HiBy R4

HIBY R4 DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER--- I am delighted and thankful to the “Audio Geek India ” for providing me this opportunity to experience the....
And share my impressions of my Listening experience for the same. So this is my First Time experience sharing.

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Hi, this is Himanshu Mehta, from Ahmedabad, India; started my music loving and listening journey since beginning of 1971, Since then gradually I became little crazy about Music Listening Equipment and still at the age of 71, I’m enjoying it more and more. But as I’m not a tech-head, my impressions are based on more of my listening then knowledge of tech of the instrument. Thus with having limited listening capacity(due to my Age) I have mentioned my impressions solely based on my own listening experience of HiBy R4, without any outside influences, like the manufacturer, group or any one

For the specifications of the abovementioned instrument you may please be refer: https://store.hiby.com/pages/r4-gallery.

Here below are my impressions :--

My Very First Impression :

When I get this gadget out of it’s box, I felt Wow, what a design the Hiby R4 has a futuristic industrial design, which looks Cyber inspired . It feels solidly built, tank like, industrial Bar like. It looks beautiful and attractive . While listening R4 on first hand put a big smile on my old face, it’s wonderfully sounding , with good amount of Bass and sub-bass, wonderful Mids spreading across the range and some nice Treble, which you feel to keep on listening.
Design and Built:-

Design looks as computer-Punk, or you may call it Futuristic look. But relatively sober looking, many may like it; some may not. Overall interesting and good looking design. It has really good built quality, giving it a sturdy and heavy feeling, but actually it’s a light weight built.

Physical layout seems to me little clumsy as it’s 3 sides are occupied by buttons and connectors, and the top has also got lock-switch and odd bumpy angular surface. So in case you want to put it vertical or horizontal position , for operating upside with another source or Dac or Amp, it’s difficult to connect; you can only stack it side by side or one upon another. Hence screen orientation and it’s locking switch becomes unnecessary. Some may have different opinion for this feature. It has 3.5mm and 4.4mm connectors at bottom along with USB-C type connector for Data Transfer or charging, can be used only either way. The most important feature I like is , In Pure Audio mode the player starts again in same mode. It can handle 2tb expandable storage above it’s own 32gb storage.

Display and Operating system;-

Display is of 4.7 inch IPS screen which is attractive and touch response is very good and smooth to operate. As Android player, O.S. has advantage of Google store expandability of apps and other features. HiBY Music application gives sound tweaking and MSEB and PEQ features. Main thing is System wide Bit-Perfect Audio, which also displays sample rate on top bar of the player. Operating system’s computer-graphic-punk look is also part of it’s futuristic design look gives a special techno look.

Battery – Power:-

The fast charging battery of 4500mAh , last up to 10 hours claimed but unfortunately for me it never last more than 6.5 to 7 hours during my experience. Hence I’m little disappointed by battery performance. This may be because it contains Class-A Amplifier and provide 525mw/32ohms power which is quite substantial. But the side effect is the player gets heated on backside within 15 to 20 minutes of use and difficult to hold in hand for longer time.

Sound :- Leaner Neutral side with quite improvement in its technicality; hence gives blissful listening experience of our high resolution File from the storage. Whereas in Android or other modes it sounds more Warmer, neutral and pleasing signature; which also improves as per quality of source/input file. This is midrange – economy level , not the top/high end equipment, so considering price range it performs very well in it’s category; with quite good and impressive and pleasurable sound signature, which One like to use more and more.

Overall it’s very nicely designed, very good quality Android DAP, with excellent Pure Mode Sound. Because of my disappointment of the Battery performance and the Heating issue, I'm restricted to giving 4 stars;
otherwise this one's performance and sound signature is a very good for value for money

The boring stuff:​

Price: $249 (Based off HiBy website)
SOC: Snapdragon 665
DAC: ES9018C2M *4 Dimensions: 129.6*68.3*18.5 mm Weight: 231g
Operating System: Android 12
Connectivity: Wifi 2.4/5ghz, BT 5.0
Display: 4.7in IPS Display 720x1280
RAM: 3gb Internal Storage: 32gb, Supports SD Card up to 2tb
Battery: 4,500mAh

Disclaimer:​

I’m more of a Tech head than audiophile and I use Youtube Music for 99% of my listening. Take everything I say with this in mind and please don’t come after me for not having refined taste. This is purely from my silly little point of view, of which you might be interested in. This unit was also lent to me to test and check and I did not purchase this device with my own money.

Gear Used:​

Streaming Platform: Youtube Music Premium (Bitrate: 256kbps AAC & OPUS)
SD Card: 128gb Sandisk with FLAC files
IEM: Moondrop Starfield II, Celest Wyvern Abyss, Dita Audio Project M, and Binary Audio Dynaquattro

Box:​

Packaging wise, the HiBy R4 is actually pretty reasonable. A box with a nice looking sleeve that opens up to the device itself then underneath that is the included TPU case and screen protector. Inside a little box is the included C to C charging cable which is about a foot long which is probably fine for most use cases but realistically you most likely won’t use it Aside from that there’s also a little bit of documentation and a warranty card which you probably want to keep as with everything device.

Build:​

The majority of the body seems to be made of Aluminum and bits of plastic which gives it a nice industrial look. From an aesthetics standpoint it may be a little divisive especially if you’re more on the minimalist side but for me personally I actually like the way it looks. Unfortunately however, how it looks seems to undermine its practicality in my day to day usage.

The device’s Hard edges and thick chassis make it cumbersome to use on a day to day basis. When holding the device in most ways the corners tend to dig into your hand and make it uncomfortable even in just the short instances wherein you're scrolling through your music library and deciding what you want to listen to. This is somewhat remedied with the included TPU case but not really by much. Shoving it in your pocket is also inconvenient because those sharp corners and window bump(?) will just catch on everything on the way down or up making it just a chore if you have to do anything with the screen..

It also has this translucent window at the back with a little plastic bump that spans across the back of the device which honestly confuses me. Best guess would be for Antenna placements for WiFi and Bluetooth but did it honestly need to have a bump? There also seems to be an LED inside which might indicate something but definitely not something obvious from what I can tell.

Thankfully in the endurance department it definitely did not disappoint. I took the HiBy R4 with me for a trip over the weekend listening to it while waiting for and during my flight and a little bit on and off throughout the weekend and I didn’t have to charge it once at all. By the time I got home it was at sub 10% but that’s definitely more than impressive. If you took the time to drain it with non stop music playing I’d wager probably a full day’s worth of playback time based on what I experienced. Your mileage may vary of course if you have things like WiFi or Bluetooth on but generally I’d say you’ll have no complaints over battery life. The unit itself does tend to get a touch warm after an hour-ish but nothing you should pull the fire alarm over.

Software:​

The HiBy R4 comes with their own skin of android 12 which seems to be mostly barebones aside from the HiBy music player and other related apps which is fine because those are probably the music centric apps you're going to be downloading and using anyways. You can switch between the different modes such as Music only, Android, and DAC mode right in the notification shade which is convenient and I generally left it on Music only mode since most of my music was on the SD card but from time to time would fire up YT music when i was within wifi range.

While the device only has 3gb of RAM it wasn’t sluggish in any meaningful way and is definitely responsive enough to use without much frustration. You’re also most likely going to need a SD card on this because the device only comes with an anemic 32gb of internal storage and you have to remember a portion of that is already taken up by the operating system.

That being said, once you do have all your files on an SD card it’s pretty simple to just plug in and the HiBy music player app will easily recognize most of your files and show up instantly and organize them for you to an extent. This made it so that I almost didn’t have to do anything once I put in my files and made me instantly switch the device to music only mode and just enjoy the music experience from there.

Having the ability to listen to my personal music library then switching to my preferred streaming service and knowing that practically whatever I plug in from my arsenal I won’t have to worry about anything is such a nice feeling. Also, having a 3.5 and a 4.4 ready to go means that I can just grab whichever pair tickles my fancy that day which is admittedly a first world problem but this is to an extent a tertiary device so of course it would be nice to have creature comforts like those.

Sound:​

And enjoy the music experience I did because this thing definitely plays the part of a HiFi audio player. While I may not be the judge when it comes to FLAC vs MP3 and whatnot I definitely enjoyed a lot of my music from a different lens than i normally do. The best way I can describe it is probably that everything feels more put in their proper place. I tried it out with a few different IEM pairs and while it’s more apparent in some than others such as more power hungry pairs it is still definitely there.

I’ll be the first one to admit that my ears are not the most refined but from a normie perspective I can still confidently say that these add another layer of enjoyment to my music and one that I definitely did not expect.

Nitpicks:​

In the upper right portion of the screen there’s a little LED strip indicator for charging and what mode you’re in that can be a little distracting at times. There seems to be no obvious way to control it and it doesn’t even turn off when you lock the device. When you’re in a dark environment like a Plane or maybe you’re winding down at the end of the day listening to music it becomes a little difficult to ignore that it’s there.

The screen is dimmer than your stereotypical anime romcom main character. I’ve had the brightness turned up full tilt the entire time it was with me except when I was on the plane and even then not by much honestly. Drinking your morning coffee on the balcony will involve a little eye squinting and the classic hand shade maneuver to clearly see what’s on the screen. Putting in a 720p is fine on a DAP but screen brightness is a universal feature that any modern touch screen device should definitely take into consideration.

Another pain point for me is the buttons are incredibly uneven when it comes to tactility. Some of them click just fine while the rest will paint you a gradience of mushiness. It may have just been the unit I got and possibly something an RMA could fix but If it's a consistent problem for other units then I think they should definitely look into that. I feel like this is especially crucial for a device like a DAP because you generally want to use the physical buttons as your main interface option. It’s a music player at the end of the day and if I can’t fine tune my volume because the buttons take varying levels of pressure to press and I inevitably have to check the screen then I think that’s not an ideal user experience.

Lastly, and this might be more paranoia than practicality, I'm concerned that if you lean towards the Android side of its feature set - like using multiple streaming services or having apps for Bluetooth devices like headphones or TWS (True Wireless Stereo) - it will bog down that 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage rather quickly. Remember that you can't move all app data to an SD card, so there will be a low ceiling. I'm not saying it's a deal breaker, but I think it should be something that you should be aware of.

Final Thoughts:​

If you’re after sound and versatility to maximize your probably growing collection of IEMs and possible power hungry headphones then the HiBy R4 might just be that sweet spot for you without having to take out a second mortgage. For a fledgling audio enthusiast such as myself I don’t really see myself needing any more features than the R4 already has and I wouldn’t want to be spending more either to be honest.

While I understand that the size and thickness are most likely physical limitations presented by the hardware inside, I don't think HiBy made it any easier for themselves by designing it in such a way that it seems like it's almost pocketable but not really. Expect to use the R4 when you’ve found a comfortable place to sit or maybe have a little body bag with you so it’s not as inconvenient to bring out when you want to use it on the go like at the airport.

Is it the perfect portable HiFi audio device you can get for close to $250 SRP? Obviously not but if you know what you’re getting and understand what you want to use it for then I think having the HiBy R4 in your everyday carry will prove to be one of your best go-to audio devices, whether that’s sitting down on a fine Sunday afternoon at your local spot(support local cafes!) or waiting at your boarding gate killing time and relaxing before a flight. Just don’t shove it down your pocket.

But remember that music is a personal experience and the best audio gear is the one that makes you enjoy your music the most.

Sound Quality:
The Hiby R4 shines in its ability to deliver a rich and detailed soundstage. The bass is deep and impactful, while the mids are clear and articulate. The treble is extended and airy, providing a crisp and detailed sound. It's a versatile DAP that can handle a wide range of music genres, from classical to electronic.
Connectivity and Functions:
* Balanced and Single-Ended Outputs: Supports both balanced and single-ended connections for optimal audio quality.
* Multiple Digital Inputs and Outputs: Offers various digital inputs and outputs, including USB, coaxial, and optical.
* Bluetooth Connectivity: Supports Bluetooth for wireless listening.
* High-Resolution Audio Formats: Supports a wide range of high-resolution audio formats, including DSD, FLAC, and WAV.
* MQA Decoding: Decodes MQA files for the highest level of audio quality.
* DSD Rendering: Renders DSD files natively for accurate playback.
* Customizable EQ: Allows users to tailor the sound to their preferences.
Overall:
The Hiby R4 is a high-performance portable DAP that offers an excellent audio experience. It's a great choice for audiophiles who prioritize sound quality, versatility, and advanced features. While it may be on the pricier side, its exceptional performance and features make it a worthwhile investment.
Note: To fully appreciate the R4's capabilities, consider pairing it with high-quality headphones or IEMs.

HIBY R4 – Wonderful DAP at this price.

Hiby is a company with well over 15 years of experience in the field of musical reproduction. Among the company are two division, the HiBy music making the portable music players and headphone decoders and then comes the HiBy digital making the digital consumer electronics. I have already used a decent amount of HiBy products and have been wanting to try some of their portable music players. Thus when the opportunity came, I grabbed it and hence here I am reviewing the new HiBy R4 DAP.

DISCLAIMER-
The HiBy R4 is part of a review tour organized by A.G. and HiBy in my country. The sample belongs to the brand. I had the opportunity to listen to it for a lot of days for this review. This review is completely based on my experience with it, and all opinions, positive or negative, are my own and no one else’s. No external factors influence my review; only internal factors like my brain and heart influence it . Please try it yourself, if possible, since we all hear things differently. If you want to purchase it, you can buy it from the official product website from the link- HiBy R4.

PACKAGING-
A simple sideways opening cardboard box with quite neon orange colour. The inside we are greeted with the DAP itself on a hard foam and inside we see some documentation and a screenguard and a case. It also gives an USB C to C cable for charging too. It contains all that you need to use the DAP from the first day onwards. I would love to add more felt to the edges and the underside of the top cover as they are hard and would protect much better the screen of the DAP.

BUILD-
A solid piece of DAP with good heft to it. It seems to have a textured surface for the DAP but the case is quite sufficient to protect it. Plus, the screen seems to be good quality not too much resolution heavy but optimal enough. There is a function toggle button on the top which is sturdy and quite hard to use. The other buttons are great but felt of membrane keyboard switches.

SPECS-

• OS: HibyOS based on Android 12
• SOC: Snapdragon 665
• DAC Chip: ES9018C2M x4
• BT- 5.0, USB- 2.0 and 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps), WIFI- 2.4/5GHz
• 3 GB RAM (was smooth for the operation but felt a bit laggy)
• 32 GB internal memory (expandable with a micro SD card up to 2TB)- around 20gb usable, rest is system files.
• 4500 mAh battery (20W charging PD 2.0 charging)- Battery life – 11 hours while in testing using High gain, 3.5mm output, 28 on volume and Qobuz on 2.4ghz wifi for playing music and it lasted for 10 hours and 21 minutes on a single charge which is quite good.
• 4.7inch, 1080x720 IPS screen which is bright but not much useful in the sun
• Weight: ~231g (w/o case)

HIBY SPECIFIC FEATURES and my impressions-

The best functions are –

• Bit perfect audio throughout the system whether you use any music app or use the hiby music player which is wonderful to use.
• Hiby cast to control the device from another device.
• Button lock button is quite good but needs more functionality as to change modes.
• Bluetooth having LDAC and also UAT which is the HiBy’s own Bluetooth transmission codec- I could use LDAC and which was great to listen to it.
• Software features in the form of –
• MSEB- MageSound Eight Ball- its an hiby exclusive feature, where you can change the sound output easily while also changing the tonality and many others.
  While I found some changes with it but going more than 10 on either side makes the entire sound signature slightly wonky.
• The most change I found was with blon 03 and other iems that I tried with it but not much with the headphones that I had tried them with.
• PEQ- 10 band PEQ is quite good and you can use it system wide which is sufficient and quite tasteful to add by hiby
• Working modes-
• Android mode- its like a phone;
• Pure audio mode- Works for audio present locally and uses HiBy Music player
• USB DAC Mode- for use with external sources like DDC or PC and then into a AMP.
• Bluetooth receiving mode: Advantage of BT5.0 and use only wireless so save a little on battery life on your phone.
• Now among these I found, the best was the pure audio mode about another 30mins of battery life and also with the same settings as before. Though I would say you would require all songs downloaded and ready to go…
• While using the player for long it did heat up as much as when you game with your phone it wasn’t too much though and can easily be handled.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS-

Note: these are impressions from my heart and soul and may have psychological effects. Best way to know if you like is when you are try it on your own. I used slow roll off as the feature and only used High gain as an option, no other features were engaged.

IEMS-

Blon Bl-03-
A tiny iem which has stood the test of time and has lived with me since many years. The overall sound change is that of addition of increased spacing between the instruments, bass was more pronounced and there was more structural definition to the notes of the instruments. The upper mids glare was much more nicely handled. The tonality though was accurate was more on slightly lean to neutral type.

Penon Fan-
Fan is very very energetic and dynamic iem overall. It is treble heavy and upper mids heavy but still maintains the airiness and cohesion of the entire music. So with using R4, there was increased bass definition and more separation between midbass and the mids. The placement is much more separated, and nuances are enhanced. Dyanmics are maintained but energy is much more. Upper mids are slightly leaner like the treble but they do jump on you once a while. But I would say its very similar to original stock sound but slightly leaner in notes tones.

IBASSO 3T-154-
This iem is a very spacious iem and focuses more on cohesion and definition of notes. The bass is quite well defined and rumbly too without losing a lot of feel to it. The notes are slightly on the neutral side with the DAP and showing the room presence also worked really well. The treble was also energetic but not sharp and kind of did well. The bass could have a bit better, and the tonality was neutral too. Airiness was not much present, but nuances were enhanced and had dynamism too.

BGVP DMA –
While the nuances were increased, there was also a bit more leaness added too. There was more spacing and placement of the instruments were much more defined. The bass had more definition and the treble was airy and energetic. Slightly V shaping of the vocals was ensued but that occurred with all sources mostly.

BGVP PHANTOM-
Like BGVP DMA, but here the changes were much in line and pairing took off. There was more energy on the sub-bass and extension were much more pronounced and defined. Similarly, bass had more impact and definition. Nuances were enhanced and separation took a major step forward. Placement of the instruments had also much greater presence in the headstage. The leaness that it provides is very less so the notes are still slight warmish and hence are much more in line with maintaining cohesion and definition to fast paced music and orchestras.

DITA AUDIO PROJECT M-
While Project M is a engrosses you with beauty and beastly musicality’s, it lacks in the nuances or resolution section of the music. With Hiby R4, there is dynamism in the nuances let alone increase in resolution of the music. There is also more energy and airiness in the treble section making it a lovely listen with engaging treble experience. This was really good for DITA AUDIO M as a DAP companion.

HEADPHONES-
Let’s start from the first headphone I owned (except the gaming ones)

SENNHEISER HD558
It’s the oldest headphone I have and its quite good till now. The soundsignature is enjoyable with good separation and tonality is warm to neutral mostly. The presentation is mostly 3-way middle, left and right and then comes the surrounding presence which is very less. With HIBY R4, the presentation became more seamless and cohesive. Tonality was not much changed but there was more presence of note definition and better separation. There was slight increase in bass impact but more in the definition of the bass notes. Rumble in sub-bass was more defined and slightly more faster.

BEYERDYNAMIC TYGR 300R-
Now this is an entirely flat headphone with much more treble heavy headphone with lots of energy. With Hiby R4, the treble became tamed but maintaining their quality with airiness and dynamism with good energy. The bass impact and notes body and base also increased in size and slightly more extended decay compared to the headphone. The HiBy R4 was able to run it but it requires more power to sound its fullest. Don’t get me wrong no one uses a DAP at this price point to run a 300ohm headphone but it does get this loud enough to enjoy the music.

HIFIMAN DEVA-
This thing drained the power of HiBy R4 the most because of its planar driver. The bass had improved with much faster attack and more impact. The decay was also faster, making it more separated of successive notes hits. The rumble of the sub-bass was also much more enhanced and defined too. There was also more spaciousness within the music and more surrounding headstage to feast the music. It was a lovely experience to try this with DEVA. Even the treble had more increased energy and dynamics without being overly clinical or sharp. The only thing that is the tonality became slightly neutral to lean side from neutral to slightly warm. This is where PEQ and MSEB came to rescue and worked good enough with this, such that I could use it for longer without having to reset my ears every 1 hour.

FOCAL CLEAR OG-
This headphone doesn’t mostly depend on the source but it does in certain cases and one such case is this. There is more spaciousness among the instruments and the placement is more defined. There is increase in headstage width and also, tonally not much change. The treble is much more handled and subdued in sharpness in the upper mids but the energy and dynamics remain the same. The bass impact is much better but the vocals had a slight reduction in thickness along with the pianos notes. Overall an improvement, plus it could run it quite easily so I loved it more.

OVERALL-
If you have a slightly warm or warmish iem with lots of bass extension and slightly congested soundstage, this will form a very good pairing with it. The ability to have such long battery life plus using this with BT headphones or iems will save your phones battery life on long journey. Software features also help quite a lot especially the PEQ which works great and ability to download set PEQ from online from your favourite reviewer also is a wonderful way to change the sound of your music device and try out new stuff. Given the power of this little thing, this can run quite a lot of stuff.

So is this recommended ? 100% yes, as if you want more you can use the software that HiBy provides and for 249$ this is a steal…

Introduction:-

Hey guys, today I am going to review the Hiby R4. It’s a new dap from Hiby. So how does a $249 DAP with Class A amplifier sound? Well stick around and find out.

I have also shared a video version of the review at YouTube any support there in form of a view, A like or A subscribe is greatly appreciated. But if you so wish to read the written version you can read this.





A big thanks to Hiby for sending me this review unit. Please do check the unaffiliated links below and browse the Hiby website they have got plenty of other accessories, dacs and daps at many price points. But all the thoughts and opinions you are about to hear are my own.


Buy it here (Unaffiliated Link) :-

Hiby Website - https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-r4

Hiby Amazon (Available in most countries where Amazon is) - https://www.amazon.com/HiBy-Players-spotify-Bluetooth-Scalable/dp/B0D9861P73

Hiby Aliexpress Store - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007117533896.html?


I will be as usual following my bullet style format for better readability for those who are dyslexic and in general find it hard to read long paragraphs. I follow this guide in general from the British Dyslexia Association.


Lets get started!

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Review:-

1. Well first of the packing of the R4 is fantastic this is what you get inside the box.



2. The packaging of the R4 gives you the mecha / evangelion vibe which for the mecha or Eva fans out there is already a big point to get this. You can probably stop reading this review and just buy it, haha



3. Now I cannot stress enough how nice it is for Hiby to include a basic plastic case inside the box, many expensive daps don’t do it. But this is really fantastic from Hiby! Sometimes you buy a dap and then you can’t find a case for it online. Also it comes with a pre-applied screen protector along with an extra screen protector inside the box!



4. Now coming to the dap, you have your 4.7inch screen above which there is a notification led.



5. Towards the right you have the function button, Previous Track, play/pause and next Track button.



6. Towards the right you have the volume +/- and the SD Card slot



7. On top you have a function button which can be customized to either lock the buttons or flip the screen 180 degrees. I wish more customizable features could be added via an OTA update in the future. Something like disabling the internet or maybe even a quick action where in it will open the hiby music app and start playing a playlist and set automatically the volume at a desired level of your choice. I know this is too niche, but it could be a nice way to use the button.



8. Also towards the side of the button there is a notch which has a slit where in you can tie the hiby lanyard strap. The strap was a separate purchase before but now its included inside the box for free and I highly suggest checking the video by hiby if you don’t know how to tie a lanyard.



9. In my opinion the lanyard is a great addition for daily use.



10. Now the bottom side has the 4.4, 3.5 and the USB-C port. It being in the bottom is a huge deal as many of the players have the jacks at top which I personally don’t like, although your mileage may vary. The back side has a small screen? Or Led light matrix which you can toggle on or off.



11. For $249 I am so so so impressed as to how good the build quality of the dap is. The R4 looks and feel much much more expensive than the $249 price tag it suggests. Fantastic job Hiby team!



12. One more small thing which is specially good for right handed folks. Is that the right corner has an edge chopped of which is really comfortable when holding it in your right hand and it doesn’t dig it at your palm. The left side though has a normal edge. The mecha design gives you an advantage.



13. Now talking about the specs, I will link all the specs as I don’t want to bore you and waste your time with me blabbering about the same thing which you can easily read.

https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-r4



13. Well in its entirety I had zero issues with lags or any uses cases with the R4. I had no hiccups with downloading or using apps from playstore.



14. I actually did some minor software modification which is something similar to the one I had done for my Hiby M300 but sadly due to personal issues I never got around making that video about it. These are some of the modifications you can do on most android based daps to improve the battery life. I want to say that these are advanced steps and please do them at your own risk, if you don’t know what you are doing please avoid this and skip to the point 16



15. But in this review I will give you a small summary, it involved disabling many of the apps from the app settings. Apps like google play services and play store is something I disabled because they do drain a lot of battery. Some other apps which are system apps like via browser, gboard etc. I disabled them. And also I used developer option to switch of the animations. I use niagra launcher for less clutter on the home screen as it is very easy on the device when it comes to battery life. I also disabled the front notification led’s and also the back led. I also applied the restricted battery setting to the apps I don’t use much except crucial system apps as that stops those apps from being active in the background. Doing this does hinder the background playability of your music app sometimes. So apps you use daily whitelist them one by one by going to settings of each apps. Now these are a bit advanced steps to do please do them at your own risk, I have been using android for more than 10+ years so I know what I am doing. Disabling any system app could brick your device so please only do what you know, otherwise please please avoid what I said and use the device normally.



16. Now normally I got around 10 hours of battery life with the moondrop chu 2 in 3.5mm at around 30% volume at low gian. And with my minor mods in the same settings I got around 12 hours of battery.



17. Now talking about the overall sound of the Hiby R4. They sound very neutral



18. The only colouration of the sound I found was a smidgen more bass than neutral. And that too it was a very minor difference and only found when I A-b’ed nearly 20+ sources with the R4



19. So the sound of the R4 is entirely based on the iems you use and is very neutral. The soundstage of the R4 was really good and very spacious.



20. In some songs with a warm sounding iem, they sound very nice and authorative. Although neutral sounding it has a nice amount of punch and authorativeness which I really like.



21. Now let’s talk about the audio settings which is probably the highlight of the R4 when it comes to software front.



22. Now the audio settings whatever you change its system wide. So this is huge as you can change the settings and use any apps like spotify, apple music, tidal , qobuz etc. and have these settings applied there.



23. The first option is filter setting which has two options, fast roll off, slow roll off and minimum phase



24. The fast roll off has more attack and decay of the bass and the bass sound snappy and tactile whereas the slow roll off the attack and decay of the bass sounds a bit blunted. Again the difference was very minimal between them.



25. I didn’t find any difference between the minimum phase and slow roll off filter



26. One of the big feature of the Hiby R4 which wasn’t present at the time of the launch was the Line Out feature. It got added with an update, now anyone who wants to use the R4 with an external amp or anything else can use it.



27. There are 3 gain settings. For most of my iems the low gain was plenty but iems like the tanchjim kara did require me to use the high gain for it to sound the best.



28. The next settings is various plugins where in there are about 6 plugins you can download and use. They do change the sound by quite a bit, I really like this customizable nature of the R4



29. MSEB is the next setting, now this setting is really useful. Specially for someone like me who doesn’t EQ much. For example - I can toggle the “temperature” slider towards the right side and give the iem an overall dark sound signature this helps with bright iems. I can also change the attack and decay of the bass.



30. MSEB is a big factor in getting this DAP in my opinion and it works so well, you can also save custom file for different iems or different genres of song. There are many sliders of MSEB which you can tinker with to your hearts content.



31. One con of MSEB is that when using it, the overall sound signature does become a bit low res or shall I say that the song does loses its detail a bit. I am saying that just toggling it on or off without any edits to the slider does it. So I didn’t use it all the time, but if you are just chilling around and listening via streaming then this is a great option.



32. Now if you want to change the signature of your iem. Then the PEQ option is your best bet as it does have a fantastic granular option. The PEQ doesn’t have same issue as the MSEB and it works as intended. Although MSEB or PEQ isn’t something I personally use all the time. But it’s a fantastic thing to have specially for daily use. Also you can save the PEQ and import PEQ from squig.link which is great if you want to get a taste of different iems and how they sound like.



33. Next up is DS gain compensation, Then a system wide channel balance feature good for anyone with hearing disability or any iems which has channel imbalance.



34. The limiting value of max value of volume is really good. I personally have it set to 55 as I mostly use iems and I never went above that.



35. MQA decoder can be toggled on or off depending on your song collection



36. Spdif digital volume lock can be toggle on or off when you use it.



37. When using any dongle dacs or any usb c iem I highly suggest the setting of USB digital volume lock to keep it on. As that helps with any volume compatibility issues.



38. Also one small bug when in the screen timeout setting under display setting. The “never” written is under lowercase, the N for never should be in uppercase. Again nothing major just thought of mentioning it and it can easily be fixed with an update.



39. Now how does the R4 compare to some of the dongle dacs?



40. Well in my opinion it sounds better than most $100 dongle dacs I have tested. Its performance I would say is comes close to the $150 Fiio KA17.



41. Yes when doing A-B testing the KA17 has overall edge and power than the R4, but for $100 more you get a complete android device which performs so good!



42. So if you are someone who loves using DAP’s or you want to listen to music and you work place doesn’t allow smartphones inside then the R4 is a fantastic option in my opinion.



43. The inclusion of buttons is a huge for many, so for them any dongle dac is out of option.



44. One more feature I forgot to speak about is the Bluetooth audio input feature. Which is basically you can connect your smart phone to the R4 and use the R4 like a Bluetooth dac like the qudelix or the fiio BTR series. This is really awesome as sometimes I via the audio from my smartphone or PC to the R4 and listen to music and use its superior DAP. Also if you have a HIBY streamer you can make use of their proprietary UAT codec.



45. v/s the M300, well its quite easy. If you want a small dap for streaming music, fm radio, speaker and you are don’t care about the best sound fidelity then the M300 is a better option especially now that it is frequently discounted upto $160-180. But if your priority is sound quality and the two way Bluetooth feature then the R4 is the obvious choice here. Also don’t forget that this has Class A amplifier inside



46. The R4 is a great device, Hiby as usual did a fantastic job for the price in terms of overall build quality the sound and all the features packed in.



47. Also many prefer to have a separate device for audio needs, and if you were shopping for a dongle DAC for around the $100-150 range. If its possible and you can extened your budget so that you can get a standalone device I highly suggest trying to get the R4.



48. At the price of $249 I cannot not recommend enough of the R4. Also if you are a first time shopper at hibystore.com then use the coupon code “welcome10” for extra $10 off. This is not a coupon code shared to me and it’s not an affiliate, it’s always active in the website for everyone to use.



49. I absolutely loved the R4, when I got it I didn’t think it would have been a worth enough upgrade from the M300 or that it can compete with dongles around the $100-150 range. The R4 seems like a great beginner DAP for your audio journey and Hiby did an excellent job with this.



50. Sorry for gushing about it, if possible please do have a hands on with the device before buying.



51. So that is my review of thats my review of the Hiby R4, If you have any question please do comment below. Like and subscribe to my YouTube Channel is a great way of supporting me as it helps me a lot! I hope you have a great day ahead, bye!

---

If you have any questions please feel free to ask me and also if you have any issues regarding this format of review please do comment I will try to mend it. Also sorry to those who are used to reading long paragraphs of review in headfi. I hope my review was upto the mark, I appreciate any feedback.

Again a big thanks to Hiby for making this review possible.

Have a great day ahead, Bye

Summary
The Hiby R4 is a very popular android audio player in the sub 200$ price range and I have been living with it for a while now. So whats the R4 and is it any good? The R4 is a budget digital audio player running android made by Hiby priced at 250$. Under the hood, it is packing a quad ESS 9018C2M dac chips, class A amplification, Snapdragon 665 for the processor, 4500mAh battery. Exterior build is solid and design is quite unique. The display is 4.7inch and it is decent. The overall user experience is decent, with good software experience, good battery life, decent power output amd adjustable EQ. The sound experience on the R4 is quite good considering the price, it has a clean and transparent sound signature and technical sound is satisfactory. In my opinion this is a good place to start if you are looking an android audio player with good sound



Intro
Hey guys, whats up
Today I am checking out the R4 from Hiby. This is a very popular budget android dap (digital audio player) coming in at 250$. So is this the best android audio player at this price? Lets discuss.

About the brand
First, lets get to know the brand, Hiby is a very popular ChiFi brand mainly famous for their daps (digital audio players). They have a versatile line up of daps from the entry level up to the very high end. In fact one of my first daps was a hiby R3back in the day and I have also used the R3 pro and R5 saber. They also make other audio products such as dac dongles and iems. I have recently checked out one of popular iems, “Project Ace”. They are also known for their Hiby Music app which is used by many audiophiles. Anyways, enough yapping, lets look at the R4 starting off with specs.

Disclaimer: thanks to Hiby and the review tour group “Audiophile Alliance Bangladesh” for loaning me this unit along with the Hiby Project Ace. However, please note that this review reflects my honest and unbiased opinion. I strive for transparency in all my reviews, whether the product is self-purchased, a free sample, loaned or received at a discount.



Specs


Packaging
Starting off with the packaging of the R4, it is well designed, it has a futuristic cyber punk theme. Sliding off the outer layer you are greeted with an orange box, opening the lid you will find the R4 nicely rested in a foam insert. Below that you will find a case, cable, a holding strap, extra screen protector and papers. The included case is decent, has a matte black translucent finish, I wish they provided a clear one instead as the dap has a unique looking back. The color matched holding strap is not that useful but a welcomed addition in my opinion. List of box contents.
DAP
Cable
Case
Holding Strap
Screen Protector
Papers


Build and Design
Moving on to the build and design section, Hiby has gone for a rather unique look for the R4. It has a mixture of industrial and futuristic cyber punk theme. I like that Hiby offers several different color options to choose from. As you can guess my sample is orange. Build wise this is solid, it uses CNC machined aluminum for the body. This feels premium in the hands.
Placement wise, the power button and the playback controls are on the right side of the player. On the left is the volume control and the micro SD card slot. Front is the display with a LED indicator bar on top and the back contains all the branding. On the top is the switch and on the bottom is type C, 3.5mm, 4.4mm ports.

Whats Inside
Lets look at whats under the hood. Starting off with the processor, Hiby has gone for the Snapdragon 665 chipset, although this is not any flagship processor, this is still good enough to run android and the all the major music apps. In the audio department the R4 packs a quad ESS 9018C2M dac chip configuration. For the amp the R4 has a class A amp, similar to their other more expensive daps. The R4 tends to get warm during use, I am guessing because of the class A amp. I wish they have also added a class AB amp mode, so that it drains less battery and stays room temperature.



Buttons and controls
Lets look at the physical controls. On the top of the player you will find a switch, which is set to lock/ unlock the other playback buttons, but it is customizable to do other stuff. On the right side of the player there is the power button and three playback buttons to control the play/ pause, next track and previous track. On the left side of the player you will find the volume up and down buttons.

Inputs and Outputs
For inputs we get a USB type C port for both data and charge. For outputs we get a 3.5mm and 4.4mm port.

Storage
The R4 has a decent 3GB ram and for the internal storage it has 32GB storage. If you have a very small music library you can just use the internal storage. For the external storage, it has a single micro SD card slot expandable up to 2TB.

Connectivity
As this is an android player, this is equipped with decent connectivity specs. This supports wifi and bluetooth 5.0. The type C port supports data transfer as well.

Power Output
For such an entry level dap this puts out good power. At 32ohms in single ended (3.5mm) you get 165mw and in balanced (4.4mm) you get 525mw.

Equalizer
Hiby provides three different options for EQ. Firstly, you have a classic 10 band EQ. Additionally you get a 10 band parametric equalizer and you have a choice of 3 filters (low shelf, peaking, high shelf), along with the center frequency adjustment, gain adjustment, and Q-factor bandwidth adjustment. And finally you have the MSEB settings, which is a simpler way to tweak your sound, this is popular in most major hiby players.

Software experience
My experience with R4’s software was smooth. The R4 uses a skinned version of android 12. All the major streaming apps run smooth. There is also a pure audio mode if you do not want to use android.

Display
Hiby has gone for a 4.7inch IPS LCD display for the R4. For day to day use the display is accurate and good enough brightness.

Battery
The battery life on the R4 is ok. In my experience I got a bit above 10 hours of battery. This uses average around 10% battery every hour and a bit less if you use pure audio mode.

Versatility and pairing with my gear
The Hiby R4 is a fantastic versatile audio player. I used and tested the N3 Ultra with literally all the gear I have at hand, I will put a list down below. The good power output allows me to have great experience with both iems and headphones.



Please Note: Listening impressions are highly subjective and can vary based on the equipment you are using, your music library, and personal preferences. Your experience may differ from mine. When it comes to audio sources, changes in sound are typically subtle or not that significant, they will not drastically change the sound of your current gear but rather will add some flavor to it. I personally always use and test all my gear in various setups to get a generalized idea on it. You can find my “tested with” info below.

Now most importantly sound, Hiby has gone for a neutral tonality with a very subtle hint of warmth present. The R4 does not color the sound of your gear and keeps is very transparent. Bass presence is neutral, tactile and slams hard when the music calls for it. Mids and treble are also neutral but occasionally I noticed a slight hint of warmth, although it is very insignificant.

When it comes to technical sound this is comparable to other sub 300$ dap. R4’s technical capability is decent but it will not blow you away. Soundstage could be a bit better, but otherwise cohesion, resolution and dynamics are good.

Tested with:
IEMS: Hiby Project Ace, Thie Audio Hype 4, Dunu SA6 mk2, Dunu DaVinci, Kiwi Ears KE4, Simgot EA500LM, Simgot Supermix 4
Headphones: Koss KPH30i, Sennheiser HD600, Aune AR5000, Hifiman HE400SE

Final Rating



Conclusion
So to conclude the review, I must say I quite enjoyed my time with this audio player specially because it offers so much value for the price.
Is it worth the price and do I recommend it?
This is totally worth the price and I highly recommend this player. Honestly there is basically no other proper android audio player with such good specs at this price point.
Big props to Hiby, they have done a great job.
And huge thanks to yall for sticking around, see yall in the next one.

Disclaimer
Please note that I am not an audiophile, and this review does not delve into the technical aspects of the DAP. My impressions are based on my personal preferences, and others may have different experiences with this product. I also have a very limited experience with audio products so please take this review with a grain of salt.

The Hiby R4 was lent to me as part of a review tour in the Philippines.

Introduction

Before I review the Hiby R4, I need to explain what DAPs are. Digital Audio Players (DAPs) are portable devices designed to play high-quality music. Unlike the old-school MP3 players of yesteryear, DAPs focus on delivering superior audio quality. They achieve this by supporting a wide range of audio file formats (such as FLAC, WAV, DSD, and MQA) and incorporating high-end components like Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs) and amplifiers.

Most DAPs look and feel like phones. Most even run a custom OS with an Android core, but make no mistake, this is NOT a phone, and therefore needs to be treated as such. Don’t expect to surf the internet with DAPs as most don’t have SIM cards. Again, DAPs are NOT phones.

I also have not reviewed any other DAPs so I don’t exactly have a benchmark for any comparison except my Xiaomi Pad 5 tablet with the Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha dongle DAC.

Part 1: General Product Details

Package Inclusions

• The Hiby R4 DAP
• A TPU case
• Extra screen protector film
• USB C to C cable
• Documentation (Warranty cards and manual)

Specifications

• OS: HibyOS (Android 12)
• SOC: Snapdragon 665
• DAC Chip: ES9018C2M
• 3 GB RAM
• 32 GB internal memory (expandable with a micro SD card up to 2TB)
• 4500 mAh battery (20W charging)
• 4.7” 1080x720 IPS screen
• Weight: ~232g (w/o case), ~264g (w/ case)

Notable Features

• Working Modes - Switch modes for different ways you want to listen to music
  • Android Mode - The default mode of the R4, lets you do everything you need to do with an Android phone.
  • Pure Audio Mode - Minimizes the Android resources used and runs just the Hiby Music player. Potentially can save battery life.
  • USB DAC Mode - When you want to use the R4 as a DAC for your PC, or your phone. I mean it’s possible, I’m not going to stop you.
  • Bluetooth Receiving Mode - Takes advantage of the Bluetooth 5.0 capability and will allow you to use wireless headsets.
• MSEB - short for MageSound Eight-Ball is a Hiby-exclusive functionality that lets users alter the sound output besides the regular 10-band equalizer. In MSEB there are a few parameters that you can alter in a scale, like the overall sound temperature, bass extension & texture, note thickness, and more. You can actually try this out on the HibyMusic app.

Part 2: Subjective review



General Usage Impressions

• The review unit already had quite a few scratches when it arrived. Not really a big deal, as I’m sure it won’t affect the sound output. I did eventually decide to replace the screen protector for the next reviewer, but that was after I had already taken photos.
• The R4 feels very solid and weighty. The frame is made of metal, with some parts made of plastic. I’m not a fan of its angular design, especially the edges. They are definitely sharp, don’t expect to use this without the protective case.
• Setting up the device was painless, boot it up, setup the theme, the language, connect to a wifi, and you’re done. I did run into a minor hiccup where Settings stopped responding (see screenshot).
• 11GB out of the 32 GB is already occupied by system files, leaving me with ~20GB. Fortunately I had a microSD lying around so I filled that up with my FLAC files.
• It was a little disorienting to traverse the OS since you don’t have the usual 3-button navigation at the bottom. Android 12 though has gestures so you can use that to go where you need to be.
• By default Hiby Music was already installed, which is one of my offline players of choice. Hiby Music also has a Tidal integration, but I much prefer using the standalone Tidal app. Since the Tidal app isn’t available in the Philippines, I sideloaded the APK which was not a problem.
• If you rather listen to Spotify, Youtube Music, Apple Music, or any other streaming services, you can download those on the Google Playstore. Don’t forget to save your music on the device when you’re going out though!
• Don’t expect to use the R4 for movies, the screen resolution is small and not bright enough for me. Just use your phone.

Sound Impressions

• Without fiddling with any settings, the R4 blew me away with how much power it gave the Moondrop May even at a low volume the difference in sound as compared to using a dongle with my phone was apparent.
• Using the R4 as a desktop DAC was a surprise, I didn’t know DAPs could do this. It was able to go head to head with my current iFi Nano iDSD LE.
• The R4 has a neutral sound, nothing really stands out to me as off.

Nitpicks

• The Previous / Play / Next buttons only make sense if the R4 is faced down. When I had the R4 in my pocket, I instinctively pressed the top button for Next and was surprised when it went to the previous instead.
• The Power, Previous, Play, and Next side buttons also don’t feel consistent. The Previous button feel like it’s almost stuck. The Volume Up and Down feel very tactile
• The screen / screen protector is a fingerprint magnet. I wish the screen had a more rectangular shape so I can get a generic screen protector and easily cut it to size. I also wish they added wet and dry wipes for when you need to replace the screen protector - which I did. I also wish they had tempered glass instead of film screen protectors, as the ones that come with the R4 are total fingerprint and scratch magnets.
• The rear RGB lights are basically covered by the case. A light colored case would have been better to showCASE (eeeey) the colors of the back and the lights

Final Thoughts

The Hiby R4 is an interesting piece of tech to me. Being able to have mulitple output options as well as working modes, the R4 can truly be called an all-in-one audio device. As a guy who works 90% on my computer, being able to use it as a DAC was a treat and my favorite use of the R4.

For a casual like me, the price is a little steep but if I could afford it, the R4 would be the DAP I’d love to have in my possession for its sheer versatility and value without compromising on audio quality and battery life.

More Photos


___________________________________________________________________________________
6-Hour Battery Tests

Overnight Idle (Connected to Wifi)
Start: 99% at 11:20pm
End: 97% at 8:51am

Charging (R4 is off)
65W GAN charging brick
Start: 27% at 3:50pm
Check 1: 55% at 4:13 pm (+28% after 23m)
Check 2: 70% at 4:30 pm (+15% after 17m / 40m total)
Check 3: 91% at 4:56 pm (+21% after 26m / 1h6m total)
Full: 5:20 pm (+9% after 24m / 1h30m total)
Charging time from 27% to 100%: 1h30m
Note: When the battery got to 91% I was watching and waiting like a hawk, that last 10% took way longer than it should. to charge.



Streaming music via Tidal app
Hiby R4: Low Gain / Volume: 30 / 3.5mm out / Screen Off / Android Mode / Moondrop May IEMs
Start: 96% at 9:31am
Check 1: 76% at 11:30am (-20% after 2h)
Check 2: 53% at 1:30pm (-23% after 2h / 4h total)
Check 3: 29% at 3:30pm (-24% after 2h / 67% after 6h total)
Notes:

• The R4 got warm to the touch, but not to an uncomfortable level.
• At some point I think I accidentally pressed the volume down button twice and it was at 28 when I checked for the last photo.

Playing FLAC files with HibyMusic app (Android Mode)
Files are loaded from a microSD
Hiby R4: Low Gain / Volume: 30 / 3.5mm out / Screen Off / Android Mode / Moondrop May IEMs
Start: 100% at 7:50am
Check 1: 85% at 9:50am (-15% after 2h)
Check 2: 67% at 11:50am (-18% after 2h / 4h total)
Check 3: 45% at 2:06pm (-22% after 2h16m / 55% after 6h16m total)
Note: Same as the previous test, the R4 got warm, but not as warm as the previous test. It was very much tolerable.



Playing FLAC files with HibyMusic app (Pure Audio Mode)
Files are loaded from a microSD
Hiby R4: Low Gain / Volume: 30 / 3.5mm out / Screen Off / Pure Audio Mode / Moondrop May IEMs
Start: at 97% at 2:07pm
Check 1: 82% at 4:07 (-15% after 2h)
Check 2: 65% at 6:07 (-17% after 2h / 4h total)
Check 3: 45% at 8:07 (-20% after 2h / 52% after 6 total)
Notes:

• The heat generated by the R4 during this test was basically the same as when it was on Android mode.
• Looking at the difference in bettery consumption between Android Mode and Full Audio Mode, I think it’s negligible.

Hiby R4 Impressions​

This unit was provided by Audio Geeks India, no one asked me to write anything about this product let alone good or bad. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone and true to my findings.

My Void​

I was diving into the realm of Digital Audio Players when I stumbled upon the Hiby R4. The price was super tempting, and I needed a device that could hook up to my amplifier while also acting as a streamer. As I explored the features of the Hiby R4, I found myself increasingly intrigued by its capabilities.

Introduction​

The sleek design caught my eye immediately, with its modern aesthetic and user-friendly interface. I appreciated that it was compact enough to fit in my bag, yet robust enough to handle my daily commute.
In short, the Hiby R4 seemed to check all the boxes for what I was looking for in a digital audio player. With my interest peaked and my excitement building, I knew I had to take the plunge and review this product.

Software Updates​

I just want to say that before diving into my impressions, the software stability on this device has been getting better every day. Over my 14-day review, I noticed a ton of updates and improvements, especially with the 1237 update. There were so many cool additions that I’ll get into later, but it’s awesome to see Hiby rolling out updates like this frequently.

Line Out Only Review​

I mostly used line-out mode, like 95% of the time. That said, it did power every IEM I tried with total control, like the DaVinci, DynaQuattro, Dynabird, and 61T.
(All of them are reviewed by me on Head-Fi).
I mainly used this DAP with a couple of headphones: the Sennheiser 490 Pro and the Sennheiser HD600, paired with two different amps: the Astell and Kern PA10 and the JDS ATOM 2.
The line-out gives you 2.3 Vrms from single-ended and 4.1 Vrms from balanced. In addition to that, with the Wi-Fi, the R4 turned into my go-to music setup for about two weeks.

DACs ( DAC X4 )​

The Hiby R4 is packed with four ES9018C2M DAC chips, and I can definitely say it performs incredibly well. I'm focusing my review solely on the Line Out port, so let's consider this discussion centred around the DAC portion and their audio performance.

Sound Signature​

The DAP’s LO really highlights the differences between the three main Frequency Amplitude Ranges in a clear way. Everything else in the sound feels just as impactful.
The bass was richer and obtained details. The amplitude was slightly elevated. Although very controlled but not very tight as per Se. The micro-contrasts though are very vivid throughout the frequency spectrum. And the whole low-end sound is rich through the LO port, with great note definition.
When you hit the midrange, the bass really enhances the lower mids in a natural way, making those lower mid frequencies feel fuller and more vibrant, while still keeping things clear and detailed with lots of contrasty nature.
When diving into the treble, it takes a more laid-back route and manages everything in a really natural way. It’s not overly quick, but it delivers sound with plenty of detail, and the tonality stays smooth without any harshness. It also doesn’t feel cramped or boxy, even with intricate tracks with very complex details.
The price range it falls into makes it a great deal for anyone looking to grab an R4 as a source. It easily beats dongle DACs that are priced at around $100 (in Q1 of 2024 ).

Software -​

What I've mentioned in the review so far only covers about 50% of what this DAP can actually do. The other half of the story lies in its software.
And let's start with

1) Plug-ins – Plug-ins are meticulously crafted algorithms that break the raw data and modify it. Which will surprise you in a lot of ways.
Suppose You have an IEM which have a bit of narrow dynamics, turn on the “DRX10K Dynamics” filter and you get a sound that is hugely improved in dynamics and as well as resolution. How? I don’t know and I don’t need to know as long as the DAP is making my legs tap.
The soundstage is still small? “Sound-field” is there.
Too much EQ is making the IEM sound a bit wonky in certain Albums due to not matching properly. Activate “Balanced”
Need room-filling sound? Activate “Convolution”.
But remember, not every filter will go with each and every genre, so before getting a verdict on your end, I would like you to play with the plug-ins a bit beforehand.

2) R4 includes MSEB with all of its glory.
To be honest, I used this extensively and going again to vanilla form made me miss this feature a lot. The things you can change with the MSEB are

i) Overall Temperature ( Works like a FIR Filter )
ii) Bass Extension (Not affecting midrange if used within range)
iii) Bass Texture (One of my favourite implementations)
iv) Note thickness ( Lifesaver to Budget IEMs that are kinda bright )
v) Voice ( Not so useful to me, felt boxy sometimes )
vi) Female Overtones
vii) Sibilance HF
viii) Sibilance LF (Very helpful to not only reduce sibilance on certain albums)
ix) Impulse Response
x) Air (Which I always kept at 10)

They can collectively alter the sound so much that one might save his/her IEM from being outdated and most probably bored.

3) Modes

In the latest updates, HiBY has unveiled the modes available in the DAPS. One of these is the Pure Audio mode, where the DAC sends a low-level signal to the amplifier. The other mode is Bluetooth, transforming the DAC into a Bluetooth receiver, allowing it to function as an endpoint for your transducers.
These are just existing features (mostly) but packaged in a more appealing and more accessible way.

Suggestion to the users​

The Plug-ins and MSEB are quite effective, and they allow you to adjust their effectiveness on a scale from 1 to 100. I recommend reducing the maximum deviation to 10 steps in either direction and experimenting within that range. While they can be beneficial, using them haphazardly may lead to more problems than solutions.

Conclusion​

This could serve as a reliable source for my AMP, as well as for streaming and various other uses. My only concern is that the battery life isn't very impressive. It does get a bit warm, but that's to be expected given the metal chassis and CLASS A design.
It's important to highlight that this DAP is priced at just $250. It offers a complete Android experience with a solid processor. Plus, it comes loaded with robust software that receives regular updates to keep everything running smoothly.

Disclaimer:​

Hiby has sent us the R4 DAP and Project Ace IEM for a review tour in exchange of our honest thoughts and opinions. If you decide to purchase this DAP based on my review and find that you disagree with this assessment, that responsibility lies solely with you. I strongly discourage relying solely on a single review for making purchasing decisions in the realm of audio gear, as preferences vary. You should conduct thorough research by exploring platforms such as YouTube, head-fi forums, and various Facebook audiophile groups and websites until you come to a final conclusion.

Non-affiliated Purchase Link:

https://store.hiby.com/products/hib...gYWt8TvX9w1bFs25zpEQGYENyytDlnqMAuyZVCbjRAgw6

Intro/The Tech:​

So, Hiby has come up with a market disruptor in the budget segment. The Hiby R4 is targeted mainly towards the youth with its funky design language and a very reasonable price tag. It comes with a 720p, 4,7 ich IPS display. A quad-dac configuration with four ES9018C2M dac chips and OPA1652 & 2 OPA1612 OP amps. 3 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM and up to 2 TB SD card support. The R4 sports a snapdragon 665 processor and a 4500 mAh battery. It supports 5GHz Wi-Fi band and Bluetooth 5.0. It also supports native playback of DSD 256, PCM up to 32bit/768 hz and 16X MQA unfolding.

Unboxing (4.5/5):​

I wouldn’t call the unboxing experience of the Hiby R4 premium, but it matches the overall theme and gets the job done. You get:

1. 2 Matte Front Screen Protectors (1 Pre-applied)
2. 1 Matte/Smoky Black TPU Protective Case.
3. 1 Type-C to Type-C Charging and Data Cable
4. 1 User Guide Manual and 1 QC/Warranty Card
5. 1 Hand Strap matching the color of the unit

Inclusion of a charging brick with the box would have been nice, but maybe I am just being naive here as even more expensive DAP’s up to $1,000 range doesn’t include one.


Bottom Ports

Build Quality (4.5/5):​

A futuristic graffiti inspired design with elements of cyberpunk, mecha and space opera, never thought I would be using these words to describe the design language of a DAP! Kudos to Hiby for using their creativity and coming up with this brilliant concept. The Hiby R4 not only looks good but its built quite sturdily as well using premium machine grade aluminum and colorful plastic accents. Hiby is offering this DAP in 4 colors: Black, Orange, Green and Silver. On the right hand side we have the power, play, pause and skip tracks buttons, on the left hand side we have the volume adjustment buttons and Micro SD card slot. On the top of the device there is key lock switch and when pressed on it can lock all the side buttons from accidental touch. You can also remap this button to other features like screen flip.

At the bottom you get a Type-C port and two output jacks, 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced. This a chunky boy coming in at 231 grams. As I mentioned earlier the R4 is funky looking device, this is further evident when you check out the 3 disappearing orange stripes on the top plastic accent of the back part. It is only visible when the light hits it at a certain angle. Given the funky nature and bold design it’s understandable that the Hiby R4 won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, for the less daring the Black color provides a more minimalistic look.

Display (3.5/5):​

The R4 comes with a 4.7 inch 720p resolution IPS display. The panel has good color reproduction but it’s not so bright. Even in indoor lighting you will feel the need to max out the brightness slider. which in turn will have a negative affect on the battery life. The bezels around the display are quite thick, you don’t get any of that modern Bezel-less look. I understand corners had to be cut somewhere so I will give Hiby a pass in this department. Hiby has also included a cool liitle RGB bar at the top of the display that changes color to display the bit-rate of the audio being played.

Connectivity (4.5/5):​

Wi-Fi supports 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, it’s quite stable and I did not have any buffering issues or connection drops while streaming from apps like Tidal and Spotify. R4 features Bluetooth 5.0 with support for high-res codecs like LDAC, aptX HD, UCAT (Hiby’s in-house developed technology capable of transmitting sample rates up to 1.2Mbps), SBC, AAC etc. It also supports DLNA, Airplay and Wi-fi music file transfer. The R4 features bidirectional Bluetooth technology which means it can act both as a receiver and a transmitter. However, I have observed while acting as receiver the connection with my phone isn’t that strong and there are sudden drops while music playback. The R4 also supports USB 2.0 and 3.2 Gen 1, with transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps

Plugins
MSEB
Various Modes
PEQ

Software (5/5):​

Software is truly one of the strong suits and highlights of the Hiby R4 device. Android 12 with its custom skin called “Hiby OS” is very fluid and there are no lags. It’s hard to believe that this dap is running on a 6 year old mid-range processor from Snapdragon. Hiby has outdone itself with the optimization and they are well known for keeping their devices updated with latest features. For example, the R4 has already received Line Out and Pure Audio mode features via update since its release.

With Android 12 you also get features like dark mode and systemwide gestures. Hiby OS also bypasses Android systemwide sample rate conversion and brings you bit-perfect audio. With Android 12 onboard you are free to choose any music player of your liking, I personally prefer USB Music Player (UAPP) over the stock Hiby Music Player app, as it can’t detect my album art currently and also there is no “recently added music,” section present with the Hiby player.

Sound (4.5/5):​

Hiby R4 is truly one of the most versatile dap’s when it comes to sound quality, in general it has neutral and smooth tonality with a slight hint of warmth. Despite the use of ESS Sabre chips (4 of them), there is no hint of a digital glare or as some refer to it as the “Sabre Glare,” the timbre sounds natural without any hint of artificial sharpness. However, the R4 is not a master of technicalities and it doesn’t extract a lot of details. Imaging, Soundstage, Resolution, Instrument Separation are all rather average and the rest of the frequencies will reflect the tuning of your IEM. Due to it’s neutral character the R4 doesn’t excessively boost the treble, mids or bass regions. This is one of those dap’s which you can listen to for hours without felling any fatigue.

Filters & Other Modes:​

However, if you are a treble-head or a warm, meaty sound lover there is no need to fret. Hiby has got you covered with its MSEB or PEQ filters. For the beginners who like to tinker with their sound, MSEB is a very simple solution. It can make your R4 sound brighter or warmer, more bass heavy and even analogue sounding based on your preferences. The 10 band PEQ will achieve the same results with more precision and it is targeted towards the more advanced users who are familiar with graphs and curves. Hiby is providing system wide plugins as well to boost different frequencies an technicalities. For example, if you feel the soundstage of the R4 is a bit too narrow you can easily make it more wide and holographic sounding using the “Sound filed,” plugin.

Pure Audio provides more output power with a cleaner background and sounds slightly more detailed. It’s an evolution of the stock Android sound signature. With the use of their quad-dac array Hiby has created separated pathways for PCM and DSD conversion. R4 features separate individually designed DAC chips, LPF and power supplies for PCM and DSD conversion. This all translates to a more natural, organic and warmer sound quality for DSD playback. The Hiby R4 has provided excellent synergy with most of my IEM’s like Dunu DaVinci, Elysian Pilgrim, Simgot EA1000, Kinera URD etc. Even with more sensitive IEM’s like the Pilgrim at 9 Ohms impedance I did not come across any background hiss. Hiby R4 offers very good output (driving power), 165mW @32 ohms from the single ended jack with a maximum voltage swing of 2.3 Vrms. And from the balanced 4.4 port it outputs 525mW @32 ohms with a maximum voltage swing of 4.1 Vrms.

Battery (4/5):​

My usage mainly consists of offline playback with high volume level (65%) from the 4.4 mm balanced port. I rarely use streaming apps like Spotify or Tidal. Based on this usage I got an average of 9/10 hours battery life while using Android OS. And using Pure Audio Mode battery life was slightly better offering 10/11 hours on a single charge. I have noticed the R4 getting quite warm especially while suing streaming apps to play music, I suspect Class A amplification mode is the culprit here, in this case it makes me wish Hiby had provided an option to switch to Class A/B mode when the user felt necessary.

Comparisons​

Hiby R6 Gen III:​

The R6 is the older brother of the R4 and sound quality wise there isn’t any significant difference. R6 sounds slightly brighter in the treble and upper-mids region, it has a sharper and more digital sounding timbre (Sabre Glare). The R4 sounds more smoother and more natural in comparison. The only advantages Hiby R6 can offer over the R4 is a bigger and brighter display, more RAM and storage (4/64) and option to switch to Class A/B amplification mode. Even with the more storage and RAM Hiby R5 Gen III feels slower and more laggy in comparison mainly due to poor optimization of the Android 12 OS. Battery life is slightly better on the R4 when comparing Class A mode using the 4.4mm balanced port, both devices get equally hot during online streaming or offline playback. The only other saving grace of the R6 might be that while using Class A/B mode it doesn’t get as hot as the R4, which only has a Class A amplification mode option available. Overall, at $250 Hiby R4 provided 90% of the features of the R6 Gen III and it is the better value for money device to get.

Cayin RU7:​

These are two separate class of devices so I will only discuss the differences in sound quality. Even at it’s most neutral setting (DSD oversampling set to 256) the RU7 sounds more warmer and natural compared to the R4 DAP. RU7 offers thicker, wetter, more texturized mids and more forward vocals. Mid-bass is more prominent in the low end region of the RU7 compared to the sub-bass focus of the R4. High’s sound similar on both with RU7 having a bit better top-end extension and sparkle. Technicalities wise, both offer similar resolution with the RU7 having a much more wider, holographic and deeper soundstage. Instrument separation seems slightly better on the R4, imaging performance is on par in both. Simply put RU7 offers a warmer and more analogue sound, with a noticeability wider soundstage but the R4 isn’t lagging too far behind. It can replicate 90% of the RU7’s tonality with its various filters and plugins.

Conclusion:​

In an age of dangly dongles, Hiby R4 is indeed making DAP’s great again. Granted if only sound quality is taken into consideration the R4 can’t beat the audio quality of higher end $250-ish dongles like Cayin RU7 or Questyle M15i, but it gets pretty damn close. Especially when you consider factors like R4 is a separate device with its own power supply and doesn’t cause a huge strain on your phone’s battery life or it’s USB Type-C port. You won’t get constantly interrupted with phone calls or social media notifications when using a DAP, making your music playback session a seamless and peaceful experience. Hiby has truly revolutionized the $250 price range with this feature-rich R4 and I am honestly surprised that there isn’t more hype around surrounding this device. This DAP has made many dongles and even higher priced DAP’s irrelevant and it gets my true bang for buck device vote for 2024.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional reviewer, these are my subjective thoughts of this device which I pre-ordered. Keep in mind that bias via these forms: excitement, information gathering/review watching, negative reviews/community frustrations, etc, will all play into this as I am not a robot. Feel free to disagree with anything said as we all have different ears.

Intro (Story-time):​

I have always thought and somewhat continue to think that DAP's are ridiculous, however, that is partially a lie. DAP's have been around in my life throughout the years whether I like it or not. Examples like portable tape players, CD players, iPod/Zune, and now smartphones, have dominated my childhood and into my early adult years. So why were audiophile grade portable players always under the microscope of judgement in my eyes?

Simply put, after the release of smartphones, DAP's have felt redundant. A separate device which does pretty much exactly what your phone does minus any aspect of a phone, many of these DAP's reaching similar price tags or even blowing far past them with usually outdated hardware specs. This stigma was something I confronted when picking up the R4.

Why did I buy the R4:
The R4 purchase was tied to hype/excitement about a ~$250 DAP, paired with "futuristic" styling, class A amplification with plenty of power on the go. Simply put the impressive features, marketing and peoples excitement really sold this device to me. During this time I had also misplaced my go-to portable device, the FiiO BTR7. The R4 had everything I loved about the BTR7's on the go workflow but now with a fully fledged device + class A amp and a serious improvement in software features, I was sold.

The Device (Hardware):​

General hardware/user interaction:

Like the intro had expressed above, DAPs are not pinnacles of modern portable computing. There are no flagship CPU's setting new records, no crazy RAM amounts for gaming headroom, even the screen can be a letdown.

To this note the R4 comes with a Snapdragon 665 and 3GB of ram, an adequate CPU which gets the job done, outdated on paper but just enough in practice. When it comes to these hardware specs, they get the job done, nothing will hinder you or blow you away, but you will have a great time using it. Charging is quick and I found that the battery life lasted the majority of my usage times regardless if it was a quick commuting trip out or a multi day camping trip. The screen is dim for outdoor usage however that is a trade off I can live with.

During my usage of the R4 only 2 instances have really stood out to me as "slow": Album art slowly loading in the Hiby App and Spotify loading albums a few seconds too slow.

Otherwise its an android device and with that you gain a bunch of access to different apps and standard workflows.

Audio:

This device comes with 4 ES9018C2M DAC chips paired with 4 OPA1652 & 2 OPA1612 OP amps, and two ports: 4.4mm & 3.5mm. Each outputting 165mW and 525mW receptively. I am not an audio engineer, so I will just leave this here for reference. Sound impressions will be below.

Swiss Army Knife of Audio:
This device has Line out, 4.4 and 3.5 ports with plenty of power on the go, Bluetooth, USB DAC, it supports DSD, PCM and even other gear (dongles). This makes it a perfect daily system to have, going out to listen to music has never been so fun.

The Sound:​

Note: The majority of my listening was done in both in the HiBy app with PCM and Spotify for casual on the go playlist bashing.

This device in stock configuration is lackluster when compared to similarly priced dongles. Staging is narrow with a lack of depth in making it sound a bit thin at times or even claustrophobic. However luckily the R4 comes with the ability to add plugins, some of which Joe over at HiBy has publicly shared. These plugins seem to remedy the situation, with fixed sample rate set to 48k (required for Convolution) and Convolution set to "JoeBl0ggs clear & vivid" (my personal favorite), the R4 starts to rival those aforementioned dongle competitors. Bass is thick, and vocals can be forward making the overall playback V shaped, something that can add energy to already energetic or forward sets.

On the plus side, if this is a major problem for you, the R4 supports other dongles so this is an "easy to fix" option. Even on this rather minor ding, I fully recommend this device.

PEQ + MSEB:
While I am not the biggest EQ person both of these features are so well done on this device learning to EQ gear has been a joy. Not much to say otherwise.

Overall/Final Thoughts:​

This is a device which does A LOT at an extremely competitive price point. It's the best way to get into a new DAP, or have a multi-use portable device with tons of power on tap. Due to this, the deemed unnecessary tool has become easy to rationalize, even if it is a bit extra/overkill.

Happy listening and thanks for reading!

Hiby is a company that makes devices suitable for every budget and gives them justice.
He previously won my admiration by using Hiby R2, and then he reinforced his success by using Ace Projeckt. Hiby R4 is in our hands and let's see what it has to offer us.

Hiby R4 and Audio Geek Türkiye Group; It was sent to me within the scope of the Türkiye Tour, I thank them very much and I have unbiased comments.
The fact that I sympathize does not contradict my opinion. Thank you.

While there are generally DACs that do very well in the upper middle segment in the 200-250 dollar range, this figure includes a Quad DAC with 32 GB memory, 3 GB RAM, Snapdragon 665 and Android 12 operating system.
Hiby offers us the opportunity to have a very sporty looking dapa for 250 dollars.

It was a nice detail to see the distinct lines of the device rendered in a cartoonish manner while saying hello to us with a hard box.
The silicone case and unbreakable glass that come out of the box have a positive rating on them.
When you hold the device in your hand, it looks like something out of cyberpunk.
A notification LED, which was once available on mobile phones but has been abandoned in current models, is accompanied on both the front and back.
3.5, 4.4 and tycpe c are located at the bottom of the device, which I did not like very much. It would be much better if it was positioned at the top, because the headphone cable does not hold the device in your hand.
You can solve this with the device's reverse holding mode, but I honestly didn't like knowing that the device was upside down.


The operating system on it is quite sufficient, there were no lags or freezes.
Having 2.4 and 5 Ghz Wifi protocols on the device makes it very easy for you to stream high definition music directly.
Supporting memory cards up to 2TB, the quad ES9018C2M offers everything that can be offered for 250 dollars.
You can use it for around 8 hours with its 4500 Mah battery.
You can also instantly switch performance in the Low middle and high gain modes on the device.
However, in High gain mode, the device starts to heat up.

When it comes to sound, I have never had any problems with the materials I have. It seems quite strong for the audio.
This product is a plus for me as it has satisfactory bass, wide stage and V Shape lover.
The sound is very clean and clear, and its resolution is transmitted to you without any problems. There is no difficulty in distinguishing between instruments. In other words, it is worth every penny of its 250 dollars.
I liked this device very much for its price. It gets very hot and the screen being a little dark is not a big problem for me.

Rather than buying an entry or mid-level DAC, the idea of having a DAP for the same money is more important and I am thinking of purchasing this device.

Disclaimers

Hiby R4 and Hiby x F.audio project ace are sent to me by Hiby as part of the Audio geek review turkey tour. I don’t own these IEM’s and I can’t keep these tour units. This review is completely subjective.



Accessories

R4 comes with a silicone case, type c cable and DAP itself. This is a 250 dollar DAP so, you can’t expect too much.



Build

R4 is fully made out of aluminum with colorful plastic accents. And it has a pre-applied screen protector. Pretty decent build quality for the price.



Equipments used for this review

Hiby R4, Moondrop CDSP, Hiby x F.audio Ace, Simgot EW200, Simgot EA500, Moondrop MAY, Creative Aurvana Live SE (E-MU Walnut)

Sound-Tonality and Technicalities

This is a full size mini android DAP… And it is just for 250 dollars! The overall tonality of R4 is really good! Natural and neutral. Detail production is pretty decent and imaging performance is above average. Soundstage is a bit narrow but this is not a problem for a 250 dollar DAP. Power output is really good that i used all my IEM’s at low gain (3.5mm). I used a dynamic driver headphone that doesn’t need too much power but R4 surprisingly drive that headphone at low gain! Amplification of R4 is just feels amazing and powerful.



Conclusion

This is the best dap at the sub 200 dollar price range for me. It has good software, good build quality, good screen quality, decent sound quality and beautiful aesthetics. If you want a cheap, all rounder dap… i think Hiby R4 is the best choice.

Remember when Hiby released the M300 under a new brand, Hiby Digital? That one was in the same vein as later Sony A Series Walkmans and became quite popular. But that’s old news now. The new rage is the R4. Has Hiby finally lost it, releasing such a feature-packed product for only $249?

Disclaimers​

Hiby R4, along with their Project Ace, was sent to me by Hiby as part of the Turkey Tour of the Audio Geek Review Group. I don’t get to keep these tour units, even at the end of the tour. As I always say, everyone is biased one way or another, so take everything you read with a grain of salt. Also, I will try to be more concise and to the point in my reviews from now on without worrying about the word count, etc. If you have any questions, please ask me in the comments, and I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities. Additionally, I will be copying some parts from my earlier Hiby R6 Pro II review, as they are pretty much valid for this review as well.

About Hiby​

Hiby was founded in 2011, according to their website, and apparently, has even more experience in the audio field. They are mostly known for their Digital Audio Players, but they also make DAC/Amps and earphones. However, what sets Hiby apart from other manufacturers is their expertise in software. Their UIs, apps, and connection protocol, Hiby Link, are used even by other brands.

Design and Packaging of Hiby R4​

With a cyberpunk theme, Hiby hits several birds with one stone. First, they made their target audience obvious, in this case, younger audiophiles. They also lowered the cost with relatively cheap construction and could get away with it. The device has sharp corners, and rubber is used here and there. The 04 number is apparent on the packaging and the device. There are four color choices: Orange, Silver, Green, and Black. The color I got is the most boring one, Silver. Honestly, this Evangelion vibe is what attracted me to the R4.



The Hiby R4 comes in a simple but stylish package. Inside, you are welcomed with the DAP, and at the back, you get a TPU case, a USB-C to USB-C cable, and spare screen protectors. Although it sounds modest, I don’t really need anything else. Higher-end DAPs come with more cables and stuff, but I rarely use them anyway.

Hardware of Hiby R4​

So most people choose their DAPs and DACs based on the DAC chips inside. In the case of the R4, 4 ES9018C2M chips are used for digital-to-analog conversion. The amplification circuit consists of 4 OP1652 and 2 OP1612 operational amplifiers. The R4 only works in Class A amplification by default, which can be a downside if you don’t like your electronics running warm or want more battery life. The maximum power output of the device is 165 mW from single-ended and 525 mW from balanced.



Being a budget-oriented device, the Hiby R4 offers 3 GB of RAM memory and 32 GB of internal storage, but as usual, you can store up to 2 TB of music or data with an SD Card.

The 4.7” IPS 720p screen on the R4 isn’t exactly flagship-level, but it's more than enough for regular operation of a DAP.

The R4 supports the usual wireless and wired connectivity options, namely WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB, and Coaxial through USB-C output. Analog outputs include 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced. There are no separate line outputs. The device also supports DLNA, Airplay, and their own Hiby Link protocols, as well as Hiby Cast remote control. It can render X16 MQA too, if that’s important to you. I’m pretty sure there are others I forgot to mention.



So all of these yield virtually no distortion and noise. I didn’t really test the battery life, but Hiby promises 11 hours of runtime with 3.5 mm single-ended output. All I can say is that the battery has a longer life than my R6 Pro II, so through balanced, I can say 9-10 hours of playback is what you can expect.

Software and UI​

The Hiby R4 uses an open Android 12.0, which means you can download any 3rd party apps you want, and it should receive app updates for quite a while. Hiby Music comes pre-installed as the default music player, and I didn’t need to use any other music app since I mostly stream my music.



The UI is customized by Hiby for the intended use case. It is not too different from the usual Android experience, but changing audio controls like adjusting gain and amplification type is especially very easy. Hiby also offers four different themes for you to choose from. All of them looked great in their own way, so I had a hard time choosing one. The UI is pretty fast. I only saw it stuttering when loading album art, that’s all.

Hiby’s own MSEB (Mage Sound 8-ball Tuning) is an EQ-based easy sound adjustment mechanism. If using EQ is intimidating for you, playing with MSEB can ease you into it. I think it’s a great feature. Here is the list that shows how each choice affects the sound:

1 -- Overall Temperature: a tilt of the whole line towards treble (cool) or bass (warm)

2 -- Bass extension 70Hz and below

3 -- Bass texture 100Hz (medium)

4 -- Note thickness 200Hz (wide)

5 -- Vocals 650Hz (very wide)

6 -- Female overtones 3kHz (tight)

7 -- Sibilance LF 5.8kHz (medium)

8 -- Sibilance HF 9.2kHz (medium)

9 -- Impulse response 7.5kHz (very wide)

10 - Air 10kHz sloped all the way to 20kHz



Like other Hiby DAPs of late, R4 also has Parametric Equalizer. There are also plugins you can play with. Hiby sent me some samples to try, like soundstage enhancement and crossfeed. I know some of you like unaltered sound, but when it comes to software, you have got to respect Hiby.

Sound of Hiby R4​

I have to be honest; for digital audio players, I value functionality more than sound, unless the device sounds straight up bad, and I’m happy to announce R4 doesn’t sound bad at all. It doesn’t have the sound of a flagship, of course, it doesn’t. But during my time testing it, I never felt like I’m missing something.

The Hiby R4 has a colorful and lively sound. You can say it’s slightly V-shaped. Bass is definitely emphasized, and by a big margin. Other than that, it doesn’t sound particularly harsh or glaring. Details and spaciousness aren’t top-notch, but more than enough unless you aren’t analyzing your music. Let’s move on to comparison for more context.

Comparisons​

Hiby R4 vs. Hiby R6 Pro II​

I know it’s not exactly fair, but the only comparable DAP I had in my hand at the time of the review was my R6 Pro II. Still, the R4 held its ground pretty well.

• Bass is more impactful on R4.
• R6 Pro II is more controlled and well-defined.
• R4 is more colorful and vivid, just like a contrast-maxed TV. R6 Pro II’s rendition is more natural and effortless. Timbre is also better on R6 Pro II.
• R6 Pro II has more air, feels more spacious, and separates better. R4 sounds a little blunted compared to that.
• R6 Pro II is more detailed, which is no surprise. It keeps its composure during complex passages while R4 tumbles a little.

Hiby R4 vs. Fiio KA5​

I assume a lot of people will be looking to buy R4 as their first DAP, so coming from a decent dongle, they might be wondering what they will gain, so I compared R4 to my FiiO KA5.

• R4 has more body and note weight. KA5 sounds cleaner and has slightly better timbre.
• KA5 has more sub-bass extension.
• R4 has more energy and bite.
• KA5 is slightly more airy. Details and spaciousness also feel slightly better on KA5.

Conclusion​

The Hiby R4 gets my first full 5 stars. Not because it sounds much better than anything else, but because it does everything I care for right. It has a lively sound that you will enjoy when you are out and about. It has a cool design (Yes, EVA bias). It has great power and amplification. It uses a good processing chip and has a fast UI. It has sound customization and enhancement options like PEQ, MSEB, and plug-ins. And most importantly, it does all of this for only $249. So the verdict? I’m planning to buy a unit for myself later!

Do MP3 players (sorry, Digital Audio Player - DAP) have a place in 2024?

To me, the concept of DAP, especially in an age where smartphones are pervasive, has always been bourgeois and thus boasts a correspondingly high price tag. Nowhere is the poor price/performance ratio of DAP more prominent than in the high-end DAPs with wireless communication capabilities and full Android OS.

With the newly released R4, can HiBy change the status quo? Let’s find out.

Preambles​

• In this review, I use the term “source” to denote a DAC+amp combo for brevity and convenience.
• When I say a source “sounds” a certain way, I talk about the change it makes to my IEMs and earphones.
• What I look for in my listening experience is immersion. I want to feel the orchestra around me, track individual instruments, and hear all of their textures and details. Sources that intensify those characteristics of my IEMs are considered “better”.
• The unit used for this review was a sample loaned by HiBy (Thank you William and Joe @ Hiby!) and would be returned after the review is finished. The unit is retailed for $249 and can be found at HiBy web store as well as other online Hi-Fi stores.

Specs​

Non-sound Aspects​

Design and Build Quality: Featuring mecha and cyberpunk design motifs with a chunky, angular shape, the design of R4 is undoubtedly a conversation starter. Of course, HiBy is neither the first nor the only manufacturer pursuing a sci-fi aesthetic. However, they push the boundary further than most with R4, creating a unique-looking device that seems to have been pulled directly from an old-school mecha anime like the Gundam series in the 80s or Neon Genesis Evangelion. One interesting feature that does not show in the marketing material is that there are some hidden decorative light strips at the back of the device, in the black glass portion where the camera hump of a usual smartphone resides.



Of course, aesthetics is very subjective. Whether R4’s aesthetic “speaks” to you is a different question. Still, I’m impressed that someone at HiBy put this much effort into a niche $250 product.

Given the elaborate design, the question is: Has HiBy used an attractive toy-like design to cover up a plasticky toy-like build quality? Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly, depending on how you look at it), the build quality of R4 was not compromised or neglected. The whole DAP is encased in a strong metal frame, which I assume is machined from some aluminium alloy. The device has a decent thickness and heft that makes it feel assuring. I tried to squeeze the frame from the sides and bend the whole device from the back (within reason), but it did not move or creak. The metal frame remains free of scratches and blemishes despite weeks of usage, from home to office to buses to parks. If you are worried about scratching the device, HiBy has included a plastic case.



Inputs, Outputs, Controls: At the bottom of the device, you can find the 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone jacks and the USB-C jack, which provides data and power transfer. On the device’s left, you will see two buttons for volume adjustment. You will find the power and playback control buttons on the other side. At the top is a lanyard holder (yup, you read that correctly) and a switch that locks all the buttons to avoid mishaps when putting R4 in the pocket. The functionality of this switch is supposed to be changeable by the user. However, I couldn’t figure out where and how to change it.











Size and Handling: I would classify R4 as a “small DAP” rather than a “micro DAP.” It’s shorter and narrower than my iPhone XR but doubles the phone in thickness. The R4 is noticeably thicker, larger, and heavier in the hand and in my pocket than the R3II. On the other hand, it’s more compact than an average “mid-fi” DAP like the HiBy R6 Pro 2 and significantly smaller than the behemoths like DX300 and R8II. Thanks to the compact size, the handling of the device is perfect, as my fingers naturally land on the buttons. The buttons are also easy to find when I put the R4 in my trouser pocket.





Software Experience: “Uneventful” would be the keyword here. R4 runs a custom version of Android 12. The OS’s last security update was recorded on 10/05/2021, though the kernel was built on 27/03/2024. R4’s cyberpunk design element extends beyond the hardware, permeating deep into the OS’s aesthetic as well. HiBy provides a set of themes that match R4’s different colour schemes. The themes also include custom logos for commonly used applications like Apple Music.



Unlike some Chinese Android DAPs, R4 comes with Google Play store and the necessary system services out of the box. As a result, I didn’t run into any strange compatibility issues. On the other hand, my iBasso DX300 cannot run the YouTube app out of the box without me troubleshooting and adding Google services manually. I haven’t encountered any unexpected compatibility issues with my local media server and databases either. So, thumbs up to HiBy’s software team.

Powered by the venerable Snapdragon 665 and 3GB of RAM, the R4’s software experience feels responsive. The 1280x720 screen also helps with responsiveness, as lower resolution is less taxing for the processor. Interestingly, the default navigation of R4’s interface feels more like iOS than Android (a.k.a., lots of swiping for multi-tasking and navigation, no back button).

Yes, the date of the last security update is a bit worrying in this day and age. My solution is simple: do not put your Google account on this device. If you want to add an app on R4 or any Android DAP in general, I recommend adding APKPure or other alternative app stores and acquiring the APK packages from there. I reckon this approach is expected as HiBy has included a custom icon for APKPure.

Of course, the APKPure itself is questionable and can be a vector for a software supply chain attack (e.g., distributing a backdoor version of a well-known app). So, I highly recommend that you don’t do any sensitive operations on this Android DAP: no online shopping, no logging into important accounts (maybe even your Head-Fi account).

Anyhow, let’s move on

Audio Software Experience: I’ve always found HiBy DAPs to be somewhat geeky due to their extensive audio settings. R4 retains most essential settings, though some fancier ones tied to hardware features like “Turbo Mode,” “HDR,” Darwin tuning, and amplifier class switching are absent. Still, R4 provides various options to digitally modify your listening experience.



The first option is EQ. You can choose between a 10-band parametric EQ or HiBy’s MSEB system. The 9-band parametric EQ is helpful if you want to make fine-grained adjustments, like removing a particular peak or dip in the frequency response. Alternatively, you can use it to change the sound signature of one IEM to another. This can be done by importing premade profiles from the AutoEQ project that match IEMs to the Harman-like curve. Alternatively, you can use the AutoEQ feature in graph databases based on GraphTool software (e.g., my database) to generate EQ profile to match any IEM or target that you want. Such profiles can then be imported into R4.



The MSEB system is more intuitive but less precise. It gives you a set of sliders, each controlling a subjective aspect of the sound, such as note thickness, bass extension, bass texture, and overall tonal balance. Behind each slider is a parametric EQ filter set up to operate at the corresponding frequency range. I prefer MSEB over the parametric EQ system because I don’t want to make substantial or intrusive changes to the sound signature of an IEM. I use MSEB as a mechanism to “tune” the sound signature of the DAP itself to add a bit extra “note weight” (i.e., more energy around 500Hz region).



Yet another option is the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) plugin system. There are two interesting plugins here. The first one is the Soundstage Expander, which, as the name implies, expands the width of the virtual soundstage. The second one is the DRX10K, a dynamics adjustment plugin. You can read more about this plugin from the creator here. From my layman’s understanding, this plugin can be considered a dynamic EQ that only applies when a transient or a rapid change in loudness (i.e., note attacks) happens. You can choose to increase the bass, the mid, or the treble of this transient. It works well, making IEMs sound more snappy and punchy without the usual muddiness you can find when applying an EQ to the bass region.

These EQ and DSP options are system-wide, meaning your changes would apply to any streaming app or YouTube videos.

So, what’s the catch? Two things. First, the more DSP features you turn on, the more latency you add to the audio content, making it increasingly out-of-sync with videos. Second, DSP features consume more battery and make the R4 hotter.

Battery and heat: Equipped with 4500mAh/3.8V battery, R4 possess respectable endurance. The battery seemed to drain a bit too quickly out of the box. Still, after a few charging cycles to calibrate everything, my battery anxiety disappeared. Since the battery life of R4 would vary depending on the use case and workload, I would share my subjective experience here instead. Using an “average” IEM like the Project ACE or EA1000, on high-gain, with streaming services and YouTube, the R4 lasted two or more days if I use the devices roughly 3 hours a day. It charges quickly from my 100W PD charger.

Regarding heat, the R4 runs warmer than I expected, though not alarmingly so. It heats up more when I put it in my trouser pocket on my commute. Using DSP features would increase the battery drain and heat production.

Subjective Impressions​

Disclaimers: To me, the “sound” of DAC/amp is very difficult to recognize because these devices form the “frame of reference” of our entire listening experience. It’s relatively easy to compare two things (e.g., two IEMs) within the same frame of reference, but how do we know whether our frame of reference is “crooked” (e.g., bright, flat, edgy). When we hear sibilance or 2D soundstage, do we usually blame the IEM or the DAC/amp? Therefore, all the descriptions in this section were synthesised from the differences that I hear when swapping between multiple DAC/amp using many different IEM types and musical genres. You must excuse me for being less specific than my usual IEM reviews due to sheer amount of subjective data gathered.

When discussing R4’s sonic performance, it is important to note that this DAP has two separate signal paths for PCM and DSD content. The DSD rolls off treble faster and more significantly to handle the high-frequency noise of DSD content. Therefore, when listening to the same recording in PCM and DSD, it is apparent that the DSD file sounds more mellow and “analogue” with R4, whilst the PCM sounds “flat.”

My subjective impressions in this review are based on the PCM circuit of R4.

The best word to describe R4’s sound signature would be “neutral.” No, the neutrality here is not slightly warm-ish “neutral,” like the recent dongles built around Cirrus Logic DAC chips like the AFUL Snowy Night. At the same time, neutrality here is not bright and somehow “edgy,” like some older dongles built around ESS Saber DAC chips.

Neutral here means “flat.” There is no noticeable hump in the lower midrange and midbass like my DX300. There is no edgy, bright sound. It’s just … even. This tonality has both pros and cons. On the pros side, the lack of colouring of R4’s tonal balance creates a blank canvas for custom tuning and DSP. Moreover, the lack of colouring or “neutral” is not necessarily bad. If you come from a device that adds a noticeable colouration to the sound, the tonality of R4 can be rather refreshing.



The cons of R4’s tonality lie in the way it constructs the soundstage. Simply put, R4’s soundstage is flat—at least flatter than some higher-end devices. Let me explain.

As you know, the soundstage, or more precisely, the stereo image, of an IEM is an illusion that the brain constructs based on the spatial information embedded in a recording. Depending on the reconstruction of the upper treble, the relative loudness between different frequencies, and even the amount of “leakiness” of an IEM design, the shape of the stage can change. Now, assuming that we are talking about a well-recorded orchestral soundtrack with a soloist in the middle, an orchestra, and a choral section in the background. The soloist and perhaps the strings section would form the foreground, the main elements that are upfront and highlighted in the recording. The choirs and possibly the brass section would be further at the back, forming the background that envelops the foreground.

When an IEM or source has good “depth,” the foreground stays back a little from a phantom centre in your head so that it is not “shouting” to your face. The background is strongly separated from the foreground and projected further into the background. In some cases, the background can sound as if it literally comes from outside the headstage. In those rare cases, we have a “holographic” soundstage.



The problem with R4 is that the “depth” illusion is not strong. The foreground is quite upfront, and the background is not strongly separated from the foreground. Fortunately for R4, the width and height of the stage are pretty good, preventing the stage from sounding congested. In other words, with R4, it feels like I’m sitting in front of a large TV rather than in the middle of an orchestra with everything wrapping around my head.

Yes, the difference is relatively negligible in the grand scheme when we bring headphones and speakers into the equation. However, in the context of the IEM listening experience, I find the lack of depth noticeable enough to raise a potential issue.

R4 regains ground through the soundstage expansion and the overall sense of dynamic. By expansion, I mean how it spreads the instruments out and creates a sense of spaciousness, even with harder-to-drive IEMs. Dynamic means that R4 has crisp and incisive note attacks across the frequency spectrum. In other words, it’s a lively DAP. It’s impossible to say for sure, given that I cannot find an option to detach the amplifier from the DAC. Still, I suspect the Class A amplifier section is doing the heavy lifting here.

Before closing the subjective impressions, let’s take a closer look at R4 performance with some challenging workloads:

Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 (8.74 ohm, 122.47dB/mW) represents the class of ultra-sensitive IEMs. You would think that because they are so sensitive, they would be “easy to drive,” yet that couldn’t be further from the truth. Firstly, because of the low and widely varying impedance, the frequency response of Andromeda can change significantly depending on the output impedance (OI) of the source device. Secondly, because of the sensitivity, they pick up all types of noises in the source device, from the constant “hissing” in the background to interference from Wifi and Bluetooth. Finally, the Andromeda gets loud very quickly because of the high sensitivity. Depending on the gain setting, output power, and volume curve of the source device, you might have to set the volume at 1/100 or 2/100. Not only is it inconvenient, it is risky.

So, how does the R4 handle the Andromeda 2020? 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs flatten the stereo image projected by Andromeda, meaning given the same good recordings, the illusion of a “3D dome of sound” is not as intense as when I pair Andromeda with other devices in my collection. However, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that the R4 “ruins” the unique sonic signature of Andromeda. The soundstage size is more compressed from the 3.5mm than the 4.4mm output. However, the 4.4mm is significantly noisier. I can even hear the interference from the Wifi antenna when my music streaming application buffers. Both outputs also produce a discerning “pop” sound whenever the amp is switched on or off. In summary, R4 is only “okay” for hyper-sensitive IEMs like the Andromeda.

Symphonium Meteor (9.7 ohm@1kHz, 90.9dB/mW@1kHz) represents an emerging class of “hard to drive” IEMs from Eastern boutiques. With low sensitivity and impedance, these IEMs require a high and stable supply of electrical current. When the amp starts to fall apart, you will begin to lose the instrument separation, bass attacks will be mushier, and the stage will feel smaller and fuzzy until the extreme case when the amp starts to make audible clipping artefacts. It does not matter whether you have a lot of volume left on your amplifier or have already heard a loud noise from the IEM. For example, when I tested Symphonium Crimson with the onboard DAC of the handheld PC Asus ROG Ally, I started to hear edgy, strained sound in the video game soundtrack even though I was only at 20% of the volume wheel and the sound level was comfortable.

Anyhow, how does R4 handle Meteor? I’m glad to report that none of the problems I mentioned above were observed (heard?) in my tests. R4 drives Meteor without any problem. However, I don’t particularly enjoy the stock sound of the PCM circuit due to how flat the stage is and how much the midrange is pushed forward compared to my usual experience with this IEM. A simple EQ in MSEB makes the listening experience much more enjoyable. I can recommend this pairing with some EQ.

TGXear Serratus earbuds (300ohm, unknown sensitivity) represents another class of hard-to-drive gear, the high impedance ones. My experience with Serratus is identical to that of the Meteor I described above. This pairing is recommended with some EQs.

Comparisons and Rating​

For these AB tests, I rely on the Annihilator 2023 IEM because it is (1) very detailed, (2) very dynamic IEM, and (3) quite tricky to drive. These characteristics make it easier to discern the audible differences between source devices. I focus on large orchestral pieces and live recordings.

vs. Apple’s USB-C to 3.5mm adapter (a.k.a., “Apple dongle”): The Annihilator 2023 sounds quite poor with the Apple dongle: boomy, mushy, and muted. The ability to layer closer and farther instruments is gone, as is the airy treble response. Switching to R4 (4.4mm) finally lets the Anni sound correctly. The gap is not even close.

Vs HiBy R3II: The R3II (4.4mm output, high-gain) fares better than the Apple dongle but still bottlenecks the Anni 2023. In AB tests, the Anni 2023 sounds noticeably more congested and boomy with R3II, whilst it sounds cleaner and more open with the R4. The bass intrudes upon the midrange much more with the R3II, though the incisiveness of the bass attacks is not very good. The expansion of the stage shaped by the background choral or string section in a soundtrack is also noticeably poorer on R3II.

Vs Luxury & Precision W4: This is a simple AB test. I can run the W4 directly from R4, allowing me to quickly switch between devices and resume playback at the same spot. I hear a tighter and more textured bass line with the W4 (4.4mm output, high gain). For example, when I listen to Victory (Live) by Two Steps from Hell in their Live album, the bass line sounds like “Brrrrrm” on W4, but less defined “ummmm” on R4. The bass also intrudes over the midrange more with R4, making the whole presentation a bit muddy. Another major difference is that the R4 has a very forward presentation where the midrange sounds brighter and more “in the face”, whilst the W4 sounds less intensive and spreads the instruments out more on the stage.



Vs iBasso DX300: Whilst the W4 pulls the bass back, the DX300 (Stock amplifier module, 4.4mm, mid-gain) pulls no punch. In the same Victory (Live) track, I hear a strong, if not slightly exaggerated, bass response without losing on bass texture. The stage has a proper illusion of depth (at least as much as the Anni 2023 and the limitation of the IEM form factor can offer without DSP) and feels expansive. The lack of soundstage depth of R4 becomes much more apparent when I compare DX300 and R4 side by side. On the other hand, bass attacks sound snappier on R4, but DX300 takes the lead in bass detail and texture. I also find the more coloured tonality of DX300 more pleasing in this case.

Conclusion​

As USB DAC/amp dongles continue to become more potent at a lower price point, they gradually push DAPs out of the affordable end of the market. Yet, some on a budget still prefer to use a dedicated device rather than their phones for daily music listening. Until now, unless they have an extensive collection of FLAC files, they don’t have an affordable option because budget DAPs don’t have Android and only a rudimentary ability to stream music. HiBy R4 arrives just in time to provide a much-needed option. What impresses me about R4 is how much HiBy actually tries with this device. They could have gotten away with a generic design but opted for a careful and elaborated design instead. They could have used only one signal path for both PCM and DSD but opted for separate signal paths to provide the most suitable filter design. Yes, I have some complaints about the overall sonic presentation of R4. Still, most of these can be addressed by the built-in system-wide EQs and DSP plugins because the foundation of R4 is solid. In fact, with R4, tweaking EQs and DSP plugins becomes a part of the experience.

A love letter from geeks to geeks. That’s the R4. I’m an audio geek. Therefore, I like the R4.

What I like about this device:

• Unique design
• Structural integrity of the device
• System-wide EQs
• DSP plugin systems
• Android 12 with system-wide bit-perfect output
• Good amplification
• Price

What could be improved:

• Soundstage is rather flat with PCM content
• Rather noisy with hyper-sensitive IEMs
• Screen is quite dim when using outdoor

Absolute Sonic Quality Rating: 4/5 - Great

Bias Score: 4/5 - I like this device.



Updated: May 4, 2024