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Ferrum Audio

Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 Balanced DAC/Amp

With the full reprogramming of ERCO’s software in combination with crucial changes in the analog circuitry, we are introducing a newer and better ERCO. The ERCO Gen 2 will bring our entry-level DAC one step closer to the performance levels of WANDLA, our flagship converter. We even created a program for existing ERCO owners to upgrade their units to new ERCO Gen 2 specifications. So what did we improve?


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Improvements brought to you by ERCO Gen 2

The I/V converter stage has better overall performance and SERCE’s DSP engine provides oversampling using DDF preferred HQ Apodizing digital filter, which get the most out of the DAC chip almost emulating WANDLA performance.. Last but not least maximum resolution is now PCM 768 kHz and DSD 512.

Suited for high end personal audio

Connect your favorite headphones to the balanced 4.4 mm jack or unbalanced 6.35 mm headphone jack outputs or powered loudspeakers on your desktop to the XLR or RCA outputs to perform to their max.

Discrete/IC hybrid design

Ultra-wideband ICs fine tuned for audio use to achieve the best possible analog quality.

Truly Balanced

The signal path is truly balanced from early D/A stage and becomes truly balanced using the RCA inputs.

Proprietary Technology

Industry leading technology is applied. All digital ports are optimised for audio, MQA decoding and rendering is optimised for use with internal ARM chip.

Clearing the path for high end audio

Perfect mix of flagship Ferrum technology combined with high grade in house developed Digital to Analog conversion. Choose from three digital and one analog input.

Enhanced transparency

The whole design remains focussed on a balanced and very transparent sound signature, making listening fatigue something of the past.

Ferrum Power Link

ERCO performs very, very good right out of the box. But ERCO is made to excel above and beyond when used together with HYPSOS. We use what we dubbed our Ferrum Power Link (FPL in short) to connect the two. HYPSOS then will perform to its maximum, unleashing unheard musicality from the combination with ERCO.

Unique output cable design

Two wires delivering the power and two wires providing the feedback to ensure flat voltage at every moment. We named this technique Ferrum Power Link (FPL) and it eliminates the harmful effects of the cable's resistance effectively improving transient response. The current delivery speed at the powered device's input is significantly improved. ERCO Gen 2 comes with a carefully selected DC power adapter. To get the most out of ERCO Gen 2 you can connect it with HYPSOS using our proprietary Ferrum Power Link DC power cable. This FPL cable can be ordered separately.

Features

DAC Chip
ESS Sabre ES9028PRO

DAC Resolution
PCM up to 768k@32bit; DSD up to 512 (22.6 MHz / 24.6 MHz)

MQA®
decoder and renderer (USB, OPTO and COAX inputs)

Digital Inputs
USB-C (MQA, up to PCM 32-bit/768kHz, DSD512, DoP256); S/PDIF coaxial (MQA, up to PCM 24-bit/192 kHz, DoP64); S/PDIF optical (MQA, up to PCM 24-bit/96 kHz guaranteed, should work up to PCM 24-bit/192 kHz and DoP64 – depends of user’s optical cable and transmitter)

Analogue Inputs
RCA (Red Book level 2V RMS recommended, PRO level supported)

Headphone output gain
balanced -5.8 dB, +6 dB, +17.8 dB; single ended -11.8 dB, 0 dB, +11.8 dB

Headphone jack outputs
balanced 4.4 mm (TRRRS); unbalanced 6.35 mm (TRS)

Line outputs
balanced XLR; unbalanced RCA (both Red book level: 4V RMS bal./2V RMS unbal.)

Volume control
analogue with bypass option (bypass for line outputs only)


Specs (Continued)

Frequency response
0 Hz – 30 kHz (+/- 0.05 dB); 10 Hz –  200 kHz (+/- 1 dB)

THD (on balanced output | unbalanced output)
< 0.00018% / -115 dB, 1 mW into 16 Ω; < 0.00018% / -115 dB, 100 mW into 16 Ω |  < 0.00032% / -110 dB, 1 mW into 16 Ω; < 0.00057% / -105 dB, 100 mW into 16 Ω

Dynamic Range (Analog / Digital)
129 dB (A-weighted) / 117 dB (A-weighted)

Input Impedance
47 kΩ

Output impedance (Unbalanced / Balanced)
22 Ω on pre-amp / 44 Ω on pre-amp

Output impedance (Headphones)
< 0.3 Ω

Power consumption
idle <15 W

Power inputs
5.5/2.5 mm DC connector center positive; proprietary FPL 4-pin DC connector (FPL)

Power adapter
100-240 VAC to 22-30 VDC

Dimensions
21.7 cm x 20.6 cm x 5 cm

Weight
1.8kg

erco gen 2 with hypsos