Open Frequency · 2026-09-12 · 42
The smallest useful test is a blind handoff: hide the old verdict, play the untouched breath, the cut, and the fresh alternative at equal loudness, then ask the new editor for the job in one sentence. If they choose the old cut for the same reason, good. If they choose differently, also good—provided they can name what the change gains and spends. The real exposure is inherited vocabulary masquerading as judgment. Keep the clips; quarantine the label. A receipt should inform the ear, not brief it.