Ferrum WANDLA DAC

April 5, 2023

FERRUM’S LONG-AWAITED STANDALONE DAC IS IN FINAL ASSEMBLY NOW

The Ferrum WANDLA DAC is the Polish HiFi brand’s new flagship standalone DAC/preamplifier and it is launching this month.

WANDLA has at its heart Ferrum’s proprietary ARM-based platform, Serce. Ferrum say that Serce singlehandedly performs the tasks of five chips to create the shortest possible signal path for the audio-optimized digital ports.

FERRUM WANDLA DAC DEBUTS AT AXPONA

VANA LTD, Ferrum’s USA importer and distributor, will introduce the Ferrum WANDLA along with Ferrum’s complete range of products at AXPONA 2023 next week in Ear Gear booth # 1205 and room #8208 of the Renaissance Schaumberg Convention Centre.

FERRUM WANDLA DAC

WANDLA, derived from the German word Wandler, for converter, was, from its inception, designed to set “a new standard among D-to-A Converters, regardless of price”. WANDLA has at its heart Ferrum’s proprietary ARM-based platform, SERCE. Utilizing Ferrum’s software, SERCE processes all incoming digital data streams. The ARM processor performs the work of five chips and creates the shortest possible signal path for the audio-optimized USB, HDMI, I2S, coaxial, and optical S/PDIF ports. Behind the conversion stage, Ferrum’s engineering team implemented an advanced new current-to-voltage converter and an output stage that benefited from experience in developing the OOR and ERCO. Based on their HYPSOS’ (Linear Power Supply) hybrid design, it has multiple internal supplies power both analog and digital sections to minimize interference and noise while maximizing channel separation.

DIGITAL FILTERS

Ferrum’s dual-core ARM chip does much more than manage WANDLA’s functions. In order to give consumers meaningful choices, all seven digital filters in the DAC are user-accessible. The SERCE platform also enabled Ferrum to create Dynamic Digital Filtering (DFF) to bypass the filters of the ESS DAC; additionally, Ferrum has included their customers in the process of evolving WANDLA. Marcin Hamerla of HEM and Ferrum told us: “Initial units will include three unique filter options and we will challenge our user community to vote for their favourites. Subsequent firmware updates will replace the least favourite filter options with new alternatives. After five rounds, we will proclaim a winning digital filter and create a new community of digital filter specialists: people interacting with us and their WANDLAs in search of the best possible, custom-tailored sound”.

Ferrum will release an auto-updater application for Mac and PC to facilitate firmware updates.

PREAMPLIFIER

In addition to being a DA converter, WANDLA doubles as a preamplifier including a full-function IR remote handset. Marcin continues: “We’ve implemented two new digitally controlled attenuators for volume control, with user-selectable analogue or digital. WANDLA has a truly balanced topology which builds upon our modified IC amplifier and power section designs. In addition to the six digital (USB-C, coax, optical, AES, HDMI, and I2S) inputs, we’ve included a “Direct Path” RCA analogue input that bypasses all digital processing to remain faithful to the highest-fidelity analog sources”.

Both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) outputs and a configurable trigger are provided. As one would expect from Ferrum, two DC power inputs (FPL and 5.5 x 2.5mm DC pin) enable WANDLA to connect either to the standard power supply or HYPSOS Linear Power Supply.

TOUCHSCREEN

Ferrum’s engineering is complemented by WANDLA’s chassis. Distinguished by a hi-res touchscreen with an intuitive user interface (UI), WANDLA features a “Distance Mode” which, when operated via remote, adapts its display for legibility regardless of user location.