Audiophilepure

https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2025/10/2/alta-audio-geo-mark-ii-loudspeaker

Because of its ability to do so much with so little, the small and inexpensive (USD 3000/pair) Alta Audio Geo Mark II loudspeaker—endowed with the patented XTL II Bass—is a welcome addition to the Alta Audio line. It is undoubtedly an audiophile-quality speaker;  I think it will satisfy and fill in the gap for those who only have a relatively small space and want audiophile-quality sound, or want a second system in another small part of their home, such as a study. One could even bring them on a vacation. I must chime in with Levy, by ending with his observation, “The Geo Mark II is proof of how well the Alta Audio patented XTL II works.” A must try. Very highly recommended.

The output quality scales with a higher resolution file; also, extracting a CD over direct playback sounds better defined and dynamic.

You will notice the output is more resolving and textured when playing local files, and sounds marginally more confined in layering when listening to lossy sources like online radios. Overall, it is still tuned to be dynamic and rather natural in tone.

With the COAX output, it sounds a bit meatier in the lower end, and with the 3 digital outputs, you can connect to 3 decoders simultaneously.

In terms of streaming software support and the overall streaming experience, this device is stellar when compared with the FiiO S15 and the Eversolo DMP-A6 gen2 streamers, both of which have a slightly different positioning. 

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/fosi-audio-za3zd3

I play a Tidal stream of the access-all-sonic-areas Work S**t Out by Dirty Loops. The Fosi duo keys right into the breakneck tempo and groove with an icy precision that immediately sounds classy and expensive. Bass, usually a Class D strength, is excellent – deep, taut, agile and articulate with good weight, pitch and texture. Midband insight is just as compelling, tonally perhaps a little cool, but so open and explicitly detailed you don’t feel you’re missing out on anything in the mix.

It’s all good, but a word of caution: this up-front style of presentation tends to flatten depth perception, particularly with dense, complex productions, landing music in your lap rather than layered tiers ghosting through the front wall behind the speakers. Lateral soundstage perspectives, conversely, usually remain splendidly spacious and the images therein always tightly formed.

https://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/wadax_studio.htm

Let’s now talk about the main reason a music lover wants to own a disc player. Just as CD players started to grow digital inputs, they began to offer streaming, but I doubt anyone in the market for a Studio Player is thinking of disc replay as a convenient accessory to a streaming DAC. If they are, they will likely be changing their minds once they experience the Studio Player’s disc replay. There are some who think streaming and downloading have replaced the need for physical media, just as there are those who think that CDs sound as good as vinyl. However, the prime reason the Studio Player has generated so much excitement is because it is a downsized version of the Reference system, and demonstrating just what that means in musical terms is best done using its CD/SACD transport. The fully loaded Reference system, which I have been lucky enough to enjoy several times in different situations, is the only CD player that has tricked me into thinking I’m listening to a world-class turntable. Or more significantly, it allowed me to forget that I’m listening to CD. Given price and size of the system, Reference performance is out of reach of all but a very few. So naturally, the question is, how much of that slice of heaven is available to the rest of us with a Studio Player?