I know many of you have this cd, so here is the little problem. It sounds very rough. When ever there is a hard crashing cymbles, (3:22 of Whole lot of love, 0:25 and through out "what is and what should never be", most of "thank you) I hear this distortion in the cymbal sound. Now, if this is intentional to give like the raw feel, then I don't have a problem, but if my copy is defected, I'd want another copy. Also most of the album sounds very rough throughout. Or this could be compression as well? One of the reasons I'm asking is because "IV" aka zoso, sounds perfectly fine with no distortion or compression issues at all.
Thanks for the help.

I'm goin to bed soon and since I am going to best buy on sat, i would like to know if my copy is defected or if its just the way it was recorded.

I don't know where and how Led Zepplin's studio albums were recorded, but they may well have been recorded on less than optimum equipment, and it simply isn't the greatest master ever. They were recorded a long time ago, and back then rock records were often thrown together quickly, even for big name acts.

Jimmy Page was/is a legendary studio rat producer. He knows his stuff and was exceptionally adept in the studio. However, Zeppelin II was recorded in bits and pieces throughout the world while on tour so a minor "bad" take is entirely possible.

Nah, I've noticed the same thing on my copy.
I notice it most obviously on the first cymbal-crash of The Lemon Song.

Whew. Also the radio doesn't have the distorted cymbals but of course due to the compression (can't have any dynamic range, everything has to be at the same pitch), you could hardly hear them.