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
Also, Clarity TC film caps are wonderful in tube amp power supplies replacing electrolytic types. I have found you can use values of 1/3 the capacitance of the electrolytic caps they replace. More open sounding and extended compared to electros I have used in the past. Also better than the GE motor runs I have used in the past. More air, openness,  and improved focus and overall refinement. 

This is based on some recent  mods on tube preamps and PP tube amps.  
grannyring,
as you might remember I replaced the capacitors in my Coincident Dynamo 34SE with Arizona Green. Huge difference to the good in really every parameter. I have been thrilled for many months. I'm going to try the new Duelund as well. Best, Rob

I also use the Duelund wire in my tube amp mod with the Blue Cactus caps and resistors Jeff Day likes per his site. 

Very nice! However the best mod to take is bypassing the speaker binding posts on my amp. Best sonic improvement I have heard to date with my latest amp project. Just think no more thick metal binding post or even thick metal connectors on the speaker cable. I inserted some Teflon bolts and nuts where the binding posts were and use them as a clamp to clamp together the bare speaker wire with output wires from the trannys that now exit the back of the amp. This was a very noticeable improvement! 

Grannyring,
thanks for the tip. I think I'll experiment on the Tekton Lores, but not mess with the DeVore 0/96 or Harbeth HL5s. Best, Rob

Grannyring I believe it on your binding posts. :) For me as well maybe the biggest improvement was removing a connection to the woofer with direct wiring. It was crazy how much was lost.

You got me thinking and over the holidays I am going to experiment in removing my cheap aluminum connectors that join woofer, midrange and tweeter with some Duelund Silver wire. I bet a big improvement!


I was reading Jeff's post on the new Duelund cap. Can someone clarify if this is his first Duelund CAST in electronics? I believe it is. I always wondered when he was going to get around to this.


He talks much about vintage caps but I have not found any vintage cap that can compete with Duelund except in the midrange and at great loss of dynamics. 

When this thread started I was not a vintage guy at all. I had to admit loving the vintage tone though when I heard it. Duelund improved it in every way. 

I do not think he should think of sound as vintage vs. Modern. Steen Duelund had concluded it was natural vs. Plastic. Vintage just used less plastic but not vintage magic.