[nyceyes]

I received and configured my HiBy R5II unit. I'll provide a more complete (and better worded) review soon -- well, not a review but things to know.

For now, it sounds fantastic (wide stage, you can pinpoint instrument locations, accurate, not over-processed, loud - I mean extremely (unhealthily) loud, even over Sony WH-1000XM4 LDAC headphones); the battery life is absolutely excellent (although nothing beats my FiiO M15 monster battery and battery life). Build quality is top notch and the buttons are firm and provide a nice firm click. Screen is very good.

This, however, could be the deal breaker for me: This HiBy R5II (aka, HiBy R5 GEN2) does not support seek-scanning within a track; not even with the native HiBy Music App. I wrote HiBy last night about this, and they admitted this is true, and are sending my feedback to their engineering team (whatever that means).

In any case, I use the JetAudio Music HD Plus player (not HiBy's player or FiiO's player) for all of my listening because it has a great UI and amazing DSP plugins.

As a runner / jogger, I bought the HiBy R5II because my FiiO M15 is too large for running. The HiBy R5II is a good physical hand-held size, with physical buttons and good battery life; but not being able to seek-scan within a track to get to the parts that make you take off as a runner or gym, is a big problem for me. Besides good sound, that was the main value-proposition for this HiBy model (size).

I hope they address this issue. And I hope this (quickly typed) was useful.

 

[psikey]

I received and configured my HiBy R5II unit. I'll provide a more complete (and better worded) review soon -- well, not a review but things to know.

For now, it sounds fantastic (wide stage, you can pinpoint instrument locations, accurate, not over-processed, loud - I mean extremely (unhealthily) loud, even over Sony WH-1000XM4 LDAC headphones); the battery life is absolutely excellent (although nothing beats my FiiO M15 monster battery and battery life). Build quality is top notch and the buttons are firm and provide a nice firm click. Screen is very good.

This, however, could be the deal breaker for me: This HiBy R5II (aka, HiBy R5 GEN2) does not support seek-scanning within a track; not even with the native HiBy Music App. I wrote HiBy last night about this, and they admitted this is true, and are sending my feedback to their engineering team (whatever that means).

In any case, I use the JetAudio Music HD Plus player (not HiBy's player or FiiO's player) for all of my listening because it has a great UI and amazing DSP plugins.

As a runner / jogger, I bought the HiBy R5II because my FiiO M15 is too large for running. The HiBy R5II is a good physical hand-held size, with physical buttons and good battery life; but not being able to seek-scan within a track to get to the parts that make you take off as a runner or gym, is a big problem for me. Besides good sound, that was the main value-proposition for this HiBy model (size).

I hope they address this issue. And I hope this (quickly typed) was useful.

Nice overview. Don't think I've ever " seek-scan within a track".

 

[nyceyes]

Nice overview. Don't think I've ever " seek-scan within a track".

Thank you. Units from COWON (Cowon J3, Cowon Plenue D -- I've owned both -- and other COWON models) are famous for getting this right. They put their physical buttons in just the right places (easily accessible to fingers); and their in-track seeking is an absolutely delight :: You press-and-hold FFWD (NEXT) or REW (PREV), and the volume lowers while you listen for the section of the track that you want to reach, then release and it plays from there. It works flawlessly. In fact, if you seek past the beginning or a track or past the end of a track, it just starts scanning the adjacent track. COWON makes it so it's like one giant track instead of individual files. What a great design.

In fairness to HiBy, however, Cowon provides their own O/S and embedded player (JetAudio), so this is easier to implement than with Apps on Android. Still, at least they could have made it work with the native HiBy player. Ah, well.

By the way, Cowon created the JetAudio Music HD Plus engine and player (and all iterations before it, dating to 1997). The Android Music App is excellent. I highly recommend it and purchasing its DSP plugins / extras (it makes the music sound amazingly wide, clear, and more). Just FYI.

 

[Ynot1]

I believe most people don't know about this classical trance track because they refuse to wait for the 4 minutes and 50 seconds intro. Runner or not, this could be helpful at becoming patient with finding new songs.



What should be 20 million views, there are only 90 thousand.

 

[Exill]

Just received my unit.
Too bad apparently it is the Chinese version so I can't install Google play store.
Other than that, the device is solid, the sound quality is great for the price point.

 

[vsg28]

Just received my unit.
Too bad apparently it is the Chinese version so I can't install Google play store.
Other than that, the device is solid, the sound quality is great for the price point.

FYI my unit from Hifigo is a Chinese version too in that I had to set up in Mandarin and then change language over to English later, but it came with the Google Services and Play Store pre-installed. So reach out to your retailer and see what's going on, maybe there's a different build of HiBy OS here?

 

[Exill]

FYI my unit from Hifigo is a Chinese version too in that I had to set up in Mandarin and then change language over to English later, but it came with the Google Services and Play Store pre-installed. So reach out to your retailer and see what's going on, maybe there's a different build of HiBy OS here?

My unit is from linsoul and when I set it up it asked me to choose a language.
Yeah maybe there is a different build of hiby OS.

 

[psikey]

My unit is from linsoul and when I set it up it asked me to choose a language.
Yeah maybe there is a different build of hiby OS.

Thought you could side load apps via APKPure?

https://m.apkpure.com/google-play-store/com.android.vending

Mine was from Hiby direct to UK and came configured English and with the Google apps.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Just received my unit.
Too bad apparently it is the Chinese version so I can't install Google play store.
Other than that, the device is solid, the sound quality is great for the price point.

https://www.linsoul.com/products/hiby-r5-gen-2

In fairness to them it is noted pretty clearly that it is the Chinese version, although what that entails may be less than clear.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Thank you. Units from COWON (Cowon J3, Cowon Plenue D -- I've owned both -- and other COWON models) are famous for getting this right. They put their physical buttons in just the right places (easily accessible to fingers); and their in-track seeking is an absolutely delight :: You press-and-hold FFWD (NEXT) or REW (PREV), and the volume lowers while you listen for the section of the track that you want to reach, then release and it plays from there. It works flawlessly. In fact, if you seek past the beginning or a track or past the end of a track, it just starts scanning the adjacent track. COWON makes it so it's like one giant track instead of individual files. What a great design.

In fairness to HiBy, however, Cowon provides their own O/S and embedded player (JetAudio), so this is easier to implement than with Apps on Android. Still, at least they could have made it work with the native HiBy player. Ah, well.

By the way, Cowon created the JetAudio Music HD Plus engine and player (and all iterations before it, dating to 1997). The Android Music App is excellent. I highly recommend it and purchasing its DSP plugins / extras (it makes the music sound amazingly wide, clear, and more). Just FYI.

Does your feature work with this app on the HiBy then?

 

[Cabalsoljea]

Interestingly the iBasso DC05 have the same dual ESS chips the R5II is using... Implementation (sum of parts) is key lesson for me then.

 

[nyceyes]

Does your feature work with this app on the HiBy then?

Well, let me explain better. Whether the HiBy native player or JetAudio Music HD Plus, neither seek-scans with the screen off (at all - period). Bummer.

With the screen on, both seek-scan, but it's not a continuous-scan (basically, it jumps a certain number of seconds specified by the App's settings). But, for example, jumping 10-seconds (a discreet amount of time) isn't the same experience as continuous-seeking, so it sounds very janky, and you can never get to the exact point that you want. Also, the volume doesn't decrease while scanning. I guess you have to hear it for yourself, but trust me, you wouldn't like it. Hiby full well knows what this feature is. It's like pressing & holding FFWD or REW was on 1980s cassette decks and releasing when you got to the point you wanted. It's hardly an esoteric feature. But for this small form factor (ie, for runners), they should have taken more care. I hope that helps. =: )

 

[3Putter]

Well, let me explain better. Whether the HiBy native player or JetAudio Music HD Plus, neither seek-scans with the screen off (at all - period). Bummer.

With the screen on, both seek-scan, but it's not a continuous-scan (basically, it jumps a certain number of seconds specified by the App's settings). But, for example, jumping 10-seconds (a discreet amount of time) isn't the same experience as continuous-seeking, so it sounds very janky, and you can never get to the exact point that you want. Also, the volume doesn't decrease while scanning. I guess you have to hear it for yourself, but trust me, you wouldn't like it. Hiby full well knows what this feature is. It's like pressing & holding FFWD or REW was on 1980s cassette decks and releasing when you got to the point you wanted. It's hardly an esoteric feature. But for this small form factor (ie, for runners), they should have taken more care. I hope that helps. =: )

For $399 and this great sound you’re bitching about this feature missing?

 

[nyceyes]

Bitching?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

For $399 and this great sound you’re bitching about this feature missing?

If he would like to sell, dispose of or otherwise not use our device for any perceived shortcoming, that's entirely up to him.

Now, we wouldn't be able to replace his unit for this reported problem (nor would it help), but I think he knows that.