That's a fair summary Alfie. Back then Linn may have had a monopoly on pitch accuracy. Naim came along a year later with the amplification. These companies certainly founded FE principles but today they no longer have such a monopoly on involving hi-fi.
The term was perhaps more acceptable at the turn of the millenium than it is now. Perhaps we have entered a post flat earth era but that is where our roots definitely lie.
In any case the brands themselves have moved on. Naim are decidedly more mainstream and yet very up-market. Linn are more into multi-room and yacht installations.
The very principles that underpin what was once called the Flat Earth, either affectionately or disparagingly, may now lie elsewhere with other brands or indeed other amplification topologies hitherto reserved for the presentation over communication/pipe 'n slipper brigade.
There is a similar story with front ends although Linn make some excellent products with their DS range of music servers. Turntables that used to be the preserve of the measurement freaks have been adopted by those formerly known as flat earthers because with a little fettling (well, quite a lot actually) they can out-prat and out-tune a fully-Naimed LP12.
Meanwhile Naim use another deck with an elastic band in their demonstrations these days and Linn have made their top-flight turntable even more ridiculously expensive, apparently without even comparing it with the competition. So what happened to the tune dem there?
Perhaps they are afraid the Linn may come second...
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Originally Posted by Steve Toy
