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
Well now I'm completely confused? Are you saying that the Linn is great with transistors but with tubes it's only the CD player that benefits?
Halcro I am somewhat confused myself. The tubes make the CD player sound like it never has before. (always wayyyyy below the level of the LP12) On the other side the improvement was not as stark with the Lp12 hooked up to tubes. This could be as little as a poor vintage phono stage. If you would have asked me before this I just assumed vinyl was the only way to go. Almost got rid of the CD player as it was getting so little use. Mostly for my wife really as I never listened to it. I am to the point of wondering if I will keep the Lp12. That's why I say I was confused as well. SS causes an ever increasing investment in the LP12 and I was somewhat frustrated with being somewhat stuck in the past. (vinyl I mean) Halcro I think everyone would agree if you can get digital as good as vinyl sound than vinyl is a big question mark. CD's do not wear out like lp's etc. I know a lot of it has to do with even and odd harmonic distortion. In my opinion digital with (my SS) just gives wayyyy too much odd harmonic distortion.

Which takes me back to Steen's camp. A cheap (my CD player was $3 or $4k new) but only worth $600 (or so) now coupled with a vintage tube amp (again for chump change) with vintage speakers and Duelund crossover blows away a my many, many times more expensive vinyl SS system. Steen says 50% speakers 50% of that crossover and 50% in the rest of the system.

My x-101-d is I think the same as the 500c. Stereophile write this review and I know they love everything except the Fisher does not advertise. They do say the phono stage not all that great.

http://www.stereophile.com/historical/605fisher/
Have two (new) old Fishers here one x101 and a 500c. The x101 was supposed to have no hum? Maybe the owner was deaf?? The 500c is working but does not have the crystal clear sound of the x101-d before it blew. I have to get tubes checked out etc. So both are going to tech guy.

I will have to replace electrolytics etc. Any recommendations there?

This sounds more like what I thought vintage would. A little dull.
Nichicon electrolytics from Michael Percy is your best bet

http://www.percyaudio.com/
G_24 Thanks

I never hear people talk much about Electrolytics. At least one being better than the other.

I am going to put the Duelund VSF's into the Klipch heresy's to see if the improvement is the same there. Of course they have the same tweeter and midrange but no mid range caps so just tweeter caps to replace so a Duelund speaker on the cheap. I am going to test the 500c what will be the livingroom system.

Will Duelund make the same improvement in cheap speakers??

Part of me bought the Heresy's for parts for the Khorns (I have Lascala's but getting Khorns) part wants to never do this again! I already know what will sound good in the Heresy's. (I think)

Heresy's have slow bass compared to Khorns or Lascala's that won't change even if one did put in Duelund tweeter caps.