HiBy RS6 Review

Sound

The HiBy RS6’s advantage in the sound department is its musicality and atmospheric nature. This is most likely the result of the R2R circuit design. This is a very fluid, organic and musical player that has a life-like sense of realism and naturalness with the classic timbre of copper chassis players. It’s warm, thick and deep sounding.

Based on that impression, one should be selective about pairing it with various IEMs and headphones. The warm nature of the RS6 can be the critical factor when you test its sound quality.

Bass

The bass in the RS6 is very strong, deep and impactful, and it can be quite boomy and overwhelming when paired with the wrong IEM. The RS6 goes well with flat, bright and reference-like equipment in this department. However, if you pair it with warm-sounding or bassy gear, the result is not especially desirable. Even so, this is not a big problem for a DAP like RS6. With a little tweak inside the “MSEB” sound adjustment menu, you can perfectly set it to your liking. Yet, these are artificial effects at the end of the day.

HiBy RS6

The bass reaches very deep, but the decay and quickness of the bass are not on a very high level. However, midbass is nicely executed with great texture. It’s not too fat and doesn’t get in the way of things too much, but retains that unique warmth of the player. I think the overall bass performance of the RS6 is very satisfying, especially for bass lovers in terms of quantity and those who enjoy a warm approach.

You won’t get the quickest bass response with the RS6, but you’ll surely get a very warm and impactful one. So if you’re considering getting the RS6, make sure you set your expectations accordingly. This player has bass, a big one. If you have a flat sounding monitor, you might get the most ideal balance right there. It’s all about matching when it comes to the bass performance of the RS6.

Mids

The mid-range has great note thickness and tonality. Again, the warmth of the RS6 continues to put on a show here. It presents a very fluent mid-range, with a good definition and great timbre. I especially liked the presentation of various instruments, particularly acoustic guitar and sax. The musical quality of the RS6 is mesmerizing at times.

The smoothness of the mids is the key factor in the RS6. It doesn’t have the most transparent mid-range, nor the most resolving. But it plays instruments and vocals in a very musical and smooth way. There are players that have better resolution in this area, such as the SE180, but that one doesn’t have the warm timbre of the RS6.

HiBy RS6

So again, the choices come into play. If your IEM has good clarity and resolution, it will balance out well with the RS6 since you’ll get excellent timbre and tonality, as well as good note weight. The RS6 doesn’t exemplify technicality monsters, it instead speaks for musical DAPs out there. It reminds me of the old Hifiman DAPs; the HM801 and HM601 LE. Similar timbre quality and smoothness.

Treble

The treble region is nicely controlled but well extended. Treble sounds very crisp and clear as well. There’s a good balance here with good resolution. It doesn’t sound harsh, but it doesn’t play it too safe either. It has clarity, crispness, and extension with a resolving sound here.

This reminded me of the WM1Z. Not that this one is on the same technical level, but presentation-wise they sound similar. The WM1Z is not reserved when it comes to treble, even though it has a warm sound presentation. The same story is applicable to the RS6. The treble is crispy, sometimes bright and it’s certainly not too shy about it.

So don’t expect a recessed treble just because it is a warm sounding player. The treble is right there with good definition and presence. However, it’s never harsh or piercing. That’s the most important thing. It keeps the treble under control with all of these qualities I mentioned. There’s good transparency here as well.

So overall it’s a very nice treble reproduction with excellent balance and timbre. The treble is not too thin sounding, but not too thick either. It sounds just right and correct. There’s a good resolution here with plenty of detail.

Page 1 – Intro, Package, Design & Build

Page 2 – User Experience & Software

Page 4 – Technical Performance, Comparisons & Conclusion

4/5 - (103 votes)
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A keen audiophile and hobby photographer, Berkhan is after absolute perfection. Whether it is a full-frame camera or a custom in-ear, his standpoint persists. He tries to keep his photography enthusiasm at the same level as audio. Sometimes photography wins, sometimes his love for music takes over and he puts that camera aside. Simplistic expressions of sound in his reviews are the way to go for him. He enjoys a fine single malt along with his favourite Jazz recordings.

9 Comments

  • Reply November 4, 2021

    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!

    • Reply November 4, 2021

      Raj

      I’d also be interested in that DX300 (Amp 12 as well) comparison!

    • Reply November 10, 2021

      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.

  • Reply November 4, 2021

    kenneth costello

    Cannot read article because of banner ads. Cannot turn them off!! so frustating

    • Reply November 10, 2021

      Berkhan

      Do you still have this problem when reading?

    • Reply December 7, 2021

      Sanjay

      How can you forget to compare it with Cayin n6ii with R01 module???….like you forgot to compare Legend X evo with Z1r….🤔🤔

  • Reply December 13, 2022

    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.

    • Reply December 13, 2022

      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.

  • Reply December 25, 2022

    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

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