⌈ The Japanese company TiGLON was founded in 2008. Initially named Kryna Pro, it changed its name to TiGLON in 2010, and its founder and chief designer is Mr. KENTARO OKINO. We test the inexpensive RCA analog interconnect MS-DR20R. ⌋

THE JAPANESE COMPANY TIGLON (its name is stylized by the manufacturer as 'TiGLON') should be familiar to readers of “High Fidelity”. We have been testing its products for several years of time, and some of them, such as LAN and USB cables, as well as anti-vibration pads, are used in our reference system. Although it is not an expensive manufacturer after all. However, its approach to sound is “in line” with mine, and the results it gets meet my expectations.

It is a manufacturer specializing in cables nowadays, but using his knowledge in other areas as well, such as in anti-vibration components - speaker stands, audio racks and platforms. Anyway - it was with stands that they started their adventure with perfectionist audio. All these products are united by Tiglon's basic technique of reaching for materials in which magnesium is doped, infused or added. It's no different with the tested MS-DR20R interconnect, either.

▌ MS-DR20R

IN THE THIS COMPANY LINEUP WE FIND ONLY two models of analog interconnects: the more expensive one, tested by us back in 2001 → TPL-2000R, and the MS-DR20R, which we will deal with this time. Although only two, they have RCA and XLR versions, as well as special custom-made versions prepared for the Hong Kong distributor. The latter are structurally identical, and differ only in the use of Cardas plugs. In total, then, there are as many as six items on the manufacturer's website.

The tested cable is the successor to the “12” series. But it's still a 3-core cable made of DF-OFC copper, PVC insulator, magnesium shield, and an outer jacket - this is new - made of a material called D-REN Pro. The cables are quite stiff, due to the materials used, and have an outer diameter of ø 8.5 mm. The manufacturer writes about them:

This cable inherits the basic design of the previous DF Series model, which was a big hit and was the first to use the fantastic DF-OFC conductor, which rewrote the history of TIGLON magnesium cables, and uses the newly developed D-REN coating as a vibration and noise dampening element.

The D-REN Pro magnesium pad, which has been well received worldwide as a vibration-damping element, is used in the cable's outer sheath for even more faithful signal transmission. The HSE Treatment annealing technology, which is also used in the top-of-the-line TPL-2000 series, has also been applied to this reference cable, giving it the character of a flagship model, even though it's an entry-level model.

⸜ MS-DR20R (RCA), → TIGLON.co.jp, accessed: 24.09.2024.

CONDUCTOR • The manufacturer primarily points out to the conductor as the key element of this cable. All of the company's cables are made of copper called DF-OFC. This acronym describes oxygen-free copper (OFC) obtained through a process called DIP FORMING PROCESS. The processing makes 99.99-purity copper much more precious, and its structure corresponds to copper with a much higher N-number.

We've already written about it, but let's repeat - DF-OFC is a copper with a formal purity of 99.99% patented by the US company General Electric. In the mid-1970s, it was sold under license to Japan's SHOWA Electric Wire And Cable Co., Ltd. which is a separate division of Tokyo Electric Company (today: Toshiba Corporation). The process involves producing a thin wire and running it through a trough of molten copper. Once the thick core is formed, it is then hot-rolled.

MAGNESIUM • The characteristic by which we can recognize this company is the use of magnesium in its products, in various forms. In the case of the tested interconnect, it is a film screen infused with this material. In an interview accompanying the test of the TPL-2000A, the head of Tiglon told us that he became interested in the “sound” of various materials thanks to the tuning of a luxury vintage Les Paul electric guitar from 1959. He discovered the potential of magnesium, in turn, by studying the sounds produced by interactions of various types of metal and wood.

As early as 2005 he proposed speaker stands in which he used magnesium, model MGT-60S, and in 2008 he patented the use of this material for cable shielding. Since then, magnesium can be found in all his products. It also works well as a vibration-reducing material. The company's materials read: “Unlike aluminum and copper, magnesium has high internal damping, so there is no metallic “ringing” that accompanies other metals.” This position is supported by measurements provided by the Japan Electric Cable Technology Center (JECTEC).

The tested interconnect is directional because the shielding film is wrapped in the same direction and, the company's head says, this affects the sound. The direction of connection is marked on the sleeve with arrows.

HYPER SATURATED ENERGIZER • In the press materials, Tiglon also mentions conditioning of cables, a treatment aimed at “aging” it, i.e. rearranging the crystals inside the conductor.

HSE is a joint development between Tiglon and other parties, that the company doesn't say much about, except that it is “a group of engineers from Europe, the United States and Asia”. It involves cryogenic processing, that is, rapid cooling of the metal near absolute zero, followed by slow heating. The process is designed to order the crystal structure of the metal and is known by various names - FURUTECH uses the proprietary name α (Alpha) Process.

D-REN PRO • The new “20” series differs from the older “12” primarily in its use of a material called D-Ren Pro. It was developed to dampen vibrations, and its predecessor was the D-Ren version. The new one, marked “pro” has a blue color, hence also the change in the appearance of the cables, which are now, as you might assume, blue.

This material, although it looks just like that at first glance, is no ordinary rubber. It was patented by Tiglon back in 2019, and now there is a new version. Its composition, with the obligatory presence of magnesium, was developed in cooperation with musicians in recording studios. As we wrote on the occasion of our test of anti-vibration pads, the company's materials even mention “tuning”; more → HERE.

The way I understand it is that pads with different admixtures were used for testing and the ones that gave the best results were selected. Originally, the items were black, and a newer version, is blue, and it has been available since 2020. The manufacturer says about the D-Ren Pro pads:

These are pads that “tune” the sound of equipment, dampening the complex resonances found in audio systems and amplifiers used to amplify musical instruments, bringing out their original sound quality. In order to improve the sound quality and durability of the older model (D-REN black), we developed the new version by repeating tests under the supervision of professional musicians and recording engineers in a recording studio (sub. - ed.).

⸜ Tuning Spacer D-REN Pro, → TIGLON.co.jp, accessed: 24.09.2024.

PLUGS • As we mentioned, the Hong Kong distributor's versions of the MS-DR20R cables are terminated with American Cardas plugs. These are expensive, high-end connectors, that additionally ensure better protection against RFI and EMI, since they are all-metal. But... .

While this makes sense for balanced interconnects and speaker cables, in my opinion, it doesn't quite make sense for RCA cables. And that's because Tiglon equips its interconnects as standard with a silver version of Bullet Plug RCA plugs. In this case, it's KLE Innovations' Silver Harmony Series plugs, which use silver-plated copper contacts - a tube in the middle and a single ground pin on the side. And these are excellent components.

As usual, Tiglon's cables come in a nice, modest cardboard box, with a second layer slid onto it to protect the box from scratches. The only thing that bothers me a bit about them is the black heat shrink sleeves applied to the plugs. I would have preferred if the manufacturer didn't use these at all.

▌ SOUND

HOW WE LISTENED • The TiGLON MS-DR20R analog interconnect was tested in the “High Fidelity” reference system, connecting the RCA output (WBT Nextgen sockets, gold-plated) of the Ayon Audio CD-35 HF Edition SACD player and the input of the same company's Spheris III line preamplifier (again, WBT Nextgen sockets, gold-plated).

It was an AA/BB/A comparison, with A and B known, with Siltech Triple Crown and Crystal Cable Absolute Dream interconnects playing the 'B' role.

» RECORDINGS USED FOR THE TEST ⸜ a selection

⸜ WES MONTGOMERY & WYNTON KELLY TRIO, Smokin' At The Half Note, Verve/Analogue Productions CVRJ 8633 SA, SACD/CD (1965/2013).
⸜ HANG RAIJI, Plus Five, Electric Bird/Step Records STPR-044, UHQCD (1983/2024).
⸜ MARI NAKAMOTO WITH ISAO SUZUKI & KAZUMI WATANABE, Mari Nakamoto III, Three Blind Mice/Sony Music Labels MHCL-1016, SACD/CD ⸜ 1975/2024.
⸜ FRANK SINATRA, Come swing with me!, Capitol Records CDP 7 94520 2, CD (1961/1991).
⸜ MILTON NASCIMENTO & ESPERANZA SPALDING, Milton + Esperanza, Concord Records UCCO-1243, SHM-CD (2024).
PORTISHEAD, Dummy, Go! Disc Limited/Universal Music Company [Japan] UICY-20164, SHM-CD (1994/2011).

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BEFORE I GET TO THE ACTUAL TEST, I'd like to say a few words about methodology. As you may have noticed, I am comparing the Tiglon interconnect to a reference that costs over twenty times more; at the time of the test, the former cost 94,000 zlotys for a one-meter section. This, it seems to me, is an atypical situation for audio. As far as I can see, virtually all other audio journalists use a different methodology of comparing similarly priced products to each other. The purpose of such a comparison is to point out which of these cables is better or which of their features are more interesting. In my opinion, this is a mistake.

This is because a comparison of this type does not say much about the cable as such, but how it compares with another cable from the same, or slightly higher price range, in addition to this particular cable. It's as if we are comparing one error to another. In addition, in order to gather some data package one would have to compare the tested cable to a representative group of cables from a similar price range, say - at least five-six. And no one does this, contenting themselves with a single comparison to a model they happen to have in their closet.

This comparison also doesn't say much about how really a given cable sounds (we're talking about signal modification, but we're using this mental shortcut). This can only be achieved by relating its sound to a many times more expensive reference, which is “transparent” in such a comparison. This, of course, is not the case, every audio component modifies the signal, but in such a comparison one can make such an assumption and it will not be an error.

That is for the methodology. In my case it has worked well for years and I stick to it. But in doing so, it is important to remember that tests of this type should be read a little differently than ordinary comparisons. And that's because the differences I'm talking about involve a comparison to a theoretical direct connection (which Wireworld writes about in its materials). In a word - these differences should be considered in the context of the price of a given interconnect with the knowledge that this is the least subjective information possible.

There's no problem with the Japanese cable in question this time, insofar as its way of building sound is quite similar to what I know from the Siltechs, and even more to how Crystal Cable interconnects show the world of music. And it's all about warm, powerful playing with a clear foreground and a slightly boosted rear end. You can hear it as if everything has been slightly turned up.

This could be heard very well when, in the opening track of WES MONTGOMERY and WYNTON KELLY TRIO's album Smokin' At The Half Note, on Analogue Productions' SACD reissue, ˻ 1 ˺ No Blues only the room is heard at first, and in a moment more instruments enter. This is a live recording, made at the Half Note club, so in a typical place of its kind, where music is listened to, but people also talk, smoke, drink, etc.

The hall noises I'm talking about are shown quite far away and rather mono. Also, Kelly's piano, which enters after a while, is far away in the mix, sometimes it can even be heard as if it is being shown through the microphones of the drums rather than its own. Tiglon brought both the “hall” and the piano closer to me. In the sense that they had more volume and were physically closer to me. This is one of the fundamental differences between top cables and cheaper ones - the ability to show small changes in amplitude and phase, on which space is built. The better - the more air and information it shows at the back of the stage.

Which is not to say that MS-DR20R does anything wrong. It's an absolutely understandable change, especially in a comparison like this. If we listened to it with another cable in this price range, it would be at the forefront of resolution. And at the same time, as I say, it's a cable that shows the sound in a similar form to how reference cables show it.

Its main advantage is the skillful combination of dense colors and attack. That's why this company and the technical solutions it uses seem so interesting to me. Because when I say dense timbres, they are really dense with the tested interconnect, so that Montgomery's guitar, itself almost sounding, as if connected “direct” to the speaker, gains some more depth, some more size.

One may say, “Ok, but it's a top production and release, so such a quality is not unusual”. OK, one can say that. But when I played the album Plus Five by Japanese supergroup HANG RAIJI, which plays fusion music, I heard something very similar - dense timbres, low midrange extension and great attack, simply put: energy. And this is very important in this case, because this is not an album with a particularly saturated sound. It's not “skinny” either, that's not the point, but its bass doesn't go very deep. It's emphasized by synth sounds, but the bass guitar has some limitations.

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WITH TIGLON THE DISC IN QUESTION sounded very dense indeed. Which was possible not only due to dense colors and saturation, but - and it's the second element - also due to a clear attack. Because the cables of this company, regardless of price and purpose, are characterized by something that rarely happens in this form - an excellent attack, because it is fast and punctual, but also one that does not draw attention. The easiest way to simulate something like this is by emphasizing the part of the band responsible for sonority and sharpness. It can be done, quite easily. But such an action introduces unpleasant brightening, harshness into the sound, and as a result - the sound brings fatigue.

With the tested interconnect there is nothing of the sort. On the contrary. Compared to any other “fast” cable, the MS-DR20R seems warm and even dark. But this is precisely because it combines fast attack with saturation. The presentation is thus agile, rhythmic, “propelling” forward, and yet very pleasant. That's also why MARI NAKAMOTO's vocals from Mari Nakamoto III, recorded with ISAO SUZUKI and KAZUMI WATANABE for Three Blind Mice and released this year on SACD, sounded so charming.

˻ 1 ˺ Georgia In My Mind is perhaps the best-known track from this set, in addition, one that has been repeatedly reproduced on various compilations of TBM's music, such as by the First Impression Music label. And not without reason. It's a recording with great depth, energy, emotionality, but at the same time tangible instruments with high energy. And the tested cable preserved it really well.

This is not an interconnect that celebrates space in any particular way, because reverberations are slightly truncated with it. It's a cable that invests energy in showing big, strong foregrounds. Instruments and voices are three-dimensional in them, they have a large “body”, making the sound engaging, immersive and, I repeat, enjoyable. The sibilants in Nakamoto's vocals were audible, it's not such a dark sound for them to disappear. But they were not prolonged either, and their energy was gently quenched.

On the other hand, the higher guitar sounds (Watanabe in several tracks, as in ˻ 2 ˺ What A Difference A Day Made added the second guitar track) were clear, showing the instruments well in the panorama. For although this is not a cable that emphasizes space, the area in which it shows the instruments is presented in a perfectly orderly way. There are no “vibrating” or “blurred” edges, as the sound sources are clearly drawn. They are not cut out of the background, that's not the case either. And yet, somehow, they are solid and clear.

▌ Summary

I'VE NOT MENTIONED ABOUT IT YET, so this is probably a good time - the MS-DR20R is an interconnect that plays any kind of music in a ‘friendly’ way. It enlarges the foreground a bit, smoothing out unpleasant edges, but it's also open and has a fast, energetic attack. Its mid-bass is also slightly emphasized, making the volume of sound large. And when there is a bass playing mostly in the midrange of that range, as in 12 ˺ Glory Box, a track from the Dummy by PORTISHEAD, it's a strong, loud sound.

Because it is a cable that will not leave us indifferent. It is not “transparent” in the sense that it has its own agenda. It changes the sound in its own way. And it does it well. The worst thing that can happen to an inexpensive audio product is to pretend that it is as resolving as its expensive counterparts. And that's impossible. Tiglon does something different - it integrates sounds with each other, spices them up, making the presentation simply interesting, good, enjoyable. And we still get plenty of information about instruments, vocals and techniques. That's why this company's MS-DR20R is such a good product quite attractively priced. ●

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The text features an affiliate link to the online store → CD JAPAN.

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THIS TEST HAS BEEN DESIGNED ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES adopted by the Association of International Audiophile Publications, an international audio press association concerned with ethical and professional standards in our industry, of which HIGH FIDELITY is a founding member. More about the association and its constituent titles → HERE.

→ www.AIAP-online.org