dtximages Posted August 13, 2000 Share Posted August 13, 2000 What are the caps on my AA crossovers and why is everyone replacing them? What exactly do they do and which part of my xovers are the caps? Cost? Is that too many questons for one paragraph? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted August 13, 2000 Share Posted August 13, 2000 Hi Chris, Caps are capacitors. They are the small, tin plated tanks with 2 terminals on top. Back in the day, the paper in oil caps Klipsch used in the Heritage Series were likely the best there was. Now, more modern materials, found by research, have made capacitors more purely capacitive, with less resistance and energy stored and released as "ringing" or other distortion. Basically, a capacitor in series blocks lower frequencies. They can be used in combination with inductors to steepen the roll-off of either a high-pass or low-pass circuit. Klipsch used more modern caps in my KLF-C7, though not the $$$ expensive ones like Hovlands. It seems like I spent $110 for Hovland caps in each of my La Scalas. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtximages Posted August 14, 2000 Author Share Posted August 14, 2000 Thanks John for the info. Will new caps take that "ringing" away from the mid horn. Im using a sony receiver on my LSs and I think that might be part of the problem. I took my homeade dampeners out of the horn troat last night and it sounded very open and good at lower vols. But when I turned it up it was way harsh on my ears. It seemed like all that I could hear was the mids! Will caps help this problem. Im thinking about reinstaling my foam "dampeners" and Im getting some rope caulk this afternoon. Thanks again. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bey Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 IMHO, replacing caps won't make a night and day change in sound. There is a change, but it takes a few days to hear -- maybe to break in, who knows. The rope caulk, OTOH, works right away and smooths out the signal just loverly. When you have your horns out, clean the dust out of the throats. Mine had a fair amount in them, and them only being 25 years old now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 Randy's correct. Most of the ringing you hear is the squawker horn and damping it the solution. OTOH, if you have Type AL xovers, you've got other problems, too. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtximages Posted August 14, 2000 Author Share Posted August 14, 2000 Thanks alot for clearing things up. Just one more thing. When I use the caulk, should I bead it around the horn or spread it out evenly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 Put the caulking on pretty evenly, but mash it on really well to make sure t\you get good contact with the horn. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenB Posted August 15, 2000 Share Posted August 15, 2000 Hi Guys, I replaced my motor run AA caps with some excellent caps I obtained from Welborne Labs. They were F/F Polypropylenes called 'MIT Multicaps'. You can find these in many high-end tube amps, and in esoteric audio stuff. A 12uf costs about $50 each. Are they worth it? You bet! VERY nice change in my system for the money. Great for replacing the coupling caps on your CD, or DVD players output too, but their physical size often makes that use impractical. BTW: A DVD player CAN make for a better CD player. I don't exactly know why that should be, but my old 'Pioneer' Combo Laser Disc/CD player had a beefy transport system, and better than average sound design. Replacing the output caps with the afore mentioned polyprop caps sent home a few 'Cal Audio Lab' owners (one with CD separates, the other a DVD/CD player) scratching their heads. They were THAT CLOSE in sound, after the mod! Bottom line: With the right associated equipment, changing just the AA caps will be a significant mod in itself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Klappenberger Posted August 15, 2000 Share Posted August 15, 2000 KenB I don't know if you have seen the other thread about the screw, but there is a metal screw holding the tweeter inductor to the board on the back right hand edge of the AA network. Remove it and throw it away! Glue the coil to the board if you have to. It will do more to improve the highs than the cap replacement job did. This sounds like a lot to expect, but it seems to be true if the latest comments I am hearing and my measurements are ture. Al K. OOPS! Pardon me while I pull my head out of my butt! You are the guy that started that screw mod thread! DAAHHHH... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtximages Posted August 16, 2000 Author Share Posted August 16, 2000 Al, is it the back right or left hand side of the AA? I think mine is on the left. I removed the screw and havent been able to tell much differece. Hope it was the right screw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Klappenberger Posted August 16, 2000 Share Posted August 16, 2000 cls72, The screw is a long wood screw and it's on the rear left corner if the connection block is facing you. Look back at the thread on updating the AA (I think), I have a picture posted of my hand holding the screw over top of the inductor. Al K. Yes.. I just went back and found it. It's under the "Updating older Speakers" section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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