Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 Review 

Intro 

Hello, this review and feature covers the latest from the audio brand Hiby Audio, named the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 ($699). The R6 Pro II 2025 is actually an Android digital audio player and one with many solid core features to take your sonic experience to a new level. When I was approached to possibly review the R6 Pro II 2025 it was an easy answer from me. Of course, I say that because I have a beautiful history with Hiby’s previous version which goes by the name Hiby R6 Pro II. I actually featured the R6 Pro II at Mobileaudiophile.com a couple years ago (R6 Pro II Review). Yes, the only naming designation comes in the form of “2025” at the end of its name. However, this latest dap features many improvements. In fact, Hiby mostly answered every issue that fans had from the R6 Pro II 2025’s predecessor in this newer version. Of course, I will cover that all later. Having said that, I declared that the previous R6 Pro II was easily one of the best “sounding” daps within the “under $1k” price range. Sure, it had some shortcomings, but what doesn’t? One thing is clear, I’m very happy to report on the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 now, and thus far I’ve been very pleased with this dap. 

Hiby

Folks, Hiby has been around a very long time within the hobby as sort-of a cornerstone brand when it comes to eastern audio brands. There’s no way I could list out all of their achievements here, but I can tell you that Hiby seems to always push the market standards. Whether it be tech, build, design, or sonic experience, Hiby has been standing strong for years folks. No doubt they’ve had a ton of competition too. Hears the thing; Hiby has always seemed to grow with, and grow too market trends. Again, pushing standards, pushing boundaries. Friends, have you ever sat back and thought about some of Hiby’s products over the years? Take a moment, do a web search. Now, I don’t say all of this to simply prop up the brand of the product that I’m reviewing. I’m all for giving credit where credit is due. However, I say this to give the reader, you, an idea of who is making this device and what to expect. If you’ve ever read any of my reviews, then you know that I look at the brands and go back into their history. I always do a semi deep dive, and I try to speak on their successes and speak about their hurdles. This is stuff that greatly interests me. In fact, I could make a 12,000-word essay on this subject alone. I’m so intrigued by these brands and I’m so very impressed by Hiby. It isn’t easy to last in this cutthroat hobby! Did you know that Hiby has been doing this since 2011!! Friends, that’s 14+ years! 

Reviews 

I’ve personally reviewed a handful of Hiby’s products. Each one I felt was competitive against other similar products within their respective price points. The very 1st product of Hiby that I featured was the Hiby Zeta (Zeta Review) which is one of the best musical/fun kilo-buck multi-driver EST sets that my ears have heard. Next was the Hiby R3 II (R3 II Review) which is a dap that I reviewed a couple years ago that is still a solid buy. I then reviewed their all-BA iem, the Hiby Yvain (Yvain Review) which is great for vocalists as a high quality mid-centric iem. Next, as I’ve said, a couple years ago I featured the R6 Pro II 2025’s predecessor, the Hiby R6 Pro 2 (R6 Pro 2 Review) and it is a fantastic dap at the cost. Then I published a review for the Hiby Digital Xeno (Xeno Review). It is a very nice sounding DSP style earphone. Then I featured the Hiby Yacht 10 (Yacht 10 Review). Now, I have so many good things to say about this single DD. Certainly one of the better single DD’s under $200, in my opinion. Then I had the pleasure of reviewing a sonic masterclass in the Hiby R3 Pro II (R3 Pro II Review). Beyond that, my partners at mobileaudiophile.com have also reviewed a number of Hiby products. Anyways, the moral of the story is this; Hiby hasn’t been in the game this long to not make strategic and well-thought-out products. In my experience I’ve only enjoyed what they have to offer, and my trust is very high with this brand. 

Let’s do this… 

Well folks, I’ve had the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 for right around 3 weeks under daily use, and I’d say that is plenty of time to give a good account of it. It has already replaced one of my favorite daps in my collection. Is that still a honeymoon phase? Perhaps. However, I think I’m ready to get into this review. With that all said, the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 everyone…. 

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

–Hiby

–Amazon US

–Linsoul

R6 Pro II 2025 Pros

-The build is top tier, top class

-I love this design, very attractive, simply dope looking

-Absolutely gorgeous 5.9” full-HD 2160×1080 screen. Vibrant, bright. 

-Beautiful protective case

-6gb RAM, 128gb on board storage, up to 2tb ext storage 

-Android 12 

-Wonderful UI and fluid experience 

-Double the output power from its predecessor 

-1st device to use Cirrus Logic CS4308P Flagship Dac 

-5,000 mAH Battery 

-Organic warm/neutral timbre with a smooth cadence

-Vivid, energetic, and vibrant sound

-Nicely weighted low-end 

-Nothing offensive across the mix

-Very nice stage influence

R6 Pro II 2025 Cons

-Not for those analytical heads, bright lovers

-Perhaps the R6 Pro II 2025 is too large for some hobbyists (like a large phone) 

-No volume wheel (not too big of a deal for me) 

-Class A amping only allows 5 hrs battery

Unboxing 

The Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 arrived at my doorstep in an average sized box (8.5” x 6.5” x 2”) for a device such as this, and very much similar to the box used for the OG R6 Pro II. In fact, the layout is pretty much identical. The design is in typical Hiby fashion with a clean and modern aesthetic, very colorful, eliciting the same response I get from an Apple package. Very clean. Anyways, open the box top and you’ll see the beautiful Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 sitting pretty in cardboard covered foam cut-outs. Very nice. Take off that layer and you’ll immediately see the box containing the protective case, the extra screen protectors (for both front and back) as well as a long type-c to type-c charging/data cable and the type-c to type-a adapter. I won’t spoil any more for you but just know that the package is quite nice. 

Accessories 

Of course, you shouldn’t expect many accessories with any dap package. However, it’s nice to see that Hiby had the presence of mind to add in extra screen protectors. I thought that was very cool to see. What’s even better is that the R6 Pro II 2025 actually comes with screen protectors on both sides, out of the box. However, the best accessory is most definitely the protective case. I find it to be one of the nicer and more elegantly crafted protective cases that I’ve received with a dap. It’s fully leather and gorgeous in aesthetic. I feel that it helps a premium dap feel just as premium with the case on. Which I don’t usually say. It fits perfectly (as you would expect), but it also is very easy to get off and on. I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate this. I’ve purchased many daps over the years and most come with a cheap case. IBasso provides those cheap silicone cases. Shanling adds in the faux leather orange cases. Fiio usually adds in a nice case too. However, the R6 Pro II 2025’s case is so nicely form fitting and feels good in hand. I really congratulate Hiby for having the wherewithal to add in such a nice accessory. It shows that they know what we want. Very nice indeed. 

Build / Aesthetic / Internals 

Build Quality / Aesthetic 

If you thought the previous R6 Pro II had a nice build quality then you’ll definitely feel that the 2025 version is just as nice, if not better. The R6 Pro II 2025 is made entirely out of aluminum and Gorilla Glass on both sides with Hiby’s  beautifully honed out design which fits in the hand perfectly. I could see some folks not wanting such a large device, but I absolutely love it. I adore that big bright screen and the ergonomically friendly form factor. You’ll notice the aluminum asymmetrical grooved lines running in a slant on the backside bottom of the device while the top portion has what looks like a carbon fiber design. There’s also a cool looking “Hiby” imposed on the back. Once again, the chassis itself is made of pure aluminum and is fatter towards the top of the device and slimmer where one would hold it in their hand at the bottom due to a small curvature where your palm would hold the R6 Pro II 2025. Hiby also decided to put all ports on the bottom of the device. I don’t entirely enjoy this, but it’s easy for me to reconcile this fact and actually begin to enjoy the layout. 

Aesthetic 

One of the key features isn’t really a feature at all, but the actual design of the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025. Just like the previous R6 Pro II, the R6 Pro II 2025’s design and look is so nice, so unique, and simply very modern looking. With almost any phone or dap, I usually don’t like having cases on them (of course I do anyways), but the R6 Pro II 2025’s case looks so dope that it’s easy to find this design very handsome. Now, so far as I know, the R6 Pro II 2025 comes in two colorways. Those being “blue” & “black”. Mine (pictured) is the black model, and I love it. In fact, I love everything about it folks. I gotta say, Hiby truly has become one of the most stellar brands when it comes to uniquely rendered design language. Easily one of the best-looking daps to come out under $1k in my eyes. 

Ports & Buttons

If you take a look at the bottom of the R6 Pro II 2025, you’ll notice that it has the exact setup of its predecessor. It has both PO and LO along with the type-c USB data and charging port. Anyways, on the right side is the 3.5 PO outlet as well as the 4.4 balanced port. On the left you’ll find the line-out (LO) 3.5 and 4.4 ports right next to each other. Right in the middle you can also find the Type-C USB & Coaxial Digital outlet. The type-c port also supports data transmission and can get you PD2.0 18w fast charging (more on that later). All ports are well placed; however, I do tend to prefer ports on the top of my daps. Though I must say that this is a very-very minor thing for me. I have daps that have them both ways (top & bottom) and enjoy them all in the end. Along the left side of the R6 Pro II 2025 are the next track & back track buttons as well as a pause & play button. On the right side are the volume control buttons (100 steps) as well as the power button for power on, restart, and shutdown. I honestly have no issue whatsoever here. It’d be nice to see a volume wheel, but in truth I really haven’t missed it at all. So maybe not that big of a deal. 

Ports & Buttons cont… 

I find the button placement is solid enough and each button functions very nicely. Just like I stated in the R6 Pro II Review, buttons can either completely suck, with no haptic feel to them, or they can be pretty darn good, and you’ll get a nice responsive compression when you push down on them. The R6 Pro II 2025 actually has nice responsiveness with a good tactile compression on each button and a nice click when pushing down. I should also note that there’s also a micro sd card slot which supports up to 2 tb cards. I actually bought a couple 2tb cards and did in fact use one with about 1gb of music on it inside of the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025. Hiby wasn’t lying, it took the 2tb SD card wonderfully. Anyways, each button is easy to remember, intuitive, and not a problem for me. Of course, I will always prefer a volume wheel. However, I honestly haven’t missed it on this device.

Internals 

So, Hidizs once again went and totally outdid themselves by becoming the 1st device of its kind to use two of the brand-new Cirrus Logic CS4308P Flagship Dac Chips. The CS4308P is actually an eight-channel dac chip which can get you the highest levels of bit depth and sampling rates and is truly a great chip. The R6 Pro II 2025 also has two OPA1652 Op-amps which provide almost double the output power of its predecessor along with some extremely clean power. These amps also give the R6 Pro II 2025 the ability to use either Class A/B or Class A amping (more on that later). Inside the chassis you’ll also find the very popular Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SOC chip which offers smooth scrolling and a very fluid experience on any screen. Beyond that, Hiby used two NDK Femtosecond crystal oscillators (45.1584 MHz & 49.152 MHz) for ultra-low phase noise and jitter capabilities. Hidizs also added in a much larger 5,000 MAH battery for a larger battery capacity. 

HiBy R6 Pro II 2025 – Full Specifications

🖥️ System & Interface

Operating System: Open Android 12 with HiByOS integration

Processor (SoC): Qualcomm Snapdragon 665

Memory: 6 GB RAM

Storage: 128 GB internal (expandable via microSD up to 2 TB)

Display: 5.9″ 1080p Full HD IPS touchscreen

—

🎵 Digital-to-Analog Conversion

DAC Chipset: Dual Cirrus Logic CS4308P flagship DACs

Decoding Support:

Native DSD512

PCM up to 32-bit / 768 kHz

Clocking: Dual femtosecond crystal oscillators (45.1584 MHz & 49.152 MHz)

Independent Power Supplies: For DAC, I/V stage, LPF, and amplification

—

🔊 Amplification & Audio Performance

Amplifier Modes: Switchable Class A / Class AB

Balanced Output Power: Up to 632 mW @ 32 Ω

Single-Ended Output Power: Up to 165 mW @ 32 Ω

Headphone Outputs:

3.5 mm single-ended

4.4 mm balanced

Line Out Support: Yes (dedicated line-out mode)

—

🔋 Battery & Power

Battery Life: 3.5 se 13 hrs  /. 4.4 balanced 10.5 hrs (Class A/B mode)

Fast Charging: USB-C PD 18 watt fast charge 

Battery Management: Optimized regulation for efficiency and sound stability

Battery Capacity:  5,000 MAH 

—

📶 Connectivity

USB DAC Functionality: Yes (bidirectional USB DAC)

Wi-Fi: Dual-band 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz

Bluetooth:

Transmitter & Receiver modes

LDAC, UAT, aptX, AAC, SBC supported

USB Output: Bit-perfect digital audio out

—

🖌️ Design & Build

Chassis Material: CNC-machined aluminum with glass front and back

Colors / Finishes: Multiple finishes (varies by region)

Weight: ~285 g (approximate, to be confirmed)

Ergonomics: Curved-edge design for improved grip

—

🌟 Key Highlights

Open Android 12 for full app compatibility (Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, etc.)

Powerful new Cirrus Logic DAC architecture with dual independent power rails

Class A/AB switchable amp for different sonic signatures

Much improved bass energy and dynamics compared to the previous model

High-speed OS performance with Snapdragon 665 and 6 GB RAM

Over 10 hours of real-world battery life in balanced mode

–

🎁 Inside the box 

-R6 Pro II 2025 x1

-Fully leather protective case

-User guide

-Front & rear panel screen protector x2 (one of each comes pre-applied) 

-Type-C to Type-A adapter x1

-C2C Type-C charging and data cable

-Warranty card and QC card

Features

Screen

One of my absolute favorite aspects of the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 happens to be its beautiful and large 5.9” high-definition display. I love it folks. Colors are so very vibrant and vivid to the eye, and the screen gets very bright too. I really do feel that the screen is a big selling point. Now, can the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 compete with those gorgeous IBasso screens? I think so. Which is saying a lot for the R6 Pro II 2025. I adore how well my album art just pops on the screen. The R6 Pro II 2025 screen has awesome pixel density with every last nuance cleanly revealed on its nearly 6” screen. I generally don’t use this for this purpose outside of simple testing, but watching videos or playing casual Android games is actually awesome on this thing. Again, the screen is easily one of its selling points, very nice. 

Class A & Class A/B 

Like I said, Hiby once again provides the option for the listener to use either Class A or Class A/B amplification circuits. Anyone who has been in this hobby long enough knows the “supposed” benefit in going with either style. Class A amping is said to give a more distortion-free and linear listening experience. Perhaps a hair more dynamic and better contrasted tonally, more distinct. Of course, battery life takes a huge hit folks. Like, very big. Now, the thought is that Class A/B provides a better balance of sound fidelity and efficiency. Which also means better battery life, less power draw too. Honestly, this is of course a nice option folks. However, please hear me; there is little to no difference between the two. I mean it would take the most discerning ear to actually make out a difference. Yes, I do hear the slightest bit of extra clean-lined dynamism, but it’s almost negligible. Also, Class A amping generally makes your device a bit hotter as well. It’s just something to consider. I just keep the R6 Pro II 2025 on Class A/B and I’m perfectly happy with the sound, along with much better battery life. Still, it’s nice to have. 

A & A/B cont…. 

To be totally honest, I felt like there was more of a difference in A & A/B amping on the 1st R6 Pro II. Now, I don’t think that the newer model does anything worse, but instead I think it’s that much better. Without question it is the better sounding dap. Let’s put it this way; the R6 Pro II 2025 sounds better on Class A/B then the previous version sounded using Class A. If you go back to my R6 Pro II Review I state very clearly that the sound was much better on Class A. So much so that I listened mainly to it that way. Not with this newer dap folks. Really, the difference in the 2025 version is so minutely small, almost insignificant. Who knows, maybe you can spot the difference. I barely can. 

Output Power 

Okay, so output power was most certainly a point of contention on the 1st R6 Pro II. It only provided a max output of 383 mW using 4.4 balanced. The new R6 Pro II 2025 almost doubles that folks with its much more respectable 632 mW of max power. Friends, this is way more than enough for any iem that I’ve tried. I mean, far more than I’d ever need. Now, driving full sized cans (over-ear headphones) may be a different story as the output may be a touch too little for harder to drive sets. But still, for my purposes I felt that the output was way more than enough. 

Having said all of that it is important to note that many under $1k daps now come equipped with some drastically higher power output numbers. Now, how important is this for you, I don’t know. For me and my usage it means almost nothing at all. I have daps with much higher power numbers which simply don’t sound as good as this dap, and that’s what is important to me. However, you may feel different. Perhaps you do have those hard to drive cans and you need more power. That’s all up to you and your needs. One workaround is that Hiby does provide an option to hook up an external amplifier if need be. 

Battery Capacity 

Hiby states in their promotional material that the new Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 gets quite a bit more battery life then the R6 Pro II. I mean, a lot more. In fact, Hiby equipped the R6 Pro II 2025 with a much larger 5,000 MAH battery from the previous 4,000 mAH battery. Beyond the size and capacity, Hiby uses much more efficient internals which don’t require the same juice to run well. Of course, the caveat is that how you choose to listen and use this dap will dictate much about how long the battery lasts. Do you keep the screen on, listen on only high gain, listen using the Class A amp circuit, and a handful of other ways to listen and use the R6 Pro II 2025 which will squeeze that battery life faster. Hiby says that using Class A/B amp & 3.5 single ended can get you up to 13 hours of battery life, while using 4.4 balanced can afford you about 10.5 hours max. Those numbers drastically decline when using Class A amping as 3.5 single ended will give you a max of 5 hours and 4.4 balanced will provide only about 4 hours total. So how you use the R6 Pro II 2025 matters. That all said, I find battery life to not be a problem at all for me. I mean not at all! I don’t feel like I’m just watching the battery drop with every minute of listening like I did before. Overall, this is good news. 

Memory

Another big thing is that Hiby added additional RAM (random access memory) to the R6 Pro II 2025. It actually comes with 6 gb of RAM, up from 4 gb on the previous version. Also, the R6 Pro II 2025 comes with 128 gb of on-board storage for apps and other things. Also, the R6 Pro II 2025 has a micro sd card port which can take up to a 2 tb card. I actually use a 2 tb card in mine and it works flawlessly. So, this is a big improvement and right on par with tops in class for daps around this cost. 

Bluetooth

It should be noted and added to this review simply for purposes of my due diligence, the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 does have two-way Bluetooth abilities. Meaning, you can use the R6 Pro II 2025 as both a Bluetooth Receiver, and a Bluetooth Transmitter. This has been around for years, but not all daps make good use of it. Just for the sake of honesty and transparency I did not use this feature as it doesn’t make sense for my use cases but it’s nice to have when you need it. 

The R6 Pro II 2025 operates with (I believe) Bluetooth 5.0 and carries a number of high-quality Audio Codecs. Namely the R6 PRO II 2025 offers Hiby’s own UAT codec, LDAC, Aptx-Hd, Aptx, AAC & SBC as Bluetooth output codecs. It also can input Bluetooth using LDAC, AAC, & SBC codecs. So that’s pretty dope as there are most certainly some very high-quality Codecs at play here ladies and gentlemen. UAT can transmit up to 1200 kbps and 24bit/192khz audio and LDAC can run around 990 kbps and 24bit/192khz audio. Aptx-Hd can get up to 576 kbps and 24bit/48khz while Aptx can achieve 16bit/48khz and 352 kbps. Obviously, you would want to use the better Codecs and it’s always nice to have some good quality choices. However, even ios (Apple) users have AAC codec for their purposes. 

Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SOC 

One of the most well recognized and widely used SOC chips for any medium to higher tier Android dap is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SOC chip. Either the 665 or the 660. At times you’ll see the 680 and a few others more powerful and of course some less powerful, like the Snapdragon 445. That said, the Snapdragon 665 is a very good SOC chip. In truth, many years ago it was the top-of-the-line SOC chip. In fact, this very chip was very popular in mid-tier mobile phones from around 2019-2020. It’s a very qualified chip, especially for menial easy tasks that a dap would need it for. In fact, it’s actually way more than enough. At any rate, this chip actually has a Kryo 260 octa-core processor with what’s called a “Big/Little” configuration. Friends, this is why the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 has such a clean and fluid scrolling effect and everything is so smooth. This chip also has a decent Adreno 610 GPU too. Again, it only helps a dap but is way more than enough for its purposes. This chip is an efficient chip as well. I should also add that the 665 brings us LDAC as well as all of the Aptx audio codecs. So, it’s nice for Bluetooth usage as well. I suppose it isn’t some amazing feat to have this chip, as many daps now come with it, but it’s still a good thing which should be spoken of in a review. 

HibyCast

This is a cool feature. HibyCast allows the user to operate his or her R6 Pro II 2025 from any device via wifi. Now, just about every dap I own has this functionality already, but I find that Hiby does the best job at actually implementing it. The responsiveness is very nice and quicker than even some more expensive daps that I own. You can play any app, browse, control music, Bluetooth, basically anything. Now, I used this a ton with the non-Android Hiby R3 Pro II because it made it that much easier to control. However, I simply didn’t need to use it for the R6 Pro II 2025. That said, just because I don’t use it very much doesn’t mean that you won’t. The beauty of HibyCast is that it works flawlessly. How nice it is to completely control your dap’s music listening from your smartphone while your dap sits comfortably in your pocket. It’s actually awesome folks. 

System-Wide SRC Bypass

One of the most sought-after features for any audiophile Android dap is the ability for these devices to (in some capacity) bypass Android’s SRC (sample rate conversion). What do I mean when I say “SRC”? Well, the funny thing about Android devices is that they will all resample all audio to a standard frequency, which is typically around 48khz prior to that audio being sent over to the internal dac (digital audio converter). For most purposes of an Android smartphone having a system-wide SRC is a good thing. It standardizes the audio format for music, movies, videos, etc. Of course there are many more reasons that you don’t care about. What we care about is getting as close to a pure signal as possible with little to no resampling. Resampling is thought to be a serious downgrade of the pure signal to many audiophiles, and I am most certainly in that camp. What we want is bit-perfect playback which means that no resampling is done, the actual signal sent to the device is what the dac converts. Now, there are a lot of daps which have SRC Bypass, and there’s a lot which don’t. It is a great thing that the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 has a system-wide SRC Bypass which covers any app that you install. 

UI Functionality / Software

Android 12

If any of you have had any time spent using the Android architecture, then you have a perfect idea how the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 functions. I say that because it feels and looks just like a modern smartphone. Whatever you are doing in the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025, it will look just like any other bare bones Android phone. From the settings menus to the app drawer to the home and lock screens, the R6 Pro II 2025 is very similar. At any rate, you can expect every luxury that any Android smartphone could provide except for phone calls, obviously. I can say assuredly that the new R6 Pro II 2025 smoothly runs through all screens with no issue. Just like any Android smartphone you can style your home screen, lock screen, and make the appearance all your own. At any rate, the essence of Android 12 is captured on this dap, yet Hiby certainly put their own little spin on the a

Hiby Music Player

I won’t go too deep into Hiby’s own music player, appropriately named “Hiby Music” which you can also get through the Google Play store. Anyways, the Hiby Player is in my opinion one of the best music players you can get for anything Android. I use it frequently along with USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP). I find that the aesthetic of the player is very appealing with album art that bounces off the screen and a UI that is very easy to navigate, responsive, and intuitive. Plus, there are a myriad of functions and settings to change up the sound to your liking (MSEB next section). This is truly an all-in-one type of music player that I do recommend you check out. The Hiby Music Player comes already downloaded onto your Hiby R6 Pro II 2025. 

MSEB

One feature that is praised to no end is a feature of the Hiby Music Player named MSEB or Mega Sound 8-Ball. MSEB is a proprietary DSP digital signal processing tool which acts almost like a tuning system. Really, it’s a form of equalization in its simplest form. It works by applying PEQ equalizer & sound field adjustment algorithms to already prescribed controls. By use of a left to right slider you can tailor the sound to your exact liking with any iem or headphone attached. Truly it is fantastically designed and imagined. As you scroll through settings you will easily find the “Audio Settings”. Inside the audio settings tab you can swap different filters among other things relevant to a digital audio player. You’ll also notice MSEB tuning which is a Hiby exclusive and does a fantastic job of tuning your music per your preferences. If you haven’t checked it out, then I would implore you to do so. MSEB is a “type” of equalizer which makes tuning your earphones easy to understand and use. Actually, it’s about as easy as it gets. Again, Hiby basically uses their own adjustable version of preset settings which are labeled from one extreme to the other and made ridiculously easy to learn and play around with. I don’t usually use any equalizer settings but for those who do, MSEB is a game changer. 

Sound Impressions 

*Note: Before I dive into the sound portion of this review I have a few notes which may or may not be of some importance to you. First off, I did complete a three day burn in of the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025, however, most brands state that the burn-in period for source devices is generally around 200 hours. Basically, I don’t know if this helped, if it was needed, or anything. So, sorry I can’t really add anything concerning “burn in”. I listened mainly with local files stored on my Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 and did very little streaming. Also, I listened with way too many iems to make note of here. I will speak on certain sets where it is relevant. 

Note #2: folks, source reviews are always the toughest to speak on in the sound department. They always will be. What a source mainly does is simply “influence” the sound in one direction or another. It can make a set sound more or less dynamic, cleaner, slightly more transient tight or laggy. There is also some source tonal coloration as well which can affect how your music is heard. I say all of that to 

Critical listening 

Friends, I have had such a great time getting to know the R6 Pro II 2025. I think it’s fairly obvious that this new dap is going to be one of the top-class choices for consumers looking for an audio player under $1k. To my ears the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 comes across with a nice warmth which bolsters the sound of an otherwise neutral and clean sounding device. Which is a long-winded way of saying it’s “warm/neutral”, lol. Leave it up to me to be long-winded. Anyways, I digress, the R6 Pro II 2025 is without question one of my absolute favorite sounding daps within the price point and even a price point above. No question the R6 Pro II 2025 is a clear upgrade from an already very solid R6 Pro II. Better resolution across the board, more bass weight & punch, more fluid midrange, cleaner, more dynamic, and it clearly has a better tonal contrast. To my ears anyways. 

No exaggeration 

Another very nice quality of the R6 Pro II 2025’s sonic experience is that the entire spectrum sounds very nicely balanced. No area of the mix comes across saturated or too emphasized. It has a very even keel style presentation without sounding bland or dull, not in the slightest. Basically, the R6 Pro II 2025 will not embellish or exaggerate certain tonal aspects of any iems or headphones. Maybe the low-end is ever-so-slightly enhanced and the midrange is a hair more forward in a smooth and rhythmic way, but nothing is so lifted that it presents a problem. Like I said earlier, source devices simply “influence” the sound in one way or another. Thankfully the R6 Pro II 2025 is evenly tuned in a way that won’t exaggerate or influence those more dynamic and emphasized characteristics of my iems. For instance, listening to the Sivga Que UTG (Que UTG Review) attached to the R6 Pro II 2025 does not force the Que UTG to sound brighter than it already is. In fact, if anything, the already bright leaning Que UTG comes across less intensely in the treble region, with a hair more warmth as opposed to some other source devices. Also, you won’t hear the R6 Pro II 2025 making an already bassy set come across even bassier, more muddied, or less defined. Sets like the very warm/smooth Penon Fan 2 is one which sounds even more refined, resolute, and clean-lined without sounding even warmer and less coherent. I find many pairings similar to these two examples, and I can confidently say that the R6 Pro II 2025 really does present a very articulate sound as well as a musically inclined influence on my earphones. 

Great sonics! 

What you will hear when using the R6 Pro II 2025 is a smoother take on the spectrum, similar to some Shanling devices in my opinion. That means, very nice note weight and better note density, more robust, better tonal contrast and simply a more polished sound. I’ve actually come to greatly enjoy the highly resolute sound of the R6 Pro II 2025 as well as its smooth take on the spectrum. Nothing dry here, nothing clinical, nothing which sounds metallic, too edgy, or sharp. It’s a very fluid, tuneful, & transparent sound here folks. Even better resolution than its predecessor, but also more dynamically expressive too. I keep going back to the word “balanced” because it really says it all when speaking of the R6 Pro II 2025. To my ears I hear a nice musical/analytical balance along with very solid timbre. Certainly, more organic than anything else. I find the R6 Pro II 2025 generally has a tighter transient response with a black background and great presence throughout the spectrum. It has a certain dynamism and punchiness which shows up in many tracks adding some vibrance to my music. Without question the R6 Pro II 2025 is anything but boring. Yes, it’s balanced across the mix, but it also carries some solid energy. Actually, I’d call it appropriate energy. That energy seems to create those distinct tonal contrasts which really do well at defining different sounds, instruments, vocalists, etc.  

Technically Speaking 

I should also note that the R6 Pro II 2025 will definitely (at least) help in the area of detail retrieval and transient swiftness. Having said that, don’t get this twisted because the R6 Pro II 2025 does “not” have an analytically tailored sound. If it did, I wouldn’t enjoy it as much. Again, the R6 Pro II 2025 has that smooth musicality akin to one of my favorite daps under $1k, the Shanling M6 Ultra. As I’ve said, there is an awesome display of musicality as well as skilled technical capabilities. Just had to get that out of the way. Anyways, another area where the R6 Pro II 2025 seems to shine “technically” is in its perceived soundstage and its ability to influence nice dimensionality of the sound field. Now, obviously most of the perceived stage width, height, and depth will come from your earphones/headphones, but the R6 Pro II 2025 most certainly persuades my iems by giving them a vaster canvas to work with. Having said that, just like any source device, the R6 Pro II 2025 will only influence the sound of your iems. If your iem is a congested mess, then it’ll likely still be a congested mess even with the R6 Pro II 2025. I just want to temper some expectations. I’d also say that surely the new R6 Pro II 2025 definitely does a better job of separating elements within a stage as well as better detail retrieval too. Let’s take a quick look at each 3rd of the mix shall we… 

Bass Region 

One area where I wasn’t expecting much improvement over the previous R6 Pro II was in the bass department. I actually enjoy the previous model very much. However, the R6 Pro II 2025 truly does offer a more unsullied sound, better defined, more distinct note delivery as well as a more authoritative bass punch. I’d also say that the lows are definitely a hair more weighted than the previous device. One thing I can surely say is that when I listened using the Myer Audio Sliivo SL224 (SL224 Review) the bass region does sound deeper in extension, rounder in presence, and punchier to my ears. In my S224 Review I describe its bass emphasis to be moderate in actual weight. Now, I wouldn’t say the R6 Pro II 2025 increased that level to some exaggerated measure, but it definitely helps the bass to leave its mark a bit better, harder edged, better snap on attack. It offers slightly more power and a more dynamic attack but nothing which would lean the R6 Pro II 2025 away from a balanced sound. Again, nothing is oversaturated. Overall, the low-end is one of my favorite aspects of the R6 Pro II 2025 along with its notable presence in the midrange… 

Midrange 

Having said that, if I were to pick my absolute most favorite aspect of the R6 Pro II 2025, it’d definitely be the midrange. Imagine a transparent sound, very clean, tight decay (as much as can be heard in a source), but also slightly warmed, fluid in its cadence, and forward in its presence. That is the R6 Pro II 2025’s midrange to my ears. Friends, I have more than a few daps and one of the main reasons that I’ve kept or reviewed any of those daps that I have (or choose to keep) is at least partially due to their nice midrang. What I hear in this device is a midrange which takes just enough precedence across the spectrum. Just enough prominence. I enjoy it’s smooth demeanor along with its detailed and vibrant display. Another thing I enjoy is that vibrant display doesn’t add any additional glare to any earphones that I’ve used for testing. . Like the Shanling MG600 (MG600 Review). It has a highly boosted pinna gain which may be too much for some folks. Well, with the R6 Pro II 2025 the MG600’s upper mids have a more moistened & rich sound, less edgy and abrasive, but also seemingly better detailed, in comparison with other daps in my possession.

A solid Midrange

Anyways, the midrange has a definite velvet quality. Very nice timbre. Liquid in its inflections, articulate, nicely nuanced. Really just a solid midrange. Now, another improvement over the 2023 R6 Pro II and other daps in the price point (that I’ve heard) is the ability of the R6 Pro II 2025 to influence better detailing across the midrange and better layering of the sound field. Nice spacing, with an airiness, and nice front to back depth and dimensional cues. However, it’s the vocals which gets me. Attach a solid vocal set to the R6 Pro II 2025 and you’ll understand what I mean. Rich, forward, moistened, and nicely fluid in rhythmic inflection. The midrange is solid y’all. 

Treble Region 

As always, the last area of the mix that I’d try to describe is the treble region. Friends, to my ears the best aspect of the R6 Pro II 2025’s treble region has got to be its timbre. Just like the other areas of the mix (bass & mids) the treble carries a very organic sound. I hear absolutely nothing digital, no added metallic edge to notes, and a very non-fatiguing sound with very nice extension into the upper treble. Of course, these sonic attributes aren’t the easiest thing to associate to the source device itself and so I had to be a crazy person going back and forth with four other daps to get this right. Also, highly metallic or abrasive iems are always going to be abrasive and metallic, even with the R6 Pro II 2025. You see, this dap doesn’t necessarily “change” the tuning or act as an equalizer to your earphones. Again, a steady influence on the sound. Having said all of that, the treble is also just crisp enough, well defined, highly detailed, it’s airy, and it’s seemingly well layered, yet it’ll never add additional pierce or sharpness up top. This is a great thing folks. Hiby didn’t feel the need to add additional brilliance up top to “sound” more resolute or more fine-lined in its note delivery. Once again, it just strikes that nice balance and keeps that nice natural timbre while doing so. 

Technicalities 

One of the more difficult things for a reviewer to do is decide how much credit should be given to the source device, or to the earphones, for stuff like detail retrieval, instrument separation, transient responses and even sound field depth and width while listening. Without question the vast majority of the technical replay comes from the iems/headphones themselves. But I’m telling you right now, it isn’t easy trying to decipher what part the source device plays. I feel that one of the better ways to judge a source device is in comparison with other source devices. That’s the best way to really get a solid idea of just how well any one source device does in the technical space. Some sources are fairly obvious, especially the kilo-buck flagship devices. However, even some under $1k daps like the R6 Pro II 2025 presents the spectrum in such a way that you can both hear and feel the pedigree, to an extent anyways. Having said that, I feel that the source device plays an enormous role in the final sound which hits your ears. 

Technically very good

As far as the R6 Pro II 2025, I’d say that it does a nice balancing act of coming across very engaging and musical at its foundation as well as very-very clean, balanced, precise in its note delivery. Honestly, it makes for a very compelling listen every time folks. Anyways, I find that the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 is a very well detailed device. Especially when you attach an analytical set. Listening to the Letshuoer Cadenza 12 sounds like the R6 Pro II 2025 is literally putting on a clinic. Without question it helps the Cadenza 12 to sound very highly detailed yet also very charming musically. Of course, that set costs $2000, it should be charming in every way. So, it’s no surprise that every last detail is exquisitely illuminated. Or even more musically driven iems like the Hidizs MK12 Turris Titanium Edition which certainly sounds more precise, more open & airier, instruments sound better separated, and transients attack comes with a nice snap at attack and decays fairly quickly. I guess what I’m getting at is that the R6 Pro II 2025 will help your iems/headphones in these areas rather than come across blunted or too smoothened over. Stage size is another aspect that I feel the R6 Pro II 2025 does better than most. It has that nice extension both ways (sub-bass & upper treble) and it comes across more dynamic in its presentation, which also seems to add dimension to the sound. I also have to give this device kudos for how nicely it adds depth and easily discernible layering of sounds. All things considered, I have nothing bad to say about how well the R6 Pro II 2025 performs technically. 

Comparisons 

Shanling M6 Ultra  ($919)

Oh, the wonderful Shanling M6 Ultra. I have at least tried many of the the under $1k daps in my time. Sure, there are some I haven’t. However, in my mind the Shanling M6 Ultra is easily a top 3 dap for pure sonic ability. Even with it being 2 years old now. Good sound doesn’t get old folks. The M6 Ultra is absolutely loaded with solid audio tech as it uses four AKM dac chips. Namely the AK4493SEQ dac chip. Truly one of my favorite chips when implemented well. It also has a ton of power under the hood, Android 10, the same Snapdragon 665 processor, a huge battery, and it is perfectly sized. However, is it good enough to stay on top with such a highly qualified newcomer in the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025? 

Differences / Design 

To begin, the M6 Ultra is about $120 more expensive than the R6 Pro II 2025. Which is pretty significant. Also, the R6 Pro II 2025 is quite a bit larger in hand and more akin to an actual modern-day smartphone, whereas the M6 Ultra is a bit smaller (which may be a good or bad thing for you). I find the display of the R6 Pro II 2025 is much more vibrant, cleaner, better color contrast and brighter by a small margin. To add to that, I do find the R6 Pro II 2025 to be the better designed dap, though that is highly debatable. Now, the battery of the M6 Ultra is bigger, but it is proclaimed to have about the same overall battery life. The M6 Ultra will get you 13.5 hrs. on 3.5 se and 9 hrs. on balanced, while the R6 Pro II 2025 will get you 13 hrs. on 3.5 se and 10.5 hrs. on balanced. In fact, I’d say the R6 Pro II 2025 is a bit better. 

UI / Usage

Now, both devices are just as quick scrolling and random UI abilities as each other. They both carry the Snapdragon 665 processor. Still, the R6 Pro II 2025 has a more recent Android interface with Android 12 while the M6 Ultra has Android 10. Honestly, as far as actual everyday use is concerned, they both are highly qualified and great. No issues with either and both are very fluid, intuitive, and both generally look alike. As far as circuitry is concerned, the R6 Pro II 2025’s CS4308P Flagship Cirrus Logic chip is very-very similar to the M6 Ultra’s AK4493SEQ dac chips. Both have that musical swing to the sound, dynamic, highly resolute. I’m getting ahead of myself though. The M6 Ultra does have about 85mW more max output power than the R6 Pro II 2025. Of course, the real-world difference shows the M6 Ultra a hair more powerful, as you would think. Still, the difference is negligible, very small. Also, the R6 Pro II 2025 does carry a class A & A/B amping section whereas the M6 Ultra doesn’t have this luxury. Honestly, the layout, the design, the unboxing, the usage, and overall feel is very solid on both devices. I’d definitely say the aesthetic of the R6 Pro II 2025 is better and I adore its big bright screen much more than the M6 Ultra. 

Sound Differences 

Now we get to the sound differences, and I promise this will be very short. I say that because these two sound eerily similar to each other. Which is an enormous, huge, and totally awesome compliment to the R6 Pro II 2025. In fact, I will say that the R6 Pro II 2025 is actually slightly cleaner folks. More distinct note definition. Having said that, the M6 Ultra has a hair more of a dynamic sound, more musically adept. Both have that warm/neutral tonality, great balance on both, and both devices have ridiculously good resolution. I do perceive that the transient attack through decay is a hair better on the R6 Pro II 2025, but I went back and forth on that and changed my mind many times during this three-hour comparison. Also, I should add that the R6 Pro II 2025 has a touch better layering of sounds while the M6 Ultra carries a hair deeper and more robust bass region. At any rate, these two go toe-to-toe very well. 

Final thoughts on this comparison 

Okay fellas and ladies, this comparison was much more beneficial to the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025. Without question. One thing I would have never expected was to see the R6 Pro II 2025 hang with the Shanling M6 Ultra. Shoot, it did better than just “hang with it”. Also, it costs over $100 less! Bigger screen too. I’m telling you; these two daps are absolutely awesome folks. I think I’d probably choose the R6 Pro II 2025, but that would be a very hard decision to make. However, once again, this says much more about the R6 Pro II 2025 than it does the M6 Ultra. Both are flat-out awesome. 

Final thoughts on the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 

Friends, I went into this review with doubtful thoughts for this dap. Not that I thought it would be a bad option either. I was doubtful because this was a follow-up dap from its predecessor. Rarely do we see such a huge leap in performance out of a follow-up… well… anything. I find the R6 Pro II 2025 to be heads and shoulders better than its predecessor. In truth, the R6 Pro II 2025 is one of the best daps that I’ve heard under $1k. Now, there are a few notable daps that I still have yet to hear and even some older +$1k daps from yesteryear marked down which compete well. However, you’d be hard pressed to find a dap which puts everything together quite like the R6 Pro II 2025. From the unique build, the beautiful case, the awesome designs and aesthetic, to the ultra-fluid and smartphone-like usability and UI smoothness. Couple that with the fact that the R6 Pro II 2025 gets you very nice battery life. Well, Class A amping doesn’t do very well (5 hrs), but as I said, the actual sonic difference between Class A and A/B is close to nil. 

Tremendous buy

The point is that the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025 is a tremendous buy at $699. I’ve had all sorts of daps folks. From +$1k daps all the way down to $150 and I am overjoyed with how well this one performs. Ya know, I never did a comparison with another dap which I crown one of the best that under $1k has to offer in the iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2 installed (together equals $1,100). I’ve listened to the newer DX260 and the others around that cost and I gotta tell you, the DX240 sounds better to me. Having said that, I’d take the R6 Pro II 2025 every day of the week, and I adore the DX240! I could’ve sold it long ago, but I love its sound. However, that R6 Pro II 2025 has my heart in its clutches. I know that $699 is a lot of money for most people and it’d likely be a lifetime buy for many, but I feel that Hiby could’ve asked a lot more for this one. Maybe not +$1k, but definitely close. If actual real-world usage, design, and sound dictate the price, then I’d say the R6 Pro II 2025 is one of the best under $1k that I’ve personally used. Again, I haven’t heard them all folks. So please take this overjoyed praise with a grain of salt and do your due diligence when purchasing something this costly. 

Downsides? 

I was sitting here trying to think of actual downsides to this dap and there are very few for me. One issue is that Class A amping will only get you 5 hrs. max battery life on 3.5 se and even less on balanced. So, I wish that was a lot better. Also, the R6 Pro II 2025 doesn’t come with a volume wheel as well. Though, I don’t even think about that anymore. In fact, the more I use this device the less I feel that I’d ever “need” one. I think I just like the look. At least that’s what I came up with after using the R6 Pro II 2025 for so long. I could also say that the R6 Pro II 2025 may be far too big, tall, for many folks who would much rather have a smaller and more pocket friendly dap. I am polar opposite from those people, but I get it. Not everyone wants a 6” dap. It’s pretty huge folks. Let’s see, I suppose that those people who much more desire an analytical sound, brighter, even more detail oriented will possibly not completely enjoy the R6 Pro II 2025. I’m definitely grasping for straws here folks and really digging for downsides. Hmm, oh yeah, on Class A amping the R6 Pro II 2025 does tend to get pretty hot, or at least warmer than perfectly comfortable. That is a very small and almost insignificant downside, but it is a downside nonetheless. Anyways, I can’t really come up with anything else off the top of my head right now. If I think of any others later on than I will edit them into the review later. Seriously though, this is a highly capable dap folks and it’s worth every penny. 

Easy Rec! 

However, for me, the real worth of the R6 Pro II 2025 comes with its sound folks. Well, the sound coupled with all that good stuff I said a couple paragraphs ago. The R6 Pro II 2025 has a wonderfully balanced warm/neutral sound with high levels of musicality whilst not skimping at all in the technical stuff. I have been so very impressed at this device, and I’d like to pat every person who was involved with its creation on the back along with a solid fist bump. Really a very well-tuned device. I love that it has that fun low-end, it’s weighted, but it’s also very swift, tight, and it doesn’t produce or cause veil, muddiness, or any real side effect that we usually hear with more bass emphasis. Also, that midrange is simply awesome. Vocalists come through very nice, forward, creamy, highly resolute, and altogether very nice. Especially with a vocal centric iem or headphone. Next, the treble is completely non-offensive, and it’ll never exaggerate those sharp tones or influence a harsher sound. It’ll never add to the harshness. Instead, the treble is very clean, crisp, and well extended. Also, the R6 Pro II 2025 has a great detail influence on my iems along with nice spacing, some air to the sound, and very nice layering too. Then you throw in the nice soundstage, and you have yourself one helluva dap! Folks, there is no world where I would say that the R6 Pro II 2025 isn’t worth its cost at $699. This one is an easy recommendation folks. 

Conclusion 

To conclude my full review and feature of the Hiby R6 Pro II 2025, I first have to give a huge thanks to the good people of Hiby Audio for allowing me to review this device. Hiby has been a very easy group to work with, and they are the least pushy brand that I’ve had to deal with, which is so awesome folks. Not that many are really “pushy”, but Hiby doesn’t even feel the need to ask when anything gets published, and they are generally very respectful to the reviewer. I really do love checking out their products. Another thing is that Hiby has never done anything under the fray folks. They’ve never done anything even remotely underhanded to me, or anyone else I know. So, thank you once again Hiby Audio. Also, I thank you, the reader, for taking the time out of your day to read my thoughts, or any thoughts of any review, from any reviewer at Mobileaudiophile.com. It always means a lot to us, and I cannot thank you enough. I really do hope this review helps. 

Other Perspectives 

Okay, so you just read through my ridiculously long review, and you think you want to hit that “buy now” button. Hold up! Not yet! Please, do not do that. First, go check out some other thoughts. Take some time to look at other reviewers’ experience with this dap. We are all very much different and what is good for me may not be good for the next guy. Also, just because I like something doesn’t mean that you will. Please consider what I am saying. Take the time to read, listen to, or watch other perspectives. I really think it’ll help you in the end. We’ll folks, I think I’m done. So, take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!!