WANDLA-level DSP
A complete firmware rework brings WANDLA's DSP and digital filter to ERCO.
FERRUMDAC & HEADPHONE AMPLIFIERCustomer reviews (0)
Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 DAC/PREAMP with Headphone Amplifier
Closer to your music.
A fully balanced DAC/preamp and headphone amp with WANDLA-derived DSP, PCM 768kHz and DSD512 support.
Regular price
£1,795.00
Unit price
Including VAT
Free next day UK delivery
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Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 DAC/PREAMP with Headphone Amplifier
A little extra. A better pairing.
Better together.
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MEET THE ERCO
Closer to your music.
A fully balanced DAC/preamp and headphone amp with WANDLA-derived DSP, PCM 768kHz and DSD512 support.
Improved analogue stage
An upgraded I/V converter and proprietary power amp design for uncoloured, dynamic sound.
Headphones or speakers
4.4mm and 6.35mm headphone outputs plus balanced XLR and RCA line outputs.
Read the full description
The Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 is a fully balanced DAC, preamplifier and headphone amplifier, designed and made in Poland by HEM. Ferrum built ERCO from parts of its HYPSOS power supply and OOR headphone amplifier, added 20 years of experience in D/A conversion, and with Gen 2 brought it close to its flagship WANDLA: the same DSP and HQ Apodizing filter, PCM up to 768kHz and DSD512, and an I/V stage refined from WANDLA, with up to 6.1W into 50Ω from the balanced headphone output.
What changed in Gen 2
Gen 2 goes far beyond a firmware update: Ferrum rewrote ERCO’s firmware from a new bootloader up. As ERCO’s digital section is similar to WANDLA’s SERCE module, Ferrum ported SERCE’s complete software stack, so the DSP is now equivalent to WANDLA’s, with WANDLA’s HQ Apodizing filter and the ESS filters bypassed. ERCO now decodes 768kHz PCM and DSD512, intermodulation and intersample distortion are reduced, and output levels meet current standards. On the analogue side, the I/V converter benefits from what Ferrum learned developing WANDLA, for a more detailed sound.
Fully balanced, very transparent
The signal path is truly balanced from the early D/A stage, and RCA inputs are converted to balanced straight away. Ultra-wideband ICs, fine-tuned for audio, and Ferrum’s proprietary IC power amplifier give the best possible analogue quality, with a balanced, very transparent sound that keeps listening fatigue away. An ESS Sabre ES9028PRO does the conversion, and an internal ARM chip handles MQA decoding and rendering for all digital inputs.
For headphones and powered speakers
Connect headphones to the balanced 4.4mm or unbalanced 6.35mm socket, with three gain settings, or powered speakers to the XLR or RCA outputs, with analogue volume or a bypass for line level. Three digital inputs, USB-C, coaxial and optical, and one analogue RCA input are provided. Operation is hassle-free, with just three knobs on the front panel, and the logo brightness can be dimmed.
Made for HYPSOS
ERCO performs very well with its supplied DC adapter, but excels when paired with Ferrum’s HYPSOS through the Ferrum Power Link: its four wires, two for power and two for feedback, keep the voltage flat at ERCO’s input and improve transient response. The FPL cable is sold separately.
The name
ERCO, pronounced “ert-so”, is Esperanto for ore. Esperanto’s creator, Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof, lived around the corner from Ferrum’s offices near Warsaw and hoped one language would bring humankind together in peace; Ferrum wants to do the same through pure and honest music reproduction.
| DAC | ESS Sabre ES9028PRO · WANDLA DSP with HQ Apodizing filter · MQA decoder and renderer |
|---|---|
| Inputs | USB-C (PCM 768kHz/32-bit, DSD512) · coaxial (192kHz/24-bit, DoP64) · optical (96kHz/24-bit) · RCA analogue |
| Headphone outputs | 4.4mm balanced: 6.1W @ 50Ω, 1.2W @ 300Ω · 6.35mm: 1.7W @ 50Ω, 300mW @ 300Ω · under 0.3Ω |
| Gain | Balanced −5.8 / +6 / +17.8dB · single-ended −11.8 / 0 / +11.8dB |
| Line outputs | XLR (4Vrms, 44Ω) and RCA (2Vrms, 22Ω) · analogue volume with bypass |
| Performance | THD <0.00018% balanced, <0.00032% unbalanced (1mW, 16Ω) · dynamic range 130dB analogue / 120dB digital · 10Hz–30kHz ±0.05dB |
| Power | 22–30V DC: 5.5/2.5mm (centre positive) or Ferrum FPL 4-pin · adapter included · under 15W idle |
| Size | 217 × 206 × 50mm |
Good to know
- ERCO pairs naturally with Ferrum’s HYPSOS as your system grows. For Ferrum’s flagship DAC with HDMI ARC and I²S, see the Ferrum WANDLA.
- In the box: ERCO Gen 2, DC power adapter and manual.
In the box
- Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 DAC/PREAMP with Headphone Amplifier
- Power cable
- Manual
Downloads
THE FINER DETAILS
Built for
better listening.
Know what you’re choosing.
Find the right fit for your setup.
- Design
- Fully balanced DAC and headphone amplifier
- DAC
- ESS ES9028PRO
- Headphone outputs
- 6.35mm unbalanced · 4.4mm balanced
- Output power
- 6.1W @ 50Ω · 1.2W @ 300Ω balanced · 1.7W @ 50Ω · 300mW @ 300Ω single-ended
- Frequency response
- 10Hz–30kHz (±0.05dB)
- Hi-res support
- USB: PCM 768kHz/32-bit, DSD512 · coaxial 192kHz/24-bit · optical 96kHz/24-bit · MQA
- Gain modes
- Three levels: −5.8, +6, +17.8dB (balanced)
- Distortion (THD+N)
- <0.00018% (balanced, 1mW and 100mW into 16Ω) · <0.00032% (unbalanced, 1mW)
- Output impedance
- Under 0.3Ω (headphones) · 44Ω (XLR) · 22Ω (RCA)
- Line outputs
- XLR balanced (4Vrms) · RCA (2Vrms), fixed or variable
- Inputs
- USB-C · coaxial · optical · RCA analogue
- Power
- External 22–30V DC adaptor or HYPSOS
Specifications are based on manufacturer information and may change.
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How does free delivery work?
Every UK order has a free delivery option, and orders of £50 or more qualify for free next day delivery. Order by 12 noon, Monday to Friday, for next day delivery; orders placed after 12 noon, at the weekend or on a bank holiday are dispatched on the next working day. Stock availability and destination also affect arrival — check the options shown at checkout.
Pre-orders ship when stock arrives; the next day service starts after dispatch. Full delivery information
What if it’s not right for me?
Return within 14 days for any reason, or within 30 days if faulty, with free return postage. See our full Returns Policy for conditions and how to start a return.
Can you help me choose headphones?
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