Today, Marcus reviews the Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition, a desktop delta-sigma DAC and pre-amp with enhanced DSP capability. It is priced at $3295.
Disclaimer: This is a sample in exchange for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or status. I thank Ferrum for this opportunity.
Click here to read more about Ferrum products previously reviewed on Headfonics.
Note that this article follows our latest scoring guidelines, which you can read in more detail here.
The Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition DAC is a top quality performer but also a DAC with features that I find incredibly useful.
It delivers a natural to neutral tonal quality that gels well with a wide range of amplifiers and loads of sound tweaks that can further fine-tune the performance for an almost perfect match.
The Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition is an updated version of the company’s popular compact desktop DAC and preamplifier released in 2023.
Designed to fit snugly with the OOR analog headphone amplifier and the HYPSOS power unit, this is pretty much a complete triple stack to cater to a wide range of audiophile tastes.
The ‘GoldenSound‘ aspect comes from Ferrum’s recent cooperation with Cameron Oatley, a UK audiophile reviewer specializing in amplification and DAC testing on YouTube and various other platforms.
This version of the WANDLA is not simply a rebrand for ‘more greens’. There is a lot more to it than that and plenty of sound-shaping filter features that I find genuinely useful in my daily headphone listening.
It also comes packed with a wide range of I/O in a compact and attractively designed form factor. Its sound signature can best be described as very resolving, ranging from natural to neutral with filter options that can push it to a smoother or beefier performance depending on your preferences.
One of the best DACs out there for headphone users? Priced at $3295 it would need to be since the pure DAC competition is stiff with excellent R-2R options such as the Holo Audio Spring series and Musician Audio’s Aquarius.
How did the Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition perform generally and does it compete well against these brands? I find out in my full review below.
Features
So, what is a Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition and what can it do?
The WANDLA is primarily a balanced-engineered desktop DAC and pre-amp with variable digital and analog volume control. It is marketed to headphones and HiFi users and offers features and options that will appeal to both, such as USB, I²S, and even an HDMI ARC system for home entertainment enthusiasts.
Although sold separately, the shape and aesthetics are designed to neatly stack with Ferrum’s existing component line-up, specifically the OOR headphone amplifier and the HYPSOS desktop PSU.
Should you wish to bypass the OOR, it is also 100% compatible with the HYPSOS PSU via a Weipu DC coupler input offering balanced and single-ended variable voltage analog output options for connecting to dedicated HiFi power amplifiers.
The WANDLA uses a single ES9038PRO chipset capable of decoding up to PCM 768kHz/32-bit, and native DSD 512 with a cracking dynamic range performance of up to -122 dB (digital) and -127 dB (analog).
This decoding prowess is complemented by one ESS filter and a set of 4 ‘Dynamic Digital Filters’ engineered by Jussi Laako of Signalyst, the makers of HQplayer, where these new filters originated.
Dynamic denotes a fluidic filter lineup, firmware adjustable by user demand meaning unpopular filters can be replaced with new options.
GoldenSound Specific
There are several key differentiators between the regular WANDLA and the GoldenSound Edition. These are primarily software with some adjustments I found to be immediately useful.
One such adjustment is a lower selectable voltage option that allows you to switch between values ranging from 1.75Vrms up to 8Vrms via the WANLDA GSE touchscreen.
You will notice it under the RED and Pro labels in the UI with Red ranging from 1.75/3.5Vrms default to a higher 8Vrms in Pro when in balanced mode. This is a great feature for enhancing the unit’s amplification input voltage compatibility.
The WANDLA regular edition also has the Red and Pro options since early 2024, however, the Vrms values are higher at 2Vrm/4Vrms in Red and 10Vrms in Pro, (firmware V1.3).
The second adjustment is called ‘Elevated Digital Headroom’ which is designed to add a bit more headroom compared to the stock WANDLA Digital Headroom version during oversampling of recordings with high (1-3) dB intersample over levels, (peaks).
Ideally, this will prevent potential clipping and associated distortion resulting in a better, cleaner performance from recordings.
Beyond that, the GoldenSound Edition is positively drenched in additional DSP with new modes ranging from an even-harmonic biased Tube mode, a Spatial Enhancement feature for tweaking the soundstage, and IMPACT+ for enhanced low-end dynamics.
Due to the processing power required by the additional filters, there is no MQA decoding capability for the GoldenSound Edition. There is also no WiFi or Bluetooth capability in either of the WANDLA units.
Design
If you are familiar with Ferrum’s existing product lineup then the WANDLA GoldenSound Edition has a very familiar compact form factor and attractive design language.
I would never describe the housing as exotic though. It’s a regulation box in many ways. Rather its lightweight 1.8 kg housing makes for a very discreet addition to any existing system and a perfect unit to stack on top of the OOR and the HYPSOS.
Uniformity is the key with an anodized black chassis and a textured corten steel stripe created by an accelerated oxidation and lacquer process. This process produces that distinct rust effect on the left front panel; a visual consistent with the OOR and HYPSOS finishing.
The Ferrum logo on the front panel lights up with a degree of brightness controlled via the software UI. The default is noticeably dimmer compared to the OOR when stacked so if you want them to match then push it up to 100% or lower the output of the OOR output via its rear physical dial.
One major and welcome design difference is the inclusion of a wide touchscreen LCD panel, wider than the non-touch version included with the HYSOS. It has a similarly themed orange and black UI with easy navigation, intuitive icons, and legible labeling.
A small addition to this UI on the WANDLA GoldenSound Edition is the ‘Audio’ option menu where you will see a small GoldenSound logo just above some of the clickable labels. The only exception seems to be the DAC out voltage control option.
I/O
For such a small unit, the WANDLA GoldenSound Edition DAC packs a lot of I/O on its rear panel. You have a clean split between balanced and SE analog outputs and a single RCA input to the left with all digital to the right.
The digital I/O is probably the more interesting discussion point with two HDMI inputs for I²S and ARC-compatible devices and a USB-C input.
Sadly, I have no ARC system here in the office or at home to test but for home ents fans looking for a two-way flow of audio from their TV or soundbar, it will be of immediate benefit.
In theory, the I²S would have been my default digital input, more so than the USB-C, but sadly it is not compatible with my Cayin I²S transports despite testing with 2 different HDMI cables.
I²S is still not a standardized format so there is always the possibility this might happen between two devices, I just hoped it wouldn’t be this one.
The good news is that the USB-C input is also OTG compatible so you can hook up the WANDLA GoldenSound Edition to a smartphone or a DAP, as well as a PC and a MAC, and use them as digital sources.
The final input worth noting is the Weipu DC coupler input, allowing you to hook up the WANDLA to Ferrum’s HYPSOS PSU, a unit now sold with dual DC coupler output instead of my older unit which has just one socket.
If you are like me and have the original HYPSOS with one output and an OOR then either buy the splitter switch from Ferrum or keep it hooked to the OOR. The performance benefits of HYPSOS are much more obvious on the OOR than on WANDLA.
Controls
The WANDLA GoldenSound Edition has two main control modes, a touchscreen panel for manual or direct control and an accompanying small remote control, a welcome addition for HiFi system owners.
I love the WANDLA touch control system. Not only is it easy to use and navigate but its bold color scheme and big icon theme make it easy to read, even from a distance.
It is also firmware updateable via software which should keep the unit relatively bug-free and full of fresh new features over the long run.
It’s also one of those systems you do not have to reach for the manual. The learning curve is not steep, there are no colored orbs and the large dial on the front only has one function, to control volume levels, be it in digital mode or analog mode.
Are there a lot of options? Yes, there is, but it’s responsive and organized in such a clean manner that you find yourself wandering around the depth of features with a level of interest rather than a potential for confusion and inevitable menu ‘fatigue’.
The remote control largely mirrors the navigational and command features of the core touch UI. You are not burdened with a huge range of tiny buttons with confusing acronyms for labels either.
All the icons on the remote match the icons within the UI so the familiarity with its capability should be immediate once you have orientated yourself with the core UI.
Like the touchscreen, the WANDLA remote is also quite snappy with several meters of operating distance for the couch potatoes.
Packaging & Accessories
Packaging for the Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition is similar to the OOR, Hypsos, and ERCO. It is functional but aesthetically professional with matching black and orange color schemes on the outside and plenty of protective foam packaging inside to protect the unit and accessories.
One thing to note from the earlier models is the removal of the product name on the box. I suspect this saves on operational costs as you can pack any product inside the box leading to lower manufacturing overheads.
The WANDLA accessories include a quick start guide sheet, a hefty 100/240V AC to 24 V DC switching power supply should you wish to go without the HYPSOS, and a USB-A to USB-C cable for firmware updating and USB DAC/OTG functionality.
Click on page 2 below for my sound impressions and recommended pairings.
