mopar dave Posted April 15, 2003 Share Posted April 15, 2003 i would like some opinions on what caps to use with B networks in my cornwalls/verticle horns. currently i have solen metalized caps and using a k57 mid driver they get way too bright at anything over 100db. i would like to know if there is a cap that might tame them down without taking any timber away. they sound great at 90db and down. caps are 2.0-4.0. i was thinking about using oil caps, but don't know. dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubelion Posted April 15, 2003 Share Posted April 15, 2003 Do try any audio grade oil cap, from sprague- vitamine Q to western electric. Don't use the motor run. The vitamine Q is real cheap already, 10 dollars you get 2mf five or seven pieces from ebay. New one like audionote 100V is also available at high price, My experience with .47 mf 630V for coupling is very good. I use WE caps with good result. Let us know your result. Tubelion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mopar dave Posted April 16, 2003 Author Share Posted April 16, 2003 tubelion, where do i find these caps. i would like the very best. i have two oil caps from some heresy's 2.0, are these motor caps? should i change both caps on each network? do you think the extra brightness is caused from the solen 5% metalized caps i used? i know the k57 mid driver tends to be bright with stock oil caps. thanks dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dflip Posted April 16, 2003 Share Posted April 16, 2003 I replaced the 2.0uF cap with a Hovland musicap. The 4.0uF cap could be a cheaper polyproplyene one, like a Solen. This is what ALK recommends and uses. I don't think the cap is going to totally solve the problem of brightness. You would be better advised to use some rope caulk on the horn of the squawker. How much is up to you. I have about 3", starting from the magnet towards the mouth of the horn. Others here have the whole thing covered. It does "tame" the squawker a bit. Cornwalls will show the weakness in your system and the recordings you play. It is very easy to recognize a superior source of music. I found the Hovland was more accurate and provided more detail. That, without taming the squawker could be a bad thing, especially with solid state equipment. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubelion Posted April 16, 2003 Share Posted April 16, 2003 Oil caps, tube and horn are of the same era, proven match up for years. Now tube is really hot, some horn is hot, time is coming, oil caps is back. I tried Jensen and audionote oil caps they are good yet expensive, but they not only survive but glowing. Why? Because getting more people like you want the very best, they will afford what can improve the performance, DIY guys are most generous, not many company can afford good quality parts, some reserve oil caps as upgrade only eg Cary. Size is the real issue if price is not a too sensitive concern. The revival of oil caps must eliminate the motor run which give people a false impression that oil caps are no good, but they are not design for audio perpose, I am sad to hear here that Klipsch use whatever oil caps available for their 70ties product. See other topic about the 51 khorn, at that time they use the best. I am also understand some guys use klipsch as AV stuff, without a high end amplifier, its potential is not revealed, won't likely to tell the difference. Try those caps with a lengendary history behind, it can't be wrong, the best oil caps to me is WE or TCC, look at their price at ebay, look at the vintage WE amp with these caps. The audionote 100V copper case and foil caps are certainly good but a bit more expensive than WE, who is better, I am interested to know. The oil caps will help you, dap the horn will help too. Tubelion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mopar dave Posted April 17, 2003 Author Share Posted April 17, 2003 dflip, how much did you pay for the hovlands? what was you using before? my cornwalls sound excellent up to about 95db, then they seem to fall apart, real grainy and unlistenable. i have alnico 77, k57 mid and solens on both tweet and mid with an air core inductor 14gage. i have been told the k57's are known to take your head off at high levels. i like to listen to them at high levels to get the better in your chest bass effect 100-105db. i'd like to be able to do this from time to time without all the grain and brightness. i will try the hovlands and the rope trick. at what level do yours fall apart? thanks dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 Jeepers Dave -- 100db is pretty darn loud. If you can get there without earbleed you're doing pretty good. If you like loud, and listen to intense music -- then you are going to have to caulk those lenses from the base of the throat all the way to the mouth of the lens -- right up to the motor board. You should also caulk the tweeter while you are in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dflip Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 I think I like to listen to it loud, but having checked what most people think vs. what is reality, my listening level is never more than 1 (clock face) on my Scott. That is loud enough, I can't hear my friend come in the house. Above that it does get bright. Dean has a lot more rope caulk on his squawkers, but if you want to pump up the volume, you are going to have to caulk them. It is also, easy to remove. Each tweak you make, may change the amount of rope caulk you need to reach your tolerance, enjoyment level. I also liked the effect of putting caulking on the woofer spiders. The Hovlands cost around $20.55 US a piece. http://www.partsconneXion.com/catalog/capacitors.html Before the Holvands, I had the original oil in aluminum cans. One of them was shot and had to be replaced. ALK recommended the Hovlands (2.0uF cap) and Solens (4.0 uF cap), so that is the direction I headed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mopar dave Posted April 20, 2003 Author Share Posted April 20, 2003 i replaced the rca's running from the cd player to the tube amp with audio quest cable. i was using the cable that came with the cd player. that change alone made a great difference. the music is fattened up and some of the top end brightness is gone with the new cable. now at 100db it sounds great and up to 105 its exceptable. tommorow i will be pulling the backs off the cornwall's and dampening the horns with rope caulk, as well as dampening the inside of the cabinet with quilt badding. in the near future i will be rewiring the networks and adding hovland caps for the tweet. dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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