Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced? Best Mono Issue from French 2nd Pressing Edition

A flat transfer disc that you can only hear here! This is a superb ‘ARE YOU EXPERIENCED’ that completely overturns the reputation that the mono version of this album has poor sound quality! A must-listen disc that combines the punchy sound unique to mono with the high sound quality derived from flat transfer! Like many artists of the 1960s, Jimi Hendrix had both mono and stereo mixes made for his first two albums. ‘AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE’ was finally officially released on CD last year, but as for the mono version of his first album, ‘ARE YOU EXPERIENCED’, an SACD coupled with the stereo version was quietly released only in the US in 2020. The reason it didn’t get much attention is that it was only released on SACD. Moreover, the mono version wasn’t a good match, and the sound pressure unique to mono tended to become thin when converted to SACD. And above all, because it was released in the US, the album content was released in the US format. In other words, it was a version of ‘ARE YOU EXPERIENCED’ that didn’t include “Red House” and “Can You See Me.” This is why this album has yet to be released on CD, and even the LP itself is not straightforward. The mono LPs of ‘ARE YOU EXPERIENCED’ released at the time, including the UK original, had poor cutting and surprisingly mediocre sound quality. It is said that Brian Carroll, who was in charge of cutting the records, cut the high frequencies and drastically compressed the frequency range because he was worried about the needle skipping on the inexpensive players of the time. Unlike other artists and groups of the 60s, ‘ARE YOU EXPERIENCED’ was branded as one of those albums where the original mono pressing from the UK wasn’t necessarily the best. So, which mono version of this album is the best? In response to this question, the French label Barclay is currently gaining attention among collectors as an unexpected dark horse. The label reissued many of Jimi’s albums and singles after his death, but the second pressing of “ARE YOU EXPERIENCED,” released as part of that effort, had exceptionally superb sound quality! Like many of Barclay’s Jimi Hendrix releases from this period, this second pressing featured a live photo from the Isle of Wight on the cover, completely unrelated to “ARE YOU EXPERIENCED.” On its own, it would just be another dubious cover, typical of overseas releases, but the contents are not to be underestimated. Incredibly, for this second pressing only, Barclay forgot the cutting process instructed by Track Records in the UK, and pressed the record using a flat transfer without going through EQ or compression from the original tape! This misunderstanding, ironically, led to the release of a mono version with superior sound quality compared to the original 1960s LP (incidentally, among the French mono pressings of this album, the first and third pressings were cut according to instructions from Track Records in the UK, so only this second pressing can be heard in flat transfer format)! It was Prof. Stoned who meticulously converted this hidden gem of an LP to CD. He previously demonstrated his superb skills with the Stones’ “AFTERMATH (EXPANDED MONO EDITION),” a 1972 Spanish release that sounded better than the 1960s LP, and this time too, the exceptional finish is striking. Not only is there absolutely no scratch noise, but there is also no distortion or muddiness in the sound, resulting in a super clean state that perfectly captures the superb sound quality of the non-EQ/non-compressed LP. Speaking of the mono version of “ARE YOU EXPERIENCED,” a gift CD-R that was meticulously transferred from the UK original was very well received, but unfortunately, it cannot be compared to this French Barclay second pressing. The Barclay second pressing boasts an overwhelmingly crisp, non-EQ/non-compressed flat transfer, resulting in exceptionally clear sound with excellent bass response. The differences in the mono mix are also evident throughout; for example, “Red House,” which cuts off at the end of the performance when Jimi speaks in the stereo version, now includes Chas Chandler’s reply. “Fire” has a higher pitch, with each vocal part more prominent than in the stereo version. “I Don’t Live Today” and the title track evoke a more chaotic world than the stereo version, making this an incredibly clean and accessible CD version that showcases the unique qualities of mono. Of course, the Isle of Wight def. jacket, exclusive to the Barclay release, has also been faithfully reproduced! This is the starting point of “the best-sounding” Jimi Hendrix! (39:47) 01. Foxy Lady 02. Manic Depression 03. Red House 04. Can You See Me 05. Love or Confusion 06. I Don’t Live Today 07. May This Be Love 08. Fire 09. Third Stone from the Sun 10. Remember 11. Are You Experienced