Electric Warrior is 50!

[Tony L]

There was a fairly recent Abbey Rd half speed master (Amazon) which I’d imagine wouldn’t be terrible and certainly isn’t a pirate. I think the fairly recent US Reprise label copy is meant to be good too. IIRC Mike at In Groove likes it.

I think I’ve heard most of the CD issues and none get close to original UK vinyl. The Castle one the Hoffman crowd like has too much sibilance and is too thin to my ears, the more recent Visconti remaster from the anniversary box is fatter, but rather compressed. Neither kick and sound natural like the vinyl, but I know I’m contrasting with the highest possible bar here. I don’t know where the current vinyl issues or recent audiophile issues land as I’ve never heard them.

 

[Orbe Chaser]

Electric Warrior was the first LP I ever bought, I still have it & the poster has been displayed in every house I have ever lived in (quite a few, about 26) apart from this one. Over the years I have looked at getting a decent remaster, as I assumed my copy couldn't give it's best due to the primitive record players & stylus I tortured it with as a youth, but I haven't found one better, possibly the Mofi one but I haven't gone there yet.

I recently ran it through my new HumminGuru & the before & after was amazing, at last I am hearing it through a decent system & what a treat it is.

Inspired by the above result I also cleaned all my Tyrannosaurus Rex LP's & got the same results, it was like listening to new records there was that much information buried in there that I had never heard before.

 

[Tony L]

It really is a stunning recording and mastering IMO. About as good as 70s rock music gets sonically. FWIW I always felt Tony Visconti got a better sound for Bolan than he did for Bowie, though that may be partly down to the cut. Electric Warrior, The Slider and Tanx are all amazing sounding records. What came later less so. The first eponymous T. Rex record, the transition period from the Tyrannosaurus Rex days, is really good too, still folk, but with some truly unhinged fuzz guitar!