The sentence says "supported by Japanese SACD manufacturer" (whatever that means!). An example of how the term SACD gets thrown around in cheap domestic and pirated Asian markets (this wasn't a true XRCD either)...
As I mentioned previously in my post on SACD (and DSD), there are a number of SACDs I have digitally ripped over the years that appear to be sourced from 44kHz PCM. This is of course the same sample rate as good ol' RedBook CD and therefore it's unlikely that these titles should sound any "better" than the CD release since the PCM-to-DSD conversion process will add some distortion to the original signal.
It's not difficult to detect these releases because of the "brickwall" loss of frequencies beyond 22kHz. Note that this list is of course unofficial and even though there's evidence that these come from 44 or 48kHz PCM, it's still possible they're from 24-bit data which could still be "hi-res".
An example of the 22kHz brickwall - Thelonious Monk's "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" off Straight, No Chaser SACD. Notice the typical ultrasonic 'noise shaped' SACD quantization noise from 22kHz up - filtered off in this case before 40kHz.
By no means do I believe this is a complete list - just ones I've run into over the years or confirmed by friends. I have tried to comment on these SACDs as part of my reviews on places like SA-CD.net but notice that these comments tend to get censored over time - I guess I can't blame them since they have something to sell :-).
Similar situations exist in the DVD-A world especially with upsampled 24/192 material (alas I never kept track of these but remember Frank Sinatra At The Sands was likely upsampled).
In alphabetical order of artists (threw in a few spectral screenshots):
Albert King - I'll Play The Blues For You (2004 release)
Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughan - In Session (Probably 48kHz upsample, 2003)
Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Phantom Of The Opera OST (2004 Joel Schumacher movie)
Babyface - The Day (2001 SACD)
Beoga - Live At Stockfisch Studio (2010)
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| From "Factory Girl" |
Bryan Ferry - Frantic (both stereo & multichannel layers likely from 44kHz)
Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman (2011 Analogue Productions - surprising! Maybe 48kHz source)
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| From "Wild World" |
Cowboy Junkies - Whites Off Earth Now!! (MFSL 2006 release - originally PCM recording)
Dead Can Dance - MFSL SACD Box Set (2008)
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| From "The Carnival Is Over" on Into The Labyrinth |
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| From "Money For Nothing" |
Elvis Presley - Elvis Is Back (2012 Analogue Productions - maybe so old there's no high frequencies!)
Eugene Ruffolo - Santa Sings The Blues (2009 release, Stockfisch)
Joe Satriani - Engines Of Creation (2000)
- Also, the CD layer has DR7 vs. SACD stereo layer with DR11. Different mixes with very dynamically compressed CD layer!
John Eliot Gardiner & Philharmonia Orchestra - Grainger: The Warriors & Holst: The Planets (2003)
Keb' Mo' - The Door (2000 release)
Ken Ishiwata's Band - Marantz: Ken Ishiwata's 30th Anniversary (2009)
Nick Drake - A Treasury (2004)
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me (2003)
Peter Gabriel - So (2003 release - I suspect 44kHz recording but transferred from magnetic tape to DSD, thus the tape bias in the high frequencies and higher noise)
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| "Sledgehammer" |
Pixies - Bassanova (2008 MFSL)
Ryan Adams - Rock N Roll (stereo layer looks sourced from 44kHz, multichannel mix seems OK)
Sarah Brightman - Eden (both stereo & multichannel, stereo layer DR7 seems even more dynamically compressed than CD DR8)
Sarah Brightman - La Luna (like above, stereo SACD layer DR8 vs. CD layer DR9)
Simon Rattle, Libera & Berliner Philharmoniker - Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (2010)
Suitcase Pimps - Love Is Grand (2003)
The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out (Columbia/Legacy & 2000 SME Japanese stereo layers)
- Note the multichannel Columbia/Legacy layer seems to be OK.
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| From "Take Five" original Columbia/Legacy SACD. |
Tony Bennett - Playin' With My Friends (2001 release)
Uriah Heep - Magic Night (2004)
Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Boy Named Charlie Brown (2004 release, 48kHz source?)
Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas (2003 release)
Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer & Mark O'Connor - Appalachian Journey (2000)
Yo-Yo Ma - Soul Of The Tango (2003 release)
Interesting how the list includes "audiophile" labels and even demo/promo material like the Ken Ishiwata Marantz SACD. I think it also doesn't help the SACD cause that early Sony SACDs like the Brubeck and Monk are among these. I estimate about a quarter of the SACDs I've had a chance to evaluate consisting of eclectic rock, classical, and jazz disks are of the suspected-44/48kHz-upsampled variety.
Remember that I'm not saying these SACDs are bad sounding, just that in principle, the CD layer could be a more accurate representation of the music since there's no PCM-DSD conversion going on. In fact, many of these sound great and suggests that CD quality may be good enough. Unless there's a multichannel mix that you want on these disks or the mastering is somehow different (eg. less dynamic compression), IMO, there's no point paying extra for these SACDs.
Feel free to drop me a note if you know more about the releases (eg. can confirm if 24-bit source) or if you know of other upsampled disks.
Musical selection tonight: On an 80's kick right now. Going to have a re-listen to Midnight Oil's Diesel And Dust to get into the weekend mood... First pressing from 1987 of course. :-)