TiGLON JAPAN | TPL - 2000 Series XLR / RCA Premium Interconnect Cables 1.0m
 
TPL-2000R/TPL-2000X
Type: interconnect cables
Conductor: Dip-Formed Oxygen-Free Copper (DF-OFC)
Shield: Magnesium Shield with Advanced Magnesium Filter
 
Tiglon’s 47-year-old founder, Kentaro Okino, became fascinated with the sonic properties of magnesium during his mechanical engineering studies and, after using it to suppress vibrations in loudspeaker stands and component isolation platforms, obtained an international patent in 2009 for its use as an electromagnetic wave shield in hi-fi cables
 
Magnesium shield
Okino is convinced that magnesium is a far more effective electromagnetic barrier and vibration-suppressor than commonly-used alternatives, explaining that it’s “…an ideal shielding layer that dampens external vibration and blocks EMI/RFI radiation, producing an uncommonly low noise-floor and a relaxed presentation heard in very few (other) cables…”. Tiglon’s website contains a graph that appears to show a clear advantage over both copper and aluminium in this context. Tiglon’s magnesium shield takes the form of a foil tape that’s wound spirally around the insulated conductors in the direction from input to output. The foil is electrically insulated from the input and is connected to the cold terminal of the output, “eliminating the influences of external noise invading the cable”. Best performance is thus obtained when the cable is installed in the direction indicated by the arrow on the heat shrink.
 
Analogue interconnects
The TPL-2000R RCA and TPL-2000X XLR analogue interconnects are reassuringly thick but light enough to avoid strain on sockets. They follow the blueprint of the 2000A but are fitted with a much smaller ‘Advanced Magnesium Filter’ at each end. Although petite these filters do still limit the cable’s bend radius at the plugs and may necessitate moving your gear a couple of inches further away from the wall. The 2000R is terminated with KLE Innovations Silver Harmony plugs that use silver-plated copper for both the signal and ground pins, the 2000X is fitted with Neutrik NC-FXX plugs.
 
Sound quality
The TiGLON system offers a warmer presentation, and the instruments are closer to us, more tangible. The tonal balance is shifted a bit further down with them. However, the energy and attack are comparable with all these sets. The resolution of the Japanese cables is very good, but the most important thing seems to be the smoothness and "flow" of the sound, not the selective indication of individual sounds, which in turn is the strength of the Nordost and Siltech.
 
It bears repeating that cables are system-dependent and their ability to effect change depends on the design and performance potential of the components they’re connected to, this is why it’s so important to audition and compare their effectiveness for yourself. The ability of Tiglon’s TPL series to simply get out of the way and let music flow freely sets an impressive benchmark in transparency and ought to be of significant interest to those committed to improving the resolution of their sound system.