The “buzz”
in Stevie Ray Vaughn’s cover of the Jimi
Hendrix classic “Little Wing” is from a single-coil pickup amplified by
tubes. Ford audio engineers used this recording to evaluate tonal
balance, ensure quality in the bass region and to make
sure there is a wide sound stage in the new Escape’s audio system. The
lip smack in
Suzanne Vega’s a cappella hit “Tom’s
Diner” is used to check the centre staging of the sound system, while
Rihanna’s “S.O.S.” helps evaluate clean bass mixed with vocals and
ensure there is nothing shrill in the tweeters.
“We tuned the audio system so that it sounds natural
– as
if you’re listening to music inside a theatre rather than in your
vehicle,” said Christine Templin, one of the audio engineers who tuned
the Escape’s sound
system.
Templin,
who enjoys attending concerts in her free time, said the audio
engineering team listens to everything from “rap to classical” to bring
concert-like sound
into Ford vehicles.
The
audio engineers’ work is twofold: the objective portion, monitoring
sound wave files on laptop computers hooked up to speakers within the
vehicle; and the subjective portion,
relying on human ears to fine-tune the quality of the system.
Templin
explained how Jennifer Warnes’ recording of Leonard Cohen’s “Famous
Blue Raincoat” should give the listener a specific feeling.
“You should feel like you have been transported to a gloomy environment,” she said.
PJ
Harvey’s “Electric Light” was used to make sure the instruments don’t
modulate the vocals and the bass doesn’t shake the doors, Templin noted.
The
Escape, which will be available to customers this spring, has three
available audio systems: the standard six-speaker system, a nine-speaker
system and a SONY-branded
10-speaker system.
A “Best of” Escape Playlist
1.
ZZ Top “La Grange” – Listen for the clean snare drum clicks, left and right rhythm
guitars and strong bass guitar
2.
Yello “The Race”
–
Listen for a
sensation of the car racing from right to left, and left to right. “It
should sound spacious with transients of doors slamming,” Templin says
3.
Lou Reed “Walk on the Wild Side” –
Listen for
backup singers to move from far to near, testing image depth. Check for tonal balance and loud dynamics
4.
Kenny Chesney “Summertime” –
Listen for clean vocals, instruments should be clearly defined
5.
Eminem “Remember Me” –
Listen for loud dynamics, bass extension
6.
Rihanna “S.O.S.” –
Listen for tonal balance, clean bass, nothing shrill in the tweeters
7.
Beyoncé featuring Jay Z “Déjà Vu”
–
Listen for bass to be clean and even. Vocals should not break up or sound overly bright
8.
Peter, Paul and Mary “I Have a Song To Sing O”
–
This is an old
recording with vocals panned left-centre-right in order to test staging
and imaging. Voices should retain a natural timbre
9.
Johnny Cash “Bird on a Wire” – This intimate recording (as if Cash were in his living room) tests tonal balance and spatial qualities. Vocals
show a close-mike effect
10.
Bruno Giuranna Mozart Piano Quartets 1 & 2,
“Allegretto”
– Listen for a natural piano tone. Strings should be forward