I didn’t expect much at first, to be honest. FA5 looked kinda low-key compared to some other flashy DAPs out there, but man—it really caught me off. The moment I plugged in, it was like, “wait, this thing’s got some serious muscle.” Smooth, clean sound, dead quiet background, and just a ton of detail that makes you lean in and listen more.
F.Audio FA5 Review
Ain’t just about specs either—though it got some wild stuff going on inside. Dual balanced outputs, proper DAC chip, and it handles DSD like a champ. I threw all kinds of files at it, even some old FLACs from years ago, and it played ‘em like they just came out of the studio. This thing ain’t trying to be cool, it just is. Straight-up, the FA5 might be the sleeper hit nobody’s talking about—but they probably should be.
DISCLAIMER
HIFIGO was kind enough to send me the F.Audio FA5 to review. I am not affiliated with HiFigo, and of course, I was not asked for any copy-checking before publishing. All opinions shared in this ‘F.Audio FA5 review’ are my subjective thoughts.
One thing more: The review is based on my personal experience and what I hear using different sources. Your experience may vary because of personal preference and physical differences like the shape and depth of the ear canal.
For your personal purchase, check out GEEK MART or HIFIGO for their fantastic products and promotions (non-affiliated links).
SPECIFICATION
Model: FA 5
DAC: ES9039SPRO
OPAmp: 9 operational amplifiers (not specified)
Power Amp: 4 current amplifiers 0PA561PWP
Output Power: Balanced- 480mw (4 Vrms), PO & LO- 360 mw (2 Vrms)
Supported Format: DSD upto 1024, FLAC, WAV, APE, CUE, DTS, MP3, M4A, ALAC,
Output Ports: 3.5mm (PO), 3.5mm (LO), balanced- 2.5mm & 4.4mm
Battery: 4000 mAh
Backup: <10 Hrs
Memory: No internal, TF card 512 GB (upto 4000 music files)
Connectivity: USB-C (UAC1, UAC2)
BOX CONTAINS
FA5 DAP
USB-C cable
Leather case
DESIGN & BUILT
Believe me, it’s a brick! Almost looks like a Nintendo from the 90s in black color. In first look, you may not think it’s a DAP, no volume knob or side buttons, just a straight brick with a lot of buttons under the screen and a lot of ports on the top & bottom. But the build is kinda superb. The body is made fully with metal, and the buttons are too, it feels robust. It ain’t a toy but a very serious device for your daily wear & tear kinda use. I like this approach, ’cause I used to travel a lot with my audio gear.
INSIDE STORY
The first thing we wanna know about any digital audio player is, ‘what’s inside?’ The inside story of this FA5 is a big, impressive thing, if you consider the price point. It’s got that ESS ES9039SPRO DAC, the good stuff—super clean, crazy detailed, just makes everything sound proper hi-fi. And they packed in 9 op-amps and 4 power amps, like desktop-tier build in a lil’ portable player. It also runs this 4+4 parallel channel thing, even with DSD files. Means less noise, better separation—makes your music pop more.
Ports? All three: 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm—you don’t need no adapters. And each one’s got its own amp stage, so it ain’t just “yeah it fits,” it actually sounds right too. They threw in XMOS for USB DAC mode—handles big files easy, like DSD512 and PCM 768kHz. Works on phones, PC, whatever. Power’s handled real smart too—each section got its own clean power, so no hiss or weird noise creeping in.
Basically, this thing’s built like a proper audio tank, but low-key. Looks chill, sounds massive.
USER INTERFACE & EXPERIENCE
In this era of smartphones and all those smart devices, UI plays a big role while choosing a device. Users wanna get used to the UI in no time. But with the F5, the story is different, it’s kinda mess! It looks like the UI came straight outta 2010/12! The screens’ not bad, but the manue? They feel a bit slow, not laggy, just sluggish. And gook luck tryna figure it out without a manual… ha ha ha ha!
And there’s the button, oh boy! The layout is just weird. Only the power and return buttons have their markings, for the other five buttons, you need to do research! All the buttons are at the front, just under the screen. No conventional layout like volume on one side and prev, play/pause, and next buttons on the other. While surfing the menu or the song list, the left-right buttons will be your top-bottom buttons, while the top-bottom buttons are only for volume up/down. You really need to practice a lot to get used to it, or else you’re gonna mess up the enjoyment!
SOUND
Ah, the best part is here. While you’re reading all the stuff from now on, keep the price in mind. It’s an entry-level DAP with a $179 price tag! So, I will describe the whole thing as ‘how a budget DAP sounds.’
To be honest, I didn’t expect the sound I heard from the F5. Man, it hits way above its price, seriously! The sound’s real clean with a black background, no hiss, just music comin’ through clear as a sunny day. It doesn’t really add extra flavor of its own, just gives you what’s in the track. Due to its analog nature, you’ll feel the note weight is a bit thick, but it’s not dark, rather clear. The detail retrieval’s nuts—like, you start hearin’ little background stuff in tracks you thought you knew by heart. Mids are real neutral, maybe even a bit lean, dependin’ on your IEMs/headphones. And the bass, man, it ain’t boomy or overly fat, but it’s tight, deep, and controlled, with a fast punch. The highs are crisp but never sharp.
LOW FREQUENCY
So talkin’ bass now—FA5 don’t really hype it up, but it is tight and clean and has fast low notes. It ain’t tryna slam your face with bass, but where a song requires serious low energy, it delivers beneficially. It’s highly punchy. There is no muddled sound or unwanted noise here. It’s a solid rumble—you feel it rather than hear it, and that is good bass. Especially with well-tuned IEMs or headphones, it keeps things separated nice and doesn’t blend with the mids and other frequencies.
Sub-bass is present but not overly loud. If your gear can dig deep, the FA5 will let it do that, but it doesn’t enhance low frequencies if the song doesn’t contain them. Some audiophiles might say it sounds lean, but it remains faithful to the original sound level and stays neutral. It is also good with electronic and drum music. Kick drum hits are firm and solid, and basslines sound clean and distinct.
MID FREQUENCY
No joke, no colorization, not over your face, but a very mature midrange you’ll hear in this FA5. It’s more on the neutral side, in my opinion. The mids got the real clean and clear vibe. You may feel it a tiny bit dry if you pair it with any IEM/headphones that’s already thin in the mids. But guys, it can pull out crazy details from the music you will be playin’. Vocals come out crisp and clear, no fuzz- just right in front of you, especially the female vocals. They ain’t jumping out to you and not shouty or overly forward. Just very well-place kinda presentation, sittin’ center with space around them.
Instruments like guitars, pianos, and strings—all that stuff sounds natural with good texture and details, not boosted or overdone. You easily tell that they are accurate, though not lush or creamy. It’s the kinda sound that will let your IEM/headphones do their own thing with their own tune, no dictatorship at all… ha ha ha! For any folks who are like me and want a warm and thick kinda male vocal with sweet weight in it, it’s all about your pairing rather than the FA5 itself. Just plug in a warm earphone, and you are good to go.
HIGH FREQUENCY
The top end is clean, real clean. It ain’t sharp or fatiguing, that’s nice. Some entry level players try too hard and end up makin’ the treble too spicy, which they call ‘hi-resolution!’ But this one? Ah, it’s smooth, but still got air and sparkle when the track calls for it. It’s solid in details- like, you hear stuff way in the back, little hi-hats, background effects, reverb trails… all that’s there, and it don’t get lost. But it don’t ahout at you, that’s the very best part. Treble’s politely present to make your listening experience enjoyable.
Harsh peaks? Nah, forget it! No splashy cymbals or crying violins, nothing that stabs your ear. It stays controlled even with bright IEMs, but with analytical sets, the story is different as usual. The extension is good, but it decays a bit faster, like a faster roll-off kinda thing. It don’t try to fake treble energy—it just delivers what’s there in the track. You may feel it’s a bit safe on high frequencies, but honestly, I’d take that over something that gets fatiguing after ten minutes.
STAGE & SEPARATION
Alright, so when it comes to soundstage, the FA5’s got a real nice sense of space. It ain’t super wide like some big desktop rigs, but for a portable? It’s more open than you’d expect. Feels like you’re sittin’ in a medium-sized room with good acoustics—not stretched out crazy wide, but definitely not closed in either. The width’s solid, but what really stands out is the depth. You can kinda tell what’s closer, what’s further back. Vocals sit in the middle, instruments spread out around ‘em, and you even get that bit of height sometimes, like stuff’s floatin’ above or below.
Now, the instrument separation—that’s where FA5 really flexes. Everything got its own little pocket. Drums don’t bleed into the bass, vocals don’t step on the guitar, and even in busy tracks, it never turns into a mush. You can pick out each layer without tryin’ too hard. Even on complex stuff—like orchestral or layered electronic—you can still follow every element.
PAIRING TESTING
OVIDIUS TX901
A 100mm planar driver open-back headphone with 60 Ohm impedance and 106 dB sensitivity that is not too hard to drive but not that easy at all. FA5 tried its best to keep everything up on the line, and I’ve got a good loudness at the volume level 80. The bass region stays punchy, but the sub sometimes mixes with the mid-bass and makes things muddy. And mids? Oh no, it feels like they are coming out from a small box. And that also makes the stage too tiny! High frequencies stay clean and deliver some good sparkle. It ain’t a pleasant experience though, if I consider the overall sound performance!
SIVGA ANSER
Anser stays soft on the FA5 with its 50mm DD, 38 Ohm impedance, and 105 db sensitivity. Volume level 55 is enough for me to enjoy the headphones. Anser’s bass region is naturally clean and punchy, FA5 keeps it as is, no coloration. The mid-bass came out as fantastic as the headphones can deliver. The midrange also sounds nice and detailed, not muddy at all. Stage and separation presented fantastically. Top end delivers the perfect sparks as Anser used to deliver. Overall, I enjoyed the Sivga Anser with the FA5, and it is capable enough to drive it and deliver the original tune of Anser.
AFUL MagicOne
My most favorite IEM. Whenever any DAC, DAP, AMP comes to me for review, the first IEM I plug in is the MagicOne. It’s really a magical IEM to enjoy music, and it’s a bit power hungry. The FA5 gave me my preferable loudness at the volume level of 52 and drove it quite fine. Everything was fine with a fantastic soundstage and perfect warmth in the bass region. Vocals, both male & female, came out just right. Even while writing this review I’m listening to “Don’t Say You Love Me” by The Corrs with this set-up. This is my favorite pairing.
HIDIZS MP145
The first batch was from the Kickstarter program, not the second batch from when they changed the driver and tuning. This MP145 can bring you a different state of mind with its ability of music delivery. A large 14.5mm planar driver, which is also power hungry, and I’ve got my preferred loudness at the volume level of 50. MP145 with the rose gold nozzle and the FA5 married the IEM with no time. The semi-open back IEM already has a very wide holographic kinda soundstage, and with FA5? It feels like I’m in a live show. OMG, the music is coming to me from every direction. Everything was just as good as it could be!
VS. HIDIZS AP80 PRO X
The Hidizs AP80 Pro X is on the brighter side, way more bright than the FA5. That was my first DAP, and the dilemma is that I’m a warm-analog sound-loving guy! The low region on the AP80 Pro X is tighter, and the sub-bass is totally faint. Even the bass master OH10/10s sounds cold with it. On the other hand, the FA5 got a super tasty low end. Mids on the AP80 Pro X seems a bit analytical to me with super micro details, but the FA5 is a safer option with good details, stage & separation, while it won’t stink your ears. The top end of FA5 is juicy and enjoyable, while the AP80 Pro X delivers a very sharp treble that creates fatigue in long listening sessions.
VS. TEMPORAC V3
Nothing is good in V3 if you compare it with FA5. You may love your V3, but the FA5 can outplay that DAP in every department. It’s a league ahead of V3! Period.
CONCLUSION
FA5’s kinda a beast in a small box. You get clean, detailed sound, desktop-level power, and all the ports you need—plus that ESS DAC and serious op-amp setup under the hood. It ain’t the flashiest player out there, and the UI can be a pain sometimes, but once you get used to it, the sound more than makes up for it.
If you’re after a neutral, analogue-style player with real power and clean output, and you don’t mind a bit of a learning curve on the controls—FA5’s def worth checkin’ out.
WHATEVER YOU’RE THINKIN’ OF BUYING—DAC, DAP, IEM, HEADPHONE, AMP, WHATEVER—JUST MAKE SURE YOU GIVE IT A DEMO RUN FIRST. TRY IT OUT, LISTEN TO IT WITH YOUR OWN TRACKS. SERIOUSLY, ONE QUICK AUDITION CAN SAVE YOU A BUNCH OF MONEY AND REGRET LATER ON.
You can read other reviews HERE.
