My personal opinion is that using cables as tone controls is just masking (or compensating for) other problems.
(I am not saying that cables make no difference.)
I am growing in the opinion that your system should sound in a manner you like with 'cheap' cables, where better cables simply are less restrictive and allow your gear to show through better; quite frankly better cables may reveal short comings in gear as much as help them.
Anyway, it's early, maybe I am not thinking clearly. :)
So to the point of the post, I think there are some issues in your system where you don't have a system match, outside of cables.
(I am not saying that cables make no difference.)
I am growing in the opinion that your system should sound in a manner you like with 'cheap' cables, where better cables simply are less restrictive and allow your gear to show through better; quite frankly better cables may reveal short comings in gear as much as help them.
Anyway, it's early, maybe I am not thinking clearly. :)
So to the point of the post, I think there are some issues in your system where you don't have a system match, outside of cables.