What does Flat earth mean to you?

[Steve Toy]

Start reading from the beginning Andre. There's some stuff on Densen in there if you look.

As for Spectral, the pre I had, it was basically like a Naim Nac 52 only better - same ballsy bass and pace only better dynamics and subtlety but compared to the grounded grid a bit ham-fisted.

As for blazing rows mate, you'll be on yer own sunshine!

[Rare Bird]

Start reading from the beginning Andre. There's some stuff on Densen in there if you look.

As for Spectral, the pre I had, it was basically like a naim Nac 52 only better.

No thanks Steve i'm bord to death already with it..This is the next best thing to what you get from Jehovah's Witnesses when they knock on yer door to be honest.

[Steve Toy]

Well Andre, I'm not the one knocking doors right now.... ------->

Hi-fi is a learning process. We move forward. Whilst we don't necessarily look back we don't slag off kit we used to own, it's about learning what you want in terms of enjoying your musical enjoyment by looking to get more of the same, even more besides and building on it with an open mind and ears. Jaundiced views just get in the way of that.

[Rare Bird]

Don't threaten me sunshine.

[Steve Toy]

Eh?

[Steve Toy]

Andre, I'm gonna lock you out till I get up tomorrow. Marco can let you back in at first light if he wants.

[Joe]

The concept is perhaps difficult to explain and to grasp given the history but the intention is that folks get more out of their musical collections in terms of enjoyment on an emotional level. On that basis I'm happy to plug away.

Jean-Paul Sartre in pursuit of his existentialist philosophy (quite difficult to grasp yet quite pure in its principle) acknowledged the limitations of language as a signifier of meaning and believed that fluency, clarity of thought and even sheer verbosity would win through.

I hope through the development of this thread and stripping bare the connotations (both negative and positive) associated with the flat earth doctrine will eventually win through.

Just drop the 'flat earth' bit and everyone will be happy.

[Marco]

In a word, Joe: 'no'. We didn't expect this to be easy, but the poll clearly shows that the majority of people who voted understand the concept we're putting forward, so the message *is* getting through, slowly but surely, which is what we set out to do.

We enjoy challenging people's preconceptions; it's at the very core of what AoS is about

Like I said, this is about employing some lateral thinking. Is that really such a difficult concept to grasp? Me thinks some here are too stuck in their ways for their own good

Just because the term 'flat-earth' has always had a particular definition for you, doesn't necessary mean that it must forever remain so! Let's open our minds and consider allowing some fresh ideas in...

Anyway, the discussion continues and the poll results will be reviewed in the next few days.

Marco.

[DSJR]

Flat Earth was sort of started in audio terms when we Linn/Naimies totally dismissed proved scientific fact over products deliberately "altered" to emphasise certain aspects of a recorded performance over the established perameters like imaging and low-colouration.

Also, IMO, the audio market pendulum had swung much too far in the measurement camp where many budget far eastern amps were crippled with loads of feedback to bring distortion levels down. The market really was that bad back then, a friend trawling Totty-Ct Rd for an elusive Sansui direct drive that was better than the Techies because of a tiny bit better W&F performance.

In many ways, Linn & Naim did the audio market a lot of good in shaking things up. However, the risks were that a listening taste and system based around exaggerated pr@t and tunes tended to sound woefully "inaccurate," the music listened to was chanelled very narrowly and these people, when presented with a better balanced setup, tended to find these systems boring, as the boosted mid and chrome-plated treble of a classic "Flat earth" system was more superficially "exciting" to listen to.

The other thing is the "needing to be in-the-club" mentality many fella's exhibit.

'Scuse my clumsy typing above. I think that today, we have a better view - Anthony TD obviously appears to make technically sound amps which juggle the transformer-coupled valve parameters in a sonically satisfyingly way. The current Techie tweaks refine the old audiophile aspirations of this model (amazing how good the 1970's versions can sound when correctly set up and sited) and we now have speakers like Harbeths (and, I'm sure Spendors too) which continue the "round earth" BBC traditions of tonal warmth with a stunning mid accuracy but with a delicasy and fine detail "ease" that the old models don't quite achieve, coupled with an increasing ability (with each generation) to "rock" when asked to..

As for Tannoys, I reckon the current biggies can be outstandingly good, but market conditions and lack of consistant marketing have robbed UK users of a fine range easily driven by many good amps. Why did marco change his crossovers? To improve the sound, but I bet his speakers measure better too.........

[Marco]

Dave,

I think that today, we have a better view - Anthony TD obviously appears to make technically sound amps which juggle the transformer-coupled valve parameters in a sonically satisfyingly way.

Indeed. Now we're getting somewhere... We're saying that, sonically (bugger all to do with the age-old stigmatised view of the word) Anthony's valve-based amps (and others like them), together with other equipment such as (but not exclusively) D/D turntables and big Tannoys, represent valid examples of the 'new flat-earth'!

People, let's bin the tired old dogmatic use of the word, once and for all, and embrace a fresh new definition!!

As for Tannoys, I reckon the current biggies can be outstandingly good, but market conditions and lack of consistant marketing have robbed UK users of a fine range easily driven by many good amps. Why did marco change his crossovers? To improve the sound, but I bet his speakers measure better too.........

No doubt they would. Upgrading the crossovers removed a significant amount of unwanted coloration

Perhaps a flat response is also intrinsically linked to the term 'flat-earth'?

Marco.