Comparisons
First off is the Fiio X7II with the AM3B amplifier module, that’s the one with the 3.5 single ended and the 4.4 balanced output, so the same as our R6 PRO. Sound wise they actually are pretty close and the X7ii shows more energetic, more extended treble. Bass is also maybe a bit less/tighter on the X7II but that’s about it for differences. This goes for both the balanced and single ended output. The Fiio X7II uses the ESS9028PRO and the R6 PRO uses the ES9028Q2M so there’s really no surprise here. These are the top competitors for the mid-fi market!
The little sibling of the HiBy family (the R3) sounds really good for its price but it’s just not playing at the level of it’s big brother, and that’s perfectly normal. Depth, width, separation, detail, layering and balance, the R6 PRO easily outperforms it by a lot. The R3 is fun, the R6 PRO is quality and fun. The difference between balanced and single ended in the R3 is also very small compared to that of the R6 PRO. The R6 PRO is also much easier to work with because of its size and the better worked out menu structures, etc
Unfortunately our regular R6 is in Turkey with Berkhan and so I can’t give you a direct comparison between both player at the time of publication of this review. I do promise to add it though as soon as I get my hands on it again. From what I understand from my colleagues I trust, I understand that the R6 PRO is and sounds more powerful but also more noisy. But we have covered the noise already and it’s really nothing to worry about. The R6 PRO also is said to present more body, bass and warmth (probably in balanced). From a direct comparison, the R6 PRO was named the most tonally correct one of both R6’s.
Another DAP we could compare the R6 PRO to is the Astell&Kern AK70II, it’s still available though it’s been replaced by the SR15 and that one (again) unfortunately has been returned to AK in South-Korea. From what I have in my memory the SR15 sounds more balanced and linear when listening to the 2.5mm output, with less bass and mid body, as well as impact.
For me the real only competitor at his price point is the Fiio X7ii as the other DAPs in our collection are either entry-fi, high mid-fi and high end and it makes no sense comparing it to those DAPs.
IEMs & Headphones
Pola is the universal IEM by Shozy and AAW we reviewed last week. Pola likes power and so you would think the combination works really well but I last week reported this: The Pola gets the nice full bodied sound of the R6 PRO and it makes the bass and mids shine. The R6 PRO is fairly neutral but bass and mids have good body. With this source the treble is the least impressive but mids and bass have excellent detail and layering. Treble is a little smoother here and for the POLA it’s missing some energy compared to with the other players. It’s not my favourite source for POLA even though I’m really loving this DAP. Of course that’s in single ended mode as Pola comes with the special 3.5mm terminated cable.
The JH Audio JH13V2 is the monitor I use when I want to enjoy my music on a non review basis and with the R6 PRO I actually prefer it in single ended mode. The JH13V2 has a full bodied sound and great bass (adjustable) on its own and with the balanced output it all for me personally becomes a bit much. In SE mode you get good body, detail/precision and musicality all in one, where the quality is hidden behind the body and bass in balanced mode.
The Unique Melody 3DD-Ti unfortunately is an IEM I have a hate-hate relationship with so far and with the R6 PRO I also can’t get to loving it either. To me it sounds overly airy, had disconnected bass, mids, highs and it just doesn’t sound natural, it’s wrong. I’ve liked all the UM units so far but this one just isn’t compatible with me.
Power also means you can easily hook up higher end, easier to drive, full sized headphones such as the Hifiman HE1000SE to the balanced output. With the Sennheiser HD660S you have to switch to high gain but the result is quite nice with good bass and clarity. It’s not the best sounding HD660S I have ever heard but directly from a DAP this is quite nice.
The Hifiman Ananda is extremely good and it won an award from us last year. On top of that it comes with its own 4.4mm terminated cable. The Ananda doesn’t need high gain and even on low gain at volume 30 it will play louder than you want. It’s not only about loudness of course but the R6 PRO drives the Ananda with such ease. It delivers perfect (big, impactful) bass, rich, deep mids, excellent layering from low to high and high energy treble. This is a stunning combination.
Meze’s Empyrean – the best headphone of 2018 – is also supposed to be real easy to drive yet it really does sound better when you hook it up to a big amp. The R6 PRO really surprised me here as I didn’t expect it to sound this excellent from the balanced output. No, it doesn’t doesn’t have the sound quality compared to the DAVE, Nirvana or Euforia, but it’s fun, it’s detailed, transparent and highly musical.
So in the end, and like with each source, not all IEMs and headphones will sound great straight from the headphone output, but overall it really positively surprised me with the newest full-sized headphones.
Conclusion
The HiBy R6 PRO, and especially the balanced output, has quickly grown on me. Not only does it sound excellent, it’s also a pleasure to just hold and work with. Beautiful design, superb UI, and great versatility. The R6 PRO gets good points all over and it’s hard to find any flaws. If I could change something it would probably be the SE output and the interference issue.
If that SE output had a bit more emotion, the R6 PRO would get a perfect score from me but that’s something personal. That being said, the R6 PRO still scores very high and it without any doubt goes straight to the recommended DAP list. It’s a serious contender already for the best of 2019 awards, I kid you not.
Regarding to the competition, its biggest contender still is the Fiio X7II. The advantage the Fiio has sound wise is small but it’s there, but the R6 PRO’s UI, versatility and usability just is a lot better than that of the Fiio.
For me the HiBy R6 PRO’s balanced output is performing above its price point and I actually prefer using the R6 PRO over the double as expensive AK SP1000M. It’s just that nice.
Last but not least: should you upgrade from the regular R6 to this PRO version? It depends. It is more powerful and has bigger body, bass and more warmth, so if that’s what you’re missing from your R6, you should certainly try the PRO version. If you don’t need the extra power and a 4.4mm balanced out put, and like the R6’s sound, then I’d just stick to the one you have now.
Wills Chiu
Hi Lieven, happy chinese new year!
I notice that the original r6 has a (releatively) high output independence (10 ohms…?) which may not be ideal for some monitors. Is that still the case in the new hiby?
Lieven
Hi! Happy NY! You can find all the specs here: https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-r6-pro
Berkhan
No, the new one has a very low output impedance like most DAPs.
Lieven
Yes, Berkhan is right. For both the headphone outputs
KITAD
Hi which sound o you think is better? HibY R6 Pro or the DX150 with amp8?
Lieven
I haven’t listened to that exact setup but I’m not the biggest iBasso DAP user. Nano is our iBasso DAP expert but he doesn’t have the R6PRO. Sorry
KITAD
How does it compare to sony’s WM1A dap?
ED TAUER
I saw your comment on the R6Pro vs 1Z, but not comparing it to the 1A. The 1Z is out of my price range. Thoughts on the R6Pro vs WM1A?
Ryan Eagon
How’s the sound compared to WM1Z? I’m ln the market for a DAP with Wifi and streaming capabilities, looking for something that is warm sounding, good battery life, and decently fast. Cheers!
Lieven
Technically the 1Z is of course ahead of the R6PRO, but the pro is most powerful.
R6PRO is great for what you say but the quality isn’t up to 1Z levels
Eric Wilson
How does the R6PRO compare to the Sony WM1A or the Fiio M11 Pro?
Thanks!
Tibor
Hello hello, I am looking for a new dap and this one really caught my attention. But it´s impossible to test it first, could you compare it to ASTELL&KERN SR15 please?
I´ve tried that one and really liked it, also your review was positive. My iems are Westone UM Pro 30. Didn´t try balanced though, but I may buy a cable in the future.
Many thanks 🙂
Tibor
I can see the comparison now….my bad.thx
Ismael lopez
What is better? Fiio x7 ll or r6 pro?
Teddy Thamrin
After demoing both the Fiio X7 II with AM3D module & HiBy R6 Pro, I ended up purchasing the R6 Pro
Alex
In my opinion, the SR 15 just sounds terrible with Equalizer off (!!). With EQ on, a more or less neutral sound is possible and then, it’s a great (but small) player. I still use both players, the SR 15 and the Hiby R6 pro.
Ronald
Hi.
I have the Shure srh 1840 and am undecided between the Cowon P2, P6pro, or Wm1a.Which
Which would you suggest, taking into account that my 1840 is more of a flat response.
Which would drive the 1840 properly?
Thanks
Steve
Great review! Can you tell me exactly I would need to buy to connected my Audeze LCD-2’s to this player’s balanced connector? Very new to this thanks
Oyani
Hi there!
Was hoping if you can help me understand this statement better:
“The Ananda doesn’t need high gain and even on low gain at volume 30 it will play louder than you want.”
I have an R6 Pro and a Hifiman Sundara, which according to some forums are fairly similar. Should I expect the same performance? With balanced cables, I am playing at 75% volume.
Also, considering that I am using balanced cables, would still recommend using an AMP, lets say a Fiio A5 with 800mW output? Am I missing out if I didn’t?
JT
Hello,
I’m looking for a high quality DAP to store and play the music from my obscure/irreplaceable CDs in a lossless file format. I would use it in conjunction with my home system, not headphones. Can the HiBy R6 Pro be used with an integrated amplifier?
scotto
I tested my R6 Pro Aluminum with my tube integrated, Onix, connected via a silver interconnect with 3.5mm plug. It works ok, wasn’t fully burned in yet. I also ran the Pro through a Chord Mojo via Coax and USB then on to the integrated amp – this resulted in a fuller more dynamic engaging presentation. I preferred “reference” when playing via 2 channel. USB is a little less clear than Coax. My Pro has an issue playing tracks above 96K via coax. Hiby says it should work up to 192k, but two units I’ve tried do not. The coax also would not lock with a Metrum Octave DAC or Peachtree Dac-It. USB out would play up to the 192k files attempted.
Wayne
I have a Fiio X7 MK1 is the Hiby Pro 6 a big upgrade for me ?
Darren Cotter
I tried to purchase an R6 Pro from Amazon.co.uk, as their only UK dealer AdvancedMP3Players.co.uk have stopped stocking their item as they said they are an awkward company to deal with. I have emails to that effect. Anyway, Hiby’s store on Amazon.co.uk doesn’t take the UK VAT off and as a resident of Jersey, Channel Islands, I’m not legally obliged to pay UK VAT. When I told Hiby this on their Facebook page, I was told by one of their representatives. that if I didn’t want to pay the same as everyone else, I should go elsewhere! So I’ll never try to purchase a Hiby product ever again and I’ll get a Fiio M11 or Pro.
Bobby
Are there even stores still selling the R6 Pro (Black Aluminum) in the USA? I can’t find any.