The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot (1977) Super Deluxe Edition: Unboxing, Sound Impressions & Who It’s For
In this episode (and on this page), I’m diving into the Super Deluxe Edition of I Robot by The Alan Parsons Project — the 1977 classic now expanded into a beautifully curated archive. I’ll take you through what’s in the box, what it sounds like across the various formats, why this set exists, and who it’s really aimed at.
First look: what’s inside the box
This is a limited-edition Super Deluxe box set presented in a slide-out case (not a lift-off lid — easier to access and kinder on the contents). Inside you get:
2LP, 45 RPM, half-speed-mastered album (poly-lined sleeves — thank you! We campaigned for these and it’s great to see more labels using them).
4 CDs: CD1 is the original album (2025 remaster) with bonus tracks; CDs 2–4 dive deep into work-in-progress versions, instrumentals, strings/piano takes, and other session material.
Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes, plus archival video content including a moving 2009 interview with Eric Woolfson (filmed when he was 64).
12″ x 12″ casebound book, fully illustrated, housing each disc in its own printed sleeve.
Memorabilia folder: original-style press materials (May 26, 1977 press release, artist biography), a postcard, label ephemera and a big poster of the iconic I Robot artwork.
It follows the same thoughtful template as the recent Pyramid box — deeply researched, handsomely produced, and clearly assembled with the artists’ input.
The book: context that deepens the music
The book is where this set really sings. You get:
A new interview with Alan Parsons about the record and its era.
Session photos, tape box scans, lyrics, sheet music, release artefacts and international single sleeves.
Contributions from Eric Woolfson’s family (Hazel, Sally and Lorna), offering a heartfelt, human perspective on the time and the creative partnership with Alan. Like with Pyramid, this family lens makes the archive material feel lived-in and real. It’s less about “how a hit was made” and more: “what life sounded like while it was made.”
I said this on video and I’ll say it again here — collections like this become emotional experiences. They bring you closer to the artists, their process, and their world.
Who is this for?
If you’re brand new to The Alan Parsons Project, this probably isn’t your entry point. I’d suggest starting with a straightforward CD or vinyl of I Robot, or even the compact “all-albums” CD box as a doorway.
This Super Deluxe is really for fans who already love I Robot and want to step into the kitchen with Alan and Eric — to taste the individual ingredients before they became the finished dish. Those multiple takes and isolated elements on CDs 2–4 aren’t background listening; they’re a guided tour through arrangement decisions and production craft.
If you simply want a superb-sounding copy of the album, the new standalone remastered CD or the new vinyl will absolutely do the job.
Sound & format notes
45 RPM Half-Speed 2LP: Outstanding. Silent vinyl, great weight and clarity, and that “music and only the music” feeling when the needle drops. Yes, you’ll get up more often, but if you’re chasing the best two-channel presentation, this delivers.
CD Remaster (CD1): Punchy and detailed, a very musical listen; the extra tracks are a nice bonus even if you don’t go all-in on the archive discs.
Blu-ray (Atmos & 5.1): Played via my Dolby Atmos-capable amp (speakers arranged 5.1 in my room), the fold-down still sounds expansive and enveloping. The choral and orchestral colours gain real dimensionality. The 2009 Eric Woolfson interview is humbling and essential viewing — recorded not long before he passed, relaxed and reflective, covering artwork, the Asimov inspiration and more.
Across formats, what struck me most this time is how boldly choral the record is and how carefully the arrangements carry the concept without ever getting fussy.
Cooking Vinyl have handled this series with care. The pressing quality, the poly-lined sleeves, the disc-in-sleeve protection inside the book, the family involvement, and the clarity of the archive all say “made for listeners.” If you adored the Pyramid box, this one will sit right beside it with pride.
If you’re just starting your Alan Parsons Project journey, grab the new CD or vinyl and live with the album first. If I Robot already lives in your heart, this Super Deluxe lets you step into the workshop where Alan and Eric built it — and that, for me, is the point.
ORDER THE SUPER DELUXE BOX SET HERE
Phil Aston | Now spinning Magazine
