What does Flat Earth mean in audio circles?

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.

Just a little sidenote-
At the same time that "The Flat Response" was publishing in the UK, another small audio publication with a very similar "Flat Earth" focus and attitude began it's own brief but influential run in North America.
That magazine was called "HiFi Heretic" and its contributing editor was a gentleman by the name of Art Dudley. Music reviews were handled by a young punk rocker named Rob Doorack.

k