Jimi Hendrix - "Electric Ladyland" (50th Anniversary Edition with new 5.1 mix on Blu-Ray) 11/9/2018

[Clint Eastwood]

First vote. First post. I've been accumulating some great surround music over the past 5 years and dreamed of the day a Hendrix album would come out. This mix exceeded my expectations. Great album - content 10, mix 10 , fidelity 10.

My expectations were not great after buying the EL remaster CD several years ago. And I understand the stereo in this set is also brickwalled. But the surround mix sounds great, especially really LOUD!

Welcome to the forum...another member from the great northeast

 

[HugoPhyrst]

Thanks! Been enjoying the discussions more and more. Next up: Axis SACD (stereo only unfortunately)

 

[rtbluray]

Just so everyone's aware, if Jon were to run the high-res poll right now, this disc would be in second place (behind the White Album) with a score of 9.85

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Finally listened to this! After the WHITE ALBUM, I would have been satisfied with much less -- but it was more.

Totally psychedelic -- just the way I like it! While some complain about the instruments moving around, within tracks, and between them, it seemed an essential part of the experience. A series of experiments strung together, like little vignettes of the possible, but holding together. Fantastic! As a Jefferson Airplane fan (hardly outing myself) I was mesmerized by the "Voodoo Chile" track. Hearing Jack Casady with Jimi in his full glory brought back to me the feel of the best bits of BLESS ITS LITTLE POINTED HEAD, especially "Bear Melt." I'm ecstatic over this one, a 10, equal to the WHITE ALBUM in many different ways, but still its own animal. Thought the organ might have been Stephan Stills, as the Discogs article mentioned, but no, it was someone else (Stevie Winwood!!!). But it was DEFINITELY Jack on bass

I just made my way to 32:00 in the video, where CASADY sets the scene, bass in hand, behind the mixing desk next to Buddy & Eddie.
On the prowl through the after hours clubs of '68 NYC looking to jam!

 

[jimfisheye]

I must admit that I still like the original mix for 1983 better. Particularly the vocal delays. The original mix is just a really special one for me apparently. This doesn't really diminish this remix. And I think at the same time the new 1983 mix holds its own starting a third of the way in (at the first breakdown). If any elements from the original should have been studied and painstakingly reproduced, it would have been the original delay moves for the vocals here IMHO. (Bits like the emphasis on "will of GOD God god...")

Massive points for not trying to straight clone the original though (ala the White album style of conservative front-centric reproduce the stereo mix).
And for the mostly quad mix.
And the pointedly non-traditional use of the C channel.
Keeping some of the stereo vocal fx and expanding on that with lead vocals in the fronts in a way that truly works.
The natural low end on the bass and kick!
And preserving (if not improving) the fidelity in general.
Add a couple factors of ten to the points for not being stepped on with volume war hype like the Beatles remixes!

This should have been an impossible task. There's not only nothing wrong with the original mix, it's a monster and a definitive album. Take Dark Side Of The Moon for example. There ARE some things wrong with the original quad mix. The 5.1 remix IS a very well done and excellent mix in general. But it's almost completely a moot point next to the vibe of the original and a bonus track at best (that you'll only listen to once). A little apples to oranges since this one never had an original surround mix. But it sure does now!

If I voted on this I'd just give it -1 point for liking the vocal delay work on the original better in one song. So 99/10 instead of 100/10.

 

[marpow]

You know me, I am slow. I have listened to the demo CD and it is awesome, I have listened to the ELady CD and sonically not as good as my Blue Spec CD, I have listened to At Hollywood Bowl, not good, not really that great of a performance and sonically terrible. I give the packaging and book a big 10.
Can't wait for the Blu Ray tonight after work.

 

[skindzier]

I just got my set today. Still in the process of ripping it, so it hasn't even made it over to my real system yet - this is a stereo report based on my computer system. The stereo is indeed nasty. Looks like all they did was put a hard limit at 3 dB. So 3 dBs of range gone like a bad haircut. One of the things I did was ripped a downmix from the 5.1. I listened to VCSR & Crosstown Traffic on the downmix. Even on my crappy computer speakers the downmix is way easier on the ears, different, but not horribly so & definitely a more pleasant sound. Will need to compare to the old Reprise CD to find my stereo go-to. I'll report back once I get a listen to the 5.1...

 

[H.A.L.]

With the holidays coming up, I think I'll have a little fun and A / B the new surround with the SACD ELECTRIC LADYLAND that I bought a while back and have only listened to once (it was good, but I had nothing to compare it to!) . . . yea, yea, "nothing to compare" and drop the silly, dangling "to" . . . and yea, I'm an English major. Phhht.

 

[lennon fan]

yes, the cd is super hard limited and sucks but the rest of this set is great!!
the live stuff is chaos and sounds it but I've heard far worse, not a great recording by any means but I think it captures the vibe well.
Outtakes are a blast and a really pleasant consistent listen. I'm one of those who doesn't really want to sit through 102 takes of anything so these seemed very balanced and well chosen, isn't 1983 a stunning work of art?

I'm thrilled beyond words with getting this and the White Album, both so well done, so important and relevant to today IMO.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Let the record show current Amazon price up to $49.19

• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
  • #5 in CDs & Vinyl > Rock

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I just have to say that I've been reading these posts since the first posts started and I can't remember seeing the absolute joy I have seen on the forum for this Hendrix title...by now it's usually turned over to the nitpicking crew...but it's not happening...and I LOVE it...just seeing members relating their stories associated with the music...it's awesome for me...and being a rock fan...this release is special...we(the rock fans)don't get many surround releases...and to get one of this magnitude makes it even more special

 

[Old Quad Guy]

I just listened to all of Electric Ladyland, and wow, what a great mix! You can hear all the instruments perfect. The surround mix fit each song wonderfully. I started on the first song, and could not stop until it was all over. All I could think of was this might have been the Quad mix of the title from say, 1978, had Quad made it. There is a lot going on here, and the sound quality is fantastic with Lossless LPCM 5.1.

For about $42 bucks, you get 3 CDs, Blu-ray and a generous large book. This is a great deal. I would like to have all of the Jimi Hendrix titles in this same format and size book mixed by Eddie Kramer. He did such a great job here. One for the ages.

 

[jefe1]

All I have listened to so far is the 5.1 mix it is so wonderful. Have not got to anything else and usually I'm a big Hendrix outtakes guy......I bought the last three posthumous collections.
This will sound ironic on this site when I say why couldn't Kramer have done a new stereo remix too or paid more attention to the stereo remaster.....but I am very happy with this release. Who could ever listen to this album in stereo again after this?

 

[dr8track]

Ok, Hendrix in surround? Who could complain about that? I do love it, but I have one small gripe. Why did they mix Jimi's vocals almost equally loud in all 5 channels, Center, LF, RF, LR, RR? The instrumentation is very discrete. I'm not sure why they don't focus the vocals to center channel. Or center channel prominent with some bleed over into RF and LF. I mentioned my new "fiance designged seating area" in another thread. My sitting area is now smack dab in the middle of the rear speakers. Works great on the White Album, but without a strong frontal presence for the vocals it sounds like Jimi is singing out of the rear channels (which he is). The problem can be solved by just stepping forward about two feet and then the balance of the vocals shifts to front channel. But two feet in front of the couch is where the coffee table is nowl So that's a minor annoyance and I still don't get the vocals mix, but I'm still loving everything else about the release.

 

[uffeolby]

Ok, Hendrix in surround? Who could complain about that? I do love it, but I have one small gripe. Why did they mix Jimi's vocals almost equally loud in all 5 channels, Center, LF, RF, LR, RR? The instrumentation is very discrete. I'm not sure why they don't focus the vocals to center channel. Or center channel prominent with some bleed over into RF and LF. I mentioned my new "fiance designged seating area" in another thread. My sitting area is now smack dab in the middle of the rear speakers. Works great on the White Album, but without a strong frontal presence for the vocals it sounds like Jimi is singing out of the rear channels (which he is). The problem can be solved by just stepping forward about two feet and then the balance of the vocals shifts to front channel. But two feet in front of the couch is where the coffee table is nowl So that's a minor annoyance and I still don't get the vocals mix, but I'm still loving everything else about the release.

Thanks for saving me some money I have been on the fence to buy this but your "small gripe" is something that annoys me to no end and spoils the overall listening experience for me. Also, first time I heard about this...

 

[oxenholme]

The neighbours are at work.

I've just played the 5.1 uncompressed LOUD and the whole thing really comes to life.

My first ever Jimi Hendrix album. The first time that I've heard the vast majority of it.

I think it's truly superb. I love the mix - the wilder it gets the better. It's crankable, and it really suits the music.

Some highlights for me are Little Miss Strange (my favourite track), Come On (that guitar is wonderful), Rainy Day, 1983, and Voodoo Child Slight Return.

Incidentally, the vocal placement that is less than pleasing to some just makes it for me. I think it makes the whole thing hang together really well.

This has to be a 10.

Goes to place his score and realises that he's in the wrong thread.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Thanks for saving me some money I have been on the fence to buy this but your "small gripe" is something that annoys me to no end and spoils the overall listening experience for me. Also, first time I heard about this...

I may not change your mind but Jimi's Vocals are so omnipresent, he's in the room with you for the first time in my listening experience of Electric Ladyland. 3D Music ..... at its finest!

 

[lennon fan]

from now on, the 5.1 is the go-to for me when I want to hear this record.
the cd is good for the 12 year old just discovering Hendrix and wants his head bashed in by him
what a wonderful holiday season this is becoming.

 

[beerking]

Thanks for saving me some money I have been on the fence to buy this but your "small gripe" is something that annoys me to no end and spoils the overall listening experience for me. Also, first time I heard about this...

That's a real shame....I can only hope, that one day you will change your mind and hear what this fantastic surround treatment has to offer.
But I do understand, each to their own.

 

[skherbeck]

Thanks for saving me some money I have been on the fence to buy this but your "small gripe" is something that annoys me to no end and spoils the overall listening experience for me. Also, first time I heard about this...

I usually agree with you 100% regarding vocals in the center channel vs. "omnipresent" vocals, I LOVE vocals front and center... however... the omnipresent vocals for this particular mix work very well... really, there's nothing about this mix that even resembles an SW or ES type of mix in terms of audio element placement or balance... it's very unorthodox (especially for a "four corner discrete" guy like myself), but it really works... sonically, it just sounds sooo good... it took me a couple of listens to "wrap my mind around it", but the moments that I first interpreted as being "unbalanced" are really part of the ride. I don't think you should pass this one up because of the lack of front vocal placement... this one isn't going to be remixed again and you're missing out on a special and unique surround mix