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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
vn101606
73 posts
 
Hello Rodman (thanks), Saletric, Theaudiotweak, Volleyguy,

At partsconnexion, the cotton tubbing for the Duelund components would be:

http://www.partsconnexion.com/product1178.html

Is this right? Or another one? Thanks!
vn101606
73 posts
 

COTTON ROPE 5mm (2.5mm internal) Non-dye Natural Colour Cotton Tubing?
theaudiotweak
2,801 posts
 
I use product called AVM to control resonance on wire and connections. I have also used it as an adhesive like material between surface such as 2 capacitors. Somehow some way it seems to reduce distortion and noise without all the bad that comes along with soft materials that damp. AVM drys like rock. Another similar product to apply though less effective on small parts is Cascade V Bloc. This is very good inside speaker boxes and on driver frames. Also drys like stone. This can be purchased by the gallon. I am a believer in the use of materials with similar mechanical impedance. No goop, no rope a dope, no slow. Tom
volleyguy1's avatar
volleyguy1
343 posts
 
The Duelund CAST vs. vintage. Before the vintage is taken out there is a LOT less record surface noise from the CAST. The surface noise is in the freq range of the resonance I suspect of the vintage cap. Around a 75% reduction and the noise is at a lower freq.
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,518 posts
 
Well I upgraded the caps and resistors in my Coincident Total Victory III speakers. What a complete hassle and hard work! The wires inside the speaker are very, very short making it darn difficult to take the tweeter out. Nor could I pull out the crossover board behind the tweeter without cutting wires from other drivers going into the board. The other drivers are all in their own enclosures with the wires traveling through small holes from one speaker section to the next. The cut wires were so short it was darn near impossible to re-solder those cut connections. Oh my what a job.

Behind the tweeter I replaced three Solen Fast Caps and three sand cast resistors. I replaced them with Mills MRA12 resistors and Obbligato Premium Gold caps. I simply did not have the funds for Duelunds.

The bottom of the speaker has two more resistors and two more caps. I replaced the Solen Fast caps and sand cast resistors with Mills MRA12 and Mundorf Supreme.

What I will do someday is remove everything from the speaker and make an outboard crossover board. When I do this, I will use Duelund parts.

The speaker is said to have only one cap in the signal path for the tweeter and midrange. Well, those resistors and caps beyond the one arguably still influence the sound even if part of several Zobel Networks.

Perhaps a little early to tell the result as the caps are fresh with no burn in. Right now the highs and mids are more open and apparent. Things seem a little rough and hard right now so I will report back and more burn in.
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