Today, we’re reviewing the new HiBy R6 Pro Max portable player, a refreshed R6 Pro DAP variant that costs $999 USD.
Disclaimer: HiBy sent us the new HiBy R6 Pro Max for this review. However, all thoughts and experiences with the product are my own.
HiBy
I don’t think HiBy needs an introduction anymore after launching multiple successful portable players. But just in case, it has been in the industry since 2011 and specializes in the research and development of portable audio equipment. It has designed and developed various products, from DAPs to Bluetooth devices.
HIBY has successfully launched many other DAPs, including its High-End HiBy R8 II. We reviewed it last year, and I recommend you check that article to see what HIBY is capable of in today’s flagship market.
HIBY R6 Pro Max
The HiBy R6 Pro Max is the new addition to the R6 model platform. It carries on the new exterior design introduced with the R6 Pro II, new digital and analogue stages, and the newest DAC chips from ESS. The rest of the features are either similar or upgraded to those of the R6 Pro II, such as the Snapdragon 665 CPU, Android 12 OS, 6 gigabytes of RAM and 128GB of storage. There are new upgrades, especially in the amplifier and power supply stages. So it’s essentially the buffed-up version of the R6 Pro II.
Specifications & Technical Data
- Android 12 with system-wide SRC bypass
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC + 6GB RAM
- 4-way power supply system
- Dual ES9039MS Pro DACs
- 8-way I/V Amplification (OPA1612)
- Femtosecond grade oscillators
- Native DSD1024 and 32-bit PCM
- 5.9’’ 2K Multi-touch Display
- 128GB Internal Storage with 2TB Micro SD Support
- 2.4/5 GHz WiFi
- Aluminium construction
- OTA Firmware Updates + Google Play Store
- 8200 mAh Battery with 40W Fast Charging
- 4.4mm BAL LO + 3.5mm UNBAL LO on the left side
- 3.5mm UNBAL PO + 4.4mm BAL PO on the right side
Packaging & Accessories
The new R6 Pro Max comes in a premium box, which is the usual stuff from HIBY nowadays. However, HIBY has simplified the box with a tidier internal placement. The unboxing experience is simply good. When you open the box, you immediately see the player, which surprised me since I didn’t expect it to have a screen this big.
As for accessories, the R6 Pro Max has a screen protector installed from the factory, which is appreciated. HiBy also included a spare protector, just in case. The underside compartment has a packed USB-C to USB-C cable to charge the device.
The R6 Pro Max also comes with a leather case, which is also very impressive. It fits the device like a glove and looks superb and slick. Using the device with the case feels even better, so the case is not a liability.
Design & Build
The new R6 family member has a familiar look and design, which was introduced in 2023 with the R6 Pro II, which was quite different from the previous Hiby devices. After all the R6 variants we’ve seen until the R6 Pro II, it wasn’t shocking to see HIBY renewing the lineup, but I guess no one expected this kind of drastic change in design in 2023.
As usual, the new HIBY model has a gorgeous screen with tiny bezels, making it a great experience from start to finish. Shanling started the trend with 2K screens in DAPs with the M9 model, and I’m sure many people were sceptical about the power consumption and the actual need. However, it certainly improves the overall experience with the DAP.
The backside of the new HIBY player consists of three parts: a wavy aluminium part on the bottom, a triangle HIBY logo, and a carbon-fibre-looking top part. The latter two areas are finished with glass on top. It reminds me of the SP2000 design, which also has a glass top area for wireless range. I wonder if HIBY used the same idea for better WiFi and Bluetooth reception.
I wasn’t quite fond of the new design route Hiby introduced in 2023, but now I experienced the devices first-hand, and I would say it’s much better in real life. I can’t say I liked the light blue option, which is the release colour. I asked for the black version from HIBY, which, to me, looks better, but to each their own.
Of course, the screen is almost 6 inches, so it’s a more significant device than the previous R6 models in the lineup. The dimensions are similar to those of the R6 Pro II. However, because of the buffed-up amplification, battery, power, and DAC stages, it is a much thicker device, making it uncomfortable to hold and use with a single hand. Thus, the Pro Max variant is not portable and is impossible to use with a single hand.
The aluminium construction feels premium, and the button layout is easy to remember. Instead of having all the buttons on the right side, HIBY splits them up. We have the power and volume buttons on the right, the play/pause, skip, and buttons, and previous track buttons on the left. I’m surprised that HIBY ditched the volume wheel, but they wanted a more straightforward, more elegant design.
The buttons, however, don’t feel very stiff, and there is an inevitable wobble on them. That takes away from the premium feel a bit, so I think HIBY can look into that with the new models in the future. Like the previous models, HiBy placed a colour-coded LED on the right side to indicate the sample rate of the track you’re playing.
The screen looks very, very vivid and incredibly sharp. It has a very high pixel density, which is high for a Hi-Fi player. The album covers and videos look great for a DAP. The screen-to-body ratio is brilliant, and it looks very aesthetic. I don’t think you’ll have trouble using the player in that respect.