Today we review the HiBy R8 II DAP, HiBy’s new Hi-End portable player, selling for $1,999 USD.
Disclaimer: The sample of the HiBy R8 II was sent to us free of charge for this review. HiBy Music is not in any way related to Headfonia.
HiBy
I don’t think HiBy needs an introduction anymore after having launched multiple successful portable players. In the ever-evolving landscape of portable audio, HiBy has consistently been at the forefront since the introduction of the original R6, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in terms of sonic fidelity and user experience.
HiBy has been in the industry since 2011. They designed and developed a wide range of products from DAPs to various Bluetooth devices. They successfully launched many other DAPs in the past and now launched their new Hi-End unit: the HiBy R8 II. We have reviewed several HiBy products and you can find the reviews here. In particular, you can check out our RS8 flagship review below:
HiBy R8 II
Building upon the success of its predecessors, the HiBy R8 II emerges as HiBy’s Hi-End digital audio player which not only embodies the brand’s commitment to the market but also continues the standard for HiBy’s new and modern design language, started with the R6 Pro II.
The first-ever flagship DAP from HiBy was the R8. Although it was a fine unit, it didn’t quite have the pure sound performance to shape up with the best in the market. The RS8 that came afterwards has been a well-received flagship unit and it’s still considered one of the best. Now HiBy released the successor of the original R8, with dramatic design changes and much better figures/specs on paper. The company calls the R8 II a ”portable concert hall”.
It’s clear that the new R8 II has an impressive set of features, and even if I tried to keep it short, the list is still quite extensive. Here are the most important features of the new R8 II:
- Darwin-MPA technology
- DSD 1024 & PCM 32-Biy support (1536k)
- Balanced amplification design (Class A & AB)
- 12000mAh battery
- Android 12
- Snapdragon 665 CPU
- 8GB RAM
- 256 GB internal storage
- Stainless steel chassis
- Alcantara back panel
- 5.9” 1080p+ display
For those who are interested in the tech under the hood, you can check out HiBy’s video below. Under the video, you can see the full specs. If you’re not interested, you can directly jump to the 2nd page here.
Page 2: Packaging, Design, Layout, Price, User Experience
Page 3: Sound, Comparisons
Page 4: Synergy, Conclusion
Stefano
Thanks for the great review. It would be interesting to compare in terms of r2r sound with the AK se300 which is perhaps the direct competitor in terms of price. Thank you.
Mario
In your opinion (and tests), what has the biggest influence on this “neutrality” in the sound signature, mostly the DAC or the AMP section?
Alex
Hello, is it possible to compare this device – HiBy R8 II with such outstanding devices as Chord Electronics Hugo 1,2 or even Chord Electronics Hugo TT2. And if possible, does the HiBy R8 II, in your subjective opinion, surpass them in sound or not?