Interesting, I have found the same effect as you describe, albeit, very slight difference with lifters but noticable. I have tried several materials - wood, hockey pucks, pipe insulators and the effect is the same. My cables now rest on hardwood floors and the sound seems more natural.
Cable Risers/Elevators revisited
For a couple of years now, I've been using ceramic cable elevators, you know, the ones that are overpriced telephone pole pieces. 😉 I've used them blindly, and always have had a pretty revolving system, since my speaker upgrade earlier this year, I've been reevaluating things. Last night I decided to remove the cable elevators from the system and let the cables rest au natural on the carpeted floor. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a world of differnce. Well, to my surprise, it sounded-better?! Larger soundstage, much better timbre and bloom, less analytical, with better dynamics. It sounds way less hifi, and more like a live performance. I I can't believe it. I would have thought the opposite would have been found. I'm at a loss. Reinserting the lifters brings a super squeaky clean, but univolving and electronic sound. Not sure if it's gen ceramic, but maybe a test drive of different lifter materials is in order.