Comparison HiBy R4 vs HiBy R5

The amount of built-in memory installed in the player.

This parameter directly determines how much music and other content can be stored in the device without resorting to memory cards (especially since some models do not support such cards at all). For comparison: the size of one MP3 file usually does not exceed 20 MB, the same composition in lossless format has 3-4 times more volume, a film in standard quality takes on average from 700 MB to 2.5 GB, in HD 720p — up to 5 – 6 GB. Thus, in terms of data storage, the more internal memory, the better. On the other hand, the price of the player directly depends on the storage capacity. Thus, some models are available in several modifications, differing in the amount of memory and price.

When choosing, note that part of the memory will inevitably be occupied by software firmware and pre-installed applications; sometimes this part turns out to be quite significant — for example, in models with an OS on board (see above), several gigabytes can be occupied. Also note that memory cards in terms of gigabytes of volume are cheaper than built-in drives, and from the practical point of view, in most cases they are not inferior to them. So it makes sense to specifically look for a player with a large amount of internal memory, first of all, if this model does not work with memory cards.

Now there are players on the market with such a memory capacity: up to 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB and more. However, there are also models without built-in memory, designed for use only with memory cards.

The maximum size of the memory card that can be used in the player. This parameter is directly related to the card type (see above): each type has its own volume limits. At the same time, the ability to work with capacious media is limited not only by the type of card, but also by the player's hardware. Therefore, many models have a lower capacity limit than the memory card suggests — for example, 128 GB in a model that supports the SDXC format (the theoretical maximum for which is 2 TB).

Note that the reverse situation also occurs — for example, when a device with a maximum capacity of 16 GB only supports microSD cards (theoretical maximum is 4 GB). This usually means that the player can work with newer formats (in our example, at least microSDHC), but for some reason this point is not mentioned in the official specifications (for example, the manufacturer could make a mistake in the documentation).

Model of the digital-to-analogue converter installed in the device.

The DAC is one of the key components of any player: it converts the digital data recorded in the audio file into an analogue audio signal, which is fed through an amplifier to the headphones. The quality of the DAC directly affects how accurately the output sound will match the original signal, as well as whether the player can work with advanced digital signal formats: many of them require high computing power, which is not available in every DAC.

Note that the DAC model is indicated only if it is a high-end converter with above-average sound quality. On the modern market, in particular, DACs from such manufacturers are represented: AKM, Cirrus Logic, ESS Saber, Texas Instruments, Wolfson. And players with such equipment usually refer to Hi-Fi devices(see "Type").

It is also worth mentioning that the number of DACs can be different. The simplest option is one module for both sound channels, however, there are players equipped with two converters at once — one per channel. This "division of labor" affects the cost, but reduces the load on each individual DAC, which has a positive effect on the quality and reliability of the sound.

Sampling frequency of the digital-to-analogue converter installed in the player (see "DAC").

Sample rate and bit depth are two key characteristics of a digital audio signal; the higher they are, the better the sound quality, other things being equal. Without going into technical details, the meaning of this parameter can be described as follows: for normal sound reproduction, it is necessary that the sampling rate of the player's DAC is not lower than that of the file being played. Otherwise, playback will not be possible even if the audio format is natively supported by the player. (The exception is DSD, see "Supports audio formats" for more on that).

Note that most popular audio formats use a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz, and all modern portable players are guaranteed to support it. So this parameter is relevant mainly for Hi-Fi models (see "Type") that work with advanced digital sound formats.

The higher the power, the louder the sound you can get on the headphones, all other things being equal. In addition, higher power allows you to connect "ears" with higher impedance to the device (although there is no hard correlation here, and models with the same output power may have different headphone impedance limits). However, in the case of ordinary (non-Hi-Fi) players, this parameter is more of a reference than practically significant: usually, the power of the amplifier in such models is quite enough to “rock” most consumer-grade headphones. But for Hi-Fi devices (see "Type") models, output power is of key importance: it determines compatibility with high-resistance studio-class "ears". Detailed help on this issue can be found in special sources.

The nominal impedance (impedance) of the headphones that the player can handle normally.

Most consumer-grade headphones are 16 or 32 ohm impedance, which is supported by almost all modern players. Therefore, you should pay attention to this parameter only if you plan to use a device with high-quality "ears" of a studio or audiophile class. A characteristic feature of these headphones is high resistance, already in the hundreds of ohms, and not every player is suitable for them.

Also, it will not hurt to clarify the permissible headphone impedance if you are buying a Hi-Fi class device (see "Type"). Some of these models have a fairly high minimum resistance and are not compatible with standard 16 ohm (and sometimes 32 ohm) "ears".

The coefficient of harmonic distortion produced by the player.

This parameter directly characterizes the amount of distortion introduced by the device into the original sound: the lower the coefficient, the clearer the sound, the less such distortion. It is impossible to completely eliminate them, but they can be reduced to a level that is practically not perceived by a person. So, it is believed that distortions at the level of 0.5% are already invisible even to an experienced listener. At the same time, in modern audio technology, there are also much lower values \u200b\u200b- up to ten thousandths of a percent. In the case of players, such indicators play mainly an advertising role — they are a sign of a high level of the device.

Note that the coefficient of harmonic distortion is indicated mainly for Hi-Fi players (see "Type"), for which the maximum purity of sound is critical; in conventional models, it is of secondary importance.

Codecs and additional audio processing technologies supported by the Bluetooth-connected player. Initially, sound transmission via Bluetooth involves quite strong signal compression, which can greatly spoil the experience when listening to music. To eliminate this drawback, various technologies are used, in particular aptX, aptX HD, aptX Low Latency, aptX Adaptive, AAC, LDAC, LHDC. Of course, to use any of the technologies, it must be supported not only by the player, but also by the Bluetooth device with which it is used. Here are the main features of each option:

- aptX. A Bluetooth codec designed to significantly improve the quality of audio transmitted over Bluetooth. According to the creators, it allows you to achieve quality comparable to Audio CD (16-bits/44.1kHz). The benefits of aptX are most noticeable when listening to high-quality content (such as lossless formats), but even on regular MP3 it can provide a noticeable sound improvement.

- aptX HD. Development and improvement of the original aptX, allowing for sound purity comparable to Hi-Res audio (24-bits/48kHz). As in the original, the benefits of aptX HD are noticeable mainly on high-quality audio, although this codec will not be out of place for MP3.

...- aptX Low Latency. A specific version of aptX described above, designed not so much to improve sound quality, but to reduce delays in signal transmission. Such delays inevitably occur when working via Bluetooth; They are not critical for listening to music, but when watching video, there may be a noticeable desynchronization between the image and sound. The aptX LL codec eliminates this phenomenon, reducing latency to 32 ms - a difference that is imperceptible to human perception.

- aptX Adaptive. Further development of aptX; actually combines the capabilities of aptX HD and aptX Low Latency, but is not limited to this. One of the main features of this standard is the so-called adaptive bitrate: the codec automatically adjusts the actual data transfer rate based on the characteristics of the broadcast content and the congestion of the frequencies used. This, in particular, helps reduce energy consumption and increase communication reliability; and special algorithms allow you to broadcast sound quality comparable to aptX HD (24 bits/48 kHz), using much less transmitted data.

- A.A.C. A Bluetooth codec used primarily in portable Apple gadgets. In terms of capabilities, it is noticeably inferior to more advanced standards like aptX or LDAC: the sound quality when using AAC is comparable to an average MP3 file. However, for listening to the same MP3s, this is quite enough; the difference becomes noticeable only on more advanced formats.

— LDAC. Sony's proprietary Bluetooth codec. It surpasses even aptX HD in terms of bandwidth and potential sound quality, providing performance at the Hi-Res level of 24-bits/96kHz audio; There is even an opinion that this is the maximum quality that makes sense to provide for in wireless transmission - further improvement will be simply imperceptible to the human ear.

- LHDC. LHDC (Low latency High-Definition audio Codec) is a high-definition, low-latency codec developed by the Hi-Res Wireless Audio Alliance and Savitech. The codec is also known as HWA (Hi-Res Wireless Audio). When using LHDC, signal transmission is carried out with a bits rate of up to 900 kbps, a bits depth of up to 24 bits and a sampling frequency of up to 96 kHz. This ensures a stable and reliable connection with reduced latency. The codec is optimally suited for high-end wireless headphones and advanced digital audio formats.

The player supports Bluetooth technology.

This technology is designed for direct wireless communication between different devices. There are different ways to implement it in players. The most common option is to broadcast sound to wireless headphones, acoustics or other similar equipment (aptX is highly desirable, see “Features/capabilities”). Other methods of application may also be envisaged - in particular, exchanging files with other devices and remote control (player or from the player). The specific set of additional functions should be clarified separately.

Bluetooth wireless protocols from the 4th revision and newer are relevant today:

• Bluetooth v 4.0. Revision 4.0 introduced a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection mode with low power consumption. This communication standard is intended mainly for transmitting small amounts of information - in particular, service data packets to maintain a connection. At the same time, the creators managed to combine economical energy consumption and a long communication range - it can reach 100 m, which has a positive effect on the stability of the connection.
• Bluetooth v4.1. Development and improvement of Bluetooth 4.0. In terms of players, the key innovation in this version was improved noise immunity when working near 4G (LTE) mobile communication devices (in earlier standards, Bluetooth and LTE signals could overlap, which led to failures).
• Bluetooth v4.2. Further..., after 4.1, development of the Bluetooth standard, which mainly presented a number of general improvements in the reliability and noise immunity of the connection.
• Bluetooth v5.0. Major Bluetooth update released in 2016. One of the most notable innovations was the introduction of two additional operating modes of Bluetooth LE: an increased speed mode (by reducing the range) and an extended range mode (by reducing the speed). The key benefit of these innovations is to improve the overall reliability of communications, increase their range and reduce the number of breaks.
• Bluetooth v5.1. Update to revision v 5.0, in which, in addition to general improvements in the quality and reliability of communication, it became possible to determine the direction from which the Bluetooth signal is coming. Thanks to this, the location of connected devices is determined with centimeter accuracy, which has a positive effect on the quality of the wireless connection.
• Bluetooth v5.2. The next update, after 5.1, is Bluetooth 5th generation. The main innovations in this version are a number of security improvements, additional optimization of power consumption in LE mode and a new audio signal format for synchronizing parallel playback on multiple devices.
• Bluetooth v 5.3 came into use at the dawn of 2022. Among the innovations in it, they accelerated the process of negotiating a communication channel between the controller and the device, implemented the function of quickly switching between the operating state in a low duty cycle and a high-speed mode, and improved the throughput and stability of the connection by reducing susceptibility to interference. When unexpected interference occurs in Low Energy mode, the procedure for selecting a communication channel to switch from now on has been accelerated.
• Bluetooth v 5.4 was introduced at the beginning of 2023. This edition has increased the range and speed of data exchange. Also in Bluetooth v 5.4, the energy-saving BLE mode has been improved. This version of the protocol uses new security features to protect data from unauthorized access, has increased connection reliability by selecting the best channel for communication, and prevents connection losses due to interference.