To my knowledge they are indeed only mp3 downloads, and worse with only even for mp3 standards of a very poor resolution.
From another forum (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/deluxe-van-der-graaf-aerosol-grey-machine-coming-in-april.811604/page-2) :
"Very upset for the poor quality control.
The first 2 tracks on cd2 - the only real reason to get this so-called super deluxe edition - are 100% mpeg sourced as tested with Audiochecker.
They have clearly been lifted straight from the mp3 download section of this fan site, that has made them available since at least a decade:
Van der Graaf Generator - MP3 Downloads
They are both very poor super-compressed mono files (mp3 @ 24Kbps 22kH) and cherry red has simply upscaled them in cd audio format.
Furthermore, as the original demo tape of Firebrand has a fault at the beginning, cherry red has just opted for deleting the first 15 seconds of the song, which now starts abruptly while the tape warp is beginning to stabilize.
So, instead of contacting Caleb Bradley - the guy who still owns that very first VDGG demo tape - and making a good digital transfer, cherry red went the easy route grabbing the poorest downloadable source from the web and included it on the super deluxe edition.
The third and last so-called prviously unreleased track, Octopus from the 1969 BBC Session, is a digital clone taken from one of the many circulating bootlegs."
Also I have heard that from the People/Firebrand single better audio quality versions were released on a CD compilation called "Tales From The Polydor Underground 1967-1974"
And the booklet informations have some shortcomings too.
So the box contains everything released (so far) by that VdGG line up, but clearly fails to be ultimative.
Well, it is still a beautiful set, but "deluxe" is especially the way too expensive price.
A release of some of that stuff in whatever quality would be a dream:
"SPRING 68 Abortive recording
SUMMER 68 Rehearsals WEYBRIDGE
(HAMMILL, SMITH, BANTON)
Demo recordings Old Kent Road - about 30 songs
(HAMMILL, SMITH)
AUTUMN 68 Abortive recordings
with Lou Reizner, Chappell Studios, Bond Street
(HAMMILL, BANTON, SMITH, GUY EVANS, KEITH ELLIS)
OCT 68 Rehearsals "
