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
Look out Charles as you must now look at the all important resistors in key positions. Oh ya, they matter. Some nice Vishay TX 2575 Z Foils! Also the very musical Shinkoh. Super Franks!
"Super Franks" now there's a concept!
Bill I always appreciate your input but you go much deeper into modifications than I care to. I just go for simple yet high bang for the buck mods and leave it there. Duelund caps in my speaker Xover and DAC worked out splendidly and I'm very happy. If the Jupiter Cu foil give me half of that in the Frankenstein that would be very satisfying(given the Franks high baseline performance). I don't believe changing the input coupling capacitor(amplifier) is as "significant" as the output coupling caps in the DAC or the speaker Xover tweeter caps. I could be making wrong assumptions.
Charles,
Agreed Charles. Resistors are relatively cheap $5-$15 and folks overlook them. They play a significant role for sure in musicality and resolution. It is certainly much easier and doable if you can perform these mods yourself and listen...change etc...If not, it can be a big hassle and expensive.
Update on the Jupiter caps in my crossover. They have opened up nicely and I could not be more pleased. Very happy with my purchase.

They seem to open up and improve in a short 50 hours or so. I am at around 100 hours now and am told by the builder they will improve up to 200 hours. I am ecstatic with the music at 100 hours!
Piling on the hours on the Jupiter caps. I know this will set off a firestorm.

Jupiter's are not noisy in any way have a clear top end (sometimes intoxicatingly clear) but I just do not find them in the league of the CAST in dynamics...

I will continue to give more of a listen but right now I am ticked that my CAST leaked and I do not have replacements...

Options are tying RS?

The CAST is likely 5x the volume in size of Jupiter and well, sounds it. I have yet ever to find a smaller cap a more dynamic cap...

Am I upset with the Jupiter's? No in the tight area of my amp the small size of the cap (and affordable price) is an asset and the CAST would not fit without big modifications... (plus big $$$ in several caps)

I am not sure to this day I agree with Tony's scores. I originally thought 17 for CAST would be about right. I am not sure why he rates other caps so close? Not to me...

I also have the Beeswax Jupiter's and I do not find or have not heard at least yet a big difference to the Copper's...

Tony quote on Jupiter Beeswax (good description not offensive in any way)

"I find them very pleasing to listen to".

I expect Tony to rate the Jupiter Copper's around 12?

That is my early guess... Oh how I would love the $33 cap to better the $200 one