Technician A says to use a spray-out test panel to help check the match of a pearl paint. Technician B says to use a let-down test panel. Who is correct?

Using a let-down test panel is a standard practice for matching pearl paints. A let-down test panel involves mixing the base paint with a clear medium to create a diluted version of the color, which helps in assessing how the color will appear once it is applied in a real-world scenario. This method is particularly effective for pearl finishes because it gives a clearer idea of how the iridescent or shimmering qualities of the pearl paint will present when sprayed on a vehicle's surface.

While a spray-out test panel can be useful in general for color matching, it does not specifically cater to the complexities involved in matching the reflective and refractive properties of pearl paints as effectively as a let-down panel does. The let-down panel approach, therefore, provides a more accurate representation of the final look of the paint, including how it interacts with light and surrounding colors.