A dialectic is a dialogue between two parties (who may have conflicting viewpoints) and yet wish to seek the truth of the matter through discussion and refinement of those ideas and view points. It is unlike a debate - in which both sides wish to win the debate either by persuading the other side that they are right, or proving the other side to be wrong. It is also not a rhetoric, which is designed to persuade an audience to side with their viewpoint. An important characteristic of a dialectic is the ability to put up with contradictions - that there can be opposite viewpoints which are equally valid - whereas much of Anglo-American intellectual culture trends towards positivism. Hence, it is sometimes referred to as a "Continental" philosophy, but the culture of dialectical thought first flourished during the period of the "Hundred Schools of Thought" in China from 770BC to 220BC (which ended with the burning of books and burying of scholars by the Qin). Let's hope this dialectic does not end that way - but the thoughts and ideas discussed and refined in those days still profoundly influence lifestyles and society up till today.This being the Whats Best Forum, I hope that some of the ideas developed will advance the development of our music reproduction/audiophile hobby. In the spirit of dialectic, I encourage anyone to start a thread. However, any such thread started should have the basis of an argument, a counter-argument, and a discussion of the logic or reasoning. Gary L Koh is the CEO of Genesis Advanced Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of loudspeakers and amplifiers. He also designs and makes cables.