read about the HiBy R8 today and missed this (niche) function in modern DAPs in the last months, while deciding if a DAP could be something for me, instead of my Android phone + ifi xDSD (mobile DAC/Amp)
hope this feature dribbles down in the mid-fi DAP segment
I see why already wireless network connections with your mobile phone are enough for most people
what are your thoughts?
do you even stream with your mobile music source of choice on the go?
could this feature make the Bluettoth codec race obsolete for us audio enthusiasts?
should a future DAP support telephone features?
a second thought - energy drain from different wireless networks
from what I think…
wireless LAN standards are updating quite fast with new generations - still the most drain?
4G networks are fast enough in most places to stream, if available
5G networks will bring us possibly the least battery drain and other benefits (very fast reaction times and so on)
I always have a massive power bank brick on me lol thing ways a lot but I like the security of having power when I need it on the go…my back pack is getting out of hand again with too much gear lol…need to start pairing down again…
I like the idea of having a network connected DAP…but honestly, it might be more cost effective to just buy an older LG Vxx phone…granted not the same power or capabilities but for in the go probably a better solution…
I saw that product announcement a couple months ago, ironically the day after I preordered the R5. That said, as I wrote in my iBasso review, I value portability and streaming, and while streaming off a network is nice, the R8 size looks rather bulky. If they can scale down the size a little bit, it would make more sense for me.
I think the battery life would get severely impeded by a mobile network connection too though.
I’m sure there are those that would find having built-in cellular data functionality on their DAPs to be beneficial. Though I think the need for another data subscription (or adding a device/line to an existing one the way we already do for tablets etc.), and the want of a bigger than normal battery on the DAP might offset that a fair bit - premium DAPs tend to have shorter-than-I-really-want battery life as it is, are bigger than ideal, and are getting pretty heavy as-is.
For me personally, on the very rare occasions that I’m using a DAP and don’t have WiFi access but do have cellular data access, I just turn on the WiFi hot-spot on my phone and let the DAP stream from that. I literally don’t remember the last time I actually did that, though.
The only benefit to that I can see with a DAP having native cellular access is that you’re not draining your phone’s battery to use it. But then if you need to carry an additional battery/power-pack anyway then that doesn’t really get me anywhere.
And no, for me, the last thing I want on my DAP is phone functionality. Same with my cameras, while I think about it. One multi-purpose device is good - if I am going to carry more than one device it’ll be because beyond they’re task-specific and much better at that task than any multi-purpose device.
I’m sure I’m not typical here though - as my true “EDC” consists of my phone, my wallet, keys and AirPods. Everything else is situational and wouldn’t count as “every day” (even if it might be “more days than not”).
Plus most streaming services have offline download mode… I have my entire Spotify, and Qobuz playlists saved directly on my DAP…so I always have access to my favorite tracks on the go… honestly it kind of eliminated my desire to build up a FLAC library that I own…can’t take it to the grave with me lol… I guess one could say it is inheritable…but I’m not sure my daughter would really care all that much outside of nostalgia =) but that is a sad thought…back to happy music and finding a spot to take some pictures!
I love Hiby DAPs. They are the most practically sized DAPs right now. I use the R6pro as my go to DAP. BUT, the R6 pro has some serious RF/EM noise near routers and sometimes phones. I am therefore, skeptical about the inclusion of the SIM card idea. I can always make a phone as a hotspot to stream on the go so, I don’t see the point. Still, I am planning on getting this given my excellent experience with Hiby in the past but I wish they provided more material in their marketing campaign about the DAC chip used, amps, SQ etc. rather than just boasting the 4G feature.
HiBy R8, our new flagship is scheduled for a live stream on https://t.co/Vda5mBKzgz at 8 PM on May 28, 2020 (CST)! Expect specifications and more details? A quick rundown will be given here soon after May 28. Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/jyOKBhfVtP
That’s really interesting. I have the Hiby R5 and I really wouldn’t recommend it (or the company as a whole for that matter). The sound quality isn’t very good and the customer service is horrible. I’ve had issues with the unit ever since I received it about 2 months ago and Hiby just wouldn’t take a return / give out a replacement. This is the first company where I need to try really hard (1.5 months of me trying) just so they can finally believe that I am having issues with their unit (I had to provide a video showing the issue in real time and explain exactly what was wrong). Also, they respond really slowly to emails / messages on their Facebook page and left me hanging for a few days and even weeks at a time. They finally accepted my return request at the end of last month, but I had to pay shipping back to them (which was $65…) and I’m not even sure what they’ll do with my unit. They said they would “inspect” it, but they’ve had the unit for around 2 weeks now and I have yet to get an update from them.
From the reviews I’ve seen online, it seems like I might have gotten a bad unit, but who knows. I don’t really want to deal with them again. You seem satisfied with your R6pro and that’s good for you, but this is just my two cents !
That really sucks and it’s really unacceptable. I just saw a guy who posted a video of his R5 that he only got a week ago and the touch panel is not working. These are not very encouraging. I just meant that the R6pro was very impressive sonically to me but it has its quirks too. The noise near wifi signals is a big no no. I hope they step their game up.
Had the R5 for a short while. Xmas gift by my wife.
Though soundwise it was underwhelming. So we send it back
Prefered my ifi XDSD and even the headphone out of my Samsung Galaxy S8+ or the S10
Seems the main concern back then was the SIM card slot. 10 months later, can anyone say something about the sound quality and pairability? Very curious about how it stacks up against the likes of N6ii and SA700. Most comparisons I saw were against the SP2000, PAW Gold and WM1Z. But those guys are +1k more expensive.
I don’t think this is such a mandatory function, for example, I use Sony NW-WM1A(
which I was advised here) and WI-FI is enough for me, the addition of 4G makes a full-fledged phone out of the player, although it would certainly be convenient if there are access to music platforms…
