What people say about this pressing is true. It is a joy to the ears. Everything breathes delicately, if that makes any sense. Get it while you can.

Still has no equal.

The Speakers Corner is long gone... dull as dishwater, its not been missed. The Acoustic Sounds 33 is far beyond the SC and for the money does everything well. But the AP45 banks the 45rpm cheque and takes what the AS33 does well and expands on it in every metric to reign supreme. BALANCE.is the key word and thats more important in mastering than any treble or bass increases.

I also (stupidly) blew my load on the mastering abomination that is the Impex One Step. I shouldnt have bothered. Its crap.

The AP 45rpm is KING.

Oh dear, what went wrong!?!?!

The benchmark pressing for this bonafide classic is the AP45 rpm and this is one weird remaster that outdoes MoFi on a bad day. Whats all the more baffling is this is courtesy of the legend that is Bernie Grundman .... who is my favourite engineer bar none.

Comparing the two.... the AP has a quality that so many records miss and that quality is BALANCE. Everything is present in the mix and the EQ is basically perfect. Bright and warm without any harshness. Texture aplenty. Its always been amazing. This Impex confirms it.

Conversely... this Impex cut has the piano and upper bass pushed right into the background and the very very top end pushed out and the deepest bass region elevated too. Not only that but against my bog standard Verve reissue, my Acoustic Sounds 33 and my AP 45.... the channels are reversed. But its the lack of balance that is most jarring... not hearing the texture of the bass and piano is an abomination. Those hotter moments where the treble/presence region draws too much attention while a muted piano/bass plays, just sounds wrong to me. Its almost like a remix this thing. A bad remix. I am gutted to be writing this... it makes me wonder if i got a lemon?! I know i havent.

The pressing itself claws back some points... quietest of the 4 presses ive got. Just. But those labels? Ughhh c'mon ... an insult to Verve, whom without Impex would have no product to bastardise.

The packaging also sets a new standard in pointlessness. Those MoFi One Steps and AO UHQRs are pointless enough with overbranding and lack of og artwork representation but this is a slab of thick yellow card with Impex written on it. Rubbish. Points are regained for a nice glossy repro gatefold but.... the AP45 offers that for half the price. The AS33 offeres that for a quarter of the price Impex reissues of Donovan/Al Di Meola/Thelonious Monk/Michael Legrand have so far offered perfect art repro (with incredible remasters). They should simply ditch the pointless big yellow box going forward and reduce cost/waste.

To sum up.... the worst remastering Bernie has done. The worst packaging of all One Step/UHQR to date. The worst sounding version ive ever heard of this. And all for the highest price?! Well, you cant please everyone!

If you reach this edition, it is probably because you read this one sounds fine. Yes, this edition has a superb clarity and soundstage this is missing on later remasters. And plus, you get the original mix with Astrud Gilbertos' vocals on left channel. But in my humble opinion the Mobile Fidelity Gold CD from 90's still sur it for a more analog and somehow "organic" touch.

This pressing was cut hot, maybe a bit too hot. It is loud and the bass is booming! Pretty much dead quiet wax. Beautiful tip on gatefold jacket. Typical Japanese quality. Worth seeking out.

Amazing crystal clear sound.
Unbelievable wide sound stage.
Feels like listening to this album for the first time.

Sounds fantastic. But even though my copy looks good, the vinyl is noisy. Try and listen before you buy if you can.

My copy seems to be the 1966 repress but comes with the obi, insert and company sleeve https://www.discogs.sitioby.com/release/22929452-Stan-Getz-João-Gilberto-Featuring-Antonio-Carlos-Jobim-Getz-Gilberto ("P'ra" on rear cover, A2 = BMI, deep groove and catalog number wider than "stereo").

Perhaps various pressings were exported with the same obi and insert added: https://www.discogs.sitioby.com/release/21123877-Stan-Getz-Getz-Gilberto?redirected=true

LP 1966 with a great sound!
Vinyl pressed by Deutsche Grammophon Hamburg. Released in a nice looking fully laminated sleeve.

L'equilibre entre la voix et l'instrumentale n'est pas du tout respecté. Trop de grave qui ecrase l'ensemble. Une bonne vresion de streaming est bien meilleure. Je déconseille fortement.