Kentucky environmental attorney Sandres wonders how GM’s acoustical engineer selected a Top 10 list to test acoutical properties of an automobile without using Pink Floyd.

General Motors audio engineer Matt Kirsch has a Top 10 list to test the acoustics in your car. Pretty interesting that Mr. Kirsch has this type of sound job. I am going to compare his list with Centre College allumnus, Tim Apro, of Pensacola, Florida. Mr. Apro is a true audiophile and collector of all types of music going back to the earliest recordings of Louie Armstrong.  Apro has a well earned reputation for producing the finest musical sound from stereo equipment.  He won his reputation by having the finest selection of music played on the best stereo system in any dorm room on the Centre College campus during the 1970s.

In any event, here is Mr. Kirsh’s list:

1. “Don’t Know Why” by Norah Jones. Listen for Norah’s voice to sound natural, and centered in front of you.
2. “Diamonds and Rust” by Joan Baez. Listen for strong vocals, and for the instruments to be set across a wide sound stage
3. “No One” by Alicia Keys. Listen for clarity in Alicia’s vocals and spacious background sound.
4. “Hotel California” by the Eagles. Listen for the clarity and dynamic range during the opening guitar solo, and of course the powerful drum beat.
5. “Boom Boom Pow”by the Black Eyed Peas. Listen for powerful, accurate bass beats, even at full volume.
6. “Rock that Body”by the Black Eyed Peas. Listen clear, intelligible lyrics over the powerful, persistent bass beat.
7. “Hide and Seek”by Imogen Heap. Listen for the enveloping ambience of the song, building on the openness and dynamic vocals.
8. “He Mele No Lilo” by Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu from Lilo and Stitch.Listen for the ambience and staging as the children’s chorus is offset by powerful bass.
9. “Bird on a Wire” by Johnny Cash. Listen for the clarity in Johnny’s distinctive voice, and his guitar to sound natural and free of any coloration.
10. “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box”by Radiohead. Listen for the punch from the percussive bass, and the ring of the steel drums.

What?!? No Pink Floyd? You cannot test a stereo’s ability to produce fine sound without something from Pink Floyd! How about “Money?” Mr. Kirsch is a Newbie! No classic music?