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Hiby Project Ace: Almost There –Nealz’s Take

Nealz

Pro’s:

Con’s:

Disclaimer:​

Hiby has sent Audiophiles Alliance BD the Project Ace IEM for a review tour in exchange of our honest thoughts and opinions. If you decide to purchase this IEM based on my review and find that you disagree with this assessment, that responsibility lies solely with you. I strongly discourage relying solely on a single review for making purchasing decisions in the realm of audio gear, as preferences vary. Furthermore you should conduct thorough research by exploring platforms such as YouTube, head-fi forums, and various Facebook audiophile groups and websites until you come to a final conclusion.

Non-affiliated Purchase Link: https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-x-faudio-project-ace

Unboxing:

Hiby Project Ace offers quite a premium unboxing experience and a generous amount of accessories. What’s in the box:

  1. A dark blue leather carrying case
  2. A modular, 8 core Silver Plated Copper Cable
  3. Set of silicone ear tips (S,M,L)
  4. Set of foam ear tips (S,M,L)

Build Quality & Design:

The build and design of the Project Ace is outstanding. Featuring a distinctive pentagon-shaped metal housing with a striking blue and gold finish, the combination of matte blue and glossy gold accents gives it a bold and eye-catching look. The metal shells are well-constructed, offering a solid, premium feel in hand. The size leans on the larger side and Project Ace has a nice heft that adds to their durability without being cumbersome. Fingerprints and scratches weren’t an issue during my use. Although comfort & fit might be challenging for those with smaller ears, due to the size and weight of these metal shells.

The Tech:

This is the first time Hiby has partnered with the boutique earphone brand F.Audio and Project Ace is the end result of their collaborative efforts. At the core of the Project ACE is a dynamic driver designed with several impressive features. It houses a 12mm diaphragm, larger than the typical 10mm driver. Which allows for 1.44 times more area to push air than a 10mm dynamic driver, and 2.25 times more than an 8mm one. This diaphragm is coated with Beryllium, a material renowned for being lightweight and extremely fast, delivering rich high frequency and wonderful tonal texture.

The dome, composed of a magnesium alloy mixed with lithium, is mounted atop the Beryllium layer, creating a highly responsive diaphragm. Powering this setup are exceptionally strong magnets, using which Project Ace achieves excellent electro-acoustic conversion efficiency. Project Ace also features triple built-in acoustic chambers, which reduces distortion, regulates the air-flow and releases excess air pressure in the ear canal.

Sources Used During Review:

  1. Hiby R4
  2. Cayin RU7
  3. Shanling M5 Ultra
  4. Hiby R6 Gen III

Project Ace is an easy to drive IEM. It doesn’t need a lot of power to bring out it’s true potential. Neither does it scale more with more potent or powerful sources. Project Ace synergizes better with warm and smooth sounding sources due to it’s peaky treble.

Sound Evaluation

Timbre, tonality, and tonal balance

Project Ace takes a break form the usual Harman or v-shape tuning most manufacturer go for. It takes a balanced yet musical approach. The tonality can be described as slightly bright but never dry or analytical. It retains good note weight and a natural timbre for instruments.

Highs (3.5/5):

It has well-extend upper-treble with lots of details and sparkle. Instruments like high-hats and cymbals sound crisp and lively on this set. The lower-treble has a dip/peak which can make the overall treble range sound uneven or peaky. For example, in the track Boston/Long time by Foreplay you can feel fatigued by the synths and electric guitar distortion starting from 1:28 to 2:20.

Mids (4/5):

As mentioned earlier Project has a mid centric tuning. Both instruments and vocals in the midrange sound quite pleasing. Vocals are forward but yet lacking sweetness or that emotional element. Both male & female vocals sound good, lower-mids benefit from some added warmth coming out of the mid-bass region. Male vocals sound fuller and more texturized, female vocals although forward do not sound shouty or piercing like some Harman-tuned sets do. You can notice the acoustic guitars, piano and drums being rendered quite vividly in the track Wild Horses by Rolling Stones.

Low’s (4/5):

The bass on the Hiby Project Ace is tight, punchy, and well-controlled. While it doesn’t offer the overwhelming sub-bass of some bass-heavy IEMs, it provides just enough depth and impact to add warmth and presence to genres like electronic, pop, and rock. The bass never bleeds into the midrange, maintaining a clear separation that keeps the overall sound clean and engaging. In the track Matafaka by Unknown Brian the bass drop at 0:40 slams quite hard and sounds dynamic.

Technicalities (4/5):

Soundstage

The soundstage of the Hiby Project Ace is surprisingly expansive for an IEM. It offers a wider-than-average sense of space, allowing the music to breathe and providing an experience that feels less “in-your-head” than many other in-ear monitors. There’s a palpable sense of width, with instruments and vocals extending outwards, creating a holographic feel. While the depth isn’t as pronounced as the width, it still manages to deliver a sense of layering that feels realistic, particularly for live recordings and orchestral arrangements.

Resolution and Detail Retrieval

Detail retrieval on the Hiby Project Ace is impressive, especially considering its price point. The IEM manages to pick up subtle nuances in recordings, such as the trailing reverb of a vocal or the slight rasp of a string instrument. This level of resolution is a testament to the finely tuned dynamic driver, which captures both micro-details and the finer textures of instruments. It excels in revealing intricate elements of the mix, making it a great choice for genres with complex instrumentation like jazz, classical, and progressive rock.

Imaging

When it comes to imaging, the Project Ace delivers precise placement of instruments and vocals within the soundstage. The accuracy of its imaging makes it easy to pinpoint different elements of a track, which is particularly impressive during complex, multi-layered recordings. Whether it’s the distinct positioning of drums, guitars, or background vocals, the Project Ace excels at maintaining clarity without overcrowding any part of the stereo field. This feature is especially enjoyable for listeners who appreciate spatial realism in their audio.

Instrument Separation

The instrument separation on the Hiby Project Ace is another standout feature. Thanks to its clear and well-defined midrange, instruments do not feel congested, even in busier or more intricate tracks. Every layer of the music is distinct, allowing you to focus on individual components without them blurring together. Whether it’s a complex rock song with multiple guitar tracks or a classical arrangement with numerous instruments, the Project Ace does a remarkable job keeping each element in its own space.

Comparisons

Simgot EA1000 (Fermat):

Both are quite similar in terms of sound, tech and even price. Although both are single dynamic drivers, Simgot adds a passive radiator into the mix which has a very positive impact on the bass.

Bass

The bass quantity is slightly better on the EA1000, it sounds punchier and the sub-bass reaches deeper. Compared to Project Ace, the bass on Simgot EA1000 has better texture, separation and clarity. Both sound snappy and agile in the low end, the decay on the Simgot EA1000 is quicker than that of the Project Ace. Bass notes resolve with minimal lingering, giving the EA1000 an even more controlled and clean presentation.

Mids

Vocals are more forward in the Project Ace, while they take a back seat in the EA1000 behind the instruments. Due to the upper-mids peak on the EA1000 vocals sound significantly shoutier. The mids on the EA1000 are more neutral and leaner compared to the slightly warmer mids of the Project Ace. Instruments and vocals sound clean and precise without any added warmth. This can result in a more analytical sound, where every detail in the midrange is well-separated, but it might lack the richness or fullness some listeners prefer for certain genres like jazz or acoustic.

Treble

The treble on the Project Ace is energetic and sparkly but remains controlled, without being overly bright or sibilant. It has a smooth roll-off at the top end, providing a safe and inoffensive treble response that adds excitement without fatigue. However, it may lack some air and detail in the upper treble region. There is als some sibilance present due to the lower-treble peak. The EA1000’s treble is more extended and detailed, offering better clarity and air. It has a crisper presentation with more emphasis on micro-details, which gives instruments like cymbals and strings a more natural shimmer. This level of treble extension can be fatuging to more treble sensitive listeners.

Technicalities

Technicalities are great on both sets. The Project Ace offers a wide and immersive soundstage, creating an open feel that extends beyond the ears. Imaging is precise, making it easy to locate instruments and vocals within the mix. The sense of space is one of its strengths, providing a near 3D-like experience. While the EA1000 offers a more intimate stage but it does have better depth and height. Simgot EA1000 offers a higher sense of resolution and micro-detailing dues to it’s aggressive focus on clarity. Both have good imaging and instrument separation.

Overall

The Simgot EA1000 has more analytical and slightly dryer tuning compared to the Project Ace. Although Project Ace sound smoother it too can feel fatiguing due to it’s uneven treble frequency. Both require copper cables and a warm source to tame their treble harshness. Mids on the Project Ace sound more natural and less shouty, while EA1000 makes up for this with a focus on extreme precision and clarity. These two are side-grades to each other rather than an upgrade, it will depend on the listener which one the like better.

Conclusion:

Withe the Simgot Project Ace I think Hiby has come really close to creating a benchmark single DD IEM at the $250 price range. Only to be let down by the peaks in its lower treble and slight lack of bass quantity (impact/slam). Hiby is apparently working on a newer purple version on the Project Ace which supposedly fixes the uneven and fatiguing treble. I hope they makes the vocals more expressive and adds more extension in the bass region as well. So finally we may get the top single DD contender of the $200-$300 price range and the Simgot EA1000 can finally retire.

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