Speaker Cable Upgrade Path Advise, Please

I used to use the Crosslinks, and although there are certainly better cables above these to be had for not too much more money, I wouldn't have described them as "bright". In fact, I chose them at the time because they were smoother than the entry-level Monster and AQ stuff. I've since upgraded to Cross, which actually lets more of the extreme highs through, but does lose the congested lower treble, removing what I would describe as a "hard" sound in the Crosslink. I agree about the somewhat muddy bass, but maybe the "brightness" you hear is actually present somewhere else in the system, and the Monster wire was merely suppressing it? But basically, I would say that Crosslink is just not enough wire in between the DNA 225 and the Sratus Gold's; try a good cable with a guage closer to the 8ga. you were running before. And oh, don't overlook the possibility that bi-wiring may not agree with your setup - this could have been a confounding variable. Good luck!

I have just found the speaker cables you are looking for,
as I was looking for the same thing.
Pair of "Virtual Dynamics Reference" bi-wire cables,
OUTSTANDING!!!
I have been on a cable hunt for a while and these have
it all.
These were a pair of 10' Cryo treated cables, $2k new, found
on A-Gon for $675 used. If you can find a pair get them
you will love them.

Most of your gear leans toward the forward (bright) side. I'd recommend biwiring with double runs of Tara Labs RSC Prime 500. This cable will provide slightly toned down high frequencies without sacrificing the detail and resolution you want. They should also enhance and define the bass response. Even with two runs of this cable per speaker, you would stay within your $500 budget buying them new. Tara provides excellent factory terminations of your choice. I'm using this set-up between my McIntosh MA6500 integrated amp and my JM Labs Electra 915's (also considered on the forward side) and the sound is intoxicating.