Shorter speaker runs or shorter IC Runs...Which is the better set up and why?

For those wanting true balanced connections (for all the benefits afforded, including the elimination or at least minimization of cable artifacts), know that beside all of Ralph Karsten’s Atma-Sphere products, others doing balanced correctly are Roger Modjeski in his Music Reference products and Tim de Paravicini at EAR-Yoshino. Paravicini does a lot of pro studio work, and his pre-amps are designed to drive a 600 ohm load (the recording studio standard), a brutally-demanding task.

Ralph, can you explain why on Earth some designers and makers of consumer electronics go to the trouble and expensive of providing balanced connections (if not circuits), and then don't do it "correctly", to conform to the AES standard? To do that defeats the whole purpose of balanced! It costs no more to do it right, either. Just connect the correct wires to the correct XLR pins. Duh.