HiBy R1 HiFi MP3 Player with Bluetooth 5.1 Tidal Qobuz DSD PCM Lossless Music Player with Touchscreen/Hi Res Audio Certified/MSEB Tuning/2TB Expanded Memory

Once I’d determined how to pair with my Apple AirPods, it was just fine. I didn’t realise the AirPod charger case had a button to press!At first R1 was not loud enough when on Bluetooth to my Apple earphones. Then I found the Bluetooth wireless volume setting and now it’s great. A neat gadget, sharing the top notch DAC’s used in their far more expensive models. Excellent support from Hiby.

As a fan of portable DAC high resolution players, I am disappointed with this player from Hiby. I own several of such devices, including a discontinued FIO, 2 by Surfans (F28 & F20) and a Hiby R4. For most files the FIO is the best, but it has no bluetooth and has a limited storage capacity. It is the issue of storage capacity that explains my excessive buying.Second in quality to the FIO, the Hiby 4 is an excellent device able to take sd cards of 2tb. However it is bulkier than an iPhone and heavy for pocket use. So when I saw that Hiby offered a cheaper device with the same capacity, it seemed like a no brainer.However the Hiby R1 has several issues. Of all my high resolution players, this has the poorest sound, as if behind an electric haze. Some tracks sound OK, but others sound a wee bit distorted. I actually have a cheap non DAC player that handles lossless files better. When using Bluetooth, the player stutters with 24 bit files, making popping noises and cutting out regularly. Maybe this is why it is advertised as an MP3 player?If you stick with 16 bit files, it seems to be OK.It is also conveniently small. So it will be used.The user interface, described as clunky by others, seems OK, much like the Hiby app. But even at less than half the price of the Hiby R4, the drop in sound quality is disappointing. Especially as others at the same price (with lower SD capacity) have better sound and bluetooth functionality.

Small Size, Big Sound (with a few quirks)The Hiby R1 is a fantastic little music player that punches well above its weight. Right out of the box, I was impressed with the pre-applied screen protector – a small touch that shows attention to detail. This thing is tiny and incredibly portable, perfect for slipping into any pocket. Despite its size, it feels surprisingly well-built and modern with its sleek design and USB-C charging.Sound Quality:The audio quality, especially through the USB-C output, is exceptional. I was actually surprised to find the USB-C audio outperforming the 3.5mm jack, though that might have been down to my headphone cable. Either way, the R1 delivers a clean and enjoyable listening experience. It really brings out the best in my music library.Bluetooth:Bluetooth is a must-have for me these days, and the R1 delivers...mostly. While the connection is stable, I found the volume a bit lacking compared to wired mode. It's manageable, but something to keep in mind.A Few Hiccups:Unfortunately, my experience wasn't completely flawless. I ran into a weird issue with my AirPods Pro where the audio would cut out after the first song, forcing me to switch codecs and reconnect. Strangely, this didn't happen with my other Bluetooth headphones (AirPods Max, Sony XM5, Bose QC35).The software also has a few quirks. There's no back button, which makes it frustrating to view album art while a song is playing. The crossfader feature didn't seem to work at all.Positives:* Sound Quality: Excellent, especially via USB-C.* Portability: Super compact and lightweight.* Modern Design: Sleek and stylish with USB-C.* Gapless Playback: A crucial feature for certain albums.* Value: Amazing sound and build quality for the price.Areas for Improvement:* Bluetooth Volume: Could be a bit more punchy.* AirPods Pro Issue: Audio cutting out needs a fix.* Software Quirks: Missing back button, non-functional crossfader.Overall:Despite a few minor issues, the Hiby R1 is a fantastic little music player that I highly recommend. It's perfect for casual listening or as a portable music transport. With a few software updates to iron out the kinks, this could be a truly perfect device. If you're looking for a modern alternative to an iPod Classic, the Hiby R1 is definitely worth considering.

I've only had it for 1 day, but I like it.I'll mostly be using it for the daily 1 hour dog walk which it's perfect for.Very simple to transfer your music files onto, and had no problems with the OS.I'm only using budget Sony WF-C500 BT earphones at the moment, eventually I'll get some that support LDAC for better BT quality, but for just walking the dogs I'm quite happy already with the sound.I've also listened to it through my ATH-MSR7s with FLAC 16 and 24 bit files and it sounds pretty good imo. They're known to be quite a bright and sibilant headphone, I use Equalizer APO to get them sounding a bit warmer on my pc.Paired with this they seemed even more brighter and kinda harsh sounding, but using the MSEB settings I managed to get them sounding a bit warmer and less harsh without making them sound too muddy (not as good as using APO on pc though) Edit: (I noticed I had the Soundfield option turned on which was causing them to sound brighter than usual, with that off they sounded better, although I do quite like Soundfield on with the Sony BT earphones depending on what I'm listening to.A dark mode would be nice, hopefully that'll come in a not too distant firmware update.But apart from that I Can't really think of any cons, like I said it's perfect for my dog walks, and it was only £80 (standard option) using the current 5% off voucher.Edit: (20-01-25) They just put out firmware update V1.3, which includes a dark theme!

Does everything it says it will and more, excellent sound through the Usb C connector a little weak and thin through the 3.5mm standard audio port. It an important point because nowhere in the paperwork or on the Hiby website does it even tell you the type c can be used, indeed most of the so-called experts miss this point in their reviews.

Looks like the device was used marks on the device that looks like scratches from wear and tear