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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
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
4,637 posts
 
Well I decided to try CAST caps in my TRL modified Sony CD player. TRL already did significant mods to this unit including a battery power supply for the DAC section.

The output caps were cheap electrolytic types. Very small in size and 100uf value. I simply did not think I could replace these 100 uf caps with small value CASTs , but I was wrong. I placed .22 CAST caps and was not prepared for the massive improvement.

No bass roll off to my ears and I actually measured the bass down to under 25 htz in my room. The sound is soooooooo much better. Guess Sony used 100uf values as the caps are very tiny and electrolytics. I have read larger values are needed to cut distortion with these caps. I learned first hand that one can replace these types of caps with values far smaller when using good film or PIO caps.

Cap roll on!
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
6,996 posts
 
I get the feeling electrolytic caps are the default choice because they are cheap. They don`t appear to have much sonic value.Sound quality nearly always improves when they`re replaced.
volleyguy1's avatar
volleyguy1
334 posts
 
Charles1dad
I think electrolytics maybe should be illegal in the signal path. (just kidding)

I put back the vintage electrolytic in the power supply and it is MUCH better than the modern Jensen. The vintage is twice as big at least and 3 to 5x as heavy is my guess. Quite a while back I posted that I have yet to find when the bigger heavy cap of a similiar style did not sound better. This included say Mundorf Supreme's being much more dynamic than say Sonicaps. (the Mundorf's being much bigger)

I suspect the drive to be smaller lighter more compact causes less weight and more resonance. I have really wanted someone to try a Duelund power supply. No takers that I know of?

I have asked for Christmas for a capacitor (phono stage) from family. (too funny) I bet that is the first time someone may open their Christmas gift and
opened a capacitor!
volleyguy1's avatar
volleyguy1
334 posts
 
For Christmas I have asked for some Blu-Ray (Audio) music as well. Tom Petty is one of the only one I can find? Neil Young but that is a box set.

Right now I am getting familiar with the phono section which still has the vintage caps. I must say doing the pre-amp section has made the turntable sound MUCH better. I did not connect the turntable for quite some time. (just too vintage sounding) I am enjoying it now.

I have high hopes for the CAST in the phono section.
volleyguy1's avatar
volleyguy1
334 posts
 
Hi Micheal

If I remember correct you had heard the Jensen Copper Paper Tube but not Duelund VSF or CAST? (not sure)

I would rank them more like
Duelund CAST
Duelund VSF
Jensen Copper Paper Tube
then VCap Cuft which have strengths over the Jensen's which are muffled in comparison but VCaps have a synthetic sound to me. I know your not in the Jensen camp I think it can be what our mind will and will not accept and can be different for each person. The VCaps have a lightning fast charge and discharge to me that keeps them from being dynamic like the CAST.

I am glad I tried VCaps though as well as Mundorf Supreme to get an understanding of what caps do. We have to keep this in perspective a Mundorf Supreme would be better than what 99% of companies use in the crossover?

Have you heard the CAST? They have Jensen strengths but way less muffled sound. I would like to here if you could fault the CAST except maybe no forgiveness for poor recordings.

I have not heard the Clarity or Duelund Alexander to know where they fit in the range.

I am going to use the Jensen in a bedroom system. All other caps have been sold or will be.
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