Hmm, I don't see many EMI/RFI cable problems in the field, and when I do they tend to not be cable related, unless the cable is BAD or incorrectly terminated.
I am so old that I predate XLRs. When I started all pro mics were on Tuchel-DINs. XLRs started to appear early/mid 70s and became ubiquitous for mic connectors on desks/boards about 25-30 years ago. Tuchel-DINs have a nice, secure screw thread, but the smaller ones do have flimsy pins that need treating with respect.
You are in the UK? Makes sense. We never had Tuchel here in the USA except on imported mics. The XLR form factor and mating dates to the 1940's, was definitely in use here in the 1950's, and I believe had entirely taken over the Cannon P, Cannon UA, and Hubbel connectors previously most common by 1960. I was reading a History of Calrec UK SDC's today, and it was pointed out some used XLR's in the 1960's unlike most. Here's a set of Cannon 'P' to Cannon 'XLR' adapters for everyones amusement, such as you might need with those 30+ lb 'portable' suitcase mixers made before 1960.