[chickenmcnug]

4th one here, no issues at all so far unlike local post/FedEx who have lost my packages before.

 

[DarginMahkum]

Quick question : on Tidal several master track display as 705.6K bitrate is that 8x MQA unfold already or is there some upsampling happening?

I also had the impression that MQA is being upsampled but I am not sure. @gLer mentioned that it happens also with R6.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

It's general policy for MQA to convert any MQA file to the highest sample rate supported by the hardware via its proprietary algorithms, before the DAC. Beyond 8x (which is 352.8kHz / 384kHz), at 16x (which is 705.6 / 768kHz) how much of this is unfolding and how much is upsampling I haven't been told.

A delta-sigma based DAC as is used in the HiBy R players would continue to upsample any incoming audio data (be they 44.1kHz, 768kHz, DSD512, or anything in between) to several megahertz, for its own purpose, before it is converted to the analog signal.

Btw, here's something fun:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/r5-a-new-android-dap-by-hiby.912566/page-209#post-15892903

 

[davidmolliere]

Very interesting stuff about plugins @Joe Bloggs

It's general policy for MQA to convert any MQA file to the highest sample rate supported by the hardware via its proprietary algorithms, before the DAC.

Hmmm this doesn't fully make sense to me to go above the source sampling rate... I don't see upsampling for local files on the R8 like the LPGT and its dedicated Blackfin chip...

 

[subguy812]

So the eagle has landed a couple of hours ago (kudos to MusicTeck as fast as usual!) and what unboxing experience! The box is bigger than the Max ironically given how much smaller it is


The case is really nice and classy and convenient and will also be a superb review photo setup for IEMs with those nice textures
This DAP is fast and smooth operation is so responsive as expected but it's something to actually have smartphone experience on a DAP.

I must say, I like the R8 better than the DX220 Max and it's not even burnt in... not that the Max is not spectacular, it is and I loved it especially after a bit of burn-in things got amazing with my most organic IEMs but, there is a but, it's so intense I even got headache with more vivid IEMs like the Luna (I just didn't recognize the IEM I reviewed). So I am definitely on the smoother side of the force, and it's definitely a better choice for me coming from the LPGT there is a common philosophy although the R8 is somewhat in between being more dynamic than the LPGT it's also as smooth as the LPGT and much smoother than the Max. The Max was too intense for me but I could see how some people would like it better with its insane dynamics and punch.

The Luna is the IEM that killed the Max for me, vivid on vivid is too much for my ultra sensitive ears... on the flipside the R8 is the most amazing Luna pairing really, I read this but it makes it fuller sounding and more nuanced and delicate from upper mids to upper treble. Now we're talking...

Soundstage OOB is really great, better than the LPGT and not so far way from Max which was a surprise.

I really like the various options Turbo mode and gain settings give. Turbo off more laid back vs Turbo on more forward and dynamic.

Just wished I could select rotation for volume to be reversed from default as well as prev/next buttons but doesn't seem to be here.

Quick question : on Tidal several master track display as 705.6K bitrate is that 8x MQA unfold already or is there some upsampling happening?

I was thinking the same about the volume knob, on other DAPs that can be a option, I really haven't done the drill down, but I don't think the option to reverse the volume exists.

I am glad you enjoy it. The smoothness is somewhat similar to an AK player. Again I will be able to compare the signature once I return home on Monday.

 

[davidmolliere]

I was thinking the same about the volume knob, on other DAPs that can be a option, I really haven't done the drill down, but I don't think the option to reverse the volume exists.I am glad you enjoy it. The smoothness is somewhat similar to an AK player. Again I will be able to compare the signature once I return home on Monday.

I would have said the AK player are smooth... except SA700... they are vivid up top for me even more so than the Max actually for the SP1000... LPGT contrary to what I read sometimes is smoother to me and by far.

Yeah I love the R8 signature and overall as a complete package DAP

 

[subguy812]

I would have said the AK player are smooth... except SA700... they are vivid up top for me even more so than the Max actually for the SP1000... LPGT contrary to what I read sometimes is smoother to me and by far.

Yeah I love the R8 signature and overall as a complete package DAP

I guess my AK experience is based on mk2 100, mk2 120, Cube and SP2K, so I have never heard a brightish AK player.

I also heard nothing offensive with the LPGT and loved it's clarity, resolution and transparency. If it had the ability to Bluetooth stream stand-alone I would have kept it too. While it worked flawlessly, nothing beats stand-alone streaming. The R8 is truly a great DAP.

 

[Deferenz]

You guys are really selling the R8 to me. I’ve started to count my spare pennies and see what I can sell to raise the funds.

 

[Lu88]

Amazon Music App v16.18.0 has been released. Does 24bit/192kHz playback work on R8? (I can't test it because I don't have R8 anymore.)

edit: I've confirmed that 24bit/192kHz playback capability is back on DX220Max with Amazon Music app v16.18.0.

 

[subguy812]

Amazon Music App v16.18.0 has been released. Does 24bit/192kHz playback work on R8? (I can't test it because I don't have R8 anymore.)

 

[subguy812]

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Stupid Amazon Music... if they would just send the audio through in whatever rate it is it would be resampled on a regular Android device and not, on a HiBy...

 

[subguy812]

Stupid Amazon Music... if they would just send the audio through in whatever rate it is it would be resampled on a regular Android device and not, on a HiBy...

Joe

Isn't the device capable of higher than 44.1KHz? I know the answer, but I am curious where the discrepancy lies.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Joe

Isn't the device capable of higher than 44.1KHz? I know the answer, but I am curious where the discrepancy lies.

There's nothing we can do about it if the app "detects" somehow that the device is only capable up to x kHz and resamples everything to x before handing to us...

 

[davidmolliere]

As I spent more time with the R8... Like LPGT it's a very elegant and nuanced tuning full of refinement, probably understated upon first listen and I see many comments about R8 being comparable to mid tier DAPs but that's clearly more a reflection of personal preferences in terms of signature than real performance gap. Hiby has dared a more organic, fuller sounding flagship but the technical foundations are strong alright. I bet as I burn in things get even better

Compared to the DX220 Max, most people will be wowed (I was) by the punchier bass, clearer mids and more prominent and articulate upper treble... a more energetic delivery overall which to me was fatiguing and a bit agressive on certain pairings even at 300h burn in. Note I have ultra sensitive ears and have the same problem with the likes of Hugo 2 or a lesser extent SP1000. In its comparatively understated way the R8 is just as much of a flagship to me and a clear sign that Hiby has reached maturity. Although it doesn't pack tubes it's a very "analog" sounding unit, I wish I could compare to Cayin N8.

Few things I noticed... the unit gets fairly warm in Turbo mode, I don't remember anyone really insisting on that and maybe the SS version will be less so.

In Tidal clearly all 88.1kHz are unfolded to 705.6kHz and 96 to 768, sometimes at the beginning of the tracks there is a short stutter when it switches over most of the time it does not though. Also I had a few instances where the track pitch was totally off probably the MQA 16x upgrade to the firmware is not dry yet. Just restarting the track solved it. Wonder if it should be behaving that way but I don't know MQA enough and SQ is great.

Last but not least absolutely no sign of RF interference while streaming