What is Happening?

I have been fighting an issue for months. I have very little highs in my system . I am specifically missing the Cymbals. Ride Cymbals and Hi Hats are very faint if there at all.
Here is my dilemma. when I replace my cables it gets better. Not as one would think though. As I replace cables with cheaper cables the high come back.
Speaker and Interconnect both. I have Wireworld Solstice speaker cables and Clear audio interconnects. I replaced them with cheap 12 guage speaker wire and the interconnects with Ultralink cables ($20).
The sound is better overall but specifically the highs.
Any idea why? May have cables to sell cheap.
Thanks,
Bill
I am using the following: Audio Research VS 55 Power amp
Audio Research SP 16 Preamp
Roksan Caspian CD player
Ariston Audio RD 11s Turntable
SME 3009 tonearm with Shure V 15 type III cartridge ,SAS stylus.
Quad 22L speakers