Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love (US Stereo Legacy 2010)
24bit/96kHz (High Resolution Audio)
01 - EXP
02 - Up From The Skies
03 - Spanish Castle Magic
04 - Wait Until Tomorrow
05 - Ain't No Telling
06 - Little Wing
07 - If 6 Was 9
08 - You Got Me Floatin'
09 - Castles Made Of Sand
10 - She's So Fine
11 - One Rainy Wish
12 - Little Miss Lover
13 - Bold As Love
Produced by Chas Chandler
Engineers: Eddie Kramer with George Chkiantz, Andy Johns & Terry Brown (Olympic Studio)
Remastered by Eddie Kramer & George Marino at Sterling Sound, New York City
Line up:
Jimi Hendrix: Vox, Guitars
Noel Redding: Bass, Backing Vox
Mitch Mitchell: Drums
Sources:
Side 1: 88697623961-A STERLING 18782.1(3) / Side 2: 88697623961-B STERLING 18782.2(3)
Hardware:
- Technics 1210mk2 Turntable
- Jelco SA-750D Tonearm (w/ JAC 501 cable)
- Audio Technica 150MLX stylus
- Yamaha CA-1010 amplifier
- RME ADI-2 A/D Interface (conversion to 24 bit, 96kHz)
Software:
- Audition 3.0 used for adjusting DC bias, editing, (incl. manual removal of clicks
and pops), adding gain and making the cue points.
- Click Repair used with setting Cl: 5, Cr: 0
- CueListTool v1.7 & Mediaval CueSplitter used for generating the .cue's & .m3u's.
Vinyl Transfer & Restoration by Prof. Stoned
v1.0: 21-04-2010
v1.1: 19-05-2020 (same rip and restoration, EQ curve applied to re-balance the sound of the Audio Technica 150MLX for a more neutral presentation)
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Notes from 2010:
Prof sez:
Finally after many years Experience Hendrix has offered us all-analog vinyl versions of Hendrix first three masterpieces. So following my previous Hendrix drops, which I believe attempted to present these recordings in their best sonic incarnation, I've now decided to tackle these three titles. But not without extensively listening & comparing the sound quality with previous issue's, of course. I have to say, considering the limitations of the source material, I'm very pleased with the Legacy's. For the record, I'm talking about the US pressings only. The Music on Vinyl label that covers the European market has not been using the same metal parts from Sterling Sound and apparently insisted on cutting their own metal parts. The results are significantly less stunning than their US counterparts and the question whether they used analog sources is debatable.
This is the second time in one year time that 'Axis: Bold As Love' has gotten an all-analog vinyl cutting directly from the mastertapes. The Universal/Back2Black vinyl reissue from last year contains a different mastering than the Legacy. I did buy the B2B when it came out but returned it to the store after one listen. The reason was a huge boost in the low-end which had previously not been there. The mastering was done by Ray Janos, an engineer who works at Sterling Sound. But now, an ample year later, EH fortunately has corrected this problem with a sublime new mastering.
IMO, this is the best sounding version of the stereo mix so far. But it is a close match. Most of the previous vinyl (or CD) releases sound excellent, in contrast to 'Electric Ladyland and especially 'Are you experienced?'. If you want to pick up a vintage pressing, the ones on Reprise (original up to mid 80's) are your best bet IMO. They sound much like the Legacy but are a little more shy on the mids. The original UK Track is ok but has some funky EQ'ing going on in the lower-mids in an attempt to give it somewhat more body. All copies on Polydor (UK, German, Dutch, etc.) contain an entirely different stereo mix, which is another story altogether.
This was transferred from a NM copy. The records are breathtakingly quiet and after a light declick and some manual restoration work, I think I've achieved an almost tape like quality. One side 1, you also may hear a soft frequency tone inbetween the songs which is on the mastertapes (i.e. not there because of my equipment). However, there is a mastering flaw in the Legacy pressing that does not appear on any other version. Right after 'it didn't really have to stop' in Tr. 9 there is this 'unmusical' noise in the left channel. I thought it was so distracting that I have replaced this part with 5 seconds of a late 70's Reprise pressing. Luckily it sounded almost identical and to my ears it's impossible to hear the edit but you can see the exact positions of the patch when viewing the Hi-Rez version with a frequency analyser. The first 5000 copies of the Legacy are numbered. Mine is No.1683.
Enjoy!
