{"product_id":"ferrum-erco-gen-2-dac-preamp-with-headphone-amplifier","title":"Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 DAC\/PREAMP with Headphone Amplifier","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/3199\/8339\/files\/ferrum-erco-gen-2-dac-preamp-with-headphone-amplifier-photo-front.jpg?v=1791362843\" alt=\"Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 DAC, preamp and headphone amplifier\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat changed in Gen 2\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGen 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFully balanced, very transparent\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFor headphones and powered speakers\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConnect 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/3199\/8339\/files\/ferrum-erco-gen-2-dac-preamp-with-headphone-amplifier-photo-panel.jpg?v=1791362849\" alt=\"The front panel of the Ferrum ERCO Gen 2\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/3199\/8339\/files\/ferrum-erco-gen-2-dac-preamp-with-headphone-amplifier-photo-rear.jpg?v=1791362854\" alt=\"Rear panel of the Ferrum ERCO Gen 2\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/3199\/8339\/files\/ferrum-erco-gen-2-dac-preamp-with-headphone-amplifier-photo-rear_close.jpg?v=1791362858\" alt=\"Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 inputs, FPL socket and DC input\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMade for HYPSOS\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eERCO performs very well with its supplied DC adapter, but excels when paired with Ferrum’s \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ferrum-hypsos-hybrid-power-system\"\u003eHYPSOS\u003c\/a\u003e through the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ferrum-power-link-fpl-dc-power-chord-4-pin-dc-50cm\"\u003eFerrum Power Link\u003c\/a\u003e: 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/3199\/8339\/files\/ferrum-erco-gen-2-dac-preamp-with-headphone-amplifier-photo-stack.jpg?v=1791362863\" alt=\"Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 stacked with HYPSOS and headphones\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe name\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eERCO, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/3199\/8339\/files\/FERRUMERCOGEN2_1000x540_1a97fdde-70d5-47af-8514-342a2962a216.jpg?v=1767222542\" alt=\"Ferrum ERCO Gen 2\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDAC\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eESS Sabre ES9028PRO · WANDLA DSP with HQ Apodizing filter · MQA decoder and renderer\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eInputs\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUSB-C (PCM 768kHz\/32-bit, DSD512) · coaxial (192kHz\/24-bit, DoP64) · optical (96kHz\/24-bit) · RCA analogue\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHeadphone outputs\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4.4mm balanced: 6.1W @ 50Ω, 1.2W @ 300Ω · 6.35mm: 1.7W @ 50Ω, 300mW @ 300Ω · under 0.3Ω\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eGain\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBalanced −5.8 \/ +6 \/ +17.8dB · single-ended −11.8 \/ 0 \/ +11.8dB\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eLine outputs\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eXLR (4Vrms, 44Ω) and RCA (2Vrms, 22Ω) · analogue volume with bypass\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePerformance\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTHD \u0026lt;0.00018% balanced, \u0026lt;0.00032% unbalanced (1mW, 16Ω) · dynamic range 130dB analogue \/ 120dB digital · 10Hz–30kHz ±0.05dB\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePower\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e22–30V DC: 5.5\/2.5mm (centre positive) or Ferrum FPL 4-pin · adapter included · under 15W idle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSize\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e217 × 206 × 50mm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eERCO pairs naturally with Ferrum’s HYPSOS as your system grows. For Ferrum’s flagship DAC with HDMI ARC and I²S, see the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ferrum-wandla-dac-preamp\"\u003eFerrum WANDLA\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn the box: ERCO Gen 2, DC power adapter and manual.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Ferrum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57117541499267,"sku":"FERRUMERCOGEN2","price":1795.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/3199\/8339\/files\/img_proxy_50ae7542-ce13-4726-a835-2e4c15f42bfe.jpg?v=1767222566","url":"https:\/\/www.advancedmp3players.co.uk\/products\/ferrum-erco-gen-2-dac-preamp-with-headphone-amplifier","provider":"amp3","version":"1.0","type":"link"}