Best Cables for around $500

i will chime in to say that the mit cables i have are easily the most "real life sounding" analog interconnects that i have, and i'm a cable klepto. i didn't want to like them, either, as they're pricey and, as you mentioned about their website, you never know what the @#(*& is going on with them. but it is what it is, and they sound really good and excel on detail and subtleties, which sounds like what you're looking for.

i auditioned most lines up to the magnum and ended up with the shotgun ma, but they were all good.

the only other cable i'd add to your list would be the analysis plus solo crystal, they're great too, though perhaps not quite as naturally balanced as mits.

one cable rec i always feel happy making, too, is the van den hul first for digital applications, it's amazing. i have the metal screen version (as i'd bought it for analog originally), but i have no idea if the version of it matters when using it for digital (some people get a hum with the regular first when using it in analog applications, but my first metal screens are actually more quiet than other cables so they seem to have fixed that). anyway, they're the most lush, least "digital" digital cable i've tried (again, just beating out a mit).

best of luck.