I cannot deny the attributes to sound quality by some (not all?) Ultra End Audio components, but unfortunately they come with a hefty price tag that most audiophile find difficult to own,…
‘Performance comes at a Price‘.
Many whom have experienced then argued that some Ultra End Audio components, though have their respective attributes to sound quality, did not merit their respective high price tag,…and they may not be all that wrong. However, there were times, after closer investigation, I found some of them experienced that Ultra End Audio components at an Imbalanced Audio System and/or in an Unfair Audio Space – …
inappropriate to judge the performance of a set of Ultra End and Expensive tyres on a cheap car,…and in a muddy road,
…and/or they have Unprepared Ear and Insufficient Experience (I doubt some ‘reviewers’ and ‘experienced’ audiophile would agree and admit to the above,…and that some have very different audible preferences).
However, I would still open my audio den to review any affordable or reasonably priced audio component that performed ‘Above Expectation‘ (as suggested by its representative or trusted audiophile,…and even at times, at my personal request). If not, I would decline to review the audio component…
than to waste time on a negative review that benefit no one.
I was fortunate in a number of times to have discovered and reviewed some audio components/ Audio Gems that were reasonably price and performed far above their price points. I still believe that the ‘Audio World’ has some overlooked Audio Gems –
‘components where Brilliant Engineering, Smart Material Choices, or perhaps just Overlooked Branding converge to create Exceptional Value that significantly outperforms their Price Tag‘.
Here for review, the TiGLON (from JAPAN) AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect (MS-DR20X-AD) cable (retail at Ringgit Malaysia RM2,376 per 1.5M pair) maybe the next Audio Gem (?), as implied by its local distributor, BEGINS ACOUSTIC (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD‘s Ms.Kenix Chua. She supported the implication with the Key Features and Specifications of the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON (being the 15th-anniversary series) XLR Balanced Interconnect cable:
- Conductor: Features High-Purity DF-OFC (Differential-Flex Oxygen-Free Copper) in a Three [3]-Core Configuration, which reportedly increases conductivity by 15% compared to previous models.
- Shielding: Utilizes TiGLON‘s World-Patented Magnesium Shield technology, enhanced with a new “Magnetic ZERO Process” to effectively eliminate both ‘Magnetic Interference’ and ‘Unwanted Resonances’.
- Outer Sheath: The cable is protected by a D-REN Sheath, which applies Vibration Damping Technology (adapted from the D-REN Pro Accessories) to suppress ‘Micro-Vibrations’ and ‘External Noise’.
- Treatment: Undergoes the “H.S.E. Grande Treatment” burn-in process, also used in the flagship TPL-2000 series, to refine the conductor’s ‘Crystal Structure’ for enhanced ‘Soundstage’ and ‘Imaging’.
- Connectors: The XLR version (MS-DR20X-AD) is terminated with high-reliability Neutrik NC-FXX plugs.
- Build: The cable is fully Hand-Finished and made in JAPAN, with an outer diameter of 8.5 mm.
LISTENING TO A POSSIBLE AUDIO GEM.
The TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable was plugged to my digital source, the HIFI ROSE RS150B Server/ Streamer, and to the FM ACOUSTICS 268C Preamplifier for some weeks before serious listening (recommended to properly run in the cable). Where both the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON MS-DR20L-AD LAN/ ETHERNET cable (reviewed) and the TiGLON latest Flagship TPL-3000A WHITE TIGER Exclusive AC Power Cord (reviewed) were plugged into the same digital source, HIFI ROSE RS150B.
When it was time for actual review, I listened to the ripped version of the above album of Ms.Tsai Chin from TAIWAN, which was supposedly the ‘First Press’ (I did compared the above album with its green colored cover album version, and found the above album to be ‘sonically better’). Of course, the favorite and popular track used would be the ‘Moonlight Serenade‘, which many local Chinese audiophile loved to gauge their audio component with. I found the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable was able to…
deliver a Stable, Dense and First Class Imaging,…
and was transparent to the smooth and velvety voice of Ms.Tsai Chin, whom aptly received the nickname, the ‘Velvet Queen of Song‘.
In addition, it was able to…
deliver the Emotional Weight, Emotion and Feel from her Vocalisation,…where such ‘Clarity‘ would worth Gold to most audiophile.
What was music if not an ‘Emotionally Engaging Medium’,…the “Language of Feeling“. In other words, the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable was…
transparent enough to that full “Language of Feeling“.
Another feature on that track that most audiophile who were awared, was to…
count the amount of Ribbit Croaked by the Frogs therein
(‘such ribbits were made by males to attract females, warned rivals, and helped other frogs recognized their species‘).
I was amused to hear all nine [9] ribbits…
from the mid to the end of that track (if anyone heard more than nine [9] ribbits, Congratulations,…if less, then advisable to get better audio components or better conduits…such as the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable).
At the above album, I chose Ms.Faye Wong‘s (Chinese Songtress) popular acoustical track used by most Chinese audiophile to gauge their audio component(s), the Unplugged “Tian Kong” (天空,…which translates to “Sky” or “Heavenly Sky”), to highlight the attributes to sound quality of the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable.
Here, I found the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable was able to…
deliver the Delicate Balance, Differentiation and Segregation between the heavier instrumentations with the softer voice of the songtress.
In term of the heavier instrumentations, I found each bass note to be Clearly Defined, Delineated, Extended, Differentiated and Weighted,…
thus allowed the Full Appreciation of the Bass Note‘s Bloom and its End.
Notably, Ms.Esther Abrami (the French classical Violinist, Composer, and Social Media Personality) was that violinist that surprised me with her rendition of famous Anime (JAPAN) tracks from Naruto to Demon Slayer. It was not the tracks, but her rendition of them that surprised me,…through her play with the bow on the strings of the violin,…I was able to See (in my Mind), and Feel the Emotion, Weight and Struggle of the protagonist (main character in the story).
I believed the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable was evenly transparent to the violinist’s Tempo, Control, Strength, Weight, Pressure, (Musical) Vibe and Tone Control with the bow on the string(s) of the violin…therefore it was neither fast or slow, or heavy or light in character and coloration,…
but just a Conduit to the intended Naturalness (no added brightness at the Highs) of the Native Recording.
Some may argued that the delivered Highs (frequencies) were smoothed by the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable, but for me through my ‘Audio System and Setup’, the end result was just the intended Naturalness,…in other word,
Just Rightly Balanced.
Here, at the track, ‘Hedwig’s Theme‘ (from Harry Porter and the Philosopher’s Stone) was where the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable shined as a conduit to the…
Massive, Volume, Enveloping and Extended Soundscape, and Three [3] Dimensional Soundstage,…
where each group of musicians and instruments was spaced out, segregated and delineated. It was even easy to appreciate the…
different Size, Weight and Contribution from each group
to the total presentation.
I believed the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable was of such Low Noise that provided…
the Jet-Blackness Background behind the Instrument, Group and Soundstage,…
thus the flow and the complexity thereof of the entire orchestra conducted by the famed Mr.John William, was Easily Followed and Appreciated.
Not forgetting the star violinist in that recording, Ms.Anne-Sophie Mutter, where her artistry at the violin was not amissed. At that instance, I particularly enjoyed the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable’s imaging of her, coupled with the transparency at the Midrange that managed to…
present the Rich yet Warm tonality,
…and the…
Dimensions, Density, Weight and Energy of the violin…
played the star violinist. Here, I too was able to enjoy her rendition with all the details recorded,…
from her obvious virtuosity with the violin to her Breathing and Movement at the presentation…
and that was the High Level of Transparency available from the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable.
AN AUDIO CONDUIT GEM OF PERFORMANCES.
The TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable was a conduit of High Transparency backed by the Jet-Black Background (Low Noise), to the Native Resolution/ Detail, Weight, Dimension, Energy, Soundstage and Soundscape of any recording,…and at an Affordable Price within reach of many audiophile worldwide,…
What more could one ask for at that Price?
Therefore, it was without hesitation to recommend the TiGLON AZURE DRAGON XLR Balanced Interconnect cable to any audiophile,…