Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 Headphone DAC/Amp at Vinyl Sound Buffalo, New York

The Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 is a fully balanced integrated DAC and headphone amplifier from Ferrum Audio (Warsaw, Poland), available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, New York. The ERCO Gen 2 is winner of the Headfonia Best DAC/AMP Combo 2024 Award and the Headfonia Recommended Buy Award, delivering significant upgrades over the original ERCO through a revised I/V converter stage, the proprietary SERCE DSP engine running the Signalyst HQ Apodizing digital filter as default, and extended resolution to PCM 768 kHz/32-bit and DSD 512. The headphone amplifier section outputs 6.1 W into 50 Ω balanced via a 4.4 mm Pentaconn output, achieves 129 dB analogue dynamic range (A-weighted), and is built on the same ESS Sabre ES9028PRO chip that underpins much of the wider Ferrum ecosystem. The ERCO Gen 2 occupies the same 217.5 x 206.5 x 50 mm chassis as all Ferrum components and connects to the HYPSOS Hybrid Power System via the proprietary Ferrum Power Link connector for upgraded power delivery.

Gen 2 Upgrades: SERCE, DDF Filtering, and Extended Resolution

The transition from ERCO to ERCO Gen 2 involved both hardware and firmware changes. The I/V converter stage was redesigned for improved linearity and lower noise, and the SERCE DSP engine now runs oversampling using Ferrum's DDF-preferred HQ Apodizing filter as the default reconstruction algorithm, the same class of filter approach used in the flagship WANDLA. Maximum PCM resolution increased from the original ERCO's limit to 768 kHz and maximum DSD resolution increased to DSD 512, with the USB-C input accepting the full DSD 512 natively. These changes make the ERCO Gen 2 substantially closer in technical performance to the WANDLA than its predecessor, which Ferrum acknowledges explicitly. Existing ERCO owners may upgrade their units to Gen 2 specification through Ferrum's official update programme.

Fully Balanced DAC and Amplifier Architecture

The ERCO Gen 2 uses a discrete and IC hybrid design with ultra-wideband ICs fine-tuned for audio use. The signal path is fully balanced from the D/A conversion stage and is converted to balanced internally from the RCA analogue input, maintaining differential operation throughout. Digital inputs include USB-C for full DSD 512 and 768 kHz PCM, coaxial S/PDIF up to 192 kHz, and optical S/PDIF up to 96 kHz guaranteed (potentially higher depending on cable and transmitter). Analogue input via RCA accepts Red Book level (2 V RMS recommended) and Pro level signals. Headphone outputs are the balanced 4.4 mm Pentaconn (TRRRS) and unbalanced 6.35 mm jack. Line outputs are balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA at 4 V RMS balanced and 2 V RMS unbalanced. Volume control is analogue with bypass option for the line outputs. MQA decoding and rendering is supported on USB, optical, and coaxial digital inputs.

Key Features

• Headfonia Best DAC/AMP Combo 2024: The ERCO Gen 2 won Headfonia's top combined DAC and headphone amplifier award for 2024, with reviewers praising it as more engaging and musical than its predecessor and recommending it unconditionally.
• SERCE DSP with HQ Apodizing Filter: Ferrum's proprietary DSP engine provides oversampling using the DDF HQ Apodizing filter as default, the same reconstruction approach used in the flagship WANDLA, bringing the ERCO Gen 2's measured performance closer to Ferrum's reference DAC.
• DSD 512 and PCM 768 kHz via USB-C: Maximum resolution of PCM 768 kHz/32-bit and DSD 512 via USB-C is substantially higher than most competitors at this price level and matches or exceeds many more expensive DAC/amp combinations.
• 6.1 W into 50 Ω Balanced: Output power of 6.1 W into 50 Ω on the balanced 4.4 mm output provides sufficient headroom for demanding planar magnetic headphones including the Hifiman Arya and Audeze LCD series.
• 129 dB Analogue Dynamic Range: A-weighted analogue dynamic range of 129 dB provides a wide noise-free window for low-level detail retrieval, approaching the WANDLA's 127 dB figure from a more compact all-in-one package.
• HYPSOS FPL Compatible: The proprietary four-pin Ferrum Power Link connector allows upgrade to the HYPSOS Hybrid Power System for sensing-corrected power delivery, the same upgrade path available on the flagship OOR and WANDLA.
• Existing ERCO Upgrade Programme: Original ERCO owners can upgrade their units to full ERCO Gen 2 specification through Ferrum's official programme, confirming the Gen 2 changes are substantive hardware and firmware improvements rather than a cosmetic revision.
• Balanced 4.4 mm and Single-Ended 6.35 mm Headphone Outputs: Both output types are simultaneously available, supporting balanced and unbalanced headphone cables without switching or adapters.

Technical Specifications

Awards and Critical Recognition

• Headfonia Best DAC/AMP Combo 2024: Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 (Headfonia Best of Year Awards)
• Headfonia Recommended Buy Award: Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 (Headfonia)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ferrum ERCO Gen 2?

The Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 is a fully balanced integrated DAC and headphone amplifier from Ferrum Audio in Warsaw, Poland. It uses the ESS Sabre ES9028PRO chip with the SERCE DSP engine and DDF HQ Apodizing filter, supports PCM 768 kHz/32-bit and DSD 512 via USB-C, delivers 6.1 W into 50 Ω on its balanced 4.4 mm headphone output, and achieves 129 dB analogue dynamic range (A-weighted). It won the Headfonia Best DAC/AMP Combo 2024 Award and is available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, New York.

How does the ERCO Gen 2 compare to the WANDLA plus OOR stack?

The Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 and the WANDLA plus OOR combination represent the entry and flagship tiers of the Ferrum desktop ecosystem respectively. The ERCO Gen 2 integrates DAC and headphone amplifier in a single chassis using the ES9028PRO chip, while the WANDLA uses the higher-specified ES9038PRO chip and the OOR is a dedicated fully discrete amplifier with 8 W into 60 Ω balanced versus the ERCO Gen 2's 6.1 W into 50 Ω. The OOR's THD of 0.00011% and dynamic range of 130 dB improve on the ERCO Gen 2's figures of 0.00018% and 129 dB respectively. The WANDLA also offers substantially more digital inputs including AES/EBU, HDMI ARC, and I2S, which the ERCO Gen 2 does not include. The ERCO Gen 2 shares the same FPL HYPSOS upgrade path and the same DDF filter approach as the flagship, at a considerably lower system cost.

How does the ERCO Gen 2 compare to the iFi Audio Neo iDSD 2?

The Ferrum ERCO Gen 2 and iFi Neo iDSD 2 are both all-in-one desktop DAC and headphone amplifier units aimed at the same audiophile market. The iFi Neo iDSD 2 uses a custom Burr-Brown DAC chip with iFi's proprietary bit-perfect processing and includes Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC as an additional wireless input. The ERCO Gen 2 does not include Bluetooth but extends to DSD 512 and PCM 768 kHz natively, exceeding the Neo iDSD 2's supported formats. The ERCO Gen 2's analogue dynamic range of 129 dB and balanced output power of 6.1 W into 50 Ω are higher than the Neo iDSD 2's published figures. The ERCO Gen 2 also offers the HYPSOS FPL power upgrade path, which has no equivalent in the iFi product ecosystem.

What is the SERCE DSP engine in the ERCO Gen 2?

SERCE is Ferrum's proprietary ARM-based digital signal processing platform used across the Ferrum product lineup. In the ERCO Gen 2, SERCE provides oversampling computation using the DDF HQ Apodizing filter as the default reconstruction algorithm. This filter was developed in cooperation with Signalyst, the company behind the HQ Player professional audio software, and is the same class of filter used in the WANDLA's Dynamic Digital Filtering programme. SERCE also handles USB audio protocol management, MQA decoding and rendering, and digital input routing, with all ports optimised specifically for audio-grade signal integrity rather than general-purpose USB communication.

Can the ERCO Gen 2 be used as a preamplifier for loudspeakers?

Yes. The ERCO Gen 2 includes balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA line outputs with analogue volume control and bypass option. Line output level is 4 V RMS balanced and 2 V RMS unbalanced at Red Book level, sufficient to drive most power amplifiers to their rated input. The bypass option routes the analogue signal at unity gain without volume attenuation, suitable for integration with an external preamplifier or volume controller. The analogue RCA input accepts both standard Red Book level (2 V RMS) and Pro level signals, allowing use with a phono preamplifier or other line-level analogue sources in a combined headphone and loudspeaker desktop system.