[o0genesis0o]

Well, basically my experience with the (English speaking) Hidizs customer support is, that they are only helpful as long the questions are on a level where they can copy and paste information from their website as a reply or sell you something...but as far questions/issues with a device get more complex they really seem to have no clue at all about technical aspects of their own products! And the worst thing is, instead of at least trying to solve my issue, they just stopped responding to me at some point!

Actually I was confronted with the lack of knowledge of the customer support already before I bought my AP80 Pro-X Copper and I asked them some very simple questions - one was about the weight differences of the Copper version compared to the regular version. They gave me an answer, but it was only after I bought the device that I realized, this information was totally wrong (in fact it was copied from their website, where it is also wrong)!
Well, I can forgive that, because weight of a DAP is maybe not the most important thing in the world.

But when I started to have an issue with my Bluetooth connection, it turned ugly.
Actually it seems there is a bug in the firmware of all versions of the AP80, when the device automatically connects with an Apple device over Bluetooth. It never automatically connects via AAC but SBC instead, and you need to annoyingly cut the connection and reconnect the device twice each time (one time only leads to playing no sound), to establish a proper AAC connection. I have tried that with several Apple devices and even several AP80s (in an audio shop) - and it`s always the same problem, so definitely firmware related.

When I reported this to the customer support and asked them about it, the only answer I got was a copied and pasted reply where they wrote me something about LDAC - that had literally nothing to do at all with my issue. I wrote to them again to ask if they actually understood that my question is not related to LDAC but to AAC and Apple devices and explained to them once more.

The next reply I got were some questions, for example if I had tried it with another device. Even though I had explained to them in detail in my first mail, and I described all steps I went through already (I did try several devices and told them already)!

I explained to them for a third time in another mail and even sent them a video (!) that showed my issue in detail!
They wrote "thank you for the video" and that they will forward it and my issue to the "engineering team". I waited for two weeks for a reply and the only (unbelievable!) reply I got was, I should try to change a setting in the Hiby App that was only related to USB output (!!), not Bluetooth.

I wrote them for a fourth time (!!!) that my problem is related to AAC Bluetooth, not USB (I started to wonder if the support person actually knows what Bluetooth and AAC is), and that I don`t use the Hiby app for playback, and I have written that to them several times. And asked them if their engineers could maybe at least try to reproduce my issue from my video with an Apple device and then get back to me.

Since then they never replied to me again! I have asked two more times (in a friendly and patient tone...like all of my other messages) but they just ignore me since then! That`s....terrible for a customer support...imo! I rarely had such a bad communication with a customer support and my issue stays unsolved....

I also had that problem. Hidizs rep gave me the solution of prioritising LDAC, which fixes the problem with my android phone but not the iPhone. As far as I know, there is no solution but to reconnect the dap to iphone twice for it to swap to AAC.

 

[Hanesu]

I also had that problem. Hidizs rep gave me the solution of prioritising LDAC, which fixes the problem with my android phone but not the iPhone. As far as I know, there is no solution but to reconnect the dap to iphone twice for it to swap to AAC.

Thanks for confirming. The big question ist: Why is it so difficult for them to a) understand and recognize the problem (they get feedback from customers!) and b) fix it by firmware update. It doesn`t seem like a big deal for me!

 

[o0genesis0o]

Thanks for confirming. The big question ist: Why is it so difficult for them to a) understand and recognize the problem (they get feedback from customers!) and b) fix it by formware update. It doesn`t seem like a big deal for me!

No idea but I hope that they can come back and release an upgrade of AP80 Pro X this year. I like the form factor, but not the sound. Hopefully they can fix the bluetooth too in the revision.

 

[Hanesu]

Sucks to hear that, it can be frustrating as hell when this happens. Anytime it feels like you are banging your head on a wall, you just met a support team who is responsible for closing tickets. This is typical for even well known companies. I have been through this with a lot of my requests.

A lot of companies operate like this until you escalate the issue. When I wrote to support I got a polite "sorry we cant help you" reply. Like nobody was interested or more than their trouble worth. Although an active mod/troubleshooting community can improve the life of a product.

The "funny" thing is: I wrote to them again and said I am very disappointed by their customer support because they didn`t react anymore and/or give me a solution. Then I finally got a reply in that they excused themselves and said, they will check the problem again and for sure give me a reply after that. You know what? Once more: nothing but silence. It`s so embarrassing!

 

[Hanesu]

No idea but I hope that they can come back and release an upgrade of AP80 Pro X this year. I like the form factor, but not the sound. Hopefully they can fix the bluetooth too in the revision.

What don`t you like about the sound? I must say I like it! Sounds very detailed and clear to me. But I really agree about an improved new revision with the same form factor. With 4,4 mm output!

 

[o0genesis0o]

What don`t you like about the sound? I must say I like it! Sounds very detailed and clear to me. But I really agree about an improved new revision with the same form factor. With 4,4 mm output!

I pay a lot of attention to dynamic and soundstage. This little DAP just cannot provide what I hear from my bigger DAP, especially when paired with an external amp. It’s unreasonable to expect it to match, but I hope that technological advances would get a much better amp stage next time.

 

[OmniscientNihilist]

listening to flac on this ap80 pro-x and it sound so perfect that it kinda triggers and uncanny valley effect

like its too perfect lol

maybe thats why people like vinyl. the huge real life album art you can touch, and then more imperfect natural warm sound etc...

 

[OmniscientNihilist]

cant use standby anymore

turning on standby and the players wont unpause the music without turning screen on first

makes standby useless

 

[D3ZTRXY3R]

Hello everyone, I have been using my AP80 since April 2021, I used it mainly at home and listened to it from an iPhone or iPod on the street, but recently I became interested in connecting an iPhone and ap80 via Bluetooth, everything turned out AAC 44hz quality is not very cool but better than with a complete adapter, I decided to connect the phone and the Hidis with a cable, I got a regular result that they write here, I sin on an unsuitable cable, maybe some special one is needed? because I tried to connect with a complete cable from an iPhone type-c to lightening and got an iPhone charging and no reaction to the AP80 is there anyone here who tried to connect an iPhone to a Hidis using digital audio cables?

I believe it might work because I saw some japanese guy on youtube who was able to connect an ipad and a hidisz via cable, but there are no details along with that, as I saw him connect their cable, usually connect transport and amplifiers, not usually usb.

 

[Hanesu]

Hello everyone, I have been using my AP80 since April 2021, I used it mainly at home and listened to it from an iPhone or iPod on the street, but recently I became interested in connecting an iPhone and ap80 via Bluetooth, everything turned out AAC 44hz quality is not very cool but better than with a complete adapter, I decided to connect the phone and the Hidis with a cable, I got a regular result that they write here, I sin on an unsuitable cable, maybe some special one is needed? because I tried to connect with a complete cable from an iPhone type-c to lightening and got an iPhone charging and no reaction to the AP80 is there anyone here who tried to connect an iPhone to a Hidis using digital audio cables?

I believe it might work because I saw some japanese guy on youtube who was able to connect an ipad and a hidisz via cable, but there are no details along with that, as I saw him connect their cable, usually connect transport and amplifiers, not usually usb.

As it seems since an iOS update of the last months, the AP80 series cannot be used as USB DAC anymore with iPhone or iPad (only Mac). I think this got confirmed by Hidizs and I have no clue if / why this cannot be changed again (whether this is a software issue or a licence thing going on). But actually nothing surprises me anymore with this company since they don`t seem to care that much about fixing bugs or after service...

 

[Tomm11]

I pay a lot of attention to dynamic and soundstage. This little DAP just cannot provide what I hear from my bigger DAP, especially when paired with an external amp. It’s unreasonable to expect it to match, but I hope that technological advances would get a much better amp stage next time.

Agree that they aren't impressive sounding players but they make great little transports.

 

[Noony]

Seriously looking at this DAP as a USB transport to use with Hugo2. Just a couple of issues that maybe a current user could help me with.
1) SDXC card compatibility. is it really limited to 512gb (as per website)? Have a number of quite elderly DAPs, and none of them have had any trouble managing 1tb.
2) Gapless “Gapless play”. Does it have true gapless play? Had problems before with audible gaps even in “Gapless” play mode on some DAPs. Not a big deal on contemporary content but plays merry hell with classical. A real deal breaker for me.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

 

[rominho]

I just got myself a AP80 pro to use with a pair of Tin T3s. I having a lot of fun with them but I run into a little problem I can't find a solution.

I have most of my albums as single Flac files with cue files to sort out the tracks and have been using MusicBee to sort out the albums/tracks tags. Problem is, when I first got my music onto the AP80 most of my multi-disc albums were showing as separate albums, which is ok for some albums but definitely not ideal for live albums.

I tried to manually manipulate the cue files adding disc1/disc2 info and making sure they have the same "title", that made the discs appear under the the same album, however, the AP80 did not read the disc info so the track order is messed up like --> track 1 disc 1 - then - track 1 disc 2 and so on

Any ideas on how I could remedy that?

 

[CactusPete23]

Seriously looking at this DAP as a USB transport to use with Hugo2. Just a couple of issues that maybe a current user could help me with.
1) SDXC card compatibility. is it really limited to 512gb (as per website)? Have a number of quite elderly DAPs, and none of them have had any trouble managing 1tb.
2) Gapless “Gapless play”. Does it have true gapless play? Had problems before with audible gaps even in “Gapless” play mode on some DAPs. Not a big deal on contemporary content but plays merry hell with classical. A real deal breaker for me.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

One thing that can cause a audible change when playing "gapless", is IF you have applied REPLAY GAIN to your audio files; And you are playing your music with "Replay Gain BY TRACK". The individual files on an album, almost always have different Track Gain, and you can hear the volume rise or drop some as the new track plays... You'd have to play with replay gain BY ALBUM, to have no volume change. Replay gain BY TRACK is great to keep all songs, regardless of source, at close to the same volume. But when Playing an album, switching to Replay Gain BY ALBUM, is the right choice. I no longer have the AP80, so can't remember if the REPLAY GAIN on it has a choice of By Track, or By Album. Anyway, maybe something to try...

 

[don9146]

I have an AP80 Pro and recently purchased a Mazda CX-5 with the Bose sound system. I am currently using bluetooth to connect the AP80 Pro to the Mazda. Is there another option that would give better sound quality and connect without the risk of dropping the connection? The only inputs to connect to the vehicle's sound system are USB 2.1 ports. Thanks!

NOTE: Edit to correctly list the DAP as an AP80 Pro.