Can cables have a shelf life?

I have a combined HT/Stereo set-up I’ve been revamping for a month or so. New monitors/new center. Same brand but the center is a different family.

I had everything dialed in and sounding pretty darn good but I’ve made a move of my amps and some XLRs I’ve had tucked away due to length issues in a box for guessing 8 years? 9 years? Longer? And I pulled them out today and inserted them in after all these years. Honestly my XLRs I had in place might have sounded better. Particularly the center. But really need to let it ride a few days but was wondering about age (They work so should be no issues right?) After all these years to they require a mini break-in?

They are Kimber Select 1126. I had been using Kimber Hero. The 1126, in theory should be a decent perceived step up. I feel it’s a perceived step back (-:

But not sure if they need to settle in again, if the age may take into account or the build of new cables have gotten closer to these. They’ve kept the model number after all these years but these have to be a couple of recipes back my now.

Thanks

Rick