You have just experienced what I have spent thousands in the past 30 some odd years to learn: there is no need to spend thousands on cable to get great sound.
$20 XLR cables that sound good
I'll surely be ridiculed for this, but I'm achieving excellent results with lowly pro audio microphone cables called Planet Waves Custom Series. They easily bested my old single-ended cables and provide clear sound with no noise that I can discern. Their mechanical construction is first-rate, too. All for about $20 each.
If your system is on a budget, or if you simply want to try a low-buck XLR cable on a lark, give these a try.
If your system is on a budget, or if you simply want to try a low-buck XLR cable on a lark, give these a try.