Basic cables with good shield and copper thickness (also basic prices, e.g. $20 -30 per cable) are NOT WORSE than $1,000/cable!
Let's think the cable as water pipe at home. Do you think 100% pure real gold pipe can give you exotic water, which can makes your body strong?
What about water through regular copper pipe (certified for house building)?
The water should be less tasteful because the water comes through less expensive pipe?
We all need to be smart not to waste money for buying unnecessarily expensive cables, not limited to the cables, but any audio components.
If you really hear life-like sound from your audio system, first try to get reputable nice speakers AND have a nice listening room. The bigger room, the better sound (usually though not 100%).
My amp is YAMAHA MX-1 (got it as used @ $400, 10 years ago), speakers are Vienna Mahler. No pre-amp, just volume control between a 15-year-old CD player and the amp. Sounds amazing!!!