They aren't all like that. I have the naked lady Polydor, and it's the best I've ever heard this album. There are bass frequencies in 1983 that I literally never heard before, and lots of other little details that got lost in other masterings.
Due to the roll off on all the pre 2010's there is a limit to just how "easy" it is to hear detail on this album. The new pressings certainly don't have that as an issue. Its really an individual choice on how we want to hear this [and any other album]. I keep saying, for me the Newbury is my go to and I own Barclay, Reprise, Polydor, Track and some official but more obscure cuts of part or all of the album.
I have two copies on vinyl. The Sony Legacy and a repress from like 1975 or so. they both sound great, but my 1975 version has some scrackelies (especially on side 4) and seems a little more subdued than the new one. You can't go wrong with the legacy version.
I have a couple of copies, one early and one later pressing. As you say it has the naked ladies then its a UK pressing then? Germany for instance utilised a different cover for their Polydor issue. Different masterings as well I think if I recall!
Juat to throw a spanner in the works... I used to have a Track original, blue type/larger photos copy of this - so very early issue and you'd normally assume better sounding - and I sold it about 5 years ago. I have a couple of Hendrix compilation LP's from the 70's with Chile and Watchtower on and they sounded way better than the original. So I took the money! Never regretted selling it for a minute. Although the top end and midrange was clear as a bell there was zero bass on this issue. As a result it sounded so bright it was practically unplayable. Weird I know. So proceed with caution.
Ive never even heard the whole album ;^) Just some parts recently of a 70s UK polydor, which was good even on a record shop setup. Oh and if you know please tell me. Are the EU pressings without the Sterling stamp in the deadwax from 2015 still good? The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland The second has a MOV matrix. Is it different sound wise? I got one of these in my local shop but its sealed so its impossible to tell which it is, thats why Im asking. One more question, which Band of Gypsys should be looked out for? As I understand the Green RL US is a safe pick and unlike Electric Ladyland MOV did a good 2010 reissue this time. Do you agree these are the best?
For vinyl, the first UK "nekid ladies' edition is the best sounding I've heard...... Awesome warm analog sound. Here's a high quality short clip, from a good vinyl transfer, from a nice copy that I have... ..... "Rainy Day, Dream Away"
I have no doubt they sound different even though from the same lacquer because vinyl is a mechnical process and every record is, in theory, like a snowflake. But for the same reasons, drawing firm conclusions from a random sampling of LPs that a particular plant or retailer has the better copies is a fools errand.
The US mix of Axis is a different mix to the UK when it comes to the stereo. Or to express that in a stupid way, ones a hailstone and the other is a snowflake! But back to ladyland. I'd suggest you invest in a couple of copies, nothing expensive. Maybe a UK polydor and a 2010.
Did you get my earlier reply? Do you know if I should get the one in the shop or buy one online and make sure its a Sterling press?
Mine is either UK, or Canadian. If it came from Canada, it was probably imported from the UK, though. It is definitely Polydor and has the naked ladies cover. The cover is also laminated like UK LPs are.
Well the answers are all over this site. BoG has a ton of threads that ask and give answers to that question. Me personally, I feel the best copy is the unissued Clarity 200grm pressing. The MOV pressings are mostly from HiRez file. That is the case with Electric Ladyland. If you want the so called All Analogue then its a US pressing you need.
I spent some time listening to a selection of Electric Ladyland pressings about a six months ago. It included: The UK split-issue (Part 1/Part 2) with UK original A1/B1 stampers, original early US pressing w/ 1B/1E matrices, original Sony Legacy RTI pressing, Sony Legacy Newbury Comics "electric blue" 150 gram limited issue, and the later Sony Legacy QRP 200 gram issue (all the Sony Legacy issues use the same George Marino/Sterling Sound mastering from 2010, which people describe as "trebly", etc). I found the "electric blue" issue to be the weakest of the three Sony Legacy pressings, with a less pleasing tone all-around. The 'treble' issues present on the recording IMO are most present here. The original 2010 RTI was in the middle, with the same sound signature all-around (of course), but more meat on the bones at all frequencies. The QRP was best, more on that later. The original US was quite a bit darker, well balanced, "rounder" if that makes sense, and had a beautiful spatial arrangement of the instruments. It was akin to the house sound of many of the early Dead/Van Morrison/Neil Young Warner Brothers and Reprise issues coming out in the late 60's and early 70's. The UK original A1/B1 was more aggressive than the US in almost all areas, which was certainly in the mastering and perhaps in the pressing of the record. The tape sounds fresh, Jimi's guitar is just searing on the UK. The US has the guitar a little less up-front, therefore fitting in with the balanced approach I mentioned above. Now, when I listened to the UK back-to-back with the QRP 200g Sony Legacy, there were very few and slight differences. The magic tone on Jimi's guitar is better on the UK, no doubt about it. BUT, the bass, the mids, the highs, all were present in the QRP in a clearer and more balanced way than on the UK. The highs that George Marino seems to always accentuate (or perhaps leave as they are on the tape?) are tamed ever so slightly on the 200g compared with the earlier RTI and the "electric blue" vinyl; and as I mentioned, the "meatier" sound on the RTI (compared with the "electric blue") is what we find even more of here on the QRP; it is just the smoothest, best sounding example of the Marino mastering. Now, Marino's style is sometimes described as "steely" on the top end when compared to the smoother presentation of the Hoffman/Gray/Sax style (see Marino's AP Verve reissues as an example). BUT, the aggressive sound of the original UK Electric Ladyland leads me to pull back on my original thoughts that the Sony Legacy was overly 'bright' or 'sibilant' as others have said. Frankly, that 200g QRP Sony Legacy issue is my go-to version of the record for every-day, accurate, fun, and satisfying listening. I do love the UK; it is the genuine article for sure, I feel lucky to have it, and it is a special record. But that QRP is so close I came away from my listening session pretty surprised with what I found. It has my highest recommendation, along with the Axis QRP, which shares the same strengths over the RTI 2010 original, and the 200g "purple haze" AYE vinyl from Newbury Comics, which I know Gordon has also called the best AYE ever!
I have 2 vinyl versions of this album and a cd One is a mint track UK version and a mint copy of the 1973 UK polydor version Will post matrix numbers tomorrow The cd is a 1997 hendrix family edition
