amazon Hiby W5 reviews
THE DESIGN OF HIBY W5
According to Hiby, this is a design inspired by the spacecraft of the future, the entire body is made of elongated shape, pointed at both ends.
The half body is finished from glossy plastic, the lower half is stainless steel, which makes it more rugged and luxurious than just made entirely from plastic like ES100. On the body of Hiby W5 only has a single 3.5mm connector which means that this device does not support Balanced 2.5mm standard like on ES100.
On the body of Hiby W5 is completely smooth, no physical buttons appear. You can only control it via a single touch button located in the status indicator light area located near the 3.5mm port.
In addition, Hiby W5 will not be able to charge without its included charging dock. The charging method for Hiby W5 is similar to the current True Wireless headset models. Many of you will be wondering why not integrate a direct charging port like Micro USB or Type-C for convenience? The answer is that the Hiby W5 is designed to resist water and dust when it meets IP67 standards. How many Bluetooth DAC / AMP devices on the market do this? Currently Hiby W5 is the first and only product with this capability. You can comfortably bring your W5 while you exercise, go on a trip, go to the beach, no longer worry about being wet or damaged.
The charging box comes with a design that opens and closes with a hinge, simple operation. Inside is also integrated magnet to manipulate W5 charging easier, not falling out even when the lid is open.
Fortunately, the Hiby W5 still has a built-in clothespin because with the smooth exterior plus the ability to vibrate feedback, it is likely that people will misunderstand the main use of this Bluetooth DAC / AMP.
AUDIO CONFIGURATION
Right from the signal receiving floor, Hiby W5 is equipped with Qualcomm’s most advanced Bluetooth CSR8675 chip. This chip supports the latest Bluetooth 5.0 standard and a number of other advanced features.
The advantage of Bluetooth 5.0 is that it is more stable, saves battery and data transfer speed much faster than Bluetooth 4.2 and earlier. But what is worth mentioning is not what Bluetooth standard that attention will focus on the codec that Hiby named Ultra Audio Transmission (abbreviated as UAT) equipped on Hiby W5.
This is a special codec developed by Hiby, currently only available on Hiby W5. In theory, UAT takes advantage of more bandwidth of Bluetooth 5.0 when peaking at 1200 kb / s. Therefore, UAT is capable of transmitting lossless audio signals that exceed Hi-res standards up to 24bit / 192kHz (double LDAC when stopped at 24bit / 96kHz).
In addition to UAT, Hiby W5 will support all of the other codecs currently on the market from SBC, AAC, AptX, AptX HD to LDAC. No Bluetooth device can make it difficult for Hiby W5.
Not only that, Hiby W5 is also equipped with a dedicated audio decoding DAC / AMP chip from ESS Sarbe codenamed ES9218P. It is also one of the most powerful mobile audio decoders in the world today. In theory, this chip can handle PCM 32bit / 384kHz and DSD256 Native signals.
Integrated amplifier circuit for output power up to 80mW @ 32 Ohm in each channel. Extremely low distortion (THN + D) and high signal-to-noise ratio, ensure the sound output maintains good dynamics and fidelity.
In addition to the audio, Hiby W5 also has a built-in voice microphone along with the 8th generation Clear Voice Capture speech processing algorithm that provides a clear, low-noise voice experience.
MANUFACTURE CONTROLLER AND SOFTWARE
There are not many control keys directly on Hiby W5. A single touch button located at the beacon position. It took a while to get used to me to determine the exact location of this touch button. Fortunately, this button has vibration feedback every time we touch.
A high-end Bluetooth DAC / AMP that lacks the accompanying application is a major omission of the manufacturer. Fortunately, Hiby is a software company, so it is not difficult to equip an accompanying app. The Hiby W5 comes with Hiby Blue, which you can find on the two largest mobile platforms, Android and iOS.
This software allows you to monitor the operating status of Hiby W5 and set related settings such as codec selection, sampling frequency, EQ adjustment, gain of integrated amplifier, left and right balance, etc. You can also update the firmware via this software.
EXPERIENCE AND SOUND
Don’t keep you waiting, I will test the most powerful UAT codec on Hiby W5 to see how it works. Hiby recommends that users use devices that support Bluetooth 5.0 for best device performance.
I used Redmi Note 7 with both Hiby Music and Hiby Blue installed to activate UAT. In addition, Redmi Note 7 also has LDAC and codecs for us to compare.
Unfortunately, the current UAT on Hiby W5 is only theoretically true. In fact, in only about 30 seconds of turning on UAT, Hiby W5 continuously experienced the phenomenon of jerky music like it was tripping. About every 3-5 seconds. This makes me quite uncomfortable and can not experience it. Perhaps this codec will need to improve a lot and we have to wait in the later firmware updates of Hiby W5 to overcome this phenomenon.
Smashing doubt about the connectivity of Hiby W5, LDAC works extremely smoothly even when turned on at the highest 900kbps streaming mode. Now Hiby W5 shows the true power of the sound of a tiny Bluetooth DAC / AMP can do.
The first impression is that the Hiby W5 is tuned in the V-Shape direction, sounds very playful.
The bass range is very full and punchy with mid-bass accents, along with a respectable power source from the integrated amplifier that makes the Hiby W5 able to compete fairly with mid-range player models.
The sound is clear and warm, the details are very good. With abundant energy in the bass range, Hiby W5’s sound has a slightly darker midrange, bringing the presence of a fairly comfortable vocal at the back before the high range is pressed at about 6kHz-10kHz but not press too much.
The treb band is slightly boosted, making jingles clearer and more sparkling. Treb sound is also quite smooth and soft, not harsh or hard to hear. Good opening, no roll-off. This depends a lot on LDAC when keeping the small details in this negative range.
The soundstage of Hiby W5 is quite good. When listening to live versions like Queen’s Hammer To Fall – Live Aid, the stadium’s lively atmosphere does not make me overwhelmed like hi-end players but it is enough to keep the air open and comfortable. . The depth of the stage is quite good, not the flat type like cheap music players. The position of the instrument and the image are relatively clear.
With tones like this, Hiby W5 will be great when you listen to R&B, Funk, Rock and other genres that require sound energetic and playful.
For other codecs, the detail and clarity of audio will gradually decrease from AptX HD, AptX, AAC, SBC. So use a media player with a codec like LDAC or at least AptX to get the most out of Hiby W5.
Battery life on Hiby W5 is also an impressive highlight. This tiny Bluetooth DAC / AMP can run for up to 20 hours when paired with a charging box (when you run in AAC codec and about 50% volume with 32 Ohm impedance headphones). Each full charge of Hiby W5 will use about 4-5 hours continuously. And each full charge takes about 1.5 hours. In fact, when I experienced with LDAC and the headset turned on at 60%, Hiby W5 also until about 10 hours of music when combined with the charger.
where can you get a Hiby W5 online
HiBy W5 HiFi Bluetooth Headphone Amplifier Receiver/USB DAC Decoder with UAT/aptX/aptX HD/aptX LL/LDAC/AAC, High Resolution Headphone AMP for Android iOS,Mac,Windows: Buy it now
HiBy W5 HiFi Bluetooth Headphone Amplifier Receiver/USB DAC Decoder with UAT/aptX/aptX HD/aptX LL/LDAC/AAC, High Resolution Headphone AMP for Android iOS,Mac,Windows: Buy it now
COMPARED QUICKLY
EarStudio ES100
ES100 will have the advantage of 2.5mm Balanced port when compared to Hiby W5. However, due to the sound of the Hiby W5 tends to V-Shape, the sound feels fuller, more energetic and joyful than the ES100. On the technical side, the sound of the ES100 is more balanced, mature and more detailed than the Hiby W5.
Not to mention that EarStudio’s driver software is done very carefully and in detail, Hiby will have to upgrade long-term to keep up.
FiiO BTR3
The sound of FiiO BTR3 when compared to Hiby W5 proved less dynamic and less attractive. Hiby W5 is a bit better in terms of clarity, detail and timbre of the instrument. FiiO BTR3 has a softer treb but the vocal is thicker, the sound is more balanced but the texture of the instrument in the treb and bass ranges is a step behind Hiby W5.
Control operation is a strong point on FiiO BTR3. Very simple and easy to get used to without being as surprised as Hiby W5.
Shanling M0
Both have the same chipset and hardware decoding hardware, but the sound on Hiby W5 is more plump and more convincing in terms of detail when compared to Shanling M0 in receiver mode. While the Shanling M0 is designed to serve as a music player, it is not difficult to explain the Hiby W5’s superiority when it is specifically designed as a resolution Bluetooth high decoder.
CONCLUDE
The Hiby W5 will be a perfect Bluetooth DAC / AMP if its UAT codec works. In return, the handling of codecs such as LDAC or Aptx HD is very good, the sound output reaches a high level of detail, internal power capable of paring with mid-range music players. The Hiby W5 is still an excellent choice for those who are looking for a compact wireless music solution that sounds as good as a dedicated music player.
Hiby is a company very strong about software so in the future, I believe that UAT will work more smoothly. By then, Hiby W5 will be even more awesome.
Advantages:
– Has an exclusive UAT codec for better theoretical transmission than LDAC
– Supports LDAC, AptX HD, Aptx, AAC and SBC
– Integrated DAC / AMP chip for audio on par with the mid-range player.
– Minimalist design, complete, high-end finishing
– Waterproof, dustproof IP67
– Battery life up to 20 hours of use
Defect:
– UAT is not working properly
– Sleek design, fingerprints when used
– Control operation takes time to get used to
– Cannot charge without charger box