Hiby W3

amazon Hiby W3 reviews

Hiby W3 is the latest Bluetooth DAC/ AMP to join the Hiby family. Launched shortly after the stylish design of the Hiby W5, Hiby W3 has returned to the usual physique of a Bluetooth DAC/ AMP with the shape of a clothespin. Equipped with the most advanced technologies from Hiby, whether Hiby W3 will give users a way of experience, explore through this article.

DESIGN AND FINISHING

Universal design but still have many highlights:

Hiby W3 has a completely different design than the previous Hiby W5. Following the popular and easy-to-use design style, Hiby W3 looks like other Bluetooth Receiver. However, there is still a characteristic to prevent Hiby W3 from being mixed with the crowd.

The first is about colors. Hiby W3 has five different colors for you to pick up. It won’t just be boring black or white as usual.

The second is about the clothespin design. The metal clamp of Hiby W3 is extremely strong and has strong pressure to cling very well to your shirt.

Third, monolithic design. Although the body of the Hiby W3 is made from plastic, it has a metal unibody design. The front of the machine is laminated glass looks quite luxurious. Thanks to this design, Hiby W3 has both lightness and durability.

The top of the Hiby W3 is the 3.5mm output port position, the Voice microphone, and the status lights are placed symmetrically, looking very harmonious. The Type-C charging and data port is located at the rear. The control buttons are tilted to one side, making operation easy with just one hand.

Finishing and advanced

Going into the details of machining and finishing. It can be commented that the processing level of Hiby’s products is currently not inferior to any major companies in the world. Look at the way they made music players, and now it’s Hiby W3. The glass is pressed into plastic without any small cracks. The plastic lid adjacent to the frame is the same. The plastic surface on the body is extremely smooth and sharp. There are no minus points of perfection on this product.

SPECIFICATIONS AND CONFIGURATION

Dual CSR8675 + AK4377 chipset for the high-quality wireless audio experience

Hiby W3 uses an independent DAC / AMP chip from Japan’s Asahi Kasei with the code name AK4377. Combined with Qualcomm’s flagship Bluetooth 5.0 chipset, CSR8675 promises to deliver a Hi-res wireless audio experience.

The audio output of Hiby W3 is impressive. SNR index is up to 118dB, THD + N distortion is only from 0.003%. That proves that the sound of Hiby W3 will have high accuracy.

High-end codec support

In addition to supporting common codecs such as AAC, SBC, AptX, Hiby W3 will support more advanced codecs such as APTX LL (ultra-low latency), APTX HD, LDAC, and especially UAT- proprietary codecs on Hiby’s device.

With these advanced codecs, the sound of Hiby W3 will have a resolution no less than the original music file. (Except DSD and some FLAC files are super high resolution)

Software extension control

Hiby started as a software development company, so its products are always strongly supported in this clause. In the lower $100 range, very rare Bluetooth DAC/AMP models are now equipped with an extended control application like Hiby W3. The bundled application for Hiby W3 is called Hiby Blue, which you can easily find on AppStore or Google Play.

With this application, you can receive new firmware updates from the manufacturer. EQ tweaks, codec selection, and lots of other cool customizations.

Advanced add-in features

Hiby W3 comes with an NFC fast connection that allows you to connect your device to a smartphone in just one note. A very useful feature for current NFC-enabled phones.

Hiby W3 can be turned into a USB DAC in case of need through the USB Type-C port. The maximum sound quality that can be decoded is 16bit / 48kHz.

Besides, Hiby W3 is equipped with a high-quality microphone that incorporates Qualcomm CVC environmental noise cancellation algorithm to provide a clear call experience.

Impressive battery life

According to NSX, Hiby W3 is equipped with a 320mAh battery that can play music continuously for more than 11 consecutive hours.

EXPERIENCE TO USE

Smooth connection, extremely low latency

The connection experience of Hiby W3 is simple and fast, especially for phones with NFC. It takes about 1 minute to manipulate the connection for the first time. The next use turns on the power, and Hiby W3 will automatically reconnect to your phone.

The latency I measured on Hiby W3 is less than 100ms, a very impressive figure for a Bluetooth device. With such low latency, the phenomenon of going ahead will not be an annoying problem when watching videos or playing games anymore.

Hiby W3 will be best compatible with smartphones because it supports additional Hiby Blue control applications. However, that does not mean that Hiby W3 cannot connect to other media players. I used Hiby W3 to connect to Smart TV, Laptop, PC, Car; all normally work because Hiby W3 is backward compatible with many different Bluetooth standards.

The ideal distance for non-jerky sound is less than 10 meters. When going over this range, especially in the environment of many Wifi waves and phones, the connection to Hiby W3 may be affected. For high-quality codecs such as LDAC, UAT, Hiby W3 will require you to place the source closer; the optimal distance is less than 5m.

Double coat for sure, durable operation

The hanger of Hiby W3 is very solid. I installed it on my shirt and ran to the gym, so there was no problem causing the machine to fall out. You can rely on this clip on Hiby W3.

On one occasion, I accidentally dropped the Hiby W3 on the tile floor from my pocket. When picked up, no consideration for any significant scratches. It is the plastic construction and the rugged finish that gives Hiby W3 good impact resistance. However, I do not encourage you to throw the device. Sometimes being hit too hard also invalidates the warranty of the device.

The higher quality UAT codec than LDAC has finally shone.

UAT (Short for Ultra Audio Transmission) is a Bluetooth codec developed by Hiby, capable of transmitting the theoretical audio at 24bit/ 192kHz via Bluetooth 5.0. (LDAC maximum is 24bit / 96kHz). Hiby has previously introduced this codec on Hiby W5, but it does not work very well due to its recent development.

Coming back to UAT on Hiby W3, indeed, when switching from conventional codecs such as AAC or SBC to UAT, you will see a new horizon appear in front of you, crystal clear sound flowing through your ears. Details later, I will speak more clearly in the sound.

where can you get a Hiby W3 online

HiBy W3 HiFi Bluetooth 5.0 Headphone Amplifier Receiver with USB DAC/aptX/aptX HD/aptX LL/LDAC/AAC/SBC/UAT for Android, iOS, PC, Type-C Port and 3.5MM Out, AK4377 DAC+amp Chip, NFC Pairing – Black: Buy it now

HiBy W3 Bluetooth HiFi Amp, Bluetooth Headphone Amplifier, Long Battery Life, Call Noise Reduction Technology, Bluetooth 5.0 Chip, AK4377Black: Buy it now

HiByMusic Wireless Bluetooth Headphone Amplifier & Receiver HiBy W3 (Mint Green)【Japan Domestic Genuine Products】【Ships from Japan】: Buy it now

SOUND QUALITY

Tested with Cayin YB04 headset, the transmitter is Bphone 3 in UAT codec

The background sound of Hiby W3 is very quiet, without any small hissing sound even with high-sensitivity headphones like Cayin YB04. That is a clear plus point and proves that the sound of Hiby W3 is taken very seriously.

The overall sound of Hiby W3 goes in the balance direction in all three bands, not the V-Shape for fun sound like on Hiby W5 before. Reproduced stage space has incredible depth and detail for a Bluetooth DAC / AMP.

Hiby W3 brings a neutral tone in terms of timbre without adding too much to the song. The bass range has just enough volume, good power for IEM ears. Bass has layered and floated rather than flattened or stuck together. Mid-range is located in the middle of the stage, very fit and extremely good details. Especially the sound of stringed instruments. The vocalist of the singer is quite smooth and warm but not overly colored but very inspiring. The high range is bright, has a good opening and separation. A slight push in the low-treble makes the sound glitter but does not break the overall balance. Glare or sibilant is strictly controlled on Hiby W3.

The most remarkable point about the sound on Hiby W3 is probably the stage space that it recreates. The stage has a 3D area surrounding the head, not too wide but with the most impressive depth and height of the Bluetooth devices at the same price that I have ever experienced. Of course, to achieve this sound quality, UAT contributes a great part to the success of Hiby W3. But I bet a lot of people will have trouble using this advanced codec of Hiby W3. So I will have little tips below to help you with this problem.

Optimize the sound experience of Hiby W3 with UAT codec:

– First, you need a smartphone running Android with the latest Bluetooth 5.0 support.

– Download 2 software, Hiby Music and Hiby Blue, on the app market.

– Run Hiby Blue and upgrade the latest firmware for Hiby W3 via OTA.

– Upgrade completed, let open Hiby Music and go to settings. Enable UAT codec in settings. Set UAT Connection Mode to Audio Quality priority.

Turn off the Wifi connection to avoid conflict with Bluetooth.

Detect connection with Hiby W3 and play music through Hiby Music. At this point, you will see a little pause when listening. Do not worry; it is because UAT uses the maximum bandwidth of Bluetooth to transmit sound, so it is easily affected by electromagnetic waves.

The final step is to lock the phone and enjoy it. At this time UAT connection will reach absolute stability.

As you can see, to achieve maximum sound quality, UAT’s operating conditions are very strict and maybe a bit inconvenient for some people. Still, its sound is different, and has The dynamic range is noticeably better with the codecs available on the market.

CONCLUDE

Hiby W3 is not very prominent in the design. Still, with the performance of sound quality and the powerful support of Hiby’s software, this is a formidable Bluetooth DAC/ AMP model in the price range of fewer than 100 dollars.

Advantages :

– Simple design, easy to use

– Complete monolithic for high durability

– Long battery life

– Many youthful colors

– Support many high-end Bluetooth codecs

– Extended control software support

– High-quality voice microphone

– Very good detail sound thanks to the exclusive UAT technology

Defect :

– Does not support Balanced standards.