Who makes budget speaker cables which are truly “good” or “exceptional” in quality?

Ordinary basic cable is good enough. The rest is a rip off.

willemj said:
" Ordinary basic cable is good enough. The rest is a rip off."
It is not "good enough" for everybody.
How many cables have you listened to?

My time is too expensive to waste.

There is a market for expensive cables.  That market is for those who spend the money and then truly believe they can hear a difference.  If they believe they hear a difference, then they feel that their music sounds more pleasing and therefore is a positive thing.  

The cables don't have to really do anything to please this market, and if that segment of the market is pleased, these cables serve a purpose.  I'm just glad I cannot hear any difference when there is none.  My cables are a mix of Kimber Kable, Wireworld and Monoprice.  They all sound pretty damn good though the Kimbers look cooler.

willemj said: My time is too expensive to waste.

Yet, you keep showing up here with posts that adds nothing to the discussion other than your biased opinion 😉