Hiby Yvain Review
Intro
Hello, today I am reviewing one of the latest iems to hit the market from the audio brand Hiby, that set is the Hiby Yvain. I received this set from Hiby as I am part of a tour out west that brought along the Yvain as well as the Hiby R3 II. I want to first thank Joseph Yeung for coordinating everything and for always being such a professional representative of the Hiby brand as well as Hiby for giving me this opportunity. Thank you! Now, when I received the Yvain the only things that arrived at my house were the carrying case as well as the earphones and cable. That’s it. So, what I usually do in these situations is simply complete a “sound review”. Honestly that’s all anyone ever cares about anyways. I will add a few other sections that I have the ability to answer but it’ll be pretty short.
Hiby
Hiby is a huge player in the Audio game, and they’ve been around a very long time. Originally known for specializing in the dac/amp market as well as the dap game. However, they slowly began to dabble in creating earphones as well and to be 100% honest, they have yet to disappoint with anything I’ve listened to over the years. I own the Hiby Beans which is a bullet-style set that replays beautifully. I also own the Hiby Seeds ii which never got the love that I feel they should’ve gotten. Truly a beast of a set. I recently reviewed the Hiby Zeta (Zeta Review HERE), which is a kilo-buck iem that truly plays to its price ($1399). What a gem that set is! Truly a fantastic set that I loved having in my possession. Besides earphones, I’ve also reviewed the Hiby R6 Pro II DAP (R6 Pro II Review HERE) recently and I was beyond impressed. I am a fan of this company and I’m happy to be reviewing the Yvain today.
Yvain
What a different yet cool theme to design a set of earphones to. “Yvain“! Strange name but sweet story. In fact, this story is as old as 1180 A.D. This is also a long story, but a noble story too. Hence the lion faceplate which seeks to embody the chivalrous and noble nature of the protagonist in the story… That person is… you guessed it… our friend Yvain. To give a very quick synopsis; Yvain temporarily left his love “Laudine” to seek adventure. As one does of course. However, Yvain is given an ultimatum by Laudine that should he leave, he MUST be back in one year or she’s gone.
Back to Good
Yvain becomes so addicted to his adventurous exploits that he doesn’t make it back in time. Laudine bounces (BuhBye), gone, no need for Yvain anymore. Yvain naturally tries to win her back which of course brings him to a dragon where he rescues a lion who becomes his loyal friend from that day on. The usual. Hence, the lion on the faceplate. Short story even shorter; Yvain faces 3 fierce warrior knights and two demons (what’s a story without knights and demons?) and beats them all in Knightly fashion while eventually securing the heart of his lady… Once again.
Okay that was a bad job of giving a quick synopsis, but at least you have the back story now. It’s a good name (Yvain) but I’m not sure how this story or this character ties into the tuning of the Yvain earphones? At any rate, it’s still a cool naming scheme and at least Hiby didn’t lazily give it a “number name”. Nobody likes number names! Also, it’s a damn cool faceplate!
Like I said, the Yvain is an all-Balanced Armature Driver Earphone, and as far as I know it has yet to be released. I don’t know when that will be. Hiby set the price at $239 and from my perspective; I feel this is an extremely competitive pricing. There I go again, I’ve said “too much-too soon” … let’s get into it friends, I’m excited about this set. The Hiby Yvain everyone…
Purchase Links: I will update this review and edit in links when available
Yvain Pros 🔥🔥🔥
-Price ($239) is competitive
-Bold, masculine and totally cool design
-Great macro-dynamics
-Timbre is wonderful
-Correct and organic BA Bass
-The vocals are outstanding
-Rich and vibrant treble
-Soundstage
-Detail retrieval is fantastic
-Transients are very quick and precise
-Imaging is truly great for the price point
Yvain Cons 🥶🥶
-Some may prefer more low-end rumble
-You don’t have the richness of a good DD in the bass region
-Honestly… There aren’t many downsides here
-This set is not for warm/thick lovers
Gear used for testing
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
ACCESSORIES
Quick comment: Due to the fact that I did not receive the entire packaging I will refrain from remarking on the unboxing… Obviously. Instead, I’ll make some quick comments of what I did receive.
Eartips
Hiby provided me with a small plastic case which houses the included eartips. Inside that case Hiby adds in three pairs (S, M, L) of comfortable foam tips. They also provide some very nice white semi-wide bore silicone tips that have a firm flange and a firm stem. Similar to KBear 07 tips. These are the tips that I decided to use, and I had zero issues too. I feel the silicones provided a nice emphasis in the upper midrange and some better-defined bass punch as opposed to the foam tips. Maybe some treble sensitive folks will want to experiment with the foam tips, but they weren’t for me.
Cable
The cable provided through Hiby is a beautiful brown cable, pretty thick, somewhat stiff, but also, it’s modular. Hiby sent me both the 3.5 single ended as well as 4.4 balanced nozzle Jack’s. The cable is dope, as you can see in my pictures. However, what sets this cable apart is the locking mechanism on the cable jack. You just shove it in and lock it in. You won’t have the modular Jack’s falling out like 85% of the modular systems we see today. I also feel it looks very nice against the silver of the Yvain earphones and strikes a very masculine look. The cable is not microphonic to the point that it’s annoying or anything. Honestly, the included cable is perfectly fitting for a set at this price point. I find there is zero reason to go 3rd party cable hunting to get the most out of the Yvain.
Case
The provided case is a very nice sized fabric covered case that has plenty of room inside. I like the fact that I could easily carry with me a dongle dac as well as the Yvain and some extra eartips when I was in critical listening mode while out and about. It is true that I really don’t ever use cases. Still, I’m dealing with a tour unit, it isn’t mine, so I’ll protect them as best as I can. I will say this, the case is certainly not going to fit in a pocket but is perfect to put into a bag and will definitely keep your precious Hiby Yvain safe throughout the day.
Build / Design / Fit
Build / Internals
Real quick, I feel the build is decent. I did notice what appeared to be slight glue at the seams where the faceplate and the shell cavity meet. I could be wrong but I’m assuming that this unit wasn’t exactly the final finished product as far as build goes. That said, everything else is very nice. The faceplate is all alloy with a very fine tuned and well-done machining for the design. The entire cavity was done by way of 3D printing and CNC. This is a completely sealed shell cavity which provides great isolation. Inside we have a three-way acoustic chamber. Hiby chose to use a 3-way electric crossover circuit as well. The Yvain is a four Balanced Armature iem using high quality drivers. Those drivers consist of a Knowles “damper less” high-power CI-300120 driver for the low-end. They went with two Sonion 2389D BA drivers for the midrange and a Knowles WBFK33518 BA driver for the treble region.
Design
The design is one of my favorites that I have personally seen folks. Okay the body and shell cavity are pretty normal, nothing crazy. We’ve seen this shell shape many times over the course of the past few years. It’s the faceplate engraving that absolutely ticks every box for me. Look at that faceplate folks! The lion head is so dope!! This set is masculine to the core! Bold in design with the perfect blend of artistry as well as structural integrity. I love it!
Fit
As far as fit is concerned, the Hiby Yvain fit my ears like they grew there. Obviously, I joke but the sentiment is true. These fit me so very well. Now, will they fit you? Probably. This is a very common shell shape which is made to be ergonomically friendly to most people across the globe. I will say this, the isolation is fantastic on the Yvain. This set could be used for stage purposes. Hiby states that you can get up to – 26db reduction from outside noises. I can’t say that I disagree. This was one thing that jumped out at me. Also, it didn’t take long to get a good seal. Isolation is great, fit is great too. Nice work!
Drivability
Mobile listening
I have had such a blast with the Hiby Yvain. Of course, it was short lived, but I loved being out and about with this set. The Hiby Yvain is rated at 23 ohms and a sensitivity of 116 db’s. Friends, this set does not need extra crazy amping. Now, it slightly scales with a bit of power but that could all be in my head. I can trick myself and I’m big enough to admit it. What I think the Yvain actually does is scale and mold to the source. Obviously, my best sources are also the most powerful so naturally it seems the Ya in is scaling with power. Nope, it’s just a chameleon. Sounds good in anything! Take the IFi Go Blu. Using a Cirrus Logic CS43131 dac chip and some serious amperage on 4.4 balanced the IFi Go Blu sounds absolutely great. Just effortless dynamics and clean lines, even listening on Bluetooth. The Yvain scales even more to the Moondrop Dawn 4.4 (also CS43131). That neutral yet wholly dynamically charged and balanced sound of the Dawn just vibes with the Yvain. Vocals are like butter.
Daps
I won’t stay too long here because I know you get the gist. I used the brand new Hiby R3 II (Dual ES9219C dac chips) before anything else as they came packaged together. First off, that little dap is awesome (Review coming soon) and paired with he Yvain created this extraordinary detail retrieval. The bass wasn’t as lifted but the sound was melodic and clinical at the same time. The iBasso DX240 (ES9038 Pro dac chip) with Amp8 MK2 module installed sounded very nice. Easily the best in the technical department yet also with fantastic note weight and density. However, as per usual, the Shanling M6 Ultra (AK4493SEQ Flagship dac chip) was the one I clung to. Clean velvet, euphonic harmony, birdsweet and mellifluent… Okay I went a little “hard in the paint” right there but I love how the Yvain synergized with the velvet chip of the M6 Ultra. They sound great together.
In the end
However, any dongle dac will do. It doesn’t have to be a powerhouse, and, in my opinion, I don’t think you have to worry too much about source tonality either. The Yvain sounded good on all my sources, and I have a few different types of source signatures. I do think the Yvain molds to the source which is a huge benefit (of course I haven’t tried them all) so don’t worry too hard if you’ll have a horrible pairing or not. Possibly you’ll find the best synergy with a warmer or more lush sounding source, but I don’t think this is necessary.
Sound Impressions
Note: I will reiterate that I did not get the entire packaging with this tour set so I will only complete a “Sound Review” of the Hiby Yvain. I used flac files or better stored on my devices for any & all critical listening, and I didn’t perform any burn-in of the Yvain due to the fact that these are all Balanced Armature driven earphones. One more thing, Hiby is nothing but professional. Nobody has even hinted that I should give a good review or asked me to skew my words (not that I would). When I write any word on a page you are reading my exact thoughts. Sorry, I had to get that out there. On to the sound…
Solid Performer (between the 20’s)
The Hiby Yvain is a solid performer with a warm/neutral tonal color which canopies the entire spectrum. What we have is very full and very expressive macro-dynamic energy that is refreshing to listen to and fun to have in my ears. The sound is more organic to my ears with a slight hint of euphonic timbre that brings out a sweet tone to my music. At the least the Hiby Yvain is very musical, very melodic, rich, and a great set to simply chill with. At the most the Yvain will be a true standard at its price point. To me the Yvain has more of a W to U-shaped tuning with a very tight, controlled and slightly under-emphasized bass. It’s definitely a mature bass. The midrange is upfront, highlighted, forward sounding, which ultimately produces some of the best vocals from an all BA set in its price point. We have a very nicely emphasized treble region which adds some levity to the mix, some gloss to the sound, pinpoint clarity and some body for the treble bite. Imaging is outstanding, transients are rapid, and details are great. If this is all you read then just know this; the Hiby Yvain can quite easily compete at its price point with relative ease, especially if the tuning agrees with your preferences.
Bass Region
Sub-bass
The low-end is taken care of by a Knowles CI-300120 which is very well capable of providing passably deep sub-bass rumble. Very tight, nimble, dexterous and also easily capable of maneuvering even the trickiest bass passages. Of course, a good Dynamic Driver will provide a better kick and organic note structure, but I am impressed with the Yvain and how well the timbre comes across.
Not for bassheads… Got it!
Now, this isn’t some basshead type sub-bass that rumbles in your belly. Still, it’s able to accurately define and extract every single little nuance in the sound. The Yvain is slightly guttural and just under what I would call “moderately deep” in pitch. Enough to represent most any genre I’d say, almost. But it’s the organic type of clean lined, ductile agility, and realistic cadence that makes this sub-bass special. Bass-Bois will want to keep looking though. Yvain laughs at bassheads, scoffs, raises his sword and cleanly, speedily, and with good authority executes the moniker. Not for bassheads… Got it. Let’s not get things twisted folks, this is a mature bass that is fleet-footed and spry enough to fight off three freaking knights and two demons! Basically, it’s nimble, has some punch, (a light punch) and every gradation within a note has some decent density. Not ultra deep in pitch as the Yvain isn’t too far extended into the nether regions of the bass, but still well composed. My opinion.
Example
“Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard is quite literally the first track I ever check for low-end activity, just because I know that test track so well. I know exactly the parameters of that deep and gritty bassline. I don’t even necessarily think the song is all that great. Welcome to my test tracks. Anyways, I would say it has a passable and mildly robust solidity and a light reverberated haptic feel (especially for an all-BA set) with nicely defined note edges. Again, transients are perceived to be tantivy and rapid in their progress from attack-decay-sustain, but not so much that you lose all harmonics. The peak at attack has a concrete feel to them which I assume is a result of such quick ADSR. Basically, you won’t hear any “one-noted” type bass here.
Mid-bass
The mid-bass can bump “a little” folks. Listening to “2040” by Lil Baby & Lil Durk hits decisively, distinctly, and with a sense of exactness. I could use a bit more oomph and quantity, but it can hit with agility and a tight slam. I actually kept rewinding because I like the defined note edge on the bass drop. There is a projection, or a convexity to a bass note on this set. It isn’t lifeless at all. Yes, it is under-emphasized, but it isn’t attenuated against the rest of the mix. Almost like a vibrant type of bass tone eminence yet without the lagging harmonics which sounds great on this digital bass next to the rest of the song’s melody. I don’t mind it. Though I could use more and if I had my way I would have certainly plumped up this region more.
Or ” Billie Jean” by Weezer (Michael Jackson cover). I don’t hear anything pillowy, or fuzzy, and the kick drum boom does have a pleasing and hollow pound to it, coupled with that nice and tacky edge. I certainly think that other sets can hold their own a bit better, but I like that you get all the qualities of good BA Bass. However, without question a Dynamic Driver will sound more authentic, deeper, more tonally correct. Whatever the case, it’s clear that Hiby tuned this low-end with cleanliness in mind while not overdoing it and still retaining some fun-factor. Nothing is muddy, and on the flip; nothing’s weak either. I also don’t hear any detrimental spill over into the midrange. I like what the bass does for the rest of the mix actually.
Downsides to the Bass Region
If I were to find an issue with the low-end, I would first say that this set is not a DD. That’s the biggest issue. Of course, based on the luxuries of this Knowles bass driver I’d say that this may be one of its selling points too. Next, I would say that Bassheads will not enjoy the output on the Yvain. I would usually never enjoy the output level the Yvain has and could certainly use more but I enjoy the Yvain quite a lot. Pardon my inability to properly articulate myself but I like a bass I usually wouldn’t enjoy… Weird. However, I could see many not enjoying it as much as me and the moment I’m in. This is definitely a more mature bass, and a speedier bass, that doesn’t rumble with that robust wildly authoritative type of boom that lingers in your ears completing a note. The Yvain won’t give you that atmospheric and bulbous type of organic sound. It just isn’t that folks. Instead, I find the low-end to be tonally pleasing and I really enjoy this hard-edged attack and speedy ability. Of course, this set will not be for everyone and most of those decisions will be because the low-end doesn’t necessarily bang hard enough. Still, the low-end is nice.
Midrange
The midrange comes across with a pleasingly smooth cadence and slightly neutral lean, yet with a hint of warmth that really does help at providing a spotless and grain-less but also rich tone. Not thick per se, or syrupy, not weighted with warm trickery from the bass region either. There’s almost a pregnant euphonic timbre that is pristine in its controlled convexity or rubbery malleability. It’s forward, yet contained, it’s vibrant yet also reserved and at times it comes across with a little gloss to the sound. I realize this may make no sense to any of you. It only makes sense to me when I’m in the romantic throws of the moment. However, this is the best way to describe this vocal presence. Again, it’s a ‘smooth-over-crisp’ sound yet doesn’t miss any of the fine details. However, I say that but… the Yvain can pull off crisp too. Also, when I say smooth, I don’t mean soft and warm or pillowy, I mean smooth as in clean. Within the fundamental body of the sound, the Yvain has a debris-free and blemish-free intonation which flows throughout the midrange. It’s smooth. If I’m still not making any sense, just know that… the midrange sounds good! That made sense!
Lower-midrange
Males generally play around in the lower-mids (for the most part) and I find that males come across in a very lean-lush way. There’s density to the body of a note but transients move seemingly pretty expediently. Resolution in this area is speckless with effortless details within this clean approach. The spill-over from the low-end gives just enough warmth to lend body to a man’s voice.
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by Home Free (U2 acapella cover) showcases every type of male voice in perfect clarity, and the Yvain seems to revel in it! The song quite literally provides the listener with bass/baritone singers, to tenors, to countertenors (and everything in between). With this track I can also discern the Yvain’s agility in this region and the variable modulations of voices undulating and flowing together. The Yvain really does nail this track. In fact, take any track by Home Free as they are damn near all the same. Perhaps, a voice like Avi Kaplan, in a track like “First Place I Go“… may not come across as perfectly authentic. Maybe a bit sharp. Bass singers do tend to be a bit too elated sounding on the Yvain. Maybe not as deep or resonant to be natural, but not bad by any stretch.
Upper-Midrange
Females have that shimmery projection within the Yvain’s forward positioned upper-mids. Shimmery and lifted yet also capped from going overboard or oversaturated to cause glare. There’s a contrived and controlled cap to the pinna emphasis which still holds tight to the natural smoothness within a woman’s voice. The Yvain can sound silky and soft in a track like “The 1 ” by Taylor Swift from her “Long Pond Studio Sessions” remix of “Folklore“. Yet also sounds more outstandingly coarse when listening to Jess Williamson in the song “Stampede“. She has a sweet but also rough edge to her voice that doesn’t get lost on the Yvain and doesn’t sound grainy or metallic. Females are a bit more forward than males, but it all comes together naturally and relatively balanced. However, the structure of notes isn’t so clinical, dry, or analytical that the Yvain loses any musicality. Females in this region still have some body, or like I say a… “lean-lush” type note expression.
Instrumentation
The BA drivers housed within the Yvain sound very composed. Usually, we are stuck within the confines of a few different tuning principles. Somehow the Yvain is somewhat of an outlier. Meaning, most of the time BA’s have the speedy transient attack yet cut off the residual harmonics to a degree which makes so many instruments sound unrealistic and sometimes unmusical. There’s this unique problem that doesn’t usually get resolved in the more budget friendly price points using BA drivers. In comes the dragon slaying Yvain that is able to skirt around this issue. Let’s put it this way, I don’t hear a lack of harmonics to the point that instrumentation comes across too sculpted. Strings sound great on most any track I played. Details emerge with ease. Percussion seemed to always have that sprightly energy affording a satisfying pang, pap, thwack and chisk. Piano sounds mostly melodic, mellifluous and resounding, depending on the track of course. Not everything is perfect, but this is stuff that you hardly recognize unless specifically listening for it.
Downsides to the Midrange
As far as issues in the mids… I don’t know guys, what do you want me to say? Harmonics are cut short at times, maybe? Ooh, I got it, some folks will not desire a forward type of midrange or a mid-centric type of replay. Here’s another, some hobbyists would much more prefer a warmer, tonally darker and pillowy smooth type of vocal delivery. The Yvain isn’t that folks, so there’s your downsides. Honestly, I find the Yvain midrange wonderful folks. You have no sibilance, glare, grain or veil and vocals are really great, layering is great, and Imaging is also great.
Treble Region
The treble is the same as the rest of the mix; perfectly harmonious, homogeneous and in the spirit of cohesion, it’s also dynamically balanced. The treble is cleanly partitioned off from the bass and the mids, yet wonderfully coherent. Each 3rd of the mix converges into a tiny nozzle that explodes that sound into the temporal lobes of our brain and images that sound in the occipital cortex to paint a very well-done melodic picture of my music. I suppose I could’ve just stopped at “the treble is cohesive in the mix and rather musical”… but that’s boring.
Cherry on the top
The treble comes across nicely lifted yet overtakes no other area of the frequency. In fact, you might say that the treble is slightly laid-back. I would then ask you what you mean by “laid-back”? The treble simply isn’t over emphasized but make no mistake there’s good energy there. Good as in…the treble has good note body, and good presence, with a very resolute and refined sound that comes across just as smooth as it is crisp. It uplifts the rest of the spectrum and is just as much a “supporting leg of a three-legged table” as it is the “cherry on the top”. Basically, the treble fits the overall auditory spectrum and balance really nicely and even sounds pretty darn nice too as I jam away to my library.
Rapid fire
I always go to Billy Strings because his tracks have that rapid-fire treble activity which helps to hear the speed, separation, layers, really the whole nine. Take the track “Ice Bridges” or the track “Secrets“. Actually, you can take just about any track on his albums (these two are in my “Testing” Playlist). Listening with the Yvain in my ears is a delight. The Yvain is well able to navigate the breakneck speed of the banjo play and does so in a well layered and well separated fashion. Now, some sets in the price point can run through this better, or more succinctly, but they are also usually drier and at a loss for musicality, to a degree anyways. What I love about the Yvain is that it can hang well with either song, but it also has nice timbre, body and definition.
Downsides to the Treble Region
If I’m choosing some drawbacks to the treble, I would first say that there will always be those who desire an even more uplifted and brilliant treble region. The Yvain is not necessarily loaded in “brilliance” although there is most certainly some luster up top. I also suppose the polar opposite is true that some folks are actually very sensitive to any rise in the treble region. I know quite a few people who fall into that camp. However, I think that most hobbyists would declare the Yvain treble to be very well tuned. There isn’t anything ultra bright with glare or any saw blade type peaks that will affect your music. I don’t hear any sibilance either.
Technicalities
Soundstage
The soundstage of the Yvain is more intimate and closer, yet also very full. The music sounds closer to the listener due to a more forward midrange. However, this doesn’t mean it’s a small stage because the sound field is very wide, very tall and has good depth too. Instruments and voices may be more intimate, but the Yvain uses every square inch of sound real-estate to convey that stage. The sound is simply “full” to my ears. I enjoy a stage like this. It’s actually difficult to call the stage “intimate”. Intimate to me makes me think of congested, tight, narrow. The Yvain isn’t even close to any of those descriptors. Certainly, the Yvain doesn’t have the type of large stage that mimics the sound of a concert venue with the band spread wide in front. It’s large in its auditory expression within my mind space. I hope that makes sense because there aren’t many other ways to say it. The stage is very good folks.
Separation
Separation of elements within that stage I just described is fantastic. Truly. I hear very well delineated Instruments and vocals which are very well partitioned off from the rest of the mix. Obviously, the more chaotic and complicated the track will render this to be slightly more difficult, but the Yvain handles it all like a champ. These good drivers that Hiby chose to use can clearly handle just about anything you throw at them. Possibly in tracks with mind numbingly loud electric guitars that mask the sound in Rockstar Sheen where the midrange/lower treble is tasked with the job. Maybe in those tracks things will blend a bit. That’s about it. Also, super poorly recorded tracks may not be great. Of course, they won’t be great on anything.
Imaging
Just like the Yvain’s ability to separate and make distinct edges around instruments, it also has a superior ability to place those images and layer those sounds. Depth of field is quite good, separation is quite good, the sound is highly resolute, the stage reaches wide, and transients are quick. These attributes melted together help the Yvain to create nice imaging. At least that’s my interpretation. You don’t have any one frequency blaring over the rest of the mix either. I’d say this recipe is perfect for a very well imagined psycho-acoustic stage with 3D type portrayal of the music I’m listening to. Again, you really have to consider the track, as not all music is created equal. Also, you have to consider the source you are using too. Just a few things to think about. Listening with the Shanling M6 Ultra using flac or better files really does wonders. Still, by-and-large… The Hiby Yvain is a technical marvel at its price.
Details
I feel like if you’ve read this far than you already know my thoughts about the Hiby Yvain’s ability to execute and depict the finer details. The subtle stuff… if you will? Friends, the Hiby Yvain can resolve all the tiny little minutiae within my music very well. The fantastic thing is that it does so without coming across ultra dry or analytical or flat. Instead, the Yvain maintains its musicality while also maintaining its precision, clarity and control for the price. I am very impressed with this set and glad to report my findings.
Is it worth the asking price?
This is an easy answer for me… Um… Yeah. Yep, the Hiby Yvain is worth every penny. The real question is if “the price is worth the Hiby Yvain”? Do those mental gymnastics! For the low price of only $239 you can have a true all-BA standard at this price point. I won’t say it’s better than any other set because really… it’s just different. Also, I haven’t heard every other set (remember that). But yes, it’s good, yes, it’s a joy to listen to for me, and yes, it’s worth that $239.
The Why…
Let’s start with the build and design. First, the Yvain is ridiculously light and ridiculously ergonomic, it’s ridiculously awesome in appearance and is outfitted with good drivers. Remember the faceplates. However, as always, the real reason the Hiby Yvain is worth the price to own them is the sound. Of course. The sound is so well done from top to bottom and front to back. It’s a very melodic choice that I feel truly competes against any set priced near it. The bass is mature and detailed. The midrange is harmoniously melodic and tuneful with great energy and beautiful vocals. Lastly the treble is pretty sprightly, detailed, somewhat vibrant and doesn’t kill your ears in treble sheen, while at the same time it’s also very cohesive. The stage is nice, imaging & layering are fantastic, and picking up the subtleties in my music is easy. Very organic for a BA iem without many of the drawbacks of an all BA iem. This is a good one folks. Again, worth the asking price!
Ratings (0-10)
Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Hiby Yvain ratings below, that would be $150-$250 iems of any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5” is exactly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $150-$250 US is a decent sized scope of iems and so seeing a 9 should probably be pretty special. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings it will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.
Aesthetic
-Build Quality: 8.2 The build is great but also, most are great at this price
-Look: 9.7 Just a SICK LOOKING set!
-Accessories: – – – I didn’t receive the whole package
–Overall: 9.0
Sound Rating
-Timbre: 9.4 The timbre and tonality are fantastic
-Bass: 8.4 This high score is for quality and not quantity
-Midrange: 9.9 A very good midrange for me
-Treble: 9.4 A great leg of a three-legged table
-Technicalities: 9.5 Technically one of the best in the price point
–Overall: 9.2🔥🔥
Ratings Summary:
I think I have some explaining to do. I know, I know… Those are some ridiculously high scores. It would be so much more helpful if each one of you could be in my head while I compare every set at my disposal in the price point as well as go through every note from every set, I’ve heard in the price point. Then maybe you’ll understand each Rating above. $150 to $250 is LOADED! How in the world did I give the Yvain well over a “9” in every category? Listen, I’m not too big to say I don’t go through honeymoon phases. Also, tours are short, and you only get a honeymoon phase. So please be mindful of my humanity and ability to make mistakes in my discernment when doing the arduous and ridiculous task of rating iems. I can’t stand it. Woe is me.
Explain yourself
Obviously the “Bass” could go either way. One extreme or the other and likely not in between. I think most will many more bass quantity. If you don’t value the quality of the bass here and only desire quantity then the rating might as well be a “1.0”. However, there is no way I could listen to this set and not compute the quality of the bass under a “8.4”. My opinion. I wanted to go “10.0” in the “Midrange” rating. However, I haven’t heard all iems in this price point. In fact, there is a ton I haven’t heard so… please excuse me if these ratings don’t cover the ‘whole of the Audioverse’ between $150 and $250 US. I’m trying folks. Perhaps the rating section needs to take a hike because I put way too much time in it and never feel good about it. Still, the ratings are in, they’re locked, and they aren’t changing. That is until I hear something better and need to go back and edit (every review).
Conclusion
To conclude my full written review of the Hiby Yvain I must again say thank you to the people who put this tour together. Joseph Yeung, thank you! Hiby, thank you! The Yvain is a great set to feature at our website and it was a very fun set to conduct listening sessions with. Of course, I don’t like tours all that much because having to part with some of these devices is not fun. Again, woe is me. Anyways, thank you, really. I joke but I am grateful and honored to be a part of the tour and that’s the honest truth. Also, to anyone who reads any of my reviews and is still reading this review… You are why I even do this (along with a salacious affinity to write about what I love). Thank you for clicking the link. We have a small site but really are trying to make it as best as it can. With that, please comment your thoughts. Constructively criticize if you must, add some thoughts or ask a question. I’ll be glad to get to those comments.
We are all different
Please, please, please; read, watch, or listen to other reviews and thoughts about this set. I am not the end-all-be-all folks. Yes, I give you my exact and honest thoughts, but my thoughts may not jive with the next person’s thoughts about this set. We are all different! It will behoove you to get as much info as possible before shelling out the money for this set. Take in other thoughts my friends. With that all said… I’m Out! Thank you, take good care, stay as safe as you can and always… GOD BLESS!
