wnat to downgrade my cables

Before you do any upgrade/downgrade, ask yourself few questions:

1) What's missing in the system? Imaging? Tonal balance? pace? frequency response?

2) Have you try all the possible tweak to your current setup? tube rolling, speaker position, speaker stand height and damping.

3) Pin point the weak link. This is harder to do but the weak link may not be what you think it is. You need to compare your equipment in someone else's system to see if you get consistant result.

4) Budget vs Passion. What's more important: Sound or cost. What are the possible alternatives you can live with?

IMHO, I would consider replace the amp with low power amp
like the push-pull EL84s like the Scott 299Bs or 12Watt 300B SET or 8W 2A3s.

YES. Not all cheap cable can do top job.
Congrads Stuartbranson! You have a decent enough system that you can tell the difference.
There is a certain limitation with what money can buy. If you're looking for something that is same level as the YAM5000 then I would expect you to pay $250 to $300 regardless used or new. The other alternative is to build the cable yourself with quality materials and the right method.
Don't even bother with home grown audio because it is not the same class.
Therefore, how much can you really save by switching to the cheaper alternatives?
Same price range apply to speaker cablest too.

Subaruguru, I know you can make a good cables yourself fore relatively cheap in material cost (I can too.) However, for the same quality as what he already had doesn't come cheap for finished product. He just want to downgrade in price not performance. Btw, I'm only referring to signal cables and speaker cables and not power cords. If it power cord, I would only recommend the Volex 14-3 computer cord which is $7 for the 6ft cord. And that my friend, money doesn't buy you much more in terms of performance increase. You don't need to mention your own Canare Starquad either because there are a lot of better cables out there than that.

Most of SETs will sound less bass than push and pulls you already own. However, people will sacrifice bass with more transparent, fuller sound of the SETs. SETs are not for everyone. The Jadis 300B amps can sound really great but sinking $6000 to $7000 in used gear is not a great investment. The other times I have audition Sun Audio 2A3 SETs with JBL horn systems which is also quite impressive. For this SET 2a3 amp, large efficient speakers required.

Back to your system, a better speaker cables and preamp to amp ICs definitely can help in the bass dept. To what degree I really don't know. Also, a solid stand can also help in the bass dept. I'm using Target R4s for my monitor speakers on carpet floor and it was not giving enough defined bass until I modified the stand with addition of solid aluminium blocks underneath the stand. A good separation from the floor can also improve the bass.
Keep it closer to backwall can also improve the bass.
Yes, Ernie, I've already done enough home work on cables and in terms of time and $$$ spend and DIYs. The star-quad version is not a refined cable but it is better than some monster & kimber cables.

Again, this is just MHO from real life experience ( not some threads I read ), your own tweaking is required.

Stuartbranson,
From your quote: "I will likely be sacrificing quality with the money saved." Are you satisfy with cheaper cable right now or you regret selling it?
How much quality are you willing to sarcrifice now?