VANA LTD, Importer and Distributor of many luxury audiophile brands, will introduce WANDLA: the first “stand-alone” DAC from Ferrum. Ferrum’s complete range of award-winning products will be on display in Ear Gear booth # 1205 and room #8208 of the Renaissance Schaumberg Convention Center, Friday through Sunday, 14-16 April. During their short history, the Ferrum brand has developed a strong audophile and audio enthusiast following. Our first two products, HYPSOS and OOR, were honored with coveted EISA awards, which has created very high expectations for our latest statement product.
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 our proprietary ARM-based platform, SERCE. Utilizing Ferrum’s software, SERCE processes all incoming digital data streams. Our 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 acclaimed OOR and ERCO. Based on our HYPSOS’ (Linear Power Supply) revolutionary hybrid design, multiple internal supplies power both analog and digital sections to minimize interference and noise while maximizing channel separation.
Ferrum’s powerful 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 us 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. Initial units will include three unique filter options and we will challenge our user community to vote for their favorites. Subsequent firmware updates will replace the least favorite 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. This “crowd-sourcing” collaboration between the manufacturer and its users is unique to Ferrum, the DA converter category, and the audiophile community. Ferrum will release an auto-updater application for Mac and PC to facilitate firmware updates.
In addition to being a top-notch DA converter, WANDLA doubles as a premium preamplifier including a full-function IR remote handset. 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, for ultimate performance, our HYPSOS Linear Power Supply.
Ferrum’s engineering artistry is complemented by an aesthetically stunning 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 superior legibility regardless of user location. Impressive as its performance credentials are, perhaps this DAC’s most remarkable feature is its price. Ferrum and VANA are confident that no other DAC available for under $3,000 MSRP can match WANDLA’s sound quality or features set. We invite you to visit us at AXPONA Ear Gear booth # 1205 and room #8208 and learn more.
WANDLA is currently available at an MSRP of $2,795 USD. Please contact support@vanaltd.com
The Audiophile History of Ferrum
Ferrum is one of the newer names in high-end audio, but it has quickly made a strong impression—particularly among listeners who follow DACs, headphone amplifiers, and compact, desktop-friendly gear. Based in Poland and part of the larger HEM company, Ferrum didn’t take decades to build a reputation. Instead, it leaned on real-world engineering experience, smart industrial design, and a focus on solving specific problems—starting with power delivery.
Ferrum’s roots come out of HEM, a company best known for being a longtime engineering and manufacturing partner for Mytek, another well-regarded brand in the DAC space. HEM built much of Mytek’s hardware and handled a significant amount of their design and production work for years. So by the time Ferrum launched its first branded product, the team already had deep experience in both digital and analog design. This wasn’t an audiophile startup run out of a basement—it was a seasoned engineering group deciding to step out under its own name.
That decision resulted in Ferrum HYPSOS, one of the more unique audiophile power supplies to hit the market. At a glance, HYPSOS might look like another linear power supply, but the approach is different. HYPSOS uses what Ferrum calls a hybrid power system—a mix of switching and linear topologies, designed to offer the speed and efficiency of one and the noise performance of the other. It features Sweet Spot Tuning (SST), a feature that allows users to adjust voltage to dial in the best sonic performance for each connected device.
Audiophiles often underestimate power supplies, but in systems with DACs, streamers, or headphone amps, power quality can have a clear impact. HYPSOS didn’t promise magic—it offered control, stability, and better noise rejection, all in a compact form factor. It was designed to work with a wide range of third-party devices, and Ferrum even provides a growing list of compatible gear with voltage settings and optimal configurations.
After the success of HYPSOS, Ferrum turned its attention to audio components themselves. Their next major release was the Ferrum OOR, a balanced headphone amplifier and preamplifier designed with serious performance in mind. OOR (pronounced “or”) wasn’t built just to show off measurements—it was made for real-world headphone pairings, including power-hungry planar magnetics. With both balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs, and fully discrete circuitry, OOR hit the right balance between versatility and transparency. It delivered the kind of controlled, detailed sound that makes headphones feel like open windows rather than sealed-off cans.
But it was the combination of HYPSOS and OOR that really told the story. Stack the two together—physically and electrically—and you have a powerful, flexible headphone listening system with better-than-average power control and noise floor management. For listeners who prioritize resolution and dynamic headroom, this pairing became a quiet favorite in the headphone community.
Ferrum followed that up with the Ferrum ERCO, a DAC and headphone amplifier combo that leaned more toward digital-first systems. While OOR was analog only, ERCO added USB, optical, and coaxial inputs, along with its own high-performance DAC section based on ESS technology. Like everything Ferrum does, the power section was a central focus. ERCO works with standard AC or can be upgraded with HYPSOS for improved performance. Again, Ferrum wasn’t trying to reinvent DACs—they were trying to optimize the chain, with a clean signal path, solid build, and an upgrade path that made sense.
