What does Flat Earth mean in audio circles?

'Flat Earther' *should* mean someone who believes what their senses tell them. What the term actually *does* mean, in relation to audio, seems to have been a little more open to interpretation, as evidenced by the various responses above. FWIW, my impression has always been exactly the opposite of those positing an intimate connection between the Flat Earth school and the measurements uber alles crowd. I always thought it was about hearing musicality, for instance as in continuing to prefer LP sound after the advent of early digital. (I would not surprised if the preceeding example was in fact the very issue at the core of the term's genesis.) And I agree with Drubin that there was apparently some association between the philosophy and certain conservative (in the sense that they kept unusually long-running models in their lines and stressed fundamental musical values) British gear makers. Surely someone on Audiogon knows the definitive story? Where are our UK members?

Alex, I agree, and I have also been reading the other posts you've put up this morning, and you are really on the mark today. I am in strong agreement with all your posts this morning. I feel like I don't have to post now, because you've already said what I wanted to say, on several threads. Good work!

Hey, we just aim to make Tom's life a little bit easier... ;^)

Seriously though, there have been many occassions you wouldn't know about where I have declined to post on thread simply because you already did so, and said everything I thought was worthwhile to be said. (You only know about the occassions where I jumped in to add my $.02 :-) It all evens out in the end...

There was a very vocal hifi publication published in the UK in the mid 80's called The Flat Response. The Flat Response militantly extolled the concepts which have since become known as PRaT(Pace, Rhythm and Timing). They argued that a stereo system should be judged by how well it communicates musical values,tunefulness & emotion rather than stereophonic imaging effects & the pursuit of absolute resolution and tonality to the exclusion of the former. They were also strong proponents of the source first, garbage in- garbage out philosophy of system building.Invariably they became strong supporters of products from Linn, Naim, Rega,et al.
Opponents to the Flat Response's ideals, including the more established UK hifi press mockingly referred to their readers/followers as Flat Earther's. Whilst the term was intended to be derogatory , those who followed the Flat Response philosophy took on the mantle as a badge of honour much as they have since embraced the similarly ridicule intended term of PRaT.

Why is it not surprising that it took a man of your username to set the rest of us straight on this issue? :-) I personally never use the term 'PRAT', and now I know why I don't use 'Flat Earther' either...and why a guy who writes about 'getting notes and beats right' does.