Review​

Wow... how do I describe this thing? Kind of cool, compact, lightweight.
As snappy as you'd like it to be, really cool 4" screen.



A DAC I do not mind at all, the solid Cirrus Logic CS43131.
(Huge fan of Cirrus Logic components)

Very cool factory applied screen glass protector...

A lot of standard features almost any audiophile would expect: HiRes audio sound, and quality certificate.
Very cool things such as DSD256 support, amongst the standard MP3 files, FLAC, etc... and a USB C port. Wowzers!

Branded to be for "Gen Z"?
Let me tell you as a Gen Z'er. STAY CLEAR AWAY! (Unless you like gambling your money, which... is a tempting gamble)

As an enthusiast that enjoys quality time with my beloved music, this DAP checked all the boxes that I needed. The ability to use external storage for expansion, when I'd run out of the 32GB onboard storage. The ability to use music streaming apps over wifi such as Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal... other HiRes sources. Something that claims to have a 2000mAh worth of battery. Android 13 OS. All of the goodies any one would want on a very affordable DAP. Heck, this thing has features some higher end ones lack.

Let me break the news to you, I am utterly disappointed in this thing. So much so, I am here writing to inform you to please, and I mean please. Stay away from this thing.
Upon the first 24 hours of owning this thing, I was stellar, ecstatic, and frankly over the moon. The color options on this thing are fairly tasteful, and I opted for the white version. Secondly, I bought the silicone case to have added protection for a DAP I planned to use for travel, sleep, and work. I was fairly skeptical of this thing based off many of the Amazon reviews that seemed like complainers for an already affordable piece of Hifi equipment. But, I regret not listening to them more.

A very big flaw of this DAP, is that regardless how many times you charge this thing to 100% it will never ever get there. Even if you charge it fully, the second you take it off the charger it will show 97%. I read multiple people having battery problems with this thing, which is alarming given how new of a device it is. The first 10 minutes I took setting up the DAP, the battery quickly declined from 74% to 60%. The battery chemistry in this device is not quality, cheap, and frankly junk. To mildly conserve your battery it is recommended you totally avoid using wifi or bluetooth capabilites on this thing (bummer). The maximum listening time, and usefulness I got out of it was 8 hours with wifi off, and low brightness. Outside of that, the 29+ hour uptime and 15 day standby claim is extremely falsified, and snake oil.

The most disappointing thing with this device for me was the 3.5mm output that is unbalanced, it wasn't a breaking point for me initially... but when listening to music I really wished it had it. The sound at times sounded gritty in headphones I've used plenty of hours. (Grado RS1i)

The playback buttons are responsive when they want to be, and most times do the opposite of what you want. Hey, I'd love to pause this song, or skip it. Nope, let us just skip 2 or 3 songs forward. Maybe not even respond... crud! Sometimes taking up to 5 seconds to even see what happened. It is quick when it wants to be, and extremely stubborn all other times.

I never planned on returning this DAP with the bad footing I already had with this device, but figured I'd keep giving it a proper burn-in period. Well, that was a mistake. Let me just warn you, the second you open the box, there is a seal on the button that says you cannot return this once broken.

Unfortunately, I opted to use my Grado SR125x on this device for a much needed sound profile change, and when I did the device suddenly did not output to its 3.5mm. And shortly after, the screen thereafter never worked again. I've tried several power cycles, solutions from Hiby, my unit is dead with less than a couple of days use. I read past all these reviews with people having extreme problems with their units, and let me warn you, do not make the same mistake. Most of these units, if not all are junk. They need to vetted by more audiophiles first, adhere to a more rigorous quality checking standards. Disappointed is an understatement, I am upset, and feel charmed by all these reviews that led to false truths.

Thankfully, I purchased this via Amazon and still have a window of return. If you purchase directly from Hiby, you may not have that luxury.

Do. Not. Purchase. (You've been warned.)


(Dead unit within a few days old, RIP)