Hiby R8 II, review, and comparison.
This review and comparison is a result of a lucky coincidence, because just after I bought myself a Fiio M15s digital audio player (DAP), and I haven't told anyone about it yet, Eiji Zerstorer Romero asked me if I wanted to review the Hiby R8 II. What a great opportunity it was to be able to compare my Fiio M15s to the more expensive Hiby R8 II. Thank you, Eiji, and of course, Hiby, for providing us with a review unit of a high-end DAP, the Hiby R8 II. I also would like to thank Neil Nino Clark for sending me the DAP. I only have 10 days to review the R8 II, and after that, I have to return it.
Hiby is an audiophile company based in China. They make high-quality DAPs with prices ranging from 150 US dollars to as high as 3,200 US dollars. They also made the Hiby FC6 dongle DAC/amp, which is popular among the portable audiophile community, and on top of that, they also developed apps, software, and firmware that are used by other companies to run some of their DAPs.
The Hiby R8 II is a 2000-dollar Android-based DAP that has a stainless steel chassis and weighs 515 grams. It's an open Android platform, so you can install other apps or music players; you can connect it to Wifi and watch YouTube and look at social media; it is like a smartphone but without cameras, speakers, or mobile data; it and others like it are solely made for music lovers who like to listen to the best sound quality possible.
The stainless chassis and the alcantara covered back made the R8 II feel very classy in the hand; the over 500 grams of weight added to the luxurious feel; the gold-plated ports; and the perfectly weighted tactile buttons always remind me that I'm holding a high-end product.
User interface and battery life:
The user interface is responsive, and the screen and battery life are very good, especially for a DAP.
Power and pairing:
It drove my Sennheiser HD6xx and other headphones easily at mid and high gain settings, but for this review, I only use 3 of my in-ear monitors (IEM), namely the Hidizs MP145, which is a planar, the Simgot EA1000, which is a single dynamic driver (DD), and the Xenns Mangird Top, which is a hybrid of DD and BA, or balanced armature drivers, with the gain setting set to low. I use the ePro EP00 medium size and Dunu S&S large eartips with cables from Tripowin, Xinhs, and JBC audio in balance 4.4mm connection. The phone out and the line out are noise free and provide me with all the power I require.
Settings:
I used the class AB amplifier mode exclusively, as I find it to sound more dynamic and have better-controlled bass than the class A mode. It sounds fabulous at the default settings, so I never felt the need to tweak the MSEB and the Darwin DAC's audio parameters. Also, no EQ was used. WiFi and Bluetooth were turned off. Additionally, I didn't critically listened to it while it was charging to eliminate the potential of the audio signal being contaminated.
Sound signature and tonality:
First of all, I'd like to clarify that the sound coming from the R8 II is very neutral, with a very flat frequency response and zero sonic coloration; in short, it is very transparent. Anything I say about the sound quality amounts to very little in real-life casual listening; some people might not notice them and some might not care, so take them with a grain of salt.
The sound is very refined and neutral, with a hint of warmth in the bass and a tiny amount of recession in the upper midrange and lower treble. The upper treble is neutral in intensity and is very extended. You will easily recognize that you are listening to a high-end device by just how smooth and refined it sounds; it's like taking a ride in a luxury vehicle in its smoothness and refinement.
Sound staging:
It's huge; it's like you are in a very big venue where the music is happening, more so than all my other audio sources.
Imaging:
The images of the musical instruments and vocals are planted in front in a very spatially stable manner and are well separated from each other; they don't get mixed together even at high volume levels; they remain very stable and clear.
Dynamics:
The power delivery is effortless; I hear no strain coming from its amplifiers, but I also observed that the dynamics are just average; they are neither the most anemic nor the most energetic I have heard; they are just average and neutral in their punchiness.
Bass:
The bass is not the tightest and most controlled I've heard; it's not too loose either; it lets go of total control just enough to make the bass sound a little warm. On some tracks, I can hear a tiny hint of boominess on fast successive beats, but it's never bloated. The overall sound of the bass is very pleasant.
Midrange:
The midrange is very smooth and neutral, with a huge sound stage. I hear a tiny amount of relaxation in the upper midrange, making it forgiving of badly recorded music tracks. Some female voices sound very seductive and sweet, with a very palpable presence.
Treble:
The treble is very extended, airy, and detailed; the lower treble is a little laid back. I can hear all the nuances and micro-details from the instruments while remaining non-fatiguing.
Compare to Fiio M15s:
The Fiio M15s is a mid-priced DAP that costs half the Hiby R8 II, and it's not a surprise that the R8 II feels more luxurious in the hand. The R8 II has a much better screen too.
I used the Hiby music app, the Fiio music app on the M15s, and mostly the Poweramp music player for this comparison.
I use the medium or high gain settings only for the Fiio M15s because the low gain setting sounds a little bright, grainy, and metallic. By doing so together with turning on the "All to DSD" feature bring it very close to the sound quality of the R8 II, about 97% in my estimate.
The Hiby R8 II sounds more refined, smooth, and liquid, with a bigger sound stage and a cleaner, darker background. The instrument decay is also cleaner-sounding, with more air around the vocals and instruments, but let me tell you again that with the settings on the M15s previously stated, the differences in sound quality are really minute.
Without using the "All to DSD" feature on the M15s, Both the R8 II and the M15s are very musical and engaging, but the R8 II sounds more laid-back and forgiving of badly recorded music, while the M15 II is more analytical and unforgiving, which can sometimes more likely to cause fatigue on poorly recorded tracks.
The Hiby R8 II has a noticeably better battery life than the Fiio M15s.
In the Fiio M15s' defense, it has snappier and bolder dynamics, tighter bass response, and more forward in detail presentation, not to mention that the M15s has an excellent volume control knob and much better free leather case as opposed to the R8 II's TPU case. Plus, there are some songs and genres that suit the M15s better, like metal and electronic music.
Is the Hiby R8 II worth the price premium over the Fiio M15s? This is the question that came to mind upon knowing I would be reviewing the R8 II, and my answer is a resounding yes! The big sound stage, smoothness, and overall refinement in sound quality of the R8 II over the M15s are impossible to deny.
Compared to Topping G5:
The Topping G5 is a battery-powered DAC/amp combo that has state-of-the art measured performance.
Overall, the R8 II sounds better; it has a bigger sound stage and has clearer details; it also has a more musical and engaging sound. The only area where the Topping G5 can top the R8 II is in the bass; it is more controlled and taut.
Compared to my other USB dongle Dac/amps:
Compared to my Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha, Moondrop Moonriver 2, Dawn Pro, Fiio Ka11, and all
the other USB dongle DAC I have heard of, forget it guys, they could all go home now; there's no contest. I feel like I'm downgrading in sound quality every time I have to use those dongles when I'm at work or outside. I can't say 100 percent sure that this is better than all the dongle DAC/amps available, though. As I haven't yet heard the Hiby FC6, L&P W4, Questyle M15i, iFi Kensei, and other expensive DACs, I am only 99.9999% certain that this is better because all the USB dongle DACs have limited power supply as they have to rely on the USB from the phone for power, ultimately limiting the sound quality.
Minor complaints:
I wish it had a double tap for screen-off gesture.
I wish Hiby made the volume control animation that takes over the whole screen every time I adjust the volume optional; correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't found a menu in the DAP to turn the animation off.
I wish the free case was made of leather, not TPU.
Pros:
+ excellent sound quality, befitting its price.
+ solid and luxurious-feeling chassis.
+ very good-looking responsive touch screen.
+ perfectly weighted buttons.
+ gold-plated sockets.
+ good battery life and fast charging.
Cons:
- no double tap gesture for screen off.
- The volume control screen overlay gets in the way.
- I wish it had a volume control knob.
- The included case is made of TPU, not leather.
I now see why the Hiby R8 II is priced as it is. Upon first listen, it is clear to me that this DAP was meticulously optimized, from the parts used, the design and materials utilized, the engineering of their unique digital to analog converter chip, and the fine tuning of that chip's algorithm. This level of sound clarity and finesse does not happen by chance, and I can hear it every time I listen to the Hiby R8 II.
Would I recommend the Hiby R8 II to friends over the more affordable DAPs? Sure, without hesitation, if they have the funds. It's so good that I would even advise audiophiles to save up some cash to get it. And that wraps up my review and comparison of the superbly-sounding Hiby R8 II. Cheers!
4-11-2024