Black Sabbath
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2ROWHU/?tag=imwan-20

Paranoid
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2ROWCK/?tag=imwan-20

Master Of Reality
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2ROWES/?tag=imwan-20

Vol. 4
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2ROWDE/?tag=imwan-20

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2ROW9I/?tag=imwan-20

Sabotage
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2ROW52/?tag=imwan-20

Technical Ecstasy
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2ROWFM/?tag=imwan-20

Never Say Die!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2ROW5M/?tag=imwan-20

That would explain why the reasonably-priced Complete Albums 1970-1978 boxed set is out-of-print.

The pre-order prices for five of the above CDs have been reduced to $7.99.

Are these different masterings from the UK counterparts or the same?

Same.

Who the hell knows? If they are the same as the Complete Albums set, then they are the same as the 2004 Black Box set.

http://www.black-sabbath.com/2014/03/co ... 8-details/

I'd be very surprised if they are the Pearce remasters. Even when they released the deluxe versions of the first three albums in the USA...those weren't the Pearce remasters. Speculation was that those versions were the HDTracks mastering with downgraded resolution for the CD format (not sure if I said that right). Hard to believe that the label would put out those three deluxe versions with "downgraded" HDTracks mastering, then turn around and release the Complete Albums set with the poor Black Box mastering...but that's exactly what they did.

Joseph,

In Rhino's original solicitation, the tracklists for each of these new CDs showed "2012 Remaster" in parentheses after every song.

That's really interesting because there were no notable Ozzy-era Black Sabbath remastering work done in 2012. Black Box remasters were done in 2004. Andy Pearce/Europe remasters were done in 2009. The iTunes/HDTracks remasters were done in 2014.

The 2016 2 disc sets were the Pearce remasters btw[as it says in the Master of Reality booklet remastered by Andy Pearce and Matt Wortham in 2009]

There were DSD remasters of these titles done for release as SHM-SACDs in Japan in 2012. Maybe there were 16-bit remasters done at the same time.

The European versions of the first three album deluxe editions only list that the remastering was done by Andy Pearce. There is no mention of Matt Wortham.

The 2009 European CD deluxe edition versions were definitely different than the USA counterparts because some of the DR values are different.

Black Sabbath disc 1 Europe = DR10
Black Sabbath disc 1 USA = DR10

Black Sabbath disc 2 Europe = DR9
Black Sabbath disc 2 USA = DR10

Paranoid disc 1 Europe = DR10
Paranoid disc 1 USA = DR11

Paranoid disc 2 Europe = DR12
Paranoid disc 2 USA = DR11

However, the European versions of the last five titles in this series all list:

"Re-mastering: Andy Pearce assisted by Matt Wortham @ Wired Masters"

Other interesting info I can find on the net is this:

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/black-sa ... -reissues/

"Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid (1970) and Master of Reality (1971) are getting the deluxe reissue treatment on Jan. 22, two days after the band launches its The End tour in Omaha. Each album will be presented with its 2012 remaster, previously available only on digital formats, alongside a bonus disc of outtakes and alternate versions making their official North American debut.'

It's probably safe to assume that the upcoming single disc versions of the first three albums will have the same mastering as the recently USA released deluxe versions. But the last five....probably new remasters orignally done in 2012 for the digital market that were tweeked versions of the Pearce remasters.

I played the first 3 Black Sabbath albums (Deluxe Editions) on my recent road trip to the outback of Australia and enjoyed them immensely. Highly recommended guys.

Has anybody purchased any of these ? Are they an improvement over the 2009 Sanctuary remasters , especially the Never Say Die and Technical Ecstasy which are way too loud.

Don't tell Jimbo, but I'm at least three remasters behind -- I still have my Castles from 20 years ago.

I did get the UK Paranoid deluxe for the quad DVD, tho.

2016 USA CD reissues:

Black Sabbath = DR10
Paranoid = DR11
Master of Reality = ?
Volume 4 = DR11
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath = DR11
Sabotage = DR11
Technical Ecstasy = DR11
Never Say Die! = DR11

All DR values from the DR database.

So this would mean these are good?

I have the Castle mini-LP box set, the Rhino Black Box set, most of the 2-CD deluxe editions, and any number of compilations. So I passed on these.

Pearce remasters:

Black Sabbath = DR10
Paranoid = DR10
Master of Reality = DR11
Volume 4 = DR10
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath = DR10
Sabotage = DR10
Technical Ecstasy = DR9
Never Say Die! = DR7

Back to Don57's question, just looking at the numbers, and it's pretty likely that this new version of Never Say Die! will be much easier on the ears than the 2009 remaster. Who knows about the rest of the bunch?

I'm good with my old Castles. I saw the deluxes really cheap at Wally World, but the bonus material doesn't interest me, so I won't be rebuying these.