I used to think pricey interconnects were snake oil...

My 2 cents worth.

1980's I read brochures from what I could get at stereo stores. Monster cable, interlink 250 $50.00 Straight wire. I settled on these 2 because of cost. Then circa 2018. I moved to Kimber Kable heroes and Cardas cables Iridium and crosslinks. ~ 200.00. The difference was immediately apparent. Clarity,imaging I still have the older cables and I often use them as a filler until new orders arrive. I'm a believer.

Hello saulh!  Take a magnet and check the plugs for ferrous metal. Plating won't help. If anything sticks, it's not what you want. Hoppy Listening!

They are.

I went through a variety of xlr interconnects from the likes of Audioquest, Moon Audio and others. They were okay, but it wasn't until I got some AntiCables gold/ silver alloy that I found what really worked for me and my system and at a price I could afford.

I have been more loyal to a wire type used for the Signal Path, more so than a Cable construction, even though pure copper connectors used on both cable ends and chassis mounted connections is today seen as a mandatory requirement.

I will state with conviction, swapping a Copper Wire to a Silver Wire,  will usually create a sonic that is undeniably different. Depending on the wire type, the differences can be worlds apart, I have experienced Silver Wire, that had to be removed with immediacy, as it was such an unattractive sonic in the system it was used, on the same note I used a Silver Cable in favour of Copper for multiple years, until I discovered PC Tripe C Wire. 

I have found experiencing the same wire used in a cable, where a cable is  produced at differing lengths, between 0.5mtr - 5mtr. When undergoing a A/B comparison, where the 5mtr cable works along with a device placed in the system, that can use the shortest cable, there are subtle differences to the sonic, that are  able to be detected between these cable lengths. Usually a frequency can be controlled in how the projection is being perceived, using this method. No need trying anything like this if a 5mtr Cable is not required within the system.   

One of the biggest changes to a sonic outside of changing a wire type, was when what had become a very untidy mess behind the system was given a period of my time to have the cables organised, separated and avoid crossing over where possible, the organised Cables brought a sonic that was immediately noticeable  for being more attractive.