Silver Plated Copper Balanced Cables

Thanks folks; it's interesting you mentioned pure silver since I was just looking at that possibility. The only thing that concerns me about pure silver is excessive sibilance which I'm very sensitive to. Acoustic Zen makes an all silver cable called the Silver Reference II, which seems to get some good reviews; have you by any change tried them? I'll take a look at the Cheetah.

I hadn't thought about Alpha Core's interconnects, although I am using their Goertz MI 2 Veracity speaker cables.

The Kimber line includes the Silver Streak, which is the only interconnect that has a silver and copper mix of conductors. (http://www.kimber.com/Products/Interconnects/SilverStreak/SilverStreak.aspx) The KCAG is silver and silver, very transparent, dynamic and in your price range. They also sport switchcraft silver pinned XLRs. (http://www.kimber.com/Products/Interconnects/KCAG/KCAG.aspx) They don't add or remove anything from the signal. If there's sibilance on S's and T's in your reproduction, it won't be the interconnect's fault. Should you purchase them used: You'll have the added benefit of their popularity. They would be very easy to re-sell for what you have in them. I suppose there's a reason for that?

Take a look at Kool Cables Inc (KCI) Soundbolt cables. Cables are hand made, in your price range and come with a 30 day money back guarantee. Also, take a look at the other cables that are sold there. Plenty of additional info in the cable forum.

Audio Art IC-3 or IC-3 SE's are excellent sounding cables for affordable cables that compete well above their cost.

I did use the AZ Silver Reference. It's a good cable and better than the AZ copper cable which I didn't care for. I don't think it is as transparent as the AQ cable and did seem to add a touch of silvery glow to things the AQ didn't have. With the wrong electronics, it could add a touch of sibilance to things (especially digital playback.)
Honestly, I've found sibilance to be more of an issue with the electronics than the cable itself. For example, I had Kimber KCAG with a Bryston B-60 integrated amp and it had sibilance. I blamed it on the cable but as it turned out, the Bryston's sibilance was just being enhanced by the Kimber. It was really there the whole time.