Ferrum Audio ERCO Headphone DAC/Amplifier

Ferrum Audio ERCO Headphone DAC/Amplifier

The ERCO combines the lessons learned from the OOR and the Hyspsos to create a DAC and amplifier specifically designed for use with headphones. Pair it with the Hypsos power supply to unlock its full potential!

What Ferrum say

Ferrum ERCO, desktop high end just became a thing...

Oh, and it’s pronounced ertso, not airco.

Like a top chef that uses their ingredients freshly and grown from their own garden, Ferrum integrated parts of the award-winning HYPSOS technology and lend some of OOR’s magic to lay the first bricks for ERCO. Then they proceeded to add their culminated 20 years’ worth of experience in making DA converters. Ferrum managed to get the best out of their two winners and create a new sibling, adding awesome DA conversion to the mix.

Features

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.

Suited for high end personal audio

• Connect your favourite headphones to the balanced 4,4mm jack or unbalanced 6,35mm 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.

Ease of use

• Hassle free operation. Only three knobs on the front panel to control the most important settings.

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.

Truly Balanced

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

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 comes with a carefully selected DC power adapter. To get the most out of ERCO you can connect it with HYPSOS using the proprietary Ferrum Power Link DC power cable. This FPL cable can be ordered separately.

Specification

• Headphone output gain: balanced -5.8 dB, +6 dB, +17.8 dB; single ended -11.8 dB, 0 dB, +11.8 dB
• Operation: fully balanced, proprietary IC power amp
• Power inputs: 5.5/2.5 mm DC connector center positive; proprietary FPL 4-pin DC connector (FPL)
• Analog inputs: RCA (Consumer level; Pro option with future software update)
• Digital inputs: USB-C (all formats); S/PDIF optical (up to 24-bit/192 kHz, DoP64); Coaxial (up to 24-bit/96 kHz,
• DoP64)
• DAC chip: ESS Sabre ES9028PRO
• PCM sample rates: 44.1 / 48 / 88.2 / 96 / 176.4 / 192 / 352.8 / 384 kHz
• DSD sample rates: 2.8224 / 3.072 / 5.6448 / 6.144 / 11.2896 / 12.288 MHz
• MQA: decoder and renderer
• DAC resolution: PCM up to 384k@32bit; DSD up to 256 (11.2 MHz / 12.2 MHz)
• Headphone jack outputs: balanced 4.4 mm (TRRRS); unbalanced 6.35 mm (TRS)
• Line outputs: balanced XLR; unbalanced RCA (both Consumer level; Pro with future software update)
• Volume control: analogue with bypass option (bypass for line outputs only)
• Frequency response: 10 Hz – 30 kHz (+/- 0.05 dB) 10 Hz – >200 kHz (+/- 1 dB)
• Output power unbalanced: 300 mW into 300 Ω; 1,7 W into 50 Ω
• Output power balanced: 1.2 W into 300 Ω; 6.1 W into 50 Ω
• THD on balanced output: < 0.00018% / -115 dB, 1 mW into 16 Ω; < 0.00018% / -115 dB, 100 mW into 16 Ω
• THD on unbalanced output: < 0.00032% / -110 dB, 1 mW into 16 Ω; < 0.00057% / -105 dB, 100 mW into 16 Ω
• Dynamic range analog: 130 dB (A-weighted)
• Dynamic range digital: 120 dB (A-weighted)
• Input impedance: 47 kΩ
• Output impedance unbalanced: 22 Ω on pre-amp
• Output impedance balanced: 44 Ω on pre-amp
• Output impedance Headphones: < 0.3 Ω
• Power consumption: idle <15 W
• Power adapter: 100-240V AC to 22-30V DC
• Dimensions (W x D x H): 21.7 cm x 20.6 cm x 5 cm / 8.6” x 8.1” x 2.0”
• Weight: 1.8 kg / 3.97 LBS

About Ferrum Audio

Ferrum Audio, a company firmly rooted in the Warsaw region of Poland, combines craftsmanship and audio to create exceptional audiophile-grade audio electronics. The name "Ferrum" derives from the Latin word for iron, reflecting the area's rich history of metallurgy and craftsmanship. Inspired by the region's heritage, nature, and local industry, Ferrum Audio is dedicated to showcasing its locally designed and manufactured products to the world.

The Ferrum team draws inspiration from the region's legacy of craftsmanship, including the renowned composer and pianist Frederic Chopin, born just kilometres from the company headquarters. The strong work ethic and dedication to excellence that characterises the region are deeply ingrained in Ferrum's ethos. Like iron, their products are built to be enduring and remarkable.

The connection to iron goes beyond symbolism for Ferrum Audio. The CEO, Marcin Hamerla, hails from a family of blacksmiths, and his nickname, "the Hammer" and the parent company's name, HEME, which refers to an iron compound, further emphasise the ties to the ironworking tradition. With years of experience and knowledge, Ferrum Audio has crafted a range of locally made audiophile-grade audio electronics, culminating in a product lineup poised to make its mark on the global stage.

Ferrum Audio is driven by a passion for excellence, a dedication to craftsmanship, and a desire to conquer the world with its outstanding audio products. With its strong heritage and commitment to quality, Ferrum Audio is set to redefine the boundaries of audio excellence.