Why Single-Ended?

Well I can Say the Atma-Sphere amplifiers with the Classic Audio Loudspeakers sounds Sublime with Clarity, Musicality, Frightening Dynamics, Smoothness its just plain Truth Full!

I learn more from Ralphs Writing than i ever have reading other professional designers post here at Audiogon!!!
 Stuff justs clicks so much faster the way he explains it.

Surely there is best way for any individual. You and I may not agree on what is best since we may value different virtues, but having on opinion on what I find best does not mean that opinion should be ignored.

Impossible to argue with that, Herman (nor would I want to, I agree 100%), unless of course you are a dogmatist, in which case you know what is best for everyone!  I don't claim to speak for keithr, but I suspect that he was referring to someone who presents their ideas as dogma.  And I agree with gdnrbob, it's refreshing to read someone who writes clearly. 

Well I can Say the Atma-Sphere amplifiers with the Classic Audio Loudspeakers sounds Sublime with Clarity, Musicality, Frightening Dynamics, Smoothness its just plain Truth Full!

+1, dragon-vibe.  Wish I could afford those Classic Audio speakers!  If I ever hit the lottery...well, if I ever buy a ticket and then hit the lottery ;-) 

Its a prize possession to behold. The Sheer Size of the speaker at first was overwhelming. I wanted something that would stir emotions when listening to a setup. This does that and more in spades. Im running my pair on the New Nirvana Amplifier Atma-Sphere has soon to release.

Home audio, especially 2 channel systems with analog being the primary source will rarely benefit from balanced connections. Adding balanced operation in this scenario will only add more circuitry with no real benefit and likely have deleterious effects.

The only place in my room where I didn't have significant interaction between the room nodes and where the equipment might be set up was about 15 feet from the loudspeakers (there just seemed to be less bass in that spot; a nice place to start if you don't want microphonics affecting the sound). So this has meant either a set of very long speaker cables (28' if I was to keep them out of sight), or moving the amps to a location right beside the speakers and running long interconnects.

The latter was not possible single-ended without audible high frequency rolloff and loss of detail. But when I went balanced, that changed significantly and by also running short speaker cables, I suddenly has more detail without brightness; a more relaxed presentation overall. There was no going back unless I placed the front end of the system between the speakers (where it just did not sound as good due to room interactions).

So the quote above is false in anyway I can make out. In the case of a phono cartridge which is balanced to begin with, its helpful to not be getting any artifact from the tone arm cable. The source is always the best place for things to not get messed up!

 Two for the signals and a third is the ground reference.

+1 on your post above Herman, but I spotted this bit in it and though I might point out that this is a frequent area of confusion: the ground is not a reference in a balanced system (or shouldn't be; if it is, the balanced system isn't being set up correctly). The **reference** is pin 2 is referenced to pin 3 and ground is ignored (used only for shielding). This may be one of the most misunderstood aspects of balanced line operation.