HiBy R5 Saber
HiBy R5 Saber
The Saber difference
The R5 standard edition gives a warm, smooth sound while the Saber edition ruthlessly cuts through the most complex of recordings to reveal detail for all to hear..
Resolution beyond its peers
4 470µF Panasonic electrolytic caps round out the output stage to increase current capability for transient response..
Panasonic electrolytic caps.
With this state of the art Digital HIFI Decoder for home audio, office, or desktop use, you will hear a difference and clarity in your audio system whether you use speakers or headphones
Bigger than it looks
Weighing only 160g, with a 4” 16.8 million colour LCD taking up almost the whole front bezel, the R5 is as big as it is handy. With 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm balanced headphone and line outputs and up to 1040+1040mW@16Ω of drive power through 4.4mm, this tiny package is as big as almost any headphone needs..
Systemwide MSEB for your customized sound .
Systemwide MageSound Eight-ball tuning board allows you to tune the player’s sound to your specific headphones and listening tastes. Note: Systemwide MSEB available on firmware v1.6 and higher, does not effect DSD, MQA. Only processes onboard headphone outputs (i.e. excludes Bluetooth, USB, line and coaxial digital outputs).
All-format audio support
Fully supporting DSD, DXD, APE, AIFF, FLAC, WAV and WMA lossless music formats; MP3, AAC, WMA, OGG etc. lossy formats; also MQA..
MQA Support
MQA’s award-winning technology captures and reproduces the sound of the original studio master in a file that’s small enough to stream and download easily. HiBy R5 is capable of MQA rendering to 8x.
Open Android 8.1 System
The HiBy team, with its strong software team, optimized the Android 8.1 system for bit-perfect playback, using the DTA system to bypass the resampling Android audio stack for systemwide bit-perfect audio, while at the same time supporting practically all Android applications, for a smartphone-like operating experience while outclassing them in audio performance.
Inside the Box
- 1 x HiBy R5 Saber
- User Manual
Technical Details
Customer Reviews
When I first got the device 2 months ago, I was really impressed. The build was solid. The glass felt classy. The metal frame felt sturdy. The buttons were tactile. The battery life was wonderful. It even came with a nice charging cable! This is where the good ends.
While the player feels like a premium device, it does not act like one. The player runs fine for the first couple weeks, but then slowly degrades. It now stutters and freezes, leaving me to kill Spotify and relaunch it every once in a while. The actual touchscreen is one of the old ones used in budget phones from a decade ago. It doesn't properly register your finger, and occasionally detects ghost taps. It will open the player in my pocket, sometimes skipping back and forth between songs.
Which brings me to the buttons. While they are satisfying to click, they are extremely sensitive. If something bumps your pocket, or there is anything else in your pocket, or if you bend down, or even move your leg, there is a good chance you will trigger a button. This has caused the player to skip forward, go backwards, max the volume all the way up, turn the volume all the way down, and sometimes pause the song I'm listening to, all while in my pocket. There is an option in the settings to deactivate buttons while the player is off, which I did. This works fine... until the power button gets bumped. Then you're back to square one. It also makes the controls more tedious to use. If you have to deactivate them, why have them?
I would return the device, but a stray pebble broke the glass back while I was trimming a lawn. Launched at my pocket, causing a crack. This crack grew over the next week, and then started falling apart. The battery is now exposed, and I'm going to resort to covering the back with duct tape. The glass back is very thin. While the player feels sturdy, it is actually very delicate.
I really wanted to love this device, but while it feels like a high quality product, it is slow, fragile, and cumbersome to use. It looks good, but fails to function as a basic music player. It sounds great, lasts forever, and looks fantastic, but can't properly play songs without something going awry. I wanted to get more into music with a nice music player, but I'll be sticking with my smartphone for now.
Excellent DAP for the price. Neutral, clear and detailed sound. Two useful output options: single ended 3.5 mm, and 4.4 mm, also serves as DAC and bi-directional bluetooth device using LDAc. To improve screen sensitivity and bluetooth stability, especially when connected through UAT, which requires both devices be really close to each other, and preferably been of the same brand, I tested with Hiby W3 and SMSL SU 9.
Regarding the support provided by Linsoul team, simply 5 stars.
If you have the money, go for the R6 version.
I very much enjoyed dealing with Linsoul Audio. I needed a little support which they gave quickly and completely. Shipping was fast and I'm loving my HiBy R5S. I would do the whole thing all over again. No regrets.
Shipping Policy
Which countries do you ship to?
We are generally able to ship to most countries via Express Shipping, and many countries via Standard Shipping. You may clarify this with our team to check whether Standard Shipping is available to your country.
We cannot ship to addresses that are "PO boxes or APO/FPO".
*Note: Generally, we can only do Selected Shipping to India and Russia. We can only do Express Shipping to Africa, Argentina, Hawaii, Kuwait, Mauritius, Montenegro and Sri Lanka, to name a few.
This may be subjected to changes due to unpredictable issues such as Covid, war, and etc.
How much does shipping cost?
We have two shipping methods - Standard Shipping and Express Shipping.
Standard Shipping is free for most countries, while Express Shipping is 15-35USD depending on your country. If your order is over 270USD, Express Shipping is free*.
*This applies for most countries. However, large items such as headphones and desktop DAC/AMPs (e.g. HarmonicDyne G200, MUSICIAN MDP-2, and etc.) are excluded.
Shipping fees exclude import taxes or processing fees that may be applicable for your country. Linsoul is not responsible for such fees. Should you refuse to pay the tax/customs fees, shipping fees will still be deducted from the amount paid for thetwo-way freightcharges. The cost of the freight charges may be more than the amount reflected on your order due to tax and other miscellaneous fees.
Some parcels claimed to be “returned to the seller” may be destroyed by the post office or customs officers when buyers refuse to accept their parcels or fail to pay for their taxes.No refundwill be processed for such cases.Standard Shipping via YunExpress is a tax-inclusive option for some countries. However, Linsoul will not be responsible for additional administrative or handling fees charged by your local courier company or customs. Please kindly check this with your local customs.For certain remote areas, there may be additional charges via Express Shipping. We will contact you if there is a need to make additional payments. Please contact us before placing an order, should you have any queries regarding shipping.
How long does it take to receive the order after it is placed?
For in-stock products, your order will be shipped within 3 working days. You may check with our staff regarding the in-stock status of any products.
Customized items will take a longer time. Please contact our staff for more information.
On normal non-sale days, once your parcel has been shipped out:
- For Standard Shipping, it takes about 2-4 weeks for items to be delivered after shipping out. For some countries, it might take up to 2-3 months, depending on your country, its customs and other factors.* The duration for transit is something beyond our control. Linsoul will not be making refunds for such cases. Please consider an upgrade to Express Shipping or keep the waiting time in mind.
- For Express Shipping, it takes about 3-7 days for items to be delivered after shipping out.
*Note: Timings might be affected due to festive seasons or other unforeseen circumstances
What happens if the parcel has been shipped but not delivered?
First, kindly contact your local courier using the local tracking number.
If your parcel were to be in transit for at least 3 months, it may have been lost in transit.
For orders below $50USD, you may either opt for a one-time reshipment of parcel OR a full refund of the amount paid in cash via PayPal/Credit/Debit card.
For orders above $50USD, we will only process a 50% refund of your order paid in cash via PayPal/Credit/Debit card. Should there be any concern about Standard Shipping, you are encouraged to opt for DHL Express Shipping instead.
Customers are to bear the consequences and fees incurred, if the parcel was undelivered due to any of the following situation:
- Wrong address or phone number provided by recipient
- Recipient was uncontactable when courier company contacted
- Refusal to sign for the package by recipient
- Lost or damaged parcel because recipient opted for “no-signature delivery”
- Refusal to pay for the local tax/processing fee by recipient
- Refusal to provide supporting documents for custom clearance by recipient
Who will pay for the import tax/custom fees
Customers have to bear any form of custom/import/processing fees that are applicable for your parcel.
Should you be unwilling to pay for the fees and reject the delivery of the parcel, you will still have to pay for the shipping cost. Linsoul will only refund the amount of your order after deducting the two-way shipping fees incurred.
What shipping companies do you use?
We collaborate with these courier companies:
- Standard Shipping: 4PX, UBI, NinjaVan, and Yun Express
- Express Shipping: DHL Express, FedEx and SF Express
Customer Support
How do I get help for my order?
Cancellation or/and modification of orders can only be done manually via our staff, provided that our Warehouse Team has not processed your order.
As our Support Team might not be available during non-working days and weekends, please place your order wisely.
Should you really need to cancel or/and modify your order after purchase, please contact us via our support email (Support@Linsoul.com) or website chat. We will help you with the changes if that could be done.
In general, upon receiving your parcel, please confirm the contents of the package and ensure that the package is in good condition before signing for it. All customers are strongly advised to take an unboxing video of their parcel and packaging when opening their parcels and products.
For faulty/missing items, please send an email to support@Linsoul.com for after-sale services. The following details are required.
- Send an email to support@Linsoul.com with an appropriate Subject Title
- Provide your order number and state the issue clearly
- Attach photos and videos to show that your product is faulty/missing. Shipping details on the parcel packaging have to be clearly visible.
If the photos/videos provided are insufficient to prove the stated issue, we will enquire more. Once the issue has been confirmed, we will arrange for a replacement, partial refund or a full refund (where applicable). For incorrect products, Linsoul reserves all rights in deciding whether you need to return the incorrect item or not. Please kindly contact us via email first. Our team aims to review your email within 3 working days.
For other queries, the fastest way to contact us is via our website or Discord
Linsoul Audio will not be responsible for parcels that have been damaged during the transit process.
Do I get tracking details for my order?
After placing an order, you will receive the order confirmation email. After your order has been shipped out, you will also receive a tracking email. You can track your order via the tracking number online. Should you not have received the emails or face any difficulties tracking your order, please kindly contact us for support.
For more than 1 orders placed under the same account and shipping address, Linsoul will automatically combine the orders and ship them out via one tracking number. Should you have special requests to have the orders shipped separately, please kindly contact us via Discord or our website's chat. We will do our best to help.
How do I cancel my order?
Cancellation or/and modification of orders can only be done manually via our staff, provided that our Warehouse Team has not processed your order. Orders that have been shipped cannot be cancelled and modified.
As our Support Team may not be available during non-working days and weekends, please place your order wisely as support cannot be guaranteed for such requests.
Should you really need to cancel or/and modify your order after purchase, please contact us via our support email (support@Linsoul.com) or website chat. We will help you with the changes if that could be done.
30-Day Return Policy
Where should I send the product for the return process?
To initiate the return shipment, kindly send an email to support@Linsoul.com within 30 days upon receiving the sealed product(s). The RMA form and details will be provided to you via email.
When must the product be returned after receiving the RMA form and details?
After receiving the return instructions from us via email, kindly arrange the return shipment of the parcel within 5 working days, and update us with the tracking link via email again. Failure to do so will result in a cancellation of the return process.
When will I receive my refund after returning the product?
In most cases, after receiving and inspecting the returned product, your refund will be processed within 5 business days. Refunds may incur a currency exchange loss or transaction fee, depending on your source of payment (e.g. Bank or PayPal). Linsoul will not be responsible for such fees.