actually, i've found a more scientific way to determine this.

1) the file i uploaded to bandcamp initially (sometime between 07 and 10) seems to be the same as the 2007 file. it's the same size, and it's nulling, even. so, the perception i'm having that the original upload sounds better is psychological.
2) the 2007 file i have is NOT the decompressed mp3, because, if it was, it would null. that being said, the intro nulls. so, i therefore must have taken the intro out of the mp3 and then done something else with the other file.
3) i'm slowly convincing myself that i didn't eq it.

bottom line: that's the file. i'm going to get to the point of remixing it, and i'll compare, but i think i'm dealing with a foobar fail. it sounds "right" in cool edit...

so, i'm about to update that.