User Experience
The HiBy RS6 features HiBy’s own OS, based on Android 9. Nice detail in the user interface is the custom icons created by HiBy, to compliment the overall design of the player. These icons look really nice with the original ”Darwin” wallpaper. I installed the Qobuz app to the player and even that appears as a green/gold logo somehow. A cool touch from HiBy right there.
Sound-wise, there is the HiByOS. It’s a custom Android rebuilt and in-house developed by HiBy, optimized for bit-perfect audio, completely bypasses the Android’s limitations and SRC thanks to their Direct Transport Audio Architecture. Of course, this means that any app that you could go for would benefit from the integrated DACs to the full extent. Also, the Snapdragon 660 CPU has enough processing power to support 16x MQA unfolding.
HiBy combined the SD660 with 4 gigabytes of RAM, which is sufficient for a DAP. I haven’t had any stutters or freezes during my time with it. The RS6 is very fluid and quick overall. Another cool thing is that you can see the sample rate on, right side of the notification bar which stays on top at all times. The LED light just below the power button lights up in one particular colour, depending on the sample rate, accordingly.
The streaming apps work like charm with bit-perfect playback. Again, the device is quite fast, including the booting time. I also found the battery life to be very very good. You can easily feel the maturity in design, software, and user experience of the RS6.
HiBy RS6
HiBy Music App
For playing songs in your archive, there’s the HiBy Music application. There aren’t any real flaws I faced in this app as it works perfectly. One thing I liked is the screen that contains your recently played songs. That way I can always return to the songs I play frequently. It’s also a very feature-packed application.
A really nice feature is the WiFi music importing menu. When your PC or smartphone is connected to the same WiFi network, you can actually transfer your music files over the air once you copy the given URL onto your browser. I’m not quite sure if this actually is feasible for you since a wired transfer is quite faster. Yet it’s a very nice addition regardless.
Reaching out to your folders, artists and even genres are very easy from the main screen. The HiBy Link option is also available again from the app. It also supports searching and that is quite important for many people.
I loved the simplistic approach in the app with a nice layout and menu placements. A theme option could be nice to customize but it’s still very good and simple to the eye. To cut the story short, the HiBy Music app has everything you can possibly need in a portable player.
HiBy RS6
MSEB
There’s an MSEB menu inside the HiBy Music application which stands for “MageSound 8-Ball”. This menu works for altering the sound next to the basic 10-band equalizer and it’s a trademark from HiBy. Through that screen, you can adjust almost every aspect of sound you can imagine. And the most beautiful part is that they actually work.
What you can do is adjust the overall temperature of sound from cold to warm, bass extension from light to deep, bass texture, note thickness, vocals, sibilance, air, and so on… This is really incredible to play with. With this feature, you can make every type of headphone work with this DAP.
But pure sound lovers like me probably won’t use the features and simply leave it all closed. In my case, I only use the EQ to some extent with my IEMs, and I think those DSP settings are not fully natural sounding but it’s great to have this much detail in terms of sound effects. So I congratulate the effort. The people who fancy these kinds of DSP features most likely will fall in love with the device.
Even though I don’t like playing around with DSP settings, this has to be mentioned as being another important aspect of HiBy RS6. Overall the software is excellent and you can use the HiBy Music app with your own devices from other brands as well. Give it a try.
Page 1 – Intro, Package, Design & Build
Page 4 – Technical Performance, Comparisons & Conclusion
Leo
Hello Berkhan. Great review, thanks a lot. By the way, I was expecting slightly more in the comparisons, so if you would be so kind as to give your opinions on the contrast with Hiby RS5 Saber, the 2020 Hiby R6, or even the similarly-priced Ibasso DX300, I will be thrilled. Have a great day!
Raj
I’d also be interested in that DX300 (Amp 12 as well) comparison!
Berkhan
I never listened to the DX300. For the other two, there’s no comparison really. RS6 is much better than those. But if you’re tight on a budget, the R5 Saber is a nice entry to the hobby.
kenneth costello
Cannot read article because of banner ads. Cannot turn them off!! so frustating
Berkhan
Do you still have this problem when reading?
Sanjay
How can you forget to compare it with Cayin n6ii with R01 module???….like you forgot to compare Legend X evo with Z1r….🤔🤔
Rod
My Hiby R2 very overpriced player died after 2 months. Just died. One evening it working next morning it is not. And now is the worst part – SUPPORT. I got it through AliExpress official Hiby store and they told me to ship it back. I shipped it and latter they tell me to provide tracking number. Shipping with tracking number to them cost almost as new player. So I shipped without , just regular mail. Now they telling me that it is my fault and they don’t care.
SO STAY AWAY from this HYBI players and company if you don’t want overpriced carp. Use just simple phone which is providing same quality.
Lieven
Well, while the player shouldn’t have broken, it’s on Hiby to fix it. I understand that was foreseen, so Hiby is honnoring their warranty. It’s up to you to get the unit to HiBy with tracking, that’s the minimum you need to do.
If the unit is lost because you didn’t, that’s on you. It’s not HiBy’s fault. I understand shipping is expensive, I just paid 300 USD just for shipping to get a DAP fixed myself, but that’s the game and risk you take.
Jonathan
Hello and merry Christmas
Thank you for all your honest and detailed reviews l. Really appreciated!! I own se180 with sem2 and sem4 how do they compare to rs6? I like the se180 but quiet heavy. I would like to try some r2r dap like n6ii r01 or rs6that being special analogue sounding. Should I stick to my se180 or try out the rs6 Money is a concern but is feasible to buy rs6 for testing it.
Cheers Jonathan