I auditioned the CAT 5 DIY cables (168 strands or something like that) and still felt that the inexpensive Kimber 4VS ($3/ft) bettered them in all areas. I have been very curious about the Mapleshade Double Helix cables which fit your budget and have a 30 day return/refund policy. I went with a 47 Labs cable kit instead for now (should be receiving it later this week). I agree that Kimber 4TC is very hard to beat granted that your system is not on the bright side as it will not soften the sound from my experience but will not add brightness either. Some people are now "down" on Analysis Plus, but they do have a reputation for smoothing out the sound, if this is what you are looking for and have a strong following nonetheless. If you decide on AP I would recommend that you contact Disco at this site in regard to price quotes. He can also make custom connections if you require bananas instead of spades.
