Reviews by Yefry

-Packaging and unboxing

The Ibasso DX180 comes with a simple but functional packaging, it feels solid and can hold the product safely, it is not the most attractive packaging but I don't see the need for more, if you have had other ibasso products previously it will be very familiar to you, on the top cover are the manuals and the warranty card, in the foreground is the DAP in a flap surrounded by foam and below you get all the accessories which are the following:

-TPU transparent case

- Charging and data cable

- Screen protectors

The transparent TPU case provided and the screen protectors are of a correct quality, the case is well finished and does its job, I think I remember that the DX300/320 ones are better finished but it is a decent case and it is appreciated that there is a protection included among the accessories, likewise the screen protectors are also of a decent quality, it is a plastic protector that can protect from minor scratches in use diary.



-Technical specifications:

I think putting the link with the full specifications is the best option but I will highlight the most important ones for me:

https://ibasso.com/product/dx180/

Battery life approx. 14h in balanced mode
Output impedance 1.1ohm Bal.
Output impedance 0.6 ohm SE
Amplifier power 690mW Bal.
Amplifier power 281mW SE
Design DAC Cirrus CS43131
Fir X2 filter
5'' 1080p Sharp screen
Android 13

As you can see, most of the specifications can be easily associated with a high-end DAP and Ibasso has made an effort to include it in a mid-range DAP with one of the best price-performance ratios on the market in my opinion.



-Setup, handling and system

Getting the Ibasso DX180 up and running is quick and easy. In just a few steps and in just a minute you can start the system by entering your Google account and in this case, the Play Store is included by default so in just a few minutes you can have all your favourite apps downloaded and the DAP ready to use.

Using DX180 becomes an absolute pleasure when you discover how exceptionally fast and fluid it navigates through all the menus, it is without a doubt the smoothest DAP I have ever owned and tested, I also want to mention the total absence of bugs, so far I have not had a single bug or app crash, unexpected, the Snapdragon 665 processor and 4GB of RAM have been used excellently without any apparent delay.

I also like to explain that whenever I install Nova Launcher, Power AMP, USB Audio Player Pro, Opera browser, Tidal and some other Apps, DX180 handles all the apps perfectly, free of crashes and sistem hangs.



Newer versions of Android offer complete control of playback/streaming apps from the notification bar, so having complete control over your music while multitasking with the rest of the apps is a fluid experience without any interruptions or app changes, it's just great.



But the excellent user experience doesn't end here, the DX180 feels light but sturdy, can be operated with one hand perfectly, and is generally very well built, this is especially relevant considering that it is a DAP that you can change the battery yourself which gives it even more value, it is worth mentioning that the back cover to access the battery is made of plastic but it feels really well built and of quality so you shouldn't have to worry about it.

The buttons feel sturdy and well integrated, the multifunction wheel to control the volume and turn on/off the screen finally feels solid, without any looseness, the volume clicks can be easily felt, the only thing that could be slightly improved is that the volume wheel is closer to the chassis of the device but it is not something especially relevant.



It's time to talk about battery, another strong point of the device. In my tests with the screen off and local playback, I was able to easily reach the 13/14 hours announced by ibasso. This number of hours will be reduced with extensive use of the screen and WiFi, but even so, you still get excellent numbers. I'm not usually a very intensive user of streaming apps, but you'll hardly go below 10 hours of intensive use, which still seems like very good numbers to me. The fact that the playback hours are reduced with intensive use is a characteristic shared by all DAPs. Longer use the WiFi and screen , less autonomy, logically.

I've left the screen for last, the DX180 screen is at a very high level in all aspects, it is a screen that responds very quickly and effectively to touches and scrolling, it has vivid colors and for indoor use conditions, it has a high level of brightness, likewise we are talking about a 5'' and 1080p panel which translates into a high pixel density on the screen making the content displayed sharply and clearly, it is an excellent screen.





Taking advantage of the mention of the Software and the screen, in this section I would like to talk about the only two real weaknesses or rather absences of this device in my opinion, which although I have not considered them in the negative points I think they deserve to be mentioned, the first and perhaps the least important is the absence of the Double tap to wake the screen, this has a reason to be, to maintain the costs of the device Ibasso had to decide between a quality screen with excellent color sharpness and resolution or sacrifice some of those aspects in favor of the screen having the ability to have the double tap to wake, at this point we already know which path it chose and honestly I feel good with that decision, one of the reasons why I install Nova Launcher is because of the fact that you can program a widget or use the double tap to turn off the screen with which you can at least save at least 50% of the presses on the wheel to maintain its functionality over time.





The other important absence in my opinion, has to do with a software deficiency, specifically, the absence of global PEQ in the system, ibasso includes PEQ but only in its own music player, honestly I never use the player integrated by the brands themselves in favor of the ones already mentioned, so for many of us it is a real deficiency, I consider that the absence of global PEQ is the only real and important weakness compared to my Cayin N7 that I recently integrated and the Hiby DAPs, in my opinion, Ibasso should focus some of its efforts in that area since it is a function that is increasingly in demand, Ibasso has pleasantly surprised me with an excellent integration of Android 13, I hope it does not stop there and integrating a global PEQ is one of its priorities.

To summarize, we have a compact, lightweight but robust device, a clear, bright screen with a high response capacity, optimized, fast and error-free software, a firm and well-integrated wheel, excellent battery life. Taking into account all these features and its price range, I would classify the user experience with this DAP as exceptional.



-Sound

In general terms, I would define the sound signature as perfectly neutral, not boring, with a very slight emphasis on treble, just a touch, and a powerful sub-bass extension. I think that is right. It is a signature made to please the general public and the greatest number of users possible. It is positioned very strongly in the mid-range and sometimes even dangerously close to the high-end. It has the excellent clarity that Ibasso is known for but still manages to maintain a natural and realistic sound.

-TREBLE

DX180 has a very decent treble extension, I don't think it's an overly analytical DAP so if you're one of those users who wants to hear even the tiniest detail you might want to look elsewhere, the Dx260 is more suited for that, however I feel that's not the goal of the tuning and I don't think anyone would expect that kind of sound form in a mid-fi device, however with DX180 you'll still get a high level of detail and in particular, the Tribird IEM equipped with EST can show ethereal and not fatiguing but well extended highs and a very decent level of detail with DX180, the micro details are not very advanced but they show up well in the mix, going into the slightly lower highs there's still a good extension and everything is there well presented and effortless, I don't notice an excessive boost in the upper frequencies but I don't feel that it's lacking either, as in the general signature of the DAP I feel that it's a safe tuning but of Tasteful, made to appeal to the masses, perceived clarity as well as definition and separation are above average, there are no signs of harshness whatsoever and no trace of metallic timbre either, also mentioning female vocals, they feel natural and realistic and never scream.

To put it into context I will make brief comparisons with Cayin N7, in the case of N7 there is a slightly better treble extension and a greater amount of perceived detail, it can also add a bit more note weight and I would say that the sound feels somewhat more natural and realistic, it is not night and day, they are rather subtle but audible improvements.



-MIDS

I feel like mids is where Ibasso usually pays the most attention and DX180 is no exception, not in vain it is the frequency range where a greater number of things happen so it makes sense, mids continue with a clear neutral approach but have the right note weight and timbre to sound natural and detailed at the same time, different textures are represented correctly and one of the most important things for me, instruments and voices feel credible and realistic, again, without any sign of metallic timbre.

DX180 has the ability to present the sound in layers with very good height and depth, in fact so far and based on all the mid-fi devices I have tested, ibasso is the only one that adds enough height and depth to make the soundstage feel truly holographic, something usually reserved for high-end devices, male vocals have excellent texture and note weight successfully capturing the different nuances, ultimately I would like to add that in other DAPs ibasso tends to push the mids too far forward giving them some emphasis and standing out or moving them forward a few steps in the mix, thus sending vocals and certain instruments to the foreground making them sound 'inside your head', luckily this is not the case and I hope ibasso continues to maintain a more neutral and in my opinion more correct approach to the mids, this way achieving a more uniform sound and the feeling of a larger perceived soundstage.

Overall it holds its own pretty well against Cayin N7 when it comes to the mids, again Cayin N7 feels a bit more natural and thick with more note weight and slightly better realism, N7 can space out and separate different sounds better on complex tracks, I’m not too fond of describing tracks in reviews but this fantastic track in particular I discovered on head fi can really help me explain the differences, if you listen at the minute or so shown in the screenshot the track starts adding more and more percussion instruments that appear on the sides until it forms a wide sound passage, each of the new sounds that appear has its own placement with a different height and depth, well DX180 offers decent separation but feels flatter, N7 on the other hand is more defined, with better separation and feels a bit more holographic along with improved placement, it’s one of the tracks where I’ve noticed the biggest difference, in others the difference is smaller.



-LOWS

I've mentioned on more than one occasion that the DX180 offers a high fidelity signature but made to please the masses and the approach taken with the bass follows the same line, the bass has a punch and control that is more than remarkable in this price range, one of the best bass I've heard in mid-fi, really very well textured and can hit hard and fast when called upon, this is not a signature oriented towards excessive warmth or with a purely bass-based approach, there is a certain emphasis but it is not exaggerated, just to add a touch of warmth, it is more about offering the right amount at the right time, which means that it will not add too much to what is recorded on the track but your bass songs will be played just as you expect, firm and forceful hits, excellent speed and texture, again it manages to capture the different timbres and nuances with ease, it is an excellent DAP on which to enjoy your favorite bass tracks, it is a no-brainer when it comes to ibasso but It is worth mentioning that they will never dominate the signature or muddy the rest of the frequencies, it is a constant in Ibasso's signatures and here it is respected without a doubt, despite the excellent quantity and texture it he behaves very well on busy tracks, it has a very good speed and decay, it will delight bass fans as it resolves very well the IEMs with a strong emphasis on the low frequencies.

Compared to N7, it has a very different bass presentation, in Cayin N7 you have the perception that there is slightly less presence and prominence since it is a more W-shaped signature compared to the linearity of DX180, N7's bass is a bit slower, more rounded, perhaps a bit more textured due to its presentation, DX180 hits you with more force, more speed and presence, this is actually the point where I can prefer DX180 over N7 most of the time since I really enjoy its presentation.



-Soundstage & Technicalities

The soundstage of the DX180 is surprisingly wide considering its price, and it also offers an excellent sense of height and depth, again, unusual at these prices. The level of detail and texture it can offer is high, the separation is more than correct, the timbre is natural and satisfactory. I cannot criticize anything remarkable, especially in the range to which it belongs. Although diminishing returns are real and the DX180 is an excellent example of this. It is true that it does not reach the levels of refinement that the higher ranges can offer, since these have some differential factors to offer, but you already know how it works. To clearly surpass the sound of the DX180 you will have to invest at least twice as much money and probably more, so I cannot be more satisfied with its overall performance at all levels. Finally, I will mention in this section that the entire review is done in Fir X2 mode and the Slow Roll Off/Short Delay Slow Roll Off filter, although the differences are subtle with respect to the mode. In normal mode, I have the feeling that it offers a slightly more lively, dynamic sound with a slightly improved note weight, and I also have the feeling that I perceive details and textures a little better, in normal mode I would consider it very slightly more analytical and neutral in this regard, the changes mentioned in the Fir X2 are applied in the first 4 filters see:

- Fast Roll Off
- Short Delay Slow Roll Off
- Short Delay Fast Roll Off
- Slow Roll Off



The general consensus seems to be oriented towards the NOS (No Over Sampling) filter as the preferred one, it is also a filter that I use often and curiously I will say that with the NOS filter I am not able to perceive a single difference between the Normal mode and Fir X2, for some reason the slight differences of the X2 mode can only be appreciated in the first 4 filters mentioned, even so you do not expect very significant changes between different filters / modes.



- Conclusion

If your search for a DAP that includes having excellent sound quality, a really great screen, (Responsive, sharp and bright) a device with fast and intuitive handling free of errors, good battery life, last but not least: not emptying your bank account, this is the device you should have in mind when choosing your new music player.

I am aware that there are cheaper DAPs but they are somehow cut back either in power, probably in screen size and quality or cuts on precious system resources such as ROM or RAM, their shortcomings are really few, if you can live without a global PEQ and without the double tap to wake the screen, I doubt there is a better device to recommend in this price range, thanks for reading.

Packaging:

The packaging of the product seems correct to me and meets the basics, the IEM is excellently protected, it is not a large and ostentatious box, there are times when I have the feeling that the box and the accessories have a high cost associated with the product that I would rather not pay, I like something functional, it is protected and takes up little space, there may be people who look for a more ostentatious packaging but in my case, it seems correct because it fulfills its main function.



Cables and accessories:

Penon includes a moderately generous variety of accessories that I think work quite well, there are several types of Tips that although they seem similar each color is oriented to enhance a certain spectrum of frequencies, to be honest, I have not used them all but I did try a couple of them and I liked the result, in fact I think it is a tip that is used under different brands in which only the color usually varies but they seem to be of good quality and they work well in general.

There is a strap to secure the coiled cable, a metal clip to remove and secure the cable to our clothing item and what I think is the best accessory of all, an orange mesh bag that works really well to protect the IEM capsules. The blue zippered box, although it can be used to store and transport the IEM safely, seems a bit small to me and I prefer to use other models even though it is perfectly valid for that.



Fit and build quality:

Voltage is a surprisingly small iem considering that there are 10 drivers inside of which the DD and the transformer of the EST take up quite a bit of space, I doubt anyone would have problems fitting it, given its moderate size, the shape feels good and fits the ear properly, you may have to struggle a bit to insert some models of tips since the nozzle is quite thick and slightly short since it does not stick out too much, otherwise it seems to me a very well finished iem, I cannot mention how much I like the handmade transparent resin iems, I love seeing their interior and the layout of the components, the interior of Voltage feels tidy and the space well used, the design is very personal but I like the waves generated between the red, yellow and black color, the switches feel solid and well integrated, they can be easily moved with a dedicated tool provided with the accessories.





Sound:

Before I start talking about the sound I would like to refer to what I consider to be Penon philosophy in their way of understanding sound. If I only had to use one word it would be balance. You will rarely see an IEM made by them with an extreme inclination towards a thin and analytical sound for example, nor an IEM with overwhelming bass, excessively swollen or warm, basshead or treblehead will not be concepts that you can associate with them. In any case they experiment with more powerful bass signatures with ISN. What I want to get to is that the sound will always be oriented towards balance and naturalness with a certain emphasis on the mids. We also do not have to associate it with something sterile or boring because it is very far from that. Balance, harmony and well measured is the perfect way to summarize it.

Driver configuration and specs:

Penon Voltage is a tribird composed of:
2 x 8mm DD (Bass)
4BA Sonion (Mids - Highs)
4EST third generation Sonion (Ultra-high)
4-way, 4-hole independent crossover
16 ohm - 106db sensitivity



Timbre, Tonality, Techniques and Overall Signature:

Penon Voltage can be classified in the warm category but to say that alone would be very simplistic, as despite its warmth it never feels slow or congested, it has an excellent soundstage width well above average and excellent layers and images, it boasts good dynamics and attack above average, the resolution is high and the iem is detailed but it is far from being considered analytical, the sounds are separated obtaining a precise, detailed and independent location, I would describe it as a natural and organic timbre with an excellent and realistic note weight, W-shaped sound signature with soft and lush mids, somewhat boosted high mids, pronounced bass, which while it can satisfy the vast majority, the most staunch bassheads will be left wanting more, well extended and defined highs never tiring although there could be a very slight greater extension in the upper treble or air.

There are people who I have heard say that the sound is thick, somewhat confusing and less defined, also that the high mids are advanced and can be a bit tiresome, well, let me tell you that my experience is quite far from that but I am very clear that a powerful quality power supply, a good selection of Tips and a change of cable oriented to silver will make the difference and it will not be small, the Tips are something very personal and we all know that they offer great sound variations but the rest of the components also have a lot of influence, Voltage benefits from tips like Spinfit or Kbear 07, Xelastec II, all of them make an excellent combination, they are tips with a medium-sized hole that do not cut the sound stage and favor the bass, in my opinion it is the right choice.

Regarding the sound source, they lent me a Shanling M5U, it sounded good, but I consider that they are not solving Voltage to its full potential and level compared to something like N7, and for me, the most fundamental change, Voltage is very sensitive to cable changes and believe me it can be greatly benefited. Obsidian is a great copper and gold based cable, its quality is good, the 'problem' is that it highlights the areas of Voltage that don't need to be highlighted, copper and gold will highlight the mids even more and will do nothing to favor the speed and dynamics that will be average with Obsidian, nor will they open the extremes as Voltage cries out for, find a silver based cable and the magic will happen, in my case, I use a pure silver cable that I think does an excellent job of handling Voltage, the entire review will be based on the use of Cayin N7, Xelastec 2/Hifigo Zeos and a pure silver cable from Cema Electroacusti that is very similar in performance to the excellent ISN AG8 but more comfortable and lighter as it is only 4 wires, both switches in 'on' mode.

I also briefly tried Voltage with Cayin RU7 and Ibasso DC-Elite, while it performs well with both I still think the best version of Voltage is developed with the use of a DAP, Ibasso DX180 is also a very notable combination with Voltage but I consider the pairing with Cayin N7 to be the best of all.



Highs:

They can be defined as moderately relaxed and natural, they never overwhelm and do not tire, the level of the Air is average, there could be a better extension of upper treble but the level of detail is very good, it is not for someone treble-head or someone looking for an excessively analytical iem but I consider them to be of very high quality and well made, the lower treble is not invasive or annoying either, there is the right amount with excellent articulation and precision, again they feel natural and not forced, as you can guess the silver cable helps to open up the extremes and the highs benefit from it, the use of quality silver does not add any artifacts or metallic timbre as is attributed to low quality plated cables, it simply gives a little more separation, presence and detail while preserving the timbre and its excellent quality. The cymbals and atmospheric effects produced by the ESTs get excellent clarity and definition, I get the feeling that the latest generation ESTs from Sonion offer a bit more weight and are a bit more substantial, finally I will add that if anyone wants a bit more presence in the upper treble area or 'Air' Voltage responds excellently to a bit of EQ.

Mids:

They tend to be the star of the show in Penon IEMs and with Voltage it is no exception, they are smooth and full, loaded with naturalness and excellent note weight, the high mids are somewhat advanced and with the stock cable let's say they can stand out from the extremes by 20%, with a cable change and the correct tips they still stand out a bit from the highs/bass but I would leave it at something like 10%, the advance of the high mids can sometimes cause the voices to feel close or 'in your face' but nothing extreme or as pressing as in other IEM models, that advance in the mids can make some effects be brought to the foreground creating a very pleasant 3D sensation due to the more than remarkable height and depth that the IEM exhibits, another thing that I really like is that it is capable of breaking down the sound into layers, each instrument or voice is shown with excellent individuality and positioning, the speed is average but manages to keep the pace in front of frenetic genres, yes If you are a fan of thin, ultra-detailed and ultra-fast sound you may want to look elsewhere but I find its realism and resolution very satisfying, this IEM is more about feeling the music than analyzing it.

Bass:

To sum up everything I'm going to say, I feel like I'm a user close to the basshead or with a taste for an extended bass response but always achieving a balance and not just having unfounded bass. At first you could say that the bass is in no man's land, but it's not entirely like that. With the switch down, it's close to neutral but still present.


With the switch up, it has a shelf of about 8db of extension with a successful focus on sub-bass. Well, why do I say in no man's land? Because I think with the switch down Voltage should have about 7db of gain and with the switch up 10db, the people I've seen get rid of Voltage is because of the lack of the last mile in sub-bass extension, if you have a good cable and a powerful source in that area the situation improves quite a bit, with a poorly suited cable and a more neutral or weak source it can fall a bit short, let's see how all this translates into the sound, in the case of electronic music in general that tends to focus on the sub-bass, I find Voltage to be very satisfactory and the vast majority of the time it doesn't leave me wanting more, at specific moments I would like a little more push but I feel that it has the right level, in other musical genres among which instruments come into play and not notes generated by synthesizers, is where the lack of energy is most noticeable, we are talking about the bass generated by a guitar or the kick drum of a drum kit, in those cases I do think that it lacks some force, nothing alarming, but I think that it would benefit from it and it would help at certain times to balance the advancement of the upper-middle classes.

To sum up, the bass is present and punchy but with some extra energy in the '1' position of the switch Penon would have won over most bassheads as long as they are not extreme bassheads, having said that let's talk about its quality, luckily the quality of the bass is very high and to make it clear on many occasions it can be very impactful, the speed again is average or slightly above average but it manages to hold up to busy passages and fast and precise hits, in turn it causes the not so fast instruments or kicks/drums to have realism and excellent decay, I doubt it would be a problem for anyone unless using the original cable and a source that is too warm like the aforementioned M5U, the texture is excellent and you can differentiate the different types of hits, instruments, layers and nuances, it also has the property of not being omnipresent if the track requires it and being 'focused' on one point which seems to me to be an outstanding characteristic and not always usual, so from all this we can deduce that the quantity is certainly high even though many We wish for a little more, regarding the quality shown it is undoubtedly excellent, always being a recurring focus in Penon, quality > quantity



In my opinion, the Voltage is an excellent IEM despite having its peculiarities and needing some adjustments here and there to get the most out of it. It has an excellent balance and natural sound, which is what you have to stick with. For the vast majority, that will be its virtue, and for others, that comfort zone will be its defect. I want to think that this safe approach to sound is due to the fact that Penon next TOTL will be more daring, and if not, I encourage Penon to have two product lines in parallel, one focused on the mids and its well-known balance, and a different line for more energetic forms but with the focus on high fidelity that Penon has accustomed us to. Another alternative would be a more marked use of the tuning switches or pressure modules to achieve a greater differentiation between the sound signatures offered by the IEM. I am sure that Penon will achieve this. In the meantime, we can enjoy the Voltage, which on its own is an excellent and more than recommendable product.

Thanks for reading

-Packaging and unboxing

The box of the new Hiby R8 II is functional and elegant, the DAP is perfectly protected, it is very easy to access its interior and easily remove the player, the cardboard box is well made, magnetic and well organized, I find that it is more than enough for a satisfactory experience without going into too many luxuries that make the product more expensive, the box includes:

- DAP

- Custom made TPU and alcantara case

- Charging and data cable

- Screen and top and bottom bezel protectors

- Manuals



-Technical specifications:

There is nothing better than a link to the Hiby website where you can easily and in detail see all its features. From my point of view we are looking at a high-end product according to its price and specifications.

https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-r8-ii?variant=44121041797336

-Setup, handling and system

Firts, let's talk about the screen, we are looking at a screen with very good definition, more than enough brightness and perfect size in my opinion, I have no complaints at all about the R8's screen and I only wish that other manufacturers would pay the same attention that hiby when it comes to selecting a quality panel, the better visuals and usability that come with having 6 inches in size are notable, a success.



The build finish is of a high quality, it feels robust and well put together, I find the Alcantara finish pleasing as most of us will use the device with the case provided, I don't find it a problem at all, the anodizing looks very well finished.

The buttons feel solid and have a pleasant touch and recoil, you can perfectly notice the response to pressing them, the only problem you may have is due to the case provided, it is difficult to determine the real location and which of the buttons you are pressing next. If you look at where you are playing, speaking of the case, it seems to me to be of very good quality, perhaps I would have preferred that the case did without the alcantara finish, but it is a personal preference.



This is a heavy device, we are getting a DAP with a large screen, high amplification power and huge battery, which implies a high size and weight, personally I still find it manageable and within acceptable limits, it can be handled with a hand that still requires some effort to do so.

The first turn on and setup of the Hiby R8 II is extremely fast, just select the language and time zone, in a few seconds you will be on the home screen ready to play your favorite music, adding the Google account is the same Quick and easy, just open the PlayStore and log in with your Google account.

In the software section we have Android 12 which responds very fluidly and quickly in general, the 8GB of RAM and the use of faster ROM memory in the system are noticeable, I have had practically no bugs and anything that I may have had It is too irrelevant to mention it since I don't even remember it, so it does not spoil the user experience at any time.

In all my DAPs I like to install Nova Launcher and Power AMP, the first is an application launcher that allows me to customize the home screen to my liking, it allows me to add certain shortcuts such as the screen lock to avoid excessive use of the button, as well as direct access to the audio configuration menu, avoiding going through the notification bar to access said settings.



I like Power AMP again for its impressive customization and great appearance.

Both applications work perfectly and without hiccups.



In the software section there are some things that from my point of view should be added, the first is being able to unlock the screen with a double tap and thus avoid making such continuous use of the button, the second are widgets or shortcuts to very useful functions and widely used such as Pluguins, PEQ or MSEB to name a few, this facilitates access to options that are used very frequently and avoids having to navigate through several menus.

Then there is the battery life, I will only mention that it is excellent and even though I have not calculated the hours of playback that I have achieved, it is a device with a long battery life, you can make intensive use of the screen, the WiFi and still get many hours of music playback.

-Sound

I mainly listen to Pop, Rock and EDM to give a quick description, although random tracks from many other genres are included.

To make a first general description I will say that its sound signature is extremely balanced, perfectly neutral with extended bass and treble, this giving a general U-shaped sound signature, wide soundstage and excellent tonality, the speed and technicalities are of first level.

At first it seemed a touch colder and more analytical than other DAP due to its incredible transparency and speed, but that idea quickly disappeared from my head, giving way to a sound with the best balance I have ever heard in a DAP.

It has a lot of power available and although it is possible that with most iems it will not be noticeable, if there will be a noticeable difference with full size headphones or even with certain iems, I was able to test the R8 with Grand Maestro, which is undoubtedly the iem most power-hungry I've ever been, and the extra power improves some aspects of the sound, for example helping to maintain bass definition and presence, and also maintaining clarity and separation in the most demanding moments when a lot is happening at once on certain tracks.


-TREBLE

The highs on the new R8 have excellent detail and extension, they can show a lot of detail and a lot of air, which contributes to forming its large soundstage, in my opinion its slight emphasis is on the higher treble, this avoiding the troublesome mid-high area, where the dreaded listening fatigue can appear, everything is there, with excellent precision, detail and impressive speed, despite having slightly enhanced and extended treble, everything feels natural, there is nothing that is present in an overly accentuated or artificial way, it is free of any hint of listening fatigue, if you are a person looking for a very warm and relaxed sound, you may not find that here, but I am also sure that you can get used to it quickly due to its naturalness, free from any discomfort.

-Mids

I will be simple and direct, the best, most balanced and best tuned that I have ever heard in a DAP, many times manufacturers insist on advancing the mids where they give a W shape to the sound, bringing the singer closer to a few meters from the listener or even if it seems like you're on stage with him, it doesn't seem like a realistic sound presentation to me.

Luckily, Hiby adapted another approach, the mids are neither delayed nor advanced, they are in a simply perfect position, you are not too far from the stage, nor very close, you are simply in a privileged position in which everything is heard widely, spaced out and precise, you can feel everything around you and look anywhere without feeling like you are swimming between the instruments and the artist, I will use the words naturalness, precision and spaciousness.

Each element is perfectly separated and positioned in the vast soundstage, with enviable clarity and precision. Before I mentioned the word perfectly neutral, because everything has a very correct note weight, it does not have the necessary body to classify the signature as warm, but it is also not thin enough to call it cold or analytical, it is neutral in the best sense of the word, since we have sublime image positioning, incredible amount of detail, but it still sounds natural, there is nothing metallic or artificial that It will take you out of the immersion, all of this contributes in my point of view to offering the best media I have heard to date in a DAP.

-Lows

The bass is another star of the show and another of the pillars of the new R8, they have enviable speed, texture and impact, here you will not find anything slow or bloated, they always remain in place, despite their high quantity they are never overwhelming, neither eclipse the mids or highs, another tour de force of this DAP, it is incredibly deep and detailed, with excellent control and precision, its focus lies, rightly, in the subbass, not in the low mids that, although not they are clipped, they are not emphasized, someone may prefer a little more midbass and you can easily achieve that with any of the multiple adjustments that the device offers, but this approach favors the general signature that is sought with this DAP, which is clarity and separation, with a lot of headroom and air, if you are a fan of elevared bass with good taste, excellent control, depth and speed this DAP will give you great moments.

-Soundstage & Technicalities

Both are at a very high level, the soundstage is very wide, with very good positioning and individuality of the elements, there is a lot of separation and it never sounds slow or confusing, it manages to maintain the rhythm and speed even in the most complex or busy passages , there is no sense of loss of control or congestion in the presentation.

The timbre, despite its neutrality and scarce coloration, feels attractive and natural, thus respecting the sound signature of the iem in question, the instruments obtain a lot of texture and sound realistically.

There is a certain height and depth in the sound, thus providing a certain holographic sensation to the sound, although it is true that the height and depth images are not its strong point and there is room for improvement, the effect can be perceived in a decent way, due to since all the other technical aspects are at a very high level, I don't think anyone will feel disappointed in the technical section.

-Sound customization

I think Hiby is aware of how much audiophiles like to play different parameters and adjust various aspects of the sound, if you like to try and experiment with it, congratulations, this DAP is perfect for you, you can adjust very easily multiple parameters, but let's go in parts.

The first thing is the filters, there are many available and the truth is that the changes are much more noticeable than in other devices with third-party DACs in which, honestly, it is very difficult to hear any type of change between them, I notice that they mainly affect the texture and decay of notes, especially in the bass.

There is something worth highlighting and that is that the modifications work at the system level and will be applied regardless of the application used, so they will even work on Tidal or any streaming application.

From my point of view the most notable are the parametric equalizer (PEQ) and the MSEB, which allows you to adjust and modify certain sound parameters extremely easily, you get slight adjustments here and there to adapt the sound to your liking.





But it doesn't end here, in addition, there are several Plugins, in which to apply additional modifications to the sound, the two most notable that I tried were Sound field, which allows you to play with the width of the sound scene, and DRX10K Dynamic, which makes some sound effects, in this case, divided into three bands: treble, medium and bass.

If you think that some aspect of the sound needs some slight adjustment, you will almost certainly find a way to adapt it in one way or another.



In short, it is the most complete and versatile DAP that I have been able to try, a tuning that you will hardly find lacking, a natural sound loaded with power and details, as if that were not enough, sound customization options in multiple ways, someone from further??

The only real disadvantage, not too notable, compared to other competitors in the same category such as the DX320 and N7, is a certain lack of height and depth, but it more than makes up for it in many other aspects of sound and user experience, so R8 rises to the top of my list of recommendations, if someone asks me about the value of the device, I would say yes, its high price is justified and you will get an experience accordingly.