WANDLA’s sound signature and its unique features like Dynamic Digital Filtering appeal to many music lovers all over the world. But what if we could tailor WANDLA even more? This was exactly what our talented design team had in mind when they started to think outside the box once again. Reaching out to the head-fi community they came into contact with renowned head-fi and high-end audio expert Cameron Oatley from GoldenSound. After an intensive period of braining, research and development they came up with the idea for WANDLA GoldenSound Edition which actually converts WANDLA to cater specific needs. Wandla GoldenSound Edition has some extra features created in partnership with Cameron Oatley from GoldenSound.
The WANDLA GoldenSound Edition has six key aspects:
– Elevated digital headroom – Many modern musical tracks are produced in a waythat leaves very little headroom in the recording, often referred to as the Loudness Wars, This can cause clipping and additional distortion during playback on most DACs due to the oversampling filter being unable to accurately reconstruct strong transients. The WANDLA has its own digital processing headroom, but GoldenSound Edition has elevated headroom to accommodate it to its additional DSP functions, which are described in below paragraphs. Therefore, WANDLA GoldenSound Edition is highly immune to intersample overs even in bypass mode at full output level, allowing you to play back any music free from additional distortion, and enjoy a higher quality sound. Moreover, due to its DSP functions, now this sound can be even more tailored to your personal taste.
– Spatial Enhancement – The WANDLA GoldenSound Edition features a unique spatial enhancement that utilizes the power of the Ferrum SERCE module to provide an expanded soundstage and improved clarity of separation between musical elements, whilst avoiding the drawbacks commonly found in other approaches. A Headphone Mode and a Speaker Mode are offered to provide an enhancement tailored to each use-case, and this is achieved without any coloration to the frequency response, no additional distortion, and no tricks like added reverb.
– Tube Mode – The WANDLA GoldenSound Edition features a tube mode, which intentionally increases the even-order harmonic distortion produced by the DAC, similar to the distortion added by a tube amplifier. This allows the user to enjoy a warmer, richer sound without directly changing frequency response, and without the other drawbacks commonly found in tube based devices such as increased noise.
– Impact + – The WANDLA GoldenSound Edition features an Impact + function for those that enjoy a little more low-end in their music listening experience. Though rather than a basic bass-shelf, this feature uses a customized two-band EQ which not only elevates bass but provides additional punch and dynamic impact.
– No MQA – The WANDLA GoldenSound Edition no longer uses any MQA processing, with all content being kept as untouched PCM other than if you choose to enable one of the sound tuning features. All of DSP functions of WANDLA GoldenSound Edition are extensively using processing power of WANDLA’s SERCE module. Therefore, to ensure seamless operation, MQA decoder is not available in GoldenSound Edition.
– Hardware Voltage Adjustment – The WANDLA GoldenSound Edition benefits from a hardware level output voltage adjustment, allowing the user to swap between just below 10 Vrms output to a just below 4 Vrms output. This is facilitated via a dedicated hardware voltage divider in the output stage of the DAC, allowing the user to select lower output voltage and ensure compatibility with all amplifiers, without a need to use any digital volume control, or to have analog volume control components in the signal path.
Tomorrow’s High End Audio Today
As The Converter WANDLA leads the way for tomorrow’s high end at tentative price levels. WANDLA offers flagship audio quality at an unprecedented price.
Ease of use
Newly developed hi-res touch screen with intuitive UX that is a dream to operate, including remote control.
Finely tuned DA conversion
WANDLA is the embodiment of Ferrum’s digital know-how and their in house developed analogue audio and electrical technology. The ESS Sabre ES9038PRO current to voltage (I/V) converter is fine-tuned to perform to its maximum.
Optimized Digital inputs
Specially programmed USB, and tuned coaxial and optical S/PDIF, ARC (TV) and I2S ports, optimized for audio
Truly Balanced
The signal path stays truly balanced using the XLR inputs and becomes truly balanced using the RCA inputs.
Enhanced transparency
The whole design is focussed on a balanced and very transparent sound signature, making listening fatigue something of the past.
Made for HYPSOS
While WANDLA performs very good right out of the box it is made to excel above and beyond when used together with HYPSOS. Using the proprietary Ferrum Power Link (FPL) connection both components will perform to their maximum, unleashing unheard of musicality
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.
WANDLA comes with a carefully selected DC power adapter. To get the most out of WANDLA you can connect it with HYPSOS using our proprietary Ferrum Power Link DC power cable. This FPL cable can be ordered separately.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Operation: Fully balanced, proprietary IC power amp
- DAC chip: ESS Sabre ES9038PRO
- DAC resolution: 768k/32bit, DSD 256
- Digital inputs:
- AES/EBU (up to 196kHz/24bit, DoP 64)
- Optical S/PDIF (up t/24bit)
- Coaxial S/PDIF (up to 192kHz/24bit, DoP 64)
- USB-C (up to 768kHz/32bit, DSD 256)
- ARC (up to 192kHz/24bit), TV input with CEC
- I2S (up to 768kHz/32bit, DSD 256), PS Audio® compatible
- Analog inputs: RCA
- Analog input Vmax: 9,5V RMS (2 – 3,5V RMS recommended)
- Analogue input imp: 47kΩ
- Line outputs: balanced XLR; unbalanced RCA
- Volume control: analogue with bypass option / digital for DAC operation only
- Output level: @0dBFS, 1kHz sine 9,3V RMS balanced, 4,65V RMS unbalanced
- Frequency response: 10Hz – 200kHz +/- 0,1dB analog inputs
- DAC THD: -121dB (0,00009%); THD+N: -115dB (unweighted)
- Analog input THD: -123dB @ 2V RMS output level
- Dyn. range analog: 127dB (A-weighted)
- Dyn. range digital: 127dB (A-weighted)
- Crosstalk: -120dB for 1kHz, better than -100dB for 20Hz -20kHz
- Output impedance: 22Ω unbalanced
- Output impedance: 44Ω balanced
- Power consumption: 10W idle / 15W max
- Power inputs: 5,5/2,5 mm DC connector centre positive proprietary FPL 4-pin DC connector (FPL) 22-30VDC
- Power adapter: 100-240 VAC to 24VDC
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 21,7 x 20,6 x 5 cm; 8.6 x 8.1 x 2.0 inch
- Weight: 1,8 kg; 3.97 lbs
In the box :
1x Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition dac/pre-amp
1x power cord
1x remote control
1x USB cable
1x AC/DC power adapter
