Agree since most hi-res recordings are simply upsamples of Redbook or analog masters.
Thatās never been my experience and I have over 2000 SACDs. Give me some examples of hires files that are being sold now that are supposedly upsampled redbook and Iāll check the spectrum, etc. to see if you are right.
[Edit: I certainly know of a few, but then I know the reason why and they arenāt hiding: But saying āmostā is at best rumor mongering and possibly just spreading FUD.]
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Have a look at some of the Pentatone Classics SACD pressings. Some of those donāt sound SACD quality at all.
Perhaps my terminology is wrong, but Ella Fitzgerald never recorded in 24/192 but Iāve got three such albums.
First let me apologize, I had a knee jerk reation to the phrase āmost hi-res recordings are simply upsamples of Redbookā without appriceating the āor analog mastersāā¦ Sorry
To my ears the Pentatone classics SACDs are great and as far as Iām concerned, most good analog recordings surpass the sound quality of most CD releases.
I still standby my indignation with the āmost hi-res recordings are simply upsamples of Redbookā, but many SACDs do allow those of us who are without a good turn table or good real to real to experience more great analog masters.
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Please keep in mind that Ella (or any other pre-digital era recording) was recorded on analogue tape. The analogue tape was then converted to digital for CD and/or SACD release. The important point is to what resolution was the digital transfer done at? If only at 16/44.1 then it is CD quality and if it was upsampled for the SACD then your premise is correct. But if the digital transfer was done at a higher PCM resolution, or better yet, to DSD, then your premise would probably be incorrect. I will add that a lot of folks thought early SACD were just upsampled CDās. That may have been more a product of the poor quality analogue recordings they were using, rather than a malicious intent.