If money is not a problem, which one should you choose between them? R6 III or R4? I just sold my Sony ZX707 Japanese because of the battery (only 4 hours). I was thinking of getting a Fiio M15s, but I don't want Android 10 /11 and it gets hot as well. Astell and Kern SR35 is too small. The Hiby Pro 2 is too big... Dx180 I didn't like the know.
My decision is to pick up one of them R4 or R6 III, by now I have both in my cart waiting to decide 😂 !!!Thank you so much !
Update :
By now , I got the R4 for £170 / $220 in an offer ( half price comparing to R6, to test. I will leave it inside my backpack to use it during commute. I will buy a second dap , probably the R6 but I am afraid that it is almost the same thing as the R4. I can buy something more expensive ( budget is $1200). It will be used at home only . I have saving money for around 1 year to buy a new dap. Any recommendation?
Videos
In the market for my first DAP and like most folks looking for guidance. My budget is about $700 and could spring to $1000 for the right combo of DAP and IEM (currently have a aful P5). Listening is a mix of a healthy FLAC library server via Plex amp or Roon, and Quboz streaming. Bluetooth would be nice for my Galaxy II pro buds but not a deal breaker, battery life being more important. Open to other options than the ones listed.
I'm just a casual listener with my phone and dongle DAC, but I think it's time for an upgrade. Should I jump to the R6 III for absolute sound quality and build, or save some money by choosing the R4 or R3? This will be my first DAP, and I don't know how much the sound will differ between each DAP. Is it worth it to spend more on the expensive R6 III, or settle with a cheaper DAP?
Edit: Ive just bought the R4 for $220 dollars since its a nice deal. Hope I will enjoy it till it last.
I have a pretty straightforward question. Based on sound quality and usability, is it worth the extra money to upgrade from the R4 to the R6 III 2025? Is the sound that much better with the 4x CS43198 and usability that much better with the extra GB of RAM?
hi guys which one of these makes difference in sound quality if i'm being upgraded from R4? and which one has faster OS? I'm happy with Hiby just wanna upgrade my R4
hi all , its enough if i choose R4 instead of R6iii ? previously im using Ipod Classic Gen 7. and yes i prefer bass , sometimes acoustic
Hey all 👋
So I'm new to the DAP scene, I did have an apple ipod when they 1st came out and it was the best thing at the time for me lol I loved it but it didn't last forever.. since then I've been using phones as an all in one BUT recently, I've been wanting to invest in a DAP.. Nothing in the high end price range just yet as money isn't an issue but I have been checking out both the hiby R4 and the R6 Gen 3 and from what I can tell there isn't that great deal of a difference, am I completely wrong about that? As a noob I remain completely in the dark and I was wondering if anyone can tell me IF there is a massive difference that I maybe missing?
Thanks
TLDR; Much difference between the R4 and R6 Gen 3?
There are some slight difference between the two but the R6 3 was released I think 2 years ago. The software experience is similar and most would not really notice much of a difference. The R6 has an option to turn off the Class A amp, which could offer slightly better battery life at the cost of some power. As you consider yourself new to DAPs the R4 will give you all you need and save you a few bucks.
To me there is a big difference in sound, but if you have entry level earphones, or average ears, you won't notice it. The R6iii has a better amp section and proper Elna silmic ii capacitors, a few things like that, which are a level up sound wise. If you are new, there is no point in spending more money, until you know what you want. Hiby m300 or something like that, or even a Hiby R1 for basically no money, will get you started, and if you are new, it will still sound better then your phone. If it doesn't, on good iem's, you know you don't need to spend a lot of money or keep chasing better stuff.
Hey there, I’ve been researching DAPs and narrowed it down to these three. I like the HiBy for its system-wide EQ and plugins but hear it has slowdown issues, a 720p screen, and occasional freezing. The JM21 isn’t readily available (and I’m not a fan of the blue color), and I want something before my trip next week. I know these are chunky devices, so absolutely noted and not an issue.
I like the R6 III’s design but wonder if it’s worth much more than the R4, as they’re similar with some extra features. The DX180’s battery life is great, but I’ve heard it’s less warm and bassy compared to the HiBy, though it drives high-powered headphones well.
Can anyone who’s tried these recommend one? Or anything in this price range that could be what I'm looking for? I’m looking for a warm-sounding DAP with a good interface, nice design, and durability for 3+ years. I want to get a set of headphones in the future and while extra power is nice for later on, the Hiby doesn't look too bad. Just want to hear some input if anyone has owned both (looking more toward the Hiby and DX180 atm).
If price is a big factor, go for the R4. If you have the headroom, go for the DX180. I’ve had both and like the better screen, snappier UI, and advertised features that work. If DAC mode is something you’re interested in, it hardly works on the R4, but the DX180’s works perfectly fine.
HIBY r4 hands down. Cheap, reliable and pretty insane at its price point. I recently upgraded from it to the Fiio M23 as I wanted more driving power for some of my symphonium iems. The Hiby R4 has a driving power of 500 smth if I'm not wrong, which is alot for such a small thing. The R6 Pro 2 is weaker in this aspect at abt 300 smth so depending on your headphones it might struggle. Imho the R6 Pro 2 is abit out classed by its competitors at its price point. That said if you had the opportunity, try them out first.
Pros:
Price
Design and color choices (Reminds me of Evangelion Mechas)
Lively and colorful sound
Class A amplification
Sound customization and enhancement options
Cons:
Runs warm
Remember when Hiby released the M300 under a new brand, Hiby Digital? That one was in the same vein as later Sony A Series Walkmans and became quite popular. But that’s old news now. The new rage is the R4. Has Hiby finally lost it, releasing such a feature-packed product for only $249?
Disclaimers
Hiby R4, along with their Project Ace, was sent to me by Hiby as part of the Turkey Tour of the Audio Geek Review Group. I don’t get to keep these tour units, even at the end of the tour. As I always say, everyone is biased one way or another, so take everything you read with a grain of salt. Also, I will try to be more concise and to the point in my reviews from now on without worrying about the word count, etc. If you have any questions, please ask me in the comments, and I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities. Additionally, I will be copying some parts from my earlier Hiby R6 Pro II review, as they are pretty much valid for this review as well.
About Hiby
Hiby was founded in 2011, according to their website, and apparently, has even more experience in the audio field. They are mostly known for their Digital Audio Players, but they also make DAC/Amps and earphones. However, what sets Hiby apart from other manufacturers is their expertise in software. Their UIs, apps, and connection protocol, Hiby Link, are used even by other brands.
Design and Packaging of Hiby R4
With a cyberpunk theme, Hiby hits several birds with one stone. First, they made their target audience obvious, in this case, younger audiophiles. They also lowered the cost with relatively cheap construction and could get away with it. The device has sharp corners, and rubber is used here and there. The 04 number is apparent on the packaging and the device. There are four color choices: Orange, Silver, Green, and Black. The color I got is the most boring one, Silver. Honestly, this Evangelion vibe is what attracted me to the R4.
The Hiby R4 comes in a simple but stylish package. Inside, you are welcomed with the DAP, and at the back, you get a TPU case, a USB-C to USB-C cable, and spare screen protectors. Although it sounds modest, I don’t really need anything else. Higher-end DAPs come with more cables and stuff, but I rarely use them anyway.
Hardware of Hiby R4
So most people choose their DAPs and DACs based on the DAC chips inside. In the case of the R4, 4 ES9018C2M chips are used for digital-to-analog conversion. The amplification circuit consists of 4 OP1652 and 2 OP1612 operational amplifiers. The R4 only works in Class A amplification by default, which can be a downside if you don’t like your electronics running warm or want more battery life. The maximum power output of the device is 165 mW from single-ended and 525 mW from balanced.
Being a budget-oriented device, the Hiby R4 offers 3 GB of RAM memory and 32 GB of internal storage, but as usual, you can store up to 2 TB of music or data with an SD Card.
The 4.7” IPS 720p screen on the R4 isn’t exactly flagship-level, but it's more than enough for regular operation of a DAP.
The R4 supports the usual wireless and wired connectivity options, namely WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB, and Coaxial through USB-C output. Analog outputs include 3.5 mm single-ended and 4.4 mm balanced. There are no separate line outputs. The device also supports DLNA, Airplay, and their own Hiby Link protocols, as well as Hiby Cast remote control. It can render X16 MQA too, if that’s important to you. I’m pretty sure there are others I forgot to mention.
So all of these yield virtually no distortion and noise. I didn’t really test the battery life, but Hiby promises 11 hours of runtime with 3.5 mm single-ended output. All I can say is that the battery has a longer life than my R6 Pro II, so through balanced, I can say 9-10 hours of playback is what you can expect.
Software and UI
The Hiby R4 uses an open Android 12.0, which means you can download any 3rd party apps you want, and it should receive app updates for quite a while. Hiby Music comes pre-installed as the default music player, and I didn’t need to use any other music app since I mostly stream my music.
The UI is customized by Hiby for the intended use case. It is not too different from the usual Android experience, but changing audio controls like adjusting gain and amplification type is especially very easy. Hiby also offers four different themes for you to choose from. All of them looked great in their own way, so I had a hard time choosing one. The UI is pretty fast. I only saw it stuttering when loading album art, that’s all.
Hiby’s own MSEB (Mage Sound 8-ball Tuning) is an EQ-based easy sound adjustment mechanism. If using EQ is intimidating for you, playing with MSEB can ease you into it. I think it’s a great feature. Here is the list that shows how each choice affects the sound:
1 -- Overall Temperature: a tilt of the whole line towards treble (cool) or bass (warm)
2 -- Bass extension 70Hz and below
3 -- Bass texture 100Hz (medium)
4 -- Note thickness 200Hz (wide)
5 -- Vocals 650Hz (very wide)
6 -- Female overtones 3kHz (tight)
7 -- Sibilance LF 5.8kHz (medium)
8 -- Sibilance HF 9.2kHz (medium)
9 -- Impulse response 7.5kHz (very wide)
10 - Air 10kHz sloped all the way to 20kHz
Like other Hiby DAPs of late, R4 also has Parametric Equalizer. There are also plugins you can play with. Hiby sent me some samples to try, like soundstage enhancement and crossfeed. I know some of you like unaltered sound, but when it comes to software, you have got to respect Hiby.
Sound of Hiby R4
I have to be honest; for digital audio players, I value functionality more than sound, unless the device sounds straight up bad, and I’m happy to announce R4 doesn’t sound bad at all. It doesn’t have the sound of a flagship, of course, it doesn’t. But during my time testing it, I never felt like I’m missing something.
The Hiby R4 has a colorful and lively sound. You can say it’s slightly V-shaped. Bass is definitely emphasized, and by a big margin. Other than that, it doesn’t sound particularly harsh or glaring. Details and spaciousness aren’t top-notch, but more than enough unless you aren’t analyzing your music. Let’s move on to comparison for more context.
Comparisons
Hiby R4 vs. Hiby R6 Pro II
I know it’s not exactly fair, but the only comparable DAP I had in my hand at the time of the review was my R6 Pro II. Still, the R4 held its ground pretty well.
Bass is more impactful on R4.
R6 Pro II is more controlled and well-defined.
R4 is more colorful and vivid, just like a contrast-maxed TV. R6 Pro II’s rendition is more natural and effortless. Timbre is also better on R6 Pro II.
R6 Pro II has more air, feels more spacious, and separates better. R4 sounds a little blunted compared to that.
R6 Pro II is more detailed, which is no surprise. It keeps its composure during complex passages while R4 tumbles a little.
Hiby R4 vs. Fiio KA5
I assume a lot of people will be looking to buy R4 as their first DAP, so coming from a decent dongle, they might be wondering what they will gain, so I compared R4 to my FiiO KA5.
R4 has more body and note weight. KA5 sounds cleaner and has slightly better timbre.
KA5 has more sub-bass extension.
R4 has more energy and bite.
KA5 is slightly more airy. Details and spaciousness also feel slightly better on KA5.
Conclusion
The Hiby R4 gets my first full 5 stars. Not because it sounds much better than anything else, but because it does everything I care for right. It has a lively sound that you will enjoy when you are out and about. It has a cool design (Yes, EVA bias). It has great power and amplification. It uses a good processing chip and has a fast UI. It has sound customization and enhancement options like PEQ, MSEB, and plug-ins. And most importantly, it does all of this for only $249. So the verdict? I’m planning to buy a unit for myself later!