Speaker wire... Diy?

I do not mean this as any kind of personal attack but these days I’m very disinclined to accept any cable comparison results. I say this because of a whole raft of reasons including, but not limited to, cables under test are not broken in sufficiently to draw valid conclusions, the test system may very well be insufficiently resolving for the task (or have errors), the mere removing of a cable disrupts the delicate electrical-mechanical interface of the connector which takes many hours to reestablish itself, there is no consideration of cryogenics, there is no consideration of cable directionality and - finally - I’m not sure i agree that CD is the proper format for cable evaluations given the rather generic sound quality, crappy SNR, resolution and poor dynamic range of the format, generally speaking.

The Quad’s are a particularly prickly speaker to match with gear and or room, let alone cables.  They are colored and far from neutral.  They are also not inherently very dynamic nor capable of realistic dynamics.  They are very revealing and smooth and tend to be coveted by those who prefer detail over a realistic balance.  No wonder cables that emphasize clarity over natural tone and dynamics would be favored.  Transparent delivers a full range, weighty and dynamic sound with unforced detail.  Something the Quad speakers find difficult to handle.

@dave_b 
All speakers are colored and far from neutral.

I have a pile of Transparents, some of which I used for more than 15 years, currently 'resting' as they did not complement my monoblocks.

Transparent makes great cables, but I refuse to drink their, or any other manufacturer's, Kool-Aid and reserve the right to use something different to ameliorate exacerbated flaws.

Been their and done that many many times.  Transparent has won me back with their Gen 5 stuff recently.  I’ve used most everything mentioned here and across the board really.  Love to experiment!  I hear what other cables do well or not so well, but my priorities are to be sitting in front of a fully dynamic, expressive soundstage with realistic weight, warmth and unexaggerated detail.

Quad 57s can be rather pedestrian 🚶‍♂️sounding in certain respects unless they are placed on stands, the heavy rattle-trap metal grills are removed and the plastic dust covers are removed. Oh, and replace the power cords and remove the entire electronics package and put it on springs.  Much more open, resolved, extended and dynamic with much better low end.