whats the very best sounding cables for realistic money

In a midrange investment....first....make sure power conditioning is on point.....AKA....Core2power. Outstanding results for minimum investment...Under 2k...total investment with enough power on tap to power an entire 15A circuit. If that is already there, the 'extension cord works in a pinch', I've done it. If you want the liquid sound of a state of the art cable, check out the best of the best IMHO....are, entry level Cardas, Audioquest, Morrow Audio, and Kimber cable. Not cheap, but very good. Morrow tends to be a little more aggressively priced. That kind of investment will get you well into an entire MA-4-5, Sp5 solution that will yield great results in many systems including my rig. I have heard Wywires , and Synergistic research products in some pretty nice affordable rigs too. The world is your oyster here, most important thing, do not use a cable to correct deficiencies in sound....they allow more detail and open soundstage as your investment becomes larger. Your budget should yield great results even with some of the 'affordable' offerings of some larger companies. Each cable choice will cause your system to change subtle character.....ie...more laid back, more lush midrange, and darker blacker back round. Make sure your power is as clean as you can get it to get the most out of your cable investment.