FLANG V5 audio player review: sometimes it’s better to listen than to watch..

“The life of a people’s artist is hard and unpleasant” – there’s no other way to say it, when you take this “black square” with buttons in your hands…

Flang V5 player

I’ve been waiting for a long time, and now I finally got one… However, if the brutal specimen

in the morning

better not to look, it does not mean that by evening his soul again will not sing. I’ve already had a meeting with this model, it managed to entice me with something, and not only in appearance, but also with an assertive, “lamplight” sound. I propose to listen and figure it all out together – turn on the player

Flang V5

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Thanks to XChesser Audio for providing a sample for listening.

Specifications

Built-in memory:	32 Gb
Support for memory cards:	1 micro SD slot
Audio Format Support:	DSD/APE/FLAC/ALAC/WMA/WAV/MP3
DAC:	ESS9018
Maximum power:	125 mW
Screen:	OLED/monochrome
Battery:	2000 mAh, 10-12 hours
Headphone outputs	3.5 mm, 6.35
Digital interface:	RCA input, RCA output
Case Material:	aluminum
Dimensions:	120×72×25 mm
Weight:	249 g

The look, the set, the ergonomics

Flang V5 comes in a black cardboard box, packed to the brim. When you take the player in your hands, you will see carefully packed USB power adapter – 5V 1A, cable micro USB USB – to connect your PC and power adapter, cable HDMI USB – for charging via HDMI there is such a thing here as well – hallowed, swat, hallowed… , documentation with the guarantee and a protective film on the screen. They even sent us a rag to take care of the device strange that the “pads” did not add …

Flang V5 is made of anodized aluminum, the buttons are plastic, the screen is monochrome OLED. Color black. The menu is Rockbox, simplified to an abomination you know what I mean ? . However, the menu shows all the information you need. Never mind that the display of inscriptions and elements causes at least some bewilderment, it fulfills its functions as it should.

On the front panel there is a screen, under it a joystick puzzle, volume control and control buttons, if you count – there will be eight pieces, but through the wheel of control, however you spin it – nine.

So, under the magnifying glass is the joystick wheel. I persistently pressed the circular controls. I noticed the flaws right away, but that’s about it, nothing else. After scratching in a number of places, made a few more approaches – again, nothing, sneezed on me. Well, I guess “ales,” a marriage, an ambush! And then I made an unexpected maneuver by twisting the joystick. And what? The joystick creaked, swung, and started flipping through menus! The player is a kind of mummy pyramid: if you don’t know where you press it, you’ll stay there… Well, hello to the first clumsy joysticks from the 80’s of the last century.

On the left end of the Flang V5 is a slot for a micro SD memory card. On the right – the switch keys: gain and bass boost. The second button and the already bassy or pissy? the character of this “hunchback of Notre Dame” turns into a Quasimod in the square. Below is a micro USB connector for connecting your device to a PC and a power adapter.

On the top side of Flang V5 I was able to find two headphone jacks – 3.5 mm and 6.35 mm, as well as a slider on/off.

And now hold on tight so you don’t go flying free. On the lower end, where two RCA’s are yellowed: SPDIF output and SPDIF input, there is a third extra one – HDMI connector. Cool! I thought the player was equipped with a digital output. And then I was numb with amazement: the inscription DC5V IN means that HDMI is used here for charging the device. I thought it was a girl, but it turned out to be Madame Butterfly..

I’ve heard that there are these docs. stations that charge via HDMI. Why can’t the HDMI connector be equipped with the second function – the digital output or at least the line output, which, by the way, is absent in the player?? But now it turned out that we’ll be charging into all the holes, and the modern terminals are a dime a dozen! Well, okay, it’s not forbidden to be a geek. Let’s move on.

The back panel is sleek, with a warning: “V5, Design by FLANG Electronic Co, LTD, made in China.”. Despite all the funny bugs, the device fits well in my hand, the volume knob clearly synchronized with my thumb.

As for the weight of the Flang V5, the famous director Guy Ritchie used to say in such cases: “Heavy is good. Heavy – it’s reliable. If it does not shoot, you can give them a kick in the head…”.

Sound

To listen Flang V5 we used the following headphones: Etymotic ER-4S, Etymotic ER-4SR, MyST Nail 2, Beyerdynamic DT 1350, Beyerdynamic DT 250/250, Phonon SMB-02.

I would describe the sound of the Flang V5 as dense, warm, massive, thick and not without musicality. The unit is musically consistent with its mass-size, but has its own face and a pleasant, warm character.

The low frequencies are served roughly, with a slight tinge of “hum”, creating a kind of general background. Upper register is a bit muddy and not afraid of distortion. The middle part is not bad, very musical, “warm”, without obvious peaks and dips. All together this gives a certain “vintage” and musicality effect to the sound.

I’ve heard about a lot of mistakes made in the circuitry of the object of our review. I would like to take this opportunity to mention the wizard, who solves problems with this player – it’s the golden-haired Michael, better known as Sanmigel. Music lovers should know their hero! Hero, through whose hands passed a string of devices, and, incidentally, the sound design of the domestic sound-smartphone Highscreen Boost 3! Our man! My recommendations.

So, I think, thanks to the flaws in the circuitry Flang V5 sound has got quite original character, with its own saltiness and charm. About appearance, if it’s to the night, we will not mention it .

So, the device sounds solid and rich, the power is also all right, if not enough, you can also give, by switching LOW to High gain.

But the other switch, bass boost, I would remove from the field immediately. Flang V5 sounds bassy as it is, if you give it more volume, it will make a total mess with muttering, darkness and hoarseness without a gap..

Bottom line

Treble – a little crumbly and muddy, but not intrusive and does not excite your ears. There is a little accent in this register, but it is perceived as softened somehow, without the strangeness.

The midrange is quite smooth, the delivery is accurate, “with warmth” and quite musical, with proper expression, but without peaks and dips and loss of detail. I am pleased that in a general dense manner small details are not lost, you can hear everything, everything in its place.

The bass is not a question about the quantity, but the quality of the sound is. In calm compositions the bug is not so strong, but in aggressive moments the bass is humming and getting out of control. In general, if you do not use bass boost, the player plays quite well. Especially if you do not focus your attention on certain moments and flaws, but just listen to your favorite music.

Conclusions

Not a bad unit with a rather strange appearance, strange functionality and decent sound. The player has its own face and it’s not Kwazimoda , the face that isn’t without a nice charm and personality. The device will definitely find its listener, and the low price tag will help it in this. The price of Flang V5 on the American Internet ranges around 14 000 Dollars.

The sound, the price.

View, control.