HiBy W4 - The $99 Headphone Amp That Brings Wired Earbuds Back to the Bluetooth Era

Even after phones dropped the 3.5mm jack, plenty of us still can't bring ourselves to give up the wired earbuds we're used to. The HiBy W4 is a small amp that lets you use those wired earbuds over Bluetooth, and it caught my eye because it doesn't look like an adapter at all.

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📊 Quick Info

Item	Details
Brand	HiBy
Price	About $99 (Korean price to be confirmed)
Form factor	Portable Bluetooth headphone amp with a screen and a volume knob
Ports	3.5mm and balanced outputs visible in the images, USB-C confirmed (exact specs to be confirmed)
Colors	Teal, orange, yellow, lime, white, black, and more (based on product images)
One-line verdict	⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ A cute gadget for wired earphone lovers

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✨ 3-Line Summary

• 👍 Biggest strength: A colorful design that doesn't look like an adapter, plus a screen and a knob for a satisfying feel in use
• 👎 Downside: Going wireless takes away a bit of the simplicity that wired audio is known for, and the exact specs still need to be confirmed
• 🎯 Recommended for: People who want to keep using their beloved wired earbuds and headphones with their phone

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📸 Product Tour

Shown with wired earbuds plugged in. The pink knob stands out against the teal body.

A small color screen shows playback info, and the volume knob and buttons are grouped on the right.

The ports sit side by side along the top, and it comes in several colors.

Here it's clipped onto a shirt. It looks like a good way to keep the earphone cable short and tidy.

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🔍 Why It Caught My Attention

I want to keep the strengths of wired audio

Wired earbuds don't need charging and you never worry about battery degradation, but today's phones have nowhere to plug them in. This product fills that gap with a small amp, and I like that approach.

A design that doesn't look like an adapter

Products like this usually end up as a black dongle. The W4 goes the other way, with bright colors, a knob, and a screen that make it look like an object worth displaying. I like design-led functional gear, so this appealed to me.

Small enough to wear on your body

As in the usage shot, it's small enough to clip onto your clothes, so it looks easy to use on the move.

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🤔 What Gives Me Pause

The specs aren't fully confirmed

I haven't been able to confirm the supported codecs, output power, or battery life. You should definitely check the official specs before buying.

You end up with one more battery

The whole appeal of wired audio is having no battery, but with an amp you now have one more device to charge. That's a spot where it clashes a little with the reason people stick with wired.

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📋 Product Features (Subjective Ratings)

• Design: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
• Practicality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
• Value for money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (about $99, Korean price to be confirmed)

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🛒 Before You Buy

✅ Recommended for

• People who have used wired earbuds or headphones for years and don't want to switch
• People who want their gadgets to look like objects

❌ Not recommended for

• People who are already happy with wireless earbuds
• People who don't want yet another device to charge

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🎯 Final Verdict

For anyone attached to wired earbuds, the W4 is a pretty appealing answer. It's a clean way to connect a phone with no jack to wired earbuds, and the design is fun.

That said, I haven't been able to confirm the specs or where to buy it in Korea myself. Before buying, I'd recommend checking the codecs and battery on the official page.

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Source: Yanko Design product page