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This weekend i was lucky enough to come across a copy of a 4 lp box set on the Barclay label which had the first 3 Hendrix records. Surprisingly the version of "Are You Experienced?" was in mono. It turns out that this particular version is thought of by certain audiophiles as the best version of the album ever released. I've never heard the british mono version which is worth thousands it seems but I have to say that i'm pleasently surprised by this. It sounds very clear and also seems to have a warmth in the bass sounds in particular which lend it to being played louder without distortion creeping in. The song "may this be love" in particular sounds great in mono and perhaps even better than the stereo version. The whispers of "foxey" in Foxey lady sound softer and more subtle. Axis Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland are in stero but also benefit from a heavier bass sound and less of a tinny or heavy treble effect. Overall i'm pretty impressed by the sound quality of the Barclay release. The only negative aspect may be that the stereo seperation isn't quite as wide as the original Hendrix lps from the US or Uk but nevertheless it provides an interesting mix if you are a fan.
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