HiBy Digital M300 Android Digital Audio Player,"The Gen-Z Music Player" - Discussion thread

[jaifai]

I'm looking at the M300 to use as my dedicated DAP solely for use in the car.
I have the original R5 for everything else - work - gym - home etc but would like some info regarding the M300 from people who are more experienced than myself.
The Hiby M300 has Bluetooth 5 - Android 13 and Snapdragon 665.
The Hiby R5 has Bluetooth 4.2 - Android 8.1 and Snapdragon 425.
Looking at the specs above would it make any difference if I'm using them solely to Bluetooth Spotify downloads and stored music to the car audio.

If not I might use the R5 for the car and upgrade to the new R4 - R6 iii or something similar, is the R4 an upgrade?

Thanks in advance.

I'd say no, surely -"solely for use in the car". For any application, I'd say portability would be your main advantage, though I'd opt for the larger screen because I rely on a device's screen (and a good case) for use in my car.

I would not consider the R4 an upgrade over the R5. For some, it's advantage might be it's look, price, and portability; but for me, that's mostly a matter of tastes.

 

[abitdeef]

Me neither, the original r5 was quite compact. I like a compact dap myself. That's why I went for m300. And from memory I'd say the m300 sounds better than the r5. Although the balanced had more power. Unless you're trying to drive hard to drive stuff I recommend the m300, just for the size footprint alone. But lots of people love the R4. But I find the m300 to be a hidden gem myself. Lots of people write it off because of the goofy hiby digital marketing, but it's a very capable dap.

 

[JimiMack]

I'd say no, surely -"solely for use in the car". For any application, I'd say portability would be your main advantage, though I'd opt for the larger screen because I rely on a device's screen (and a good case) for use in my car.

I would not consider the R4 an upgrade over the R5. For some, it's advantage might be it's look, price, and portability; but for me, that's mostly a matter of tastes.

I would agree with you but my R5 is running long in the tooth that CPU can barely get out of its own way and is out dated even for the Hiby app.

 

[abitdeef]

Yep, the downside of an andoid dap. But if you want streaming it's the price you pay. I think eventually wireless will be totally lossless and hi rez and then it won't matter as much.

 

[Saraugie]

Yep, the downside of an andoid dap. But if you want streaming it's the price you pay. I think eventually wireless will be totally lossless and hi rez and then it won't matter as much.

Having both aptX Adaptive & LDAC in 1 DAP, at any price, is like hen's teeth.
When I deep dive into DAPs I cannot find another. For BT streaming the M300 is the jackpot imo.

 

[jaifai]

Would be cool if hiby had a facility in the US where you could send units in for repair instead of all the way to China. That's some expensive shipping on a 180 dollar product.

Also seems a slap in the face to come out with an improved model with more memory to those of us that have just bought one.

Maybe when HiBy's or HiBy Digital's volume reaches Sony's?

I don't feel slapped or offended at all -although I've had and enjoyed mine for several months. Also, I consider the improvements truly trivial for my use/requirements (lossless file playback and Amazon Music streaming). Even today, I'd opt for the original/cheaper version.

MAYBE I would bite if I hear about big-to-me software improvements, which I don't expect. But, I would be disgusted if such improvements are there and HiBy Digital didn't make such improvements available to current M300s.

 

[abitdeef]

Having both aptX Adaptive & LDAC in 1 DAP, at any price, is like hen's teeth.
When I deep dive into DAPs I cannot find another. For BT streaming the M300 is the jackpot imo.

That's true, and it does make a fine travel companion. Small, powerful and good battery life.

Yep jaifai, other than more storage I don't notice any difference. It just seems a dumb choice to me. Release it with 128gb and 4 gig of ram and be done with it. Maybe they're using up spare memory modules

I am happy about more on board memory because I find downloaded tidal files work better than on my SD card. In the end if you're happy it doesn't matter.

 

[JimiMack]

Maybe when HiBy's or HiBy Digital's volume reaches Sony's?

I don't feel slapped or offended at all -although I've had and enjoyed mine for several months. Also, I consider the improvements truly trivial for my use/requirements (lossless file playback and Amazon Music streaming). Even today, I'd opt for the original/cheaper version.

MAYBE I would bite if I hear about big-to-me software improvements, which I don't expect. But, I would be disgusted if such improvements are there and HiBy Digital didn't make such improvements available to current M300s.

Nothing wrong with that .. most people can not hear the difference from a 320 Mp3 and one at CD quality even with top notch equipment.

 

[Anth. S]

Thanks for the comments regarding the M300 and the R5.
The 3GB - 32GB version is now £143.10 with a 10% Amazon voucher, for that price it's worth taking a punt and replace the R5 when it eventually dies.

 

[JimiMack]

Thanks for the comments regarding the M300 and the R5.
The 3GB - 32GB version is now £143.10 with a 10% Amazon voucher, for that price it's worth taking a punt and replace the R5 when it eventually dies.

If you are referring to the original R5 with an old 425 CPU. Yes. But you will lose the balanced connection.

 

[rlw6534]

If you are referring to the original R5 with an old 425 CPU. Yes. But you will lose the balanced connection.

I don't believe the M300 has SRC bypass and system-wide PEQ either, if that's important to you.

 

[Anth. S]

Yes it's the original R5.
M300 for BT in car.
R5 for everything else via IEMs and balanced

 

[XTF1]

I don't believe the M300 has SRC bypass and system-wide PEQ either, if that's important to you.

I think the M300 was intended for this market segment where a plain vanilla Android is seen as a “pro”. It does have a (very good) 24/192, system-wide SRC though.

 

[abitdeef]

Nope, I wish they could make the EQ and PEQ system wide. Wavelet isn't cutting it for me, it's OK but I prefer the hiby EQ and PEQ. And it does sound pretty good through the 3.5, very intimate and clear. I've got no complaints and man it makes an excellent transport too. Especially at the levels of some of the dongles are. It's a hell of a nice dap for the $$. I like it quite a bit better than my nwa306 which was 300 plus dollars when I got it.

 

[JimiMack]

I don't believe the M300 has SRC bypass and system-wide PEQ either, if that's important to you.

Also a good point in the PEQ. I also find the M300 congested sounding. On Hiby I prefer my R4 and R6-3.