Vintage Speaker Upgrade: Replace Your Capacitors!

Possibly Unsafe is back with a speaker upgrade! Turns out capacitor performance degrades over time... and as ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) goes up, the highs go away. So this week we're replacing the capacitors on a pair of vintage Klipsch speakers to restore the sound back to the original spec. It's easy... and there's a good chance upgrading the capacitors in your crossovers could make for better sound.

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[ngtflyer]

Nothing beats vintage audio - they just don't make stuff like they used to, especially receivers and amplifiers. But, as capacitors age beyond 25-30 years, they need to be replaced as they go out of spec, ESR goes up and they tend to leak around the leads and onto the circuit board which then eats away at the board.
This is a great video.

[goats]

Holy crap, Patrick Norton. I haven’t seen you forever. Great to see you again. You and Leo Laporte were my favorite IT guys with Tech Tv like 2004. Thanks for this.

[Funkywallot]

I changed caps in my 49 year old KEF Cantor cross over network for Monacor caps. I was chocked how the mid and treble suddenly opened up and played music with a chrystalline quality to it. Was not expecting this total transformation. At first I kind of was overwhelmed...having been used to the vintage warmth and the softness ...

[max]

This afternoon I examined the crossovers of Kef C80 Speakers made in 1988. Fourteen capacitors in total on each board. I carefully unsoldered one lead of each cap and measured the ESR with a meter. Not one of the Alcap had an ESR higher than 0.24 ohms, nor had the uf value changed from specified. So, before spending a small fortune on designer components check them out first and save some money !

[DamionG]

I bought the fully assembled kit from Bob. It made a HUGE difference with my 1980 Heresy's. I absolutely love them now. They were really flat before. Now, they sing like no other speaker I have.

[johnnguyen]

You guys should update the title to Klipsch heresy upgrade. Alot of Klipsch fan would appreciate this video

[jm_]

The oil filled capacitors don't sound very good but don't need to be replaced. Only electrolytocs need to be replaced. Mylar caps don't go bad. The newer caps are Chinese metalized caps that sound terrible. Don't change your caps unless you want to have a bright sound

[yvesboutin]

Good and fun video guys! Congratulations for the job and the new car! Now I want to point out that if you try to listen to a speaker while another one is playing, you make it harder to distinguish the subtle variations between them. When I test some speaker modifications, I connect both of them on the right or left side of my amplifier, one on the 'A' channel and the other on the 'B' channel. By switching from on 'A' to 'B' I can be sure to have reliable point of reference to judge the change. Thank you and good luck on your next projects!

[mykolt]

Appreciate the video. Thanks dudes. I actually work on HID are lighting and have seen many blown capacitors over the years. But in that particular application, that old school oil filled capacitors are the best.

Now I'm ready to order a kit for three sets of vintage speakers and re cap all of em. They definitely need it.

[mycents]

I had 2 pair of 1974 vintage Altec Lansing Model 7 Speakers which I changed capacitors and speaker terminals. I spent $150 on the first pair and they sounded much better than the pair not recapped. I spent $350 on the second pair (they have sentimental value). They sound much better than the first pair. The highs are really different. One thing I notice is how a snare drum and cymbal sound real (had a drum kit for years). I can't believe how good these speakers sound. The source and Dac, pre amp, class A tube amp all contribute. I doubt that for what I spent you could buy better speakers. The lesson is different capacitors sound different. You can spend a little or a lot. If you like highs buy a higher grade capacitor for the tweeter. I purchased parts from Parts Connection. New caps can take more than 100 hours to break in. Be patient.

[aeyb]

I did the Crites thing on Heresy I’s and Forte I’s, a noticeable diff. But in the Heresy’s I left the old caps there disconnected, for originality if nothing else, and they looked cool. Funny too was that every cap I replaced I tested with an LCR meter and all were in spec with low ESR, but not as low as the new sonicaps. Somehow they sound better with new.

[marran]

Thanks guys! I have a pair of 1983 Heresy with the same Type E network that I'll be replacing the oil cans with new caps. I have minimal soldering experience so it was nice to see how easy it is.

[dyslexiamusic]

My beloved circa 1986 AR 58b speakers and I thank you! 😀

[WreckDiver]

I have Klipshe Forte II's Vintage my butt. These things still kick out better and more sound than anything else I've heard. LOVE my Forte 2's

[TohuBohuC]

Man this show looks awesome, shame it seems we aren't getting any anymore

[newpath.newpath]

Those old PIO caps tend to sound great and last practically forever.

[augustbraun]

Using the balance control on the receiver or pre - amplifier would have made the comparison far easier.

[tcwoodworksanddesign]

squacker is the original term used for midrange frequency driver. gosh I feel so old at 50, when I went to electronics school 30 yrs ago, we still call them squackers.

[TheFRiNgEguitars]

Most old electrolytic caps should be tested or replaced, however these orig caps are high grade components. They are probably well within spec. Unnecessary replacement in such case devalues the speaker and more than likely degrades their performance. (wise to test them and restore to original)

[zacordene]

WOW!!! Looking for my first capacitor replacement, and super stoked to see a P.Nort tutorial. My project is off to a good start!!!