I was re-watching Darkness Rising to pass the time and noticed that the voices utilized throughout the presentation sounded different than in the current episodes. I'm unsure if it's a movie thing or what but, I really dig Optimus' voice in it. I don't know how to describe it but to me they sound more metallic rather than human-ish, I suppose?

Either way, I just wanted to point that out and wondered if any of you share the same preference? I wish we could hear some of the newer characters with the same voice editing. Like Shockwave, for example.  

 

That because the first 13 or so episodes's voice direction were done by Susan Blu (G1 Arcee, voice director for BW, BM and TFA) however she dropped out of the role and Jamie Simone (voice director of Avengers EMH and Naruto) stepped in.

 

Yeah, Blu had to drop out thanks to a death in her family. It's not uncommon early on for voices in animation to be different, or really the show in general. In Animated, Lugnut and Bumblebee's voices were also different from how they were in the series proper. In the early days, obviously the animation was of a lesser quality than we see today, or even later in the first season. Compare Starscream's "scowl" in his first appearance to his expressions later on. Optimus addressing the humans in particular didn't look too good (particularly at "To protect your planet from the Decepticons").

Additionally, there seemed to be an "someone has to die" approach for the early episodes. That's how Cliffjumper, Skyquake, and Makeshift were killed. I was very surprised that Wheeljack, Knock Out, and Breakdown all survived their first episodes. These days, it's just Eradicons dying, and the heavy hitter of the Decepticons as well (Breakdown, Hardshell, Dreadwing).