The Hidizs H2 comes in a small black rectangular cardboard box. The front of the box is marked with the Hidizs, LDAC, Hi-Res Audio, and Hi-Res Audio Wireless logos. The H2’s specifications are provided on the rear of the box in English and Chinese. The Hidizs H2 includes a small semi-translucent protective case with a spring-loaded attachment clip on the rear, which I found very functional. It also includes a USB-C to USB-A charging cable and a USB C-C cable with the same purple marking found on the Hidizs S9’s included C-C cable. The package also includes a user manual, a discount code for Hidizs’ shop, and a quality control pass chit.
Design and Build Quality:
The Hidizs H2 is a diminutive device, about 3.2 CM in height and width and 1 CM in depth. It has a black mirrored finish on the front and rear faces which are unfortunately fingerprint magnets. The front of the H2 is bare apart from the NFC logo. The rear is emblazoned with the Hidizs logo and the text “ H2 BLUETOOTH DAC AMP HIDIZS TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD” in silver.
The power button is found on the right side of the Hidizs H2, while the volume control is on the left side. There is a lighted indicator for power status and sample rate above the power button. The bottom face of the H2 contains a USB-C charging port, and the mic opening is on the top face.
User Interface:
You turn on the H2 by holding down the power button. If you continue to hold down the power button for a few more seconds after the H2 turns on, the H2 will enter pairing mode. I was not able to get the H2’s advertised NFC pairing function to work with my Google Pixel 3.
The H2’s power button also acts as a play and pause button with short presses. The H2 has physical volume controls with long-press fast-forward and rewind functions. The H2’s volume control is extremely low profile and I would have preferred there to be more of a standoff between the volume control and the H2’s housing.
Functionality:
The H2’s Bluetooth range is very respectable. There were several times during my evaluation where I left the floor of the house my phone was on and traverse to the opposite end of the adjoining floor before realizing I had forgotten my phone because the H2’s signal began to cut out. The Hidizs H2 does not respect being de-selected as the active Bluetooth device and will reassert itself as the active Bluetooth device without user input.
The Hidizs H2 also incorporates an auto-pause on disconnect feature, which is something I would like to see on more devices in general, both Bluetooth and otherwise. The H2 has decent battery life, between 6 and 7 hours using LDAC. I did experience a series of seemingly random pauses early in my evaluation of the H2, which stopped after using the H2 for a few weeks. I have no explanation for what was causing this behavior or why it stopped.
The Hidizs H2’s included USB C-C cable is of the same sacrilegious, undirectional variety detailed in my Hidizs S9 review. However, unlike the S9, the H2 does not support USB C-C charging with properly implemented cables, nor does not work as a USB DAC with a USB C-C connection, either with my phone or with my PC. The H2 does not produce any humming or buzzing noises when charging and playing simultaneously. The Hidizs H2 must be manually powered on for use as a USB DAC, which I feel is a missed opportunity.
Sound:
The Hidizs H2 has serviceable sound quality for the price, with no audible frequency response deviations. However, while using the H2, I consistently felt like I was missing out on musical details I could hear with higher-end USB-C dongles like the E1DA 9038 variants or the Hidizs S9, or even the Qudelix 5K over Bluetooth. The amount of power on tap was adequate for any of the in-ear monitors I used with it, but I would not want to power a full-size headphone with the H2.
App:
The Hiby Blue app is pitiful in comparison to the wealth of options afforded by the Qudelix app. The only real functionality it offers is real-time, detailed battery status, sample rate, codec, and signal strength information. Equalization options are limited to a fixed Q-value five-band equalizer, which is basically worthless.
Concluding Thoughts:
Though relatively inexpensive, I cannot recommend the Hidizs H2. Between the broken USB-C implementation, non-functional NFC, average battery life, uncompetitive companion app, and mediocre sound, there are too many drawbacks and compromises. Just save for a Qudelix 5K.
The Hidizs H2 can be purchased below:
