Heyo! I would like to share my first few days with the HiBy x F.Audio Project Ace in this little post. This $249 blue burrito is probably one of the most interesting collabs I’ve heard of in a while, so let’s dig in!
The unboxing experience reminded me a lot of the unboxing experience of the HiBy Yvain. Same long box, but this time with very starry aesthetics! I won’t lie though, I struggled a lot with removing the outer sleeve of the Project Ace. Maybe this is something they could improve on in future packaging because I really struggled.
The inclusions you get are pretty nice. Foamies, silicones, and a really nice blue case. But the thing I really want to focus on is the cable.
The modular cable of HiBy is genuinely one of the best modular cable designs I’ve seen in the market. Unlike your usual modular cables, it has a screw to lock the jack and place and I just thought that is absolutely genius. Most modular cables die out due to the modular design getting loose, but I would honestly feel comfortable with the Project Ace’s cable lasting me a long time.
Anyways, the star (or the pentagon in this case) of the show is the little blue Doritos themselves. Such a unique-looking IEM that really stands out for being unlike anything out in the market. But just like any other weird-looking IEM, there was a bit of sacrifice in terms of ergonomics. I didn’t find them to be stable or comfortable with the tips provided at all. I had to use my tried and tested TRI Clarions just to use them properly and even then, it didn’t feel quite stable. Still, very premium feeling all-metal build is nice
But finally, sound. I no expectations coming into this because I haven’t tried much HiBy IEMs and those that I’ve tried had nothing in common with each other. Plus, this is an F.Audio collab, and I also haven’t heard of their IEMs either. So when I put these in my ear, I kind of expected it to be a somewhat weird, quirky tuning. But I was pleasantly surprised that it sounded really good. Like seriously good. The bass on this thing balances the thick and thumpy with the tight and texture. Probably one of the best to do around this price range and is only beaten out by the $200 goats like the Falcon Ultra and EA1000. The mids on these are also really really good, especially for male vocals. Lower mids sound so rich and nuanced, unlike anything I’ve heard in this price range. It does lower mids better than the Falcon Ultra or the EA1000 in my opinion. Where it kind of gets a little dicey is the treble. Admittedly, it’s a very detailed and crisp-sounding treble, but it does have the tendency to get a little harsh and grainy on brighter or poorly mixed tracks. This thing is not forgiving at all, but it makes up for being very technical. Not the most resolving set that I’ve heard, though. It feels like its resolving ability is slightly limited by its bass and lower midrange focus energy.
I have to mention however that these are probably the most tip-sensitive set I’ve ever tried as using foams improves timbre at the cost of treble sparkle and dynamics. So in a way, the set becomes tonally better but technically worse with foam tips. I’d still rather use it with silicones.
But so far, this is probably the best HiBy IEM I’ve heard to date. The dynamics of this thing is just absolutely wonderful and it’s just such an interesting set to look at, wear, and listen to. I’ll share more of my thoughts in the next few days, but these genuinely have a lot of potential to be one of the best single DDs under $300.
STAY TUNED FOR THE FULL REVIEW!
If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-x-faudio-project-ace (it will be available by the end of April)
