Vinyl Reports

It’s amazing to consider that, in 2026, a wildly free-spirited psychedelic rock recording by The Jimi Hendrix Experience could rocket to No. 3 chart-hit status in the same year as their debut LP on Reprise, May 1967’s Are You Experienced, hit No. 5 — but such was the case with the JHE’s second LP, December 1967’s Axis: Bold As Love. An album of remarkable growth and sonic exploration, it was arguably Hendrix’s ultimate artistic statement during his lifetime. (Footnote 1) Analogue Productions have recently released a tremendous 200g 2LP 45rpm UHQR edition of this iconic and highly influential platter, and I hope this review will help you decide whether the sonic payoff of the stereo version is worth the not-so-insubstantial investment.

For those new to the experience (pun intended), UHQR has quickly established itself as one of the highest-quality audiophile reissue series on the market today. Beginning in 2019 with, in fact, a single-LP 200g 33⅓rpm edition of Axis: Bold As Love, Analogue Productions have now taken this album to the next level as a full-bore 200g 2LP 45rpm edition. The underlying DNA of this particular release highlights the exceptional handle-with-care effort put into the UHQR series in general.

From press materials, we learn that the new UHQR Axis is, quote, “newly remastered by noted mastering engineer Bernie Grundman from the original analog master tapes. It is pressed at Quality Record Pressings (QRP) using hand-selected Clarity Vinyl, with attention paid to every single detail of every single record. The 200-gram records will feature the same flat profile that helped to make the original [2019] UHQR so desirable. From the lead-in groove to the run-out groove, there is no pitch to the profile, allowing the customer’s stylus to play truly perpendicular to the grooves from edge to center. Clarity Vinyl allows for a pure pressing and visually stunning presentation. Every UHQR is hand-inspected upon pressing completion, packaged in a deluxe clamshell box, and includes a booklet detailing the entire process of making a UHQR along with a hand-signed certificate of inspection.”

More stats now. The new Axis 200g 2LP 45rpm UHQR edition is available in two versions: mono and stereo. The stereo release — the one I’m reviewing here — is limited to 4,500 copies, while the mono release (which will be discussed in the footnotes) is limited to 2,500 copies. The SRP for both versions is $149.99, respectively. You can order the stereo version from Music Direct here (and/or via the MD link graphic at the end of this review, just ahead of the tracklisting section). For those of you who want the mono edition, you can order that version directly from Acoustic Sounds here.

In preparation for this review, I gave a listen to my original 1968-era Reprise stereo pressing of Axis (red top label version), which is in excellent condition for its age. (Note: I also have a pretty beat-up 1967 tri-color copy I keep for the label, not for actual playback.) I suspect that the original-era Reprise LPs are what many folks have in their collections here in America, perhaps more than likely later pressings on the all-orange Reprise label or the various iterations of the more recent Experience Hendrix MCA and, later, Legacy reissues.

Hardcore collectors/Hendrix fans will likely have an original UK Track Records edition — alas, I haven’t been so lucky to find one of those yet, but AP editor Mike Mettler has one! — which, if in good condition, would likely sound better than a U.S. edition (or so MM has told me). Even harder-core audiophile collectors probably already have earlier high-end remasters of this album — and there have been many reissues over the years, including those by Classic Records, Polydor, MCA, and even the aforementioned Analogue Productions 33⅓rpm UHQR edition and Experience Hendrix/Legacy iterations. (Mettler has them all, but that’s another review rabbit hole entirely.)

Of course, I knew going into this review that there would be little contest comparing a 1968-69 U.S. pressing to this new UHQR audiophile-level edition. But it was important to have a fresh benchmark reference perspective — i.e., a reminder of what people first heard back in the late 1960s, when the album was first released. And you know what? That original version of Axis that I have sounded really very good for its time and place. I was actually a bit surprised how vibrant the recording felt. Sure, it is a bit compressed, and the bass was a little lacking (more on that in a bit), but the music was still easy to enjoy. It was a good setup for diving into this new UHQR edition.

Some of you may be wondering why I didn’t “simply” compare the UHQR to a more modern pressing. The reality is, I did have one of the Legacy reissues a number of years ago, but when I got my very clean Reprise original and also had previously scored the mono version on Classic, I had to make some purge choices, since I only have so much storage space. (Forgive me?)

Moving into the UHQR review, as expected, the differences between the two pressings are extreme as night and day. Hearing effectively a very close-to-first-generation presentation of Axis spinning at 45rpm gives you unprecedented insight into the music Hendrix and his ace band — bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell rounded out the JHE trio — laid down all those years ago. The UHQR edition delivers so much more of the music, with details most of us have been missing all of these years. It is a bit astounding at points.

This is very evident as we explore the UHQR Axis double album track by track, as you can hear significant differences. Here are some highlights that I found enlightening.

The opening track “EXP” (LP1, Side 1, Track 1) is stunning from the get-go, letting you know from the extreme panning sweeps that you are in for a wild ride ahead.

“Up From the Skies” (LP1, Side 1, Track 2) reveals incredibly natural drum sounds as played by Mitchell, his jazzy swing in full flower, with amazingly realistic-sounding brush work on his toms and snare. Listening to Hendrix’ vocals in such an upfront manner, I suddenly realized he was in some ways paying homage to Mose Allison (author of “Young Man Blues,” a song Jimi’s then-Track labelmates The Who were playing live at that time). Redding’s bass has never been so clear-sounding, to the point where you can hear the clicking flick of his fingers on the strings during the pulsing verse sections.

“Spanish Castle Magic” (LP1, Side 1, Track 3) rocks harder on the UHQR than pretty much any version I’ve heard. Turn up your amp or receiver (to 11, of course!) to feel the power of Hendrix’s solos ping-ponging across the stereo soundstage. This is one of the JHE’s greatest power trio moments.

“Wait Until Tomorrow” (LP1, Side 1, Track 4) opens with a cool, super-fast stereo pan at the start of the track that I’ve never noticed before on prior pressings — it’s there, just not as present (more on that later). The drums sound remarkable here — super-distinct with a you-are-there studio presence that is felt as much as it is heard. Hendrix’s amplifier tone comes through fantastically on this track, round and distinct. Mitchell’s ride cymbals at the end are crisp and clean, and his tom-tom and snare fills feel natural and alive.

“Ain’t No Telling” (LP1, Side 2, Track 1) again has another one of those wild, fast pans of the guitar at the opening before letting loose on this absolutely ripping rocker. That final false fadeout and ending pulsation sent a chill down my spine, perfectly setting up the stage for the next tune.

Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster tones are deeply rich here on the classic “Little Wing” (LP1, Side 2, Track 2). Clearly layered up with a few overdubbed Jimis playing the rhythm guitars, the effect is super-gorgeous and full of amplifier tone. Those bells ring clearly with a decay you never imagined might be there — they just linger! Again, Mitchell’s drumming deserves the spotlight with incredible swing and natural feel, stealing the spotlight for a moment at that false-ending break.

“If 6 Was 9” (LP1, Side 2, Track 3) sounds even more remarkable, especially knowing the sourcing for this particular track. We learn from John McDermott’s portion of the included liner notes that the version of this song was actually dubbed to the master tape assembly reel from a 7½ips 3-inch safety reel that Redding had of that particular track. It seems that Hendrix was the one who lost the master assembly reel for Side 1, which he reportedly, and accidentally, left in a taxi.

There are so many details going on throughout this track, from Hendrix’s haunting, whispered voicings to the trippy recorder solo at the end. All I can think about, however, is how much more we might have heard, had that original master reel not been lost!

“You Got Me Floatin’” (LP2, Side 3, Track 1) initially puts all the drums in one channel, so (for met at least) the impact is kind of reduced, coming off the prior track. However, as soon as engineer/studio wiz Eddie Kramer starts panning the entire drum kit across the stereo soundstage, you realize that is all part of the trip Hendrix was seeking. It is also nice to hear the backing vocals of Trevor Burton and Roy Wood of The Move, as well as ex-Hollies and future CSN legend Graham Nash, more clearly than ever on this new UHQR edition.

“Castles Made of Sand” (LP2, Side 3, Track 2) is super-awesome, hearing Hendrix’s twin guitars panned hard-left and -right with definition I’ve never really heard before. Cool little left-right stereo vocal moments at the end are especially audible and poignant now, and Hendrix’s backwards guitar solo never fails to surprise.

Even Redding’s lead vocal outing on She’s So Fine” (LP2, Side 3, Track 3) rumbles and rustles heavier and harder than previous editions. I’ve never fully appreciated the many layers of guitars Hendrix had built up on this track.

The deep album cut “One Rainy Wish” (LP2, Side 4, Track 1) appears at its dreamiest on this new UHQR edition, with Mitchell’s drums leading the way for Hendrix’s guitars and multitracked vocal layers. On songs like this, one starts to realize that if Redding had dropped out of the band at this time, Mitchell and Hendrix could have kept The Experience together as a duo a la The White Stripes, so rich was their musical connection.

“Little Miss Lover” (LP2, Side 4, Track 2) feels rawer and edgier now as Hendrix’ voice on the bridge section sounds super-badass. This track arguably points to future funk directions Hendrix might have followed. And — dig this, y’all — there is yet another one of those fast-panning moments at the introduction! This same sweep is there on my late-1960s Reprise pressing, but the effect is nowhere near as impactful. Comparatively, it makes me speculate whether someone in engineering for the U.S. edition wanted to push the soundstage toward mono as much as they could (which was still the dominant format during the release timeframe of late 1967, and certainly on radio at that time as well).

The album-closing ostensible title track, “Bold As Love” (LP2, Side 4, Track 2), opens now like a punch to the chest. Listen for when Mitchell’s phase-shifted tom-tom fills come in at the end along with those harpsichord-like keyboards. Does this song more or less establish the template for all the psychedelic music to come? I think it just might be a pinnacle in that regard, and certainly up there with The Beatles’ own 1967 masterstroke Sgt. Pepper in many ways. If you are a ’60s flower child prone to flashbacks, proceed with caution when listening to this track on UHQR!

Okay, so we know the music sounds amazing on the new UHQR edition of Axis: Bold As Love. The only thing I really wish they could have gotten to use here would be the original Track-designed labels as found on the original UK pressings and the Classic Records reissues. Instead, they went with the colorful, psychedelic-flavored label designs similar to what was on the 2019 UHQR LP and earlier Experience Hendrix/Legacy reissues of Axis. Even using the original tri-color Reprise label (found on the earliest versions of the album) would have felt more authentic to the original release — but the likely reason is that the Legacy-era labels may have been the only option available when the Axis UHQR was licensed.

That said, I have newfound appreciation for the stereo version of Axis: Bold As Love, especially hearing it in all its dynamic glory on this new UHQR edition. Going back to the original U.S. pressing — which sounds surprisingly great, all things considered — it is interesting how much that recording was reined in during the disc mastering process back in the ’60s. The extreme stereo panning moments are still there, but the sonic impact was dramatically reduced. Comparatively, the original album feels reserved and cautious.

On the new UHQR edition of Axis: Bold As Love, the music is presented in a very widescreen, cinemascopic manner. Hendrix and above-noted engineer/righthand man Eddie Kramer were not only pushing the boundaries of what was possible at the time, but they were also having a bit of fun in the psychedelic realm. Happily, the way that they use the stereo soundstage — such as ping-ponging extreme left and right to create a trippy perspective — doesn’t feel particularly dated. They somehow avoided the awkwardly gimmicky flavor of earlier productions such as RCA’s “Stereo Action” series recordings from the late 1950s, which are now difficult to listen to seriously — save for the Esquivel one, that is!

As for my ratings, Axis: Bold As Love is my favorite Jimi Hendrix Experience album, so I immediately give it an 11 for Music. And I have no problem giving this new UHQR edition an 11 for Sound as well because, all things considered, it sounds tremendous. (Footnote 2) In, short, the 200g 2LP 45rpm Analogue Productions UHQR edition of Axis: Bold As Love is nothing short of excellent. If you love Jimi Hendrix’s music as much as we do, you absolutely need to hear, and own, this edition.

Author bio: Mark Smotroff is an avid vinyl collector who has also worked in marketing communications for decades. He has reviewed music for eCoustics, among others, and you can see more of his impressive C.V. at LinkedIn.

Footnote 1: AP editor Mike Mettler adds: Axis is indeed a step forward for Jimi and the Experience — but to me, October 1968’s 2LP set on Reprise, Electric Ladyland, is his/their pinnacle, imo. Every track is a gem, but LP2, Side 3 is its own beyond-the-pale unreal universe that features, in succession, “Rainy Day, Dream Away,” “1983….(A Merman I Should Turn to Be),” and “Moon, Turn the Tides....Gently Gently Away”. EL Side 3 is truly mindboggling, every time I hear it.

Footnote 2: Mark’s detailed, side-for-side, track-by-track analysis of the Axis stereo UHQR is spot-on, as its wide-soundstage highlights are essentially boundless across all four it its 45rpm sides — and worth many repeat listens too, for that matter. Thus, I will easily, and happily, concur with a Music rating of 11, and a Sound rating of 11 as well for the UHQR Axis. Or, as Jimi himself puts it in “Wait Until Tomorrow” (LP1, Side 1, Track 4), “Click bang, what a hang. . .”

I do indeed have the mono UHQR edition of Axis, which also gets a dual 11/11 rating for both Music and Sound because it so deftly captures the pure essence of the music in its mono form. On that edition, more power and more thrust abound in the rhythm section during tracks like “Spanish Castle Magic” (LP1, Side 1, Track 3), “Ain’t No Telling” (LP1, Side 2, Track 1), and “You Got Me Floatin’” (LP2, Side 3, Track 1). It’s an alternate listening experience to the stereo-challenging intentions of Axis, to be sure, but it’s no less valid or enjoyable — it’s just different, is all.

If you’ve got the money to do so, by all means, get the stereo UHQR first, and then the mono UHQR right after that, and just have a back-to-back session to enjoy Axis in full. (I will add that the recent Atmos mix of Axis is also quite revelatory, but that too is another discussion to be had elsewhere — and, actually, I did do just that over on Sound & Vision at the very end of 2025, right here.)

Incidentally, the 2022-issued 200g 1LP 33⅓rpm UHQR for Are You Experienced gets a split 10.5/11 rating for essentially the same reasoning — the Music only going back half a tick because, as amazing as AYE is as a pure unbridled debut, Axis is a clear step forward from even that level of earwig excellence. If Chad Kassem & co. ever had the option to do an UHQR for Electric Ladyland — and believe me, I’ve asked, though it’s not entirely up to him — then we might have to create a “Level 12” for those ratings.

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE
AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE
200g 2LP 45rpm UHQR (Experience Hendrix/Legacy/Analogue Productions)
MUSIC: 11
SOUND: 11

Original album produced by Chas Chandler
Original album recorded at Olympic Studios in London by Eddie Kramer
UHQR reissue produced by Chad Kassem
reissue disc lacquers cut by Bernie Grundman, Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood
UHQR reissue pressed by QRP
UHQR disc playing directed by Stan Bishop, master plating technician

LP1, Side 1
1. EXP
2. Up From The Skies
3. Spanish Castle Music
4. Wait Until Tomorrow

LP1, Side 2
1. Ain’t No Telling
2. Little Wing
3. If 6 Was 9

LP2, Side 3
1. You Got Me Floatin’
2. Castles Made Of Sand
3. She’s So Fine

LP2, Side 4
1. One Rainy Wish
2. Little Miss Lover
3. Bold As Love