Audphile1, I do not know that your comparison of the Diamondback and Prelude against the Audience is a good example of shielded vs. non-shielded: The Audience is a good PC, while the Diamondback and Prelude are primarily entry-level. I have tried the Audience in my system, and although I preferred the Shunyata Taipan Helix Alpha (non-shielded) and Cardas Golden Reference (shielded) on my amp, and the Cardas on my CD player, I thought the Audience sonically a better cord than the Diamondbacks I was using for a while.
