Warm, lush and smooth interconnect help

That's a nice bit of dough for a first pair of good interconnects. The key is to hear a bunch if there's any way you can because it's gonna be very specific to individual tastes and systems. Just out of curiosity, do you like lush, warm sound or are you trying to tame another component or components that may be a little too bright for your tastes? What's the rest of your system? The more info you provide the better the recommendations you'll get here.

Anyway, you may save yourself some $$$ by trying the original version of the Acoustic Zen Matrix References if they pop up used (do not get the Matrix Reference II -- it's a different animal). You can probably sell them for little/no loss if they don't do it for you, but they may be just what the doctor ordered on the cheap. Best of luck in your search.

I have less expensive mits. They are not overtly warm i find but perhaps more towards that than many and otherwise in line with your criteria. I doubt you have to spend moe than a few hundred max to get excellent results.

You can add Purist Audio and Kubala Sosna to your list.

there is another problem:

what you consider warm and lush another may consider, say natural, but not lush.

this is a problem of perception.

getting suggestions regarding a subjective perception will give you a list of cables which will keep you very busy, if you can even access them.

i have an idea based upon what i use, but i'm not sure it will help.

anyway, here it is: sound fusion romance 2, an all-gold cable.

I strongly recommend Cardas Golden Reference. They make other interconnects with golden in the name those are the ones to consider. They don't cost your entire budget, which is nice, whatever you do don't get the neutral reference or anything else that sounds like that. You may think I am kidding but I am dead serious, the biggest tamer of overly analytical sound in my system were the Cardas Golden Refs.
There is the matter of what it is that you may want to change in addition to the cables. I used a tube pre for years before finally getting tube power amps. The tube power amps really made my system sound the way I wanted it to,IT is fast, detailed but not harsh and on the warmer, open, and halographic side, just great!