HiBy WH2 TWS Earphone Review

  

 

Introduction:

The HiBy WH2 that I will now review for you is the company’s latest True Wireless (TWS) HiFi earphone, which is available in two different driver options; one with a Dual Balanced Armature Driver configuration and one with a Single Dynamic Driver with carbon nanotube diaphragm same like my review unit. The WH2 is also one of the first TWS Earphones on the market that supports the lossless LDAC codec.

 

 

Disclaimer:

I would like to thank HiBy for providing me the WH2 TWS earphone as review sample. I am not affiliated with HiBy beyond this review and these words reflect my true and unaltered, opinions about the product.

 

  

 

Price & Availability:

As I have mentioned before, the HiBy WH2 is available in two different Driver options. The WH2 with Dual Balanced Armature Driver is available $159.00 USD, while the Single Dynamic Driver variant comes for a price of $129.00 USD. More information’s can be found under the link below;

• HiBy WH2 TWS Earphone

 

 

 

 

Package and Accessories:

The HiBy WH2 came in a small but solid cardboard box in with some product related brandings on its surface.

This box contains the following items;

 

• 1 pair x HiBy WH2 True Wireless Earphones
• 1 pcs x Battery Case
• 5 pairs x Silicone Ear Tips (1 pair came pre-installed)
• 1 pcs x USB Type-C cable
• 1 pcs x Print Material (User Manual, Quick Star Guide, Warranty Card)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Design, Build Quality, Fit & Comfort:

 

The monitor design of the HiBy WH2 is looks pretty similar to other TWS earphones I have reviewed before, which offers a very small and ergonomic shape that fits perfectly to my ear concha with an average size.

My WH2 review unit features a Single Dynamic Driver with a Carbon Nanotube Diaphragm and is equipped with Airoha’s latest AB1565 Dual Mode BT chipset that supports the 5.2 Bluetooth Standard and Lossless Audio Codec’s like LDAC and HiBy’s UAT TWS codec, beside more common codec’s such like SBC and AAC. The WH2 offers also an IPX4 water resistance that means it protects the earpieces from splashing water, no matter the direction.

The earpieces are pretty lightweight with about 4.5grams per earpiece and do offers a nice ergonomic/comfortable fit, which makes them ideal for longer listening periods. The monitor shells of the WH2 are made of plastic material; however the faceplates do have a nice finish in blue color and do feature the HiBy brand logo on the top. The faceplate itself has a touch to control surface area, which is pretty responsive.

Here are 3 openings that are on different location. The first two openings are for the dual microphone feature that reduces ambient noises for a higher clarity of voice transmission. The third opening is for the Dynamic Driver. The faceplate sports also one LED status indicator.

On the rear side of each earpiece are the left or right markings, the slightly angled sound nozzle and the charging ports. Each sound nozzle has a fine metal filter on the top to prevent the insertion unwanted particles such like dust or earwax.

 

 

 

 

Battery Case:

The HiBy WH2 has a pretty small battery case that will charge and protect the earpieces. This case has metal housing with a nice blue color same like the TWS earphones. On the top of this charging case is the HiBy brand logo in white color.

At the rear surface of the case are printed some details like battery capacity, origin of the product and model description.

When you open the case you will see the seats for the Monitors and a led indicator that lights up when you put the Monitors in to the seats. When you put the earpieces in to the charging case, the battery indicator will light up for 3 seconds to display the battery capacity. 3 dots means fully charged, 2 dots means 70% remaining and one dot is for 30% capacity.

The surface of this area has leather like texture that looks pretty nice.

At the left side of the case is the USB Type-C charging port and a LED status (charging) indicator.

The battery case has a capacity of 350mAh, which adds the WH2 a plat time of additional 24 hours. The battery case shows a very solid build quality, which is a nice accessory to protect the monitors and to increase the operating time on the go.

 

 

 

Battery Life:

Each earpiece is equipped with a 40mHa build in that offers an average playtime of approx. 6 hours if you do use the AAC or SBC codec. However, if you use the WH2 with the LDAC Audio Codec, the playtime drops to around 4 – 4.5 hours. The battery has a capacity of 350mAh that means extra 24 hours and up to 30 hours in total.

 

 

 

Technical Specifications:

• Driver Type                 : Single Dynamic or Dual Balanced Armature Driver
• Bluetooth Chipset       : Airoha AB1565
• Bluetooth Standard    : BT 5.2
• Audio Codec’s            : LDAC, UAT TWS, AAC & SBC
• Bluetooth distance      : approx. 10 meters
• Charging case battery: approx 350mAh
• Earphones battery      : 40mAh for each earphone
• Continues Playtime    : approx 6 Hours (AAC, SBC), 4.5 Hours (LDAC)
• Charging time             : about 1.5 hours
• Dimensions                 : Earphone 24.8*19.4*16.7mm, Battery Case 62*38.2*25.4mm
• Weight                        : Earphone 4.5grams per earpiece, Battery Case 83.5grams

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pairing, Signal Strength, Latency & Call Quality and Navigation:

The pairing process of the HiBy WH2 was pretty easy. When you take out the two earbuds together from the charging case, they will pair automatically; you only need to select the WH2 from your BT source for the first time.

If you were connected to your device, the earbuds will automatically reconnect to your Bluetooth enabled device.

The operating distance of the HiBy WH2 is about 10 meters and is pretty stable, both indoors and outdoors.

The WH2 performs also pretty well in terms of BT latency. I did not notice any remarkable lip sync issue, while I have watched some TV Shows on YouTube and movies on Netflix, paired with my Apple iPad Air2 tablet or Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus.

When it comes to the voice transmission quality of the WH2, I can say that it is on an adequate level when paired with my Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, thanks to the dual microphone options that reduces ambient noises pretty efficiently with the latest firmware, which you can update with the HiBy Blue APP.

 

The touch surface on both earpieces gives you a wide variety of control options that are listed below; 

• Double Tap Left Earpiece : Play/Pause or Answer
• Double Tap Right Earpiece : Hang Up Phone Calls
• Triple Tap Left Earpiece : Previous Song
• Triple Tap Right Earpiece : Next Song
• Hold for 2 Seconds : Activates the Voice Assistant

You have always the option to change the Tap functions from the HiBy Blue APP, which is a nice addition.

 

 

 

           

Remarkable Features:

 

HiBy Blue APP Support:

The HiBY Blue APP is a very versatile and useful tool with that you can update the Firmware, change the settings of the WH2 and additional functions such like Digital Crossover, which is a BA driver version only exclusive feature.

 

LDAC support:

The HiBy WH2 is one of the first officially LDAC certified TWS Earphones on the market, which enables the transmission of audio content at the maximum bitrates of 990kbps even over a Bluetooth, with 3x the data transmitted compared to AAC or SBC.

 

 

 

 

Equipment’s used for this review:

• IEM’s              : HiBy WH2, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, HiFiMAN TWS600
• Source           : HiBy R3 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, Apple iPad Air2

  

 

 

 

Albums & tracks used for this review:

• Lunatic Soul – The Passage
• Metallica – Sad but True
• Megadeth – Sweating Bullets
• Rush’s – Leave That Thing Alone
• Slayer – Angel of Death
• Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain
• Lorde – Royal Massive Attack – Angel
• Christian Reindl – Cernunnos
• The Glitch Mob – How Could This Be Wrong
• Massive Attack – Angel
• Muse – The Handler
• Twerl – Lishu
• U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday
• Edith Piaf – Non Je Ne Regrette Rien
• Diana Krall – So Wonderful (DSF)
• Aretha Franklin – I Say a Little Prayer
• Hayley Westenra – Odyssey Album
• Dionne Warwick – Walk On By
• Sarah McLachlan – Angel
• Sting – Englishman in New York
• Barry White – Just The Way You Are
• Isaac Hayes – Walk On
• Elton John – Rocket Man
• Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight
• Sting – Englishman in New York
• Casey Abrams – Robot Lovers
• Fazıl Say – Nazım Oratoryosu (Live)
• Chopin – Nocturn No. 20 In C-Sharp Minor
• Vivaldi – Le QuarttroStagioni “The Four Seasons”
• Otto Liebert & Luna Negra – The River
• Gogo Penguin – Raven

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sound:

The HiBy WH2 Single Dynamic Driver Variant is one of the very few products on the market that lets you forget that you do listen to a TWS earphone. It offers a very pleasant and entertaining sound character that scales with a very wide variety of music genres. The WH2 shows a fairly warm tonality along with a great sense of clarity and detail retrieval, which are remarkable sound features of this TWS earphone.

 

This review was written after a listening period of about 40 hours. I have used the stock silicone ear tips, together with sources like the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus & HiBy R3 Pro Saber that do support the LDAC Audio Codec.

 

 

Bass / Midrange / Treble / Soundstage: 

The Single Dynamic Driver of the WH2 that is equipped with a Carbon Nanotube Diaphragm is able to produce a pretty dynamic, fast and detailed bass response that can compete and even surpass the performance of wired earphones at the same price range.

The subbass region of the WH2 has a mildly warm tonality and shows a moderate level of depth and intensity when I do listen to tracks such like The Glitch Mob’s “How Could This Be Wrong”, Christian Reindl’s “Cernunnos” or Lorde’s “Royals”. The subbass area of the WH2 sounds fairly deep, powerful and offers a good sense of rumble for a TWS Earphone.

The HiBy WH2 shows a decent performance for a TWS earphone that can compete with wired earphones in this price range. The general midbass presentation is quite dynamic, fast and controlled when I do listen to instruments like cross or snare drums. Bass guitars on the other hand are shown with a good level of depth and body.

The HiBy WH2 shows a quite musical, silky smooth and emotional midrange presentation, along with a good level of transparency and airiness thanks to its pretty well adjusted Dynamic Driver. The midrange of the WH2 is mildly recessed but is able to produce a nice sense of detail retrieval in this area when you the LDAC Audio Codec.

Male vocals such like Barry White or Isaac Hayes are reproduced do sound slightly colored, musical, emotional. This tuning makes the male vocal presentation quite pleasant and entertaining to listen to.

The well-adjusted upper midrange emphasis that shows a peak around the 3 kHz area adds female voices and instruments such like guitars, violins or flutes a good sense transparency and liveliness without to show any remarkable sibilance or harshness.

The treble range of the HiBy WH2 shows an above average intensity, while transitions from the upper midrange towards the lower treble area are pretty controlled. This ability sets the WH2 apart from many other TWS earphones, especially the ones in the same price range.

The lower treble region (presence) is able to show a successful sense of clarity and definition, while the extension is on an efficient level. The upper treble range (brilliance) has a peak around the 8 kHz region that adds the overall presentation of the WH2 in this area a nice sense of airiness and sparkle, without to show any remarkable sharpness.

When it comes to the soundstage performance of the HiBy WH2, I can say that it is one of the best TWS earphones, especially when I do listen to my music library with the LDAC Audio codec. The stage is fairly is pretty wide and deep, which gives the WH2 a nice sense of holographic atmosphere. The level of airiness, separation and precision is decent for a TWS product.

 

 

Comparisons:

 

HiBy WH2 versus Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 (aka MTW2)

The Senneheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 is one of the most popular and class leading TWS earphones on the market. Now, I will compare the sound performances of both products.

The first thing you will notice is that the HiBy WH2 show a more natural sound character compared to the V shaped sound signature of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2.

The subbass region of the WH2 offers a better sense of authority and has also the upper hand in terms of decay and control in this area. The midbass region of the MTW2 is slightly more highlighted and shows a bit more intensity, while the WH2 has the edge when it comes to the resolution, thingness and speed in this area.

The midrange of the HiBy WH2 sound more natural, airy and detailed compared to the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, especially when you use it with the LDAC Audio codec. The lower midrange of the MTW2 has slightly more body and depth, while the WH2 shows has a slightly advantage in terms of upper midrange clarity and resolution.

The treble range of the MTW2 is more dynamic yet aggressive, which makes it a bit unnatural in this area. The WH2 offers better sense of definition and control, while the extensions is a bit shorter compared to the MTW2.

The soundstage of the HiBy WH2 is more spacious compared to the Sennheiser MTW2 and gives the listener a better sense of airiness. The WH2 has the upper hand in terms of both soundstage depth and wideness.

 

 

HiBy WH2 versus HiFiMAN TWS600:

The HiBy WH2 offers slightly warmer tonality and a more balanced presentation compared to the HiFiMAN TWS600, which has a quite different tonality that sound a bit unnatural.

The bass of the WH2 has a better sense of body and depth, while the resolution is on par. The subbass region of the TWS600 noticeably less depth and rumble while it is a tad more controlled. The HiBy WH2 is superior in terms of subbass intensity and extension, which makes it more suitable for a wide variety of genres. The midbass region of both TWS Earphones is quite successful in terms of speed and control, while the WH2 is with no doubt more the more versatile TWS Earphone with its dynamism in this area.

The midrange of the HiFiMAN TWS600 sound dry and sterile compared to the HiBy WH2 that offers a warmer and more musical character. The lower midrange of the WH2 has more depth and intensity, while the upper midrange of both TWS earphones is quite detailed and transparent. Both male and female vocals do sound more natural and musical when I do listen to the WH2.

Both the lower and upper treble regions of the HiBy WH2 are produced with a better sense of intensity, resolution and extension compared to the TWS600 which shows a noticeable roll-off in this area.

When it comes to soundstage performance, I can say that the HiBy WH2 is superior in terms of wideness, while depth is on par.

 

 

Conclusion:

The HiBy WH2 is another good example how far the True Wireless Earphones have come in the few years. The WH2 is one of the first LDAC certified TWS earphones on the market that offers an impressive sound performance for a product in this category that able to beat even wired earphones in this price range, thanks to its very versatile sound tuning. Moreover, it is comfortable, lightweight and comes with remarkable features such like IPX4 water resistance and HiBy APP support, which brings it definitely to the top of my personal TWS Earphone list.

 

 

 

Pros & Cons: 

• + Class Leading Resolution thanks to the LDAC Codec Support
• + Mature Sound Tuning
• + Size, Fit & Comfort
• + HiBy Blue APP support & IPX4 Water Resistance
• + Price to Performance Ratio

 

• – No Active Noise Cancellation
• – The Earpieces do only fit to the case with the stock silicone tips

 

Thank you for the Read!