I bought cable snares once.  Too dry for my taste, but I still have them.

And I bought the Rhythm Tech snare bed.  That did not get the strainers tight enough for my tast.

I also bought the yamaha high carbon snares recently and put them on my 6.5 brass.  They sound about right.

I need to buy another set for my manu drum.

What are the differences in tone between the steels/metals?  I really don't know.  I wish I could find a set of wires that wouldn't buzz and would give me a big fat snare tone.  I want the best of both worlds.

I don't remember who made it, or if it's even made anymore, but I bought one about 10 years ago called "Active Snare System."  I think it was by Purecussion or someone like that.  It was a really good one, but that was b4 I got a snare that didn't require that sort of help.

From what I've seen, read, and heard, Puresound make the best snare wires.  Do yourself a favor and go check out their site, www.puresoundpercussion.com  They make snares for a variety of different situations, including vintage snares!  

Felix, the Equalizer model might benefit you.

I have a couple of the Grover PERFORMANCE SNARE SYSTEM(tm) ... which I'm not overly crazy about. The sound is definitely different when using these snare units on your drum. In case you've not seen them, it's basically made of non-spiral snare wires.

More specifically I think I have the following:
Jazz Dark
Club Bright

Has anyone else had some negative thoughts towards these snare units? Years ago, when I first bought them, I thought it was just my ears ... desiring the sound of the spiral-wire snare units ... but that was a long, long time ago.

I also have a set of the N&C - Cam Action Snares which Noble & Cooley distributes. I really like this snare unit as the wire is still spiral, but the snares are pulled in such a way that go up & out, rather than up & in. Up & In, which your traditional snare units do, causes the wires to be relaxed in the center of the snare head ... which is where you would think you would want it the tightest. Since the Cam Action snares pull Up & Out ... you get an even tension all the way across the snare head. It's hard to explain ... so you'll just have to check them out and see for yourself.

I'll definitely have to check out the PureSound snare units.

I also have a set of the Patterson snares which uses a airplane wire (I think) and it's blue. It sounds a lot like gut snares ... and I've a set on my vintage Ludwig Supersensitive snare for over 12 years. Sounds remarkibly like gut ... but without the hassles. (Incidentally, I used this set-up for a live recording of Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite. If you don't know the piece, it has this distant sounding snare drum cadence ... which is very difficult to play because it's so soft. The excerpt is usually required for orchestral percussion auditions with the major orchestras (and others).