The Doors Album: “Complete Studio Recordings”

Having read the previous posted reviews I must admit that they all have a valid point. 1. Yes this new box set is pricey. 2. It would be nice to hear other unreleased material of the Doors, ie.. takes one through lets say five of "Break on Through" so we fans can get an insiders point of view of how the doors arrangments came together.

My opinion is that I did'nt really want to pay really big bucks for the box set but I did just because I'm a Doors fan. Having shelled out my pay for it though, I must admit I like the idea of the original artwork (album cover style reprodution) it's very nice to see these once again. I also love the fact that the Doors can finaly be heard in 24 bit c.d quality audio.The clarity is just amazing compared to the other c.d's that have been released.

The booklet is a nice touch and is loaded full of rare and unseen photos and is scattered with little factoids throughout which makes interesting reading.

The compilation of the '97 box set is nice for fans who did'nt purchase the other 4 c.d set.

To make a long story short I'm quite pleased with the box set and I think fans old and new will find this set handy because all of the best of the Doors stuff is found in one place.

If you want good sounding Doors CDs feel free to pursue the current Doors Compact Discs that are available. However, if you want GREAT sounding Doors CDs then this set is for you! The sound quality is as good as it's ever going to get with the clarity that makes you notice all the little things that were buried on previous CD releases. The drums FINALLY sound the way they should and the overall sonic presentation was excellent. This is the way CDs should sound! My minor gripes are that the box itself could have been made a little bigger so you don't have to cram the book in. I also think the small album sleeves could have been a little bigger so that the paper sleeves on The Doors and Strange Days would not have been bent. However, the packaging is still VERY NICE and I really like the presentation which is faithfull to the original vinyl releases! This is an Excellent box set with classic albums from one of the greatest bands of all time! If you have the money, it's worth the investment!

I was never so excited for a box set release as I was for The Doors: Complete Studio Recordings. I was also uninformed that the "Essential Rarities" disc was merely a compilation of their previous box set with one sole "new" track. So, after being mildly disappointed, I popped in its first disc, "The Doors." I'm not going to tell you that "Break On Through" sounded by any means fresh, because the digital remastering featured on this set does little to enhance the original 4-track production on the first album, but it does do wonders for the other albums. The disc "Waiting For The Sun" is the best example of what you pay for in this box set. Earlier releases of this album sound horridly dated, while the remastered version included in the set probably sounds even better than the day it was recorded.

Unfortunately, I must agree with another reviewer in saying that this box set is in no way the "complete" studio recordings. Missing are two Doors albums made after Jim's death, "An American Prayer," and I'm sure there's a plethora of Doors alternate versions and outtakes that would be very interesting to hear. Maybe they're saving it for another box set???

Despite these minor drawbacks, this is indeed a classic set. It gives you the entire Doors experience from start to finish, and features a handy companion booklet with excellent liner notes, photos, and even complete lyrics for every album. And always remember that The Doors are best experienced with a group of friends...Enjoy!

This box set contains all six of the doors studio albums recorded with Jim Morison, plus an additional disc of "rarities." Technically this is NOT the, "Complete Studio Recordings" because the box does not include, "Other Voices" and, "Full Circle" two albums recorded by the Doors after Morison's death. There is no new material here, each of the discs, including the rarities CD, can be purchased as individual CD's. Strange as it seems it would actually cost less money if one were to buy each CD separately!!! For this box set each album is packaged in a scaled-down replica of the original LP, including gatefolds and slip covers. The cardboard CD cases are a nice touch, however they are delicate. The box set also contains a booklet with a long essay, completes lyrics, and of course, "previously unpublished photos."

I have two complaints about this box set. First, there are no thumb notches on the box lid. This makes removing the box lid difficult due to a partial vacuum that forms when the lid is placed on to the box base. Second, there is no sessionography in the accompanying booklet. The booklet only lists the month and the year for each album's release. I would have like to seen a list of specific dates, personal, and take number for each track, after all this is supposed to be a complete box set.

A purchaser of this box gets the six classic Doors studio albums with an incredible remastered sound plus a seventh disc with some excellent live tracks and some interesting studio outtakes. It also contains a worthwhile booklet with some interesting commentary on the albums. All the discs are in facsimile cardboard sleeves, which is a nice touch. The cost is less than $13 per disc. People can buy whatever they like -- the individual albums, the Bright Midnight live releases (recommended), the earlier box set of unreleased material (which the seventh disk on this box summarizes), greatest hits packages, etc. -- but there's really no justification for saying that this particular box rates less than five stars if you're a Doors fan. I've been waiting for this box for a long time, and I'm really pleased to have it.