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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
salectric
683 posts
 
Regismc, very interesting! Have you tried the s/g/o plus CuTF combination as a coupler as opposed to power conditioner?
salectric
683 posts
 
Grannyring, I haven't experimented with Wimas. Back in the days when I had ARC preamps I listened to Wimas because they were used extensively in the ARC power supplies, but I wouldn't draw any conclusions from that----too many other variables.

On your comment about 2 camps of people----one appreciating bypass caps and the other disliking bypass caps---I agree completely. Some like 'em, some don't. I am in the Don't Like Them camp. Each time I try a bypass, I hear an emphasis in the highs, like a spotlight has been turned on. This accentuates treble speed, focus and apparent detail and there is more "air" in the mids and highs. These qualities seem---at first---like genuine improvements. Unfortunately, to my ears, they quickly become artificial and unmusical. The unbypassed cap also sounds more coherent; it doesn't change character across the tonal spectrum. The unbypassed cap sounds like one voice rather than a smeared chorus of different voices.
ricevs
190 posts
 
Jupiter copper foil caps coming in 3 weeks. Yes, values from .001 to 1uf at 600V will be ready in 3 weeks. So far, everyone has preferred them to Dueland copper cast and VSF. These will be in a round case. Later this year 100V flat stacked versions for speakers will be ready.
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
4,637 posts
 
I bypassed the output caps in my Lampizator today with Wima caps. Just like you said Salectric there seemed to be better highs and more air, but after 3 hours....no go. Things were to bright and emphasized in the highs.

My preamp bypass caps in the power supply did not do that however and worked perfectly with no negatives. So, in the right position, value, and gear they can indeed work. As I have said, it depends on the gear and not so much personal preference or ears. Nobody would say my preamp was better sounding before the bypass mod. Most would not like the bypass cap sound on my Lampizator on the output cap. Certainly nobody in my home did.

I am going to wait on those Jupiter caps for my Lampi! Instead of Duelund I am going to try these new ones. I will do so as I hear they will cost less.
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
4,637 posts
 
Salectric, I also agree with you that personal preference can in some instances certainly play a role.

Emailed Ric at EVS and I used the wrong value Wima as a bypass in my Lampizator and will try the mod again once I get the right value. I will report back!
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