The HiBy W4 is a portable DAC with Bluetooth capability and a built-in headphone amplifier, designed for mobile use.
What immediately stands out about the new HiBy W4 is its cheerful, colorful design — a refreshing change from the usual understated look. Another striking aspect of this portable DAC is its affordability, especially considering the wide range of features on offer. Combined with the brand name, it is no surprise that the device originates from China — which is indeed the case. That said, HiBy has been active for 15 years and has built a solid reputation in the audio market.
The W4 is fully hi-res capable, supporting PCM up to 768 kHz / 32-bit and DSD up to DSD512. Digital-to-analog conversion is handled by a Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chip. In addition, two low phase-noise crystal oscillators (45.1584 MHz and 49.152 MHz) are built in to ensure accurate clocking for common sample rates.
Looking at its physical connectuons, we see a 3.5 mm mini-jack output and a 4.4 mm balanced output. In balanced mode, the device delivers up to 475 mW of output power, powered by two SGM8262 amplifier ICs.
Wireless streaming is available via Bluetooth, with support for aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, aptX HD, aptX, LDAC, AAC and SBC codecs. This is made possible by a Qualcomm QCC5181 chipset. The integrated display shows playback information.
The device also features a rechargeable battery, which can be used optionally, depending on preference.
Compact enough to slip into a pocket, the W4 can also be attached via a clip. As promised, the price remains modest at $99. It is available in various color combinations, adding a bit of fun to the package.