R5, a new Android DAP by Hiby

[jwbrent]

I just ordered a 512gb micro sd card for my R5. I really only want it to save tidal and qobuz offline content. Anything I need to know or anything required to direct saving those files to the sd card? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

I can’t comment on offline content, but I can say a 512GB card works without any issues ... I expect a terabyte card to work perfectly as well.

 

[kali77]

I can’t comment on offline content, but I can say a 512GB card works without any issues ... I expect a terabyte card to work perfectly as well.

Thanks, hopefully someone can chime in on the offline content for streaming services.

 

[nekromantik]

HiBy just had a sale, so its stock on certain colors was depleted. There has been conversation here about an R5 Pro, but another member here contacted Musicteck, the distributor, and was told there are no plans for an updated R5 as of now.

ah damn missed the sale
was it sale price same as the current Hiby store on AliExpress?

 

[CANiSLAYu]

I just ordered a 512gb micro sd card for my R5. I really only want it to save tidal and qobuz offline content. Anything I need to know or anything required to direct saving those files to the sd card? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

Format the card and in each apps setting point the download destination to the card and you're good to go.

 

[kali77]

Format the card and in each apps setting point the download destination to the card and you're good to go.

Awesome! Thanks, very helpful. Is FAT32 recommended?

 

[jwbrent]

ah damn missed the sale
was it sale price same as the current Hiby store on AliExpress?

The sale price was $299 at Musicteck. Others reported a sale price at Ali for $274. If you decide to wait, I’m sure there will be another drop in price by Black Friday since Musicteck routinely offers the HiBy daps for sale.

 

[nekromantik]

The sale price was $299 at Musicteck. Others reported a sale price at Ali for $274. If you decide to wait, I’m sure there will be another drop in price by Black Friday since Musicteck routinely offers the HiBy daps for sale.

thanks

 

[CANiSLAYu]

Awesome! Thanks, very helpful. Is FAT32 recommended?

I think HiBy recommends exFAT, but FAT32 should work.

 

[kali77]

I think HiBy recommends exFAT, but FAT32 should work.

Thanks again

 

[jwbrent]

I think HiBy recommends exFAT, but FAT32 should work.

Correct, if you format a card with the R5, it is done as exfat.

 

[courierdriver]

Thanks, hopefully someone can chime in on the offline content for streaming services.

I can't comment on Tidal or other streaming services; but I personally do use Spotify premium, and I have a 128MB SD card in my Samsung Galaxy S8+ phone. Make sure that you go into the settings functions in your Tidal app. There should be a section in those settings that lets you choose where you want to store your offline downloads. Make sure you check the SD card icon, and all your downloaded music files will be transferred there every time you download any new music. It will go into a special folder on your card (which you will have to find...it will usually have some kind of weird numerical name) but as long as your card has enough capacity, any new files you download will go there. Hope this helps you out a bit.

 

[CrystalGipsy]

I just ordered a 512gb micro sd card for my R5. I really only want it to save tidal and qobuz offline content. Anything I need to know or anything required to direct saving those files to the sd card? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

Just point the apps to save it on it that's it.

 

[JerryHead]

I suppose this is true for all DAPs, but I'm finding that the choice of iems/headphones really makes so much of a difference with the R5. The wrong match really degrades the experience. The right match opens up a whole new musical world! The Sony IER-Z1Rs sound fantastic.

 

[Q Mass]

Thanks, hopefully someone can chime in on the offline content for streaming services.

I have had issues with Spotify offline, but they've been intermittent, and I don't think they were due to SD card issues (I tried 3 different authentic high end, high speed 256GB cards).
The primary issue was that playback would randomly stop for no discernable reason. Thankfully that issue ceased a few weeks back (don't know why for sure, may have been a Spotify update).
More recently I have had issues with the R5 UI slowing down and even stopping responding entirely! There were several occasions where it wouldn't allow playback of ANY of my offline content! Thankfully, just as I was preparing to post a 'disappointed and giving up on R5' rant I checked whether there was any further Spotify updates, and there was both Spotify and Hiby R5 OS updates available, and since installing them my R5 has been back to performing perfectly, with no halts in playback, or UI slowdowns.
This is a huge relief to me, as I absolutely love the R5 (mostly the sound that I can get out of it, but the compact form factor is also great).
I simply formatted the cards in the R5 (two out of 3 were new cards) and I'd advise you do the same. Other than what others have said above I haven't really anything to add re' sd cards.
When (or if) I can afford Tidal again I will move back to them as there was a small but noticable SQ difference to Spotify, but I'm still in awe of how good this DAP is with all my iem's (current favourite is IMR EDP, followed by Tape).
I've converted my entire iem collection to 4.4 for this thing, and I love it! (well, I have yet to add a removable cable to my Denon AH-D2000's, but it's on the cards!)

 

[kali77]

I have had issues with Spotify offline, but they've been intermittent, and I don't think they were due to SD card issues (I tried 3 different authentic high end, high speed 256GB cards).
The primary issue was that playback would randomly stop for no discernable reason. Thankfully that issue ceased a few weeks back (don't know why for sure, may have been a Spotify update).
More recently I have had issues with the R5 UI slowing down and even stopping responding entirely! There were several occasions where it wouldn't allow playback of ANY of my offline content! Thankfully, just as I was preparing to post a 'disappointed and giving up on R5' rant I checked whether there was any further Spotify updates, and there was both Spotify and Hiby R5 OS updates available, and since installing them my R5 has been back to performing perfectly, with no halts in playback, or UI slowdowns.
This is a huge relief to me, as I absolutely love the R5 (mostly the sound that I can get out of it, but the compact form factor is also great).
I simply formatted the cards in the R5 (two out of 3 were new cards) and I'd advise you do the same. Other than what others have said above I haven't really anything to add re' sd cards.
When (or if) I can afford Tidal again I will move back to them as there was a small but noticable SQ difference to Spotify, but I'm still in awe of how good this DAP is with all my iem's (current favourite is IMR EDP, followed by Tape).
I've converted my entire iem collection to 4.4 for this thing, and I love it! (well, I have yet to add a removable cable to my Denon AH-D2000's, but it's on the cards!)

Thanks for the response! Very helpful. Glad to hear the updates got you sorted out. I have a PWAudio Loki+ with 4.4 enroute for my Nio's.