor and was a significant upgrade soundwise. I didn't think of upgrading this before reading the rave about the Duelund inductors here... For my basstowers the boss inductor is a 6kg North Creek 8AWG. This will not be replaced!

My extremely positive experience with the CAST resistors is mainly the reason i go further with the Duelund replacements. This thread also helped with all inputs on Duelund components in different speakers and gear (for now the speaker crossover experiences are the most interesting). Starstruck with the CAST resistors i hope for more of the same effect with more/only Duelund components in the signal path!
Hi...

Away for a very long time. Just heard the best capacitor ever. This was a 2a3 SET direct coupled. Which of course
does not use any caps at all.
It was playing music, on a whole new level.
The only drawback it's limited to 3.5Watt output. But I think with my 99DB speaker, I would match. I will have a listening session on my own speakers within the next 2 weeks, can't wait.

/Michael