About the Tandy cables, burakkucat asked about the shielding. Surely it ought to have an external ground connection, isn't that the point?
I think they might originate from kenable possibly
http://www.kenable.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1092which doesn't mention shielding unless I've missed it.
<<Modified: 2015-08-08: the above URL is wrong, the Tandy=AdslNation cables are available from adslnation.com. The kenable ones are an inferior product>>
So in fact as regards the supposed shielding, maybe Tandy got carried away. And the old saying goes -
Mas breug bhuamsa, bu bhreug thugamsa.
(If it is a lie from me, it was a lie to me.)
I just like them because they score high sync rates repeatedly compared to cheaper-looking cables, they are available in really, really short lengths which should help to make them benign, and the connectors look decent.
I've also used Belkin transparent plastic jacketed ones in the past, but they are too long for me myself.