Found this thread as I am looking for some phono interconnects, need quite a few.
This comment from
@lewm as always IMO summarizes it well.
I think Atmasphere would agree that in certain environments, like in the
middle of any big city, near power lines or large electric devices, it
would make sense to use shielded phono cables. Also, if you don't or
can't carefully route your phono cables so as to avoid RF and EMI
radiating from your own equipment (or your own refrigerator, for
example), it would make sense to have shielding. But, like certain
calculations in higher mathematics, once you know the rules, it's OK to
break them. I make my own cables. I usually twist the strands of wire
(hot with ground or the + and - phases of a balanced signal) to cancel
noise, rather than to add a discrete shield. (Twisting also adds
capacitance; there's no free lunch.) I've never felt the need for a
circumferential shield on such a cable. On the other hand, I would agree
that most commercial phono cables have an integral shield; you're stuck
with it. (I live in a suburb of Washington, DC, where there is not much
industry and no power lines nearby, etc.)
I have the Atmasphere's MP-1 and MA-1 (phono, pre, amp) and with a Technics TT I get a radio station with my current interconnects made with shielded Mogami when using an Ortofon MM cart, using a Pickering MM cart I don't get the radio station, neither using a Denon MC cart, just switching carts the radio station is gone.
So yes "there is no free lunch" in metro areas RFI is an issue that even with shielded cables you might have. I have done RFI experiments with my spectrum analyzer on a different application and shielding unless the shield is thick enough provides "some minimal blocking" but most of the time is negligible. Capacitance (as Atmasphere pointed out) is a big problem with phono cables which is minimized with true balanced connections vs single ended but still present and noticeable.
Personally I'm planning on getting my interconnects with no shield if possible or shielded if I have no other choice.
Anyone has experience with these?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/372605700088?hash=item56c107c7f8:g:6zUAAOSwMVhgabYxand this
https://www.shop.back-promo.co.uk/RCA-XLR_Phono_cables/cat4417239_3843420.aspx