Introduction
The HiBy M300 is a pocket-sized Android 13 DAP designed for those who want flexibility without sacrificing portability. Whether you’re looking for a long battery life, solid wireless capabilities, or the ability to handle a large music library, this little device aims to cover all the basics. But does its compact design compromise on sound quality and usability? Let’s take a closer look.
Design and Build Quality
The HiBy M300 may not have the premium feel of high-end DAPs, but with its metal frame, it offers a sturdy and durable design for its price range. Its compact and lightweight build makes it easy to carry, slipping effortlessly into your pocket without being bulky.
The button placement, however, could be improved. All the buttons—power/lock, volume, play/pause, and a customizable function switch—are on the same side, which can feel a bit cramped. Additionally, the absence of a dedicated “previous track” button may be inconvenient for some users. Despite these minor issues, the USB Type-C port adds flexibility, supporting charging, and data transfer, and acts as a digital audio output.
Overall, the M300 offers a good balance of build quality and portability, with practical features like a pre-applied screen protector for extra protection.
Sound Quality
The sound quality is not quite on par with dongles in a similar price range. HiBy M300 is equipped with a Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chip, which provides a natural sound signature. The sound is focused but lacks the wide and deep soundstage that some other devices offer. Detail retrieval, soundstage, and depth are decent, and the tuning is balanced—not too warm or clinical. It’s not exceptional, but it’s certainly not bad for its price.
Functionality
This is where the M300 truly shines. It’s ideal for two types of users:
Budget-conscious Teens: If you’re a teenager with a limited budget, the M300 can handle most tasks you’d need from a DAP. You can stream music, commute with decent-quality audio, and enjoy long battery life with plenty of flexibility. If I had this device when I was a teenager, I would have loved it. But I already love it now because I fall into the second type of person, which I’ll explain now.
Tech and Sound Enthusiasts: If you’re someone who loves both technology and sound, the HiBy M300 can easily become the centerpiece or brain of your portable setup. I carry my entire music archive on the device. When I’m on the go, I enjoy its flexibility—listening to my library or streaming music with acceptable sound quality without worrying about battery life, and it practically disappears in my pocket.
At my office desk, I use the M300 as a source connected to my external DAC/AMP setup. The device outputs bit-perfect sound through the HiBy Music app, giving me the option to enjoy high-quality playback with even longer battery life since the external DAC/AMP takes over some of the power demands. This setup also gives me the convenience to switch between portable and stationary listening effortlessly.
I also use HiByLink, which allows me to control my music from my phone without needing to touch the M300, making it a great hub for both personal listening and work environments. When I want to explore new music, streaming apps work flawlessly thanks to its Android OS.
At home, the M300 still proves useful, especially when paired with my Topping E70V/L70 stack. It acts as a source device in my audio chain, letting me enjoy high-quality sound through my main setup.
You might think any Android device could do the same, and you’d be right to an extent. However, the M300 stands out because it’s significantly cheaper, extremely small, and offers great battery life, making it much more convenient for dedicated audio use.
Summary
If you’re after decent sound quality with lots of flexibility thanks to Android, great battery life, and a small form factor—all at an affordable price—the HiBy M300 is a solid recommendation. It’s a device I plan to keep for a long time, even if I upgrade to another DAP. However, if sound quality is your priority and you don’t want to deal with Android, you might want to consider the HiBy R3 II, which offers slightly better sound and power. Alternatively, for even better sound and power in an Android-based DAP, the HiBy R4 is an option, though it comes with a higher price tag and increased weight.
Pros:
- The smallest Android 13 DAP on the market. Very light and easy to handle and pocket.
- Comes with a clean, stock Android experience with no unnecessary apps. Perfect for a music playback device.
- The screen is bright, responsive, and easy to read, providing a good enough display for its purpose.
- Despite its size, the battery can last over 18 hours, which is impressive for a device like this.
- Supports BT 5.0 with LDAC/aptX and Wi-Fi on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, ensuring great wireless connectivity.
- While the internal 32GB storage is just enough for apps, it supports up to 2TB microSD cards, so you can carry your entire music library.
- It comes with a screen protector already installed.
- Comes with Play Store pre-installed, allowing easy access to apps.
Cons:
- The speaker is unnecessary and of very poor quality.
- The included microphone adds no real value for the majority of users.
- The vibration motor feels unnecessary and lacks quality.
- The device only has a 3.5mm single-ended jack.
- It doesn’t have enough power to drive demanding headphones.
- It doesn’t come with a silicon case.
- Lacks a dedicated button to go back to the previous track.
- While it lacks native bit-perfect playback, you can use apps like UAPP to achieve this on Android.
