Bill Evans Trio* – Trio '65

Don’t confuse recording limitations with the quality of this pressing. Mine is flat, exceptionally clean and sounds fantastic.

This is probably the most shocking comparison analysis I have made on any entry of this AS series.
In each one Ive been able to do shootouts with so far all have been able to stand alongside or above the best alternative pressings that came before, until now.
Im sad to inform readers that I find this version of Trio 65 to be even perhaps an objectively worse edition than at the very least my ORG45 by Grundman.
Many a comment were made regarding the boxed and hollow sound of Evans piano and like others responding I believed this to just be the recording trend of Van Gelders unfavorable micing of piano performances but now I might have to admit that those criticisms are justified.
The ORG45 simply captures the air and reverb of the room more, not just the highs but the mids and lows as well. In comparison the AS33 comes across as dry, hollow and less realistic as a whole. Its not level imbalance either as I gain matched both after discovering the 45 to be louder indeed, then raising the 33 a bit more after just to make sure, yet still I found the 45 superior.
I also thought on first listen that the left channel felt quite empty on RKS new cut but assumed it to be the recording, until I re listened to the 45 once again which revealed a lot more activity and life throughout the whole stereo image. I suspect it adds a tiny amount of compression too which helps bring lost details into focus but the dynamics are mostly intact still. Its almost as if the AS33 is removing any bleed through of the channels and it centers the piano completely while on A1 of the 45 Evans sits more between the center left area. You would expect the AS to be clearer or wider with this isolation of the performances yet this is not the case and it only comes across as more cluttered and unclear. Im quite dumbfounded at whats happened here.
Its quite the coincidence, this being the only release I find a lacking effort soundwise and also the only one delayed a full year due to printing mistakes. Not to start controversy but this makes me wonder if it had more to do with than the covers, as it almost sounds like 2 different sources between these vinyl releases. Perhaps its the ORG which uses something other than the original master, either way it manages to sound substantially better to my ears.
If you have both, just listen to the drum brushing on A3 and tell me the ORG45 doesnt sound more lush and real while the AS33 sounds more like surface noise.
To be fair the AS33 is the cleaner pressing of the two and has less tape hiss on it, but thats about the only positives I can give right now. A complete letdown when pitted side by side against the 45.

Equipment Used:
Technics SL-1210GR Turntable with ATVM95ML Cartridge
iFi Zen Phono
Cyrus 2 Amplifier
System Fidelity SF-3050 Tower Speakers

Audio quality is fantastic, mastering excellent, gatefold is glossy and beautiful and vinyl is flat and clean. And yet still, it’s way too noisy, crackly, and nonfilly. It’s not unlistenable and it wasn’t a very expensive vinyl, but it’s still annoying. Especially from a company with such lofty claims.

Absolute knockout cut by RKS. Super hi-fi, love the way he's able to translate hi end. Great imaging for a Van Gelder recording. It's a winner.

Like other user, my copy is also warped and with non fills. Good sound though. It all comes down to QRP' pressing plant: they are being more and more careless with their pressings. Back to Amazon it goes...

Was new from Acoustic Sounds, $38US.

IMO, Bill Evans does his best playing live. His studio improv is slightly reserved at times, shorter solos and taking fewer chances.

The trio is nicely recorded with some dynamic piano(some distortion on transients). It isn't quite as good as the best live recordings I've heard from this trio.

A decent pressing, super clean vinyl and no detectable glitches. There's some ghosting in the space between tracks.The artwork and glossy tip on jacket are stunningly reproduced here.

3.75 stars.

One of the best pressings for Bill Evans fans. Feels like it's going to be a fan collectible

I can't describe the perfection of this pressing. Everything is amazing, you can feel the trio in front of you. Drums are impressive, bass sounds calid, but the piano is the star. No more to say, buy this if you can.

Beautiful music, excellent cover quality, great pressing and super cheap price compared to other AS releases. What's not to love?

Acoustic Sounds delivers yet again, love this record and packaging, excellent all around - its interesting to hear how this trio plays Israel compared to the first trio