New Ferrum DAC WANDLA GoldenSound edition

[MacClintock]

There is a new GoldenSound edition of the Ferrum DAC WANLDA:

It has some additional features, including spatial audio. Considering what is known about GoldenSound here, one may doubt that it is any good, but maybe, just maybe it has something interesting?

 

[dlovesmusic]

Read it, certainly the extra headroom for preventing digital clipping is nice to have but I thought benchmark and RME also have similar features like that.

The tube mode to play with harmonic as an option is a nice to have as well if implemented well.

The rest seems to be just preset eq settings

 

[MacClintock]

Read it, certainly the extra headroom for preventing digital clipping is nice to have but I thought benchmark and RME also have similar features like that.

The tube mode to play with harmonic as an option is a nice to have as well if implemented well.

The rest seems to be just preset eq settings

Well, the spatial audio part seems new, doesn't it? I don't know how it sounds or how it compares to Apple's version, but at least there is a slight chance that it may contribute something new which is worthwhile.

 

[Snoopy]

For the price of this thing (2700 bucks) you could buy a NUC PC, HQplayer 5 license and a really nice DAC and would still have enough plenty money leftover

 

[dlovesmusic]

Well, the spatial audio part seems new, doesn't it? I don't know how it sounds or how it compares to Apple's version, but at least there is a slight chance that it may contribute something new which is worthwhile.

I missed that, interesting to see how that works as well as it comes with both a headphone mode and speaker mode...

 

[dlovesmusic]

For the price of this thing (2700 bucks) you could buy a NUC PC, HQplayer 5 license and a really nice DAC and would still have enough plenty money leftover

That would be exactly my argument as well unless some of these new features are truly revolutionary !!!

 

[MacClintock]

For the price of this thing (2700 bucks) you could buy a NUC PC, HQplayer 5 license and a really nice DAC and would still have enough plenty money leftover

Well for sure it is not good value for the money, but for some, if the spatial audio really contributes to a different and new listening experience, it might be worth it.

 

[JSmith]

Considering what is known about GoldenSound here

Yeah... let's not send more views to that channel.

The YouTube video introduces the WANDLA GoldenSound Edition, a new collaboration product between WANDLA and FUM's engineering team. The three optional sound tuning features: spatial enhancement tube mode, and impact plus. Spatial enhancement expands the soundstage without altering frequency response or adding distortion. Tube mode increases even order harmonic distortion for a warmer, richer sound. Impact plus uses a multiband EQ to boost bass content for improved perceived slam and punch. The GoldenSound Edition also includes operational changes such as increased digital headroom, no MQA processing, and hardware level voltage output adjustment. These new features will be available at Can Jam New York and can be tried out at the headphones.com booth. Viewers are encouraged to ask questions on the speaker's Discord server or support him on Patreon for access to a private chat.

• In this section, the speaker introduces the WANDLA GoldenSound Edition, a collaboration product made possible by the compute power of the WANDLA and the talented engineering team at FUM. The new edition comes with three optional sound tuning features: spatial enhancement tube mode, and impact plus. Spatial enhancement increases the overall size of the soundstage without altering frequency response or adding distortion. Tube mode intentionally increases even order harmonic distortion for a warmer, richer sound. Impact plus increases bass content using a multiband EQ for improved perceived slam and punch. Additionally, the WANDLA GoldenSound Edition includes three main operational changes: increased digital headroom for accurate playback of signals even with strong transients, no MQA processing, and hardware level voltage output adjustment.
• In this section of the YouTube video titled "Introducing the WANDLA GoldenSound Edition!", the speaker discusses the new features of the GoldenSound Edition headphones. The main difference is the addition of sound tuning features and a hardware level voltage output adjustment. The sound tuning features remain untouched in PCM format, but users can choose to enable them. The voltage output adjustment allows users to choose between outputting the full signal or lowering it while in bypass mode. This change is done at the output stage and will also be available on future standard WANDLA versions. The speaker expresses excitement about these new features and thanks the engineering team at FM for making it happen. The GoldenSound Edition will be launched at Can Jam New York, and those interested can try them out at the headphones.com booth. The speaker also invites viewers to ask questions on his Discord server or support him on Patreon for access to a private chat.

A readable link here;

Introducing the Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition! - GoldenSound

I'm excited to announce the Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition! Spatial Enhancement, Tube Mode, Impact +, increased digital headroom and more!

goldensound.audio

... so where are the measurements?


JSmith

 

[JustJones]

It only performs its special magic if attached to a Ferrum hybrid power system not to be confused with run of the mill power supplies.

HYPSOS - Ferrum

The Hypsos really did it. More dynamics, better bass performance… – Morten Mohr & Marius Smolinski, Germany HYPSOS defines a brand new category of a hifi products. It’s not a simple power supply but an audio component of its own … Read More

ferrum.audio

 

[Blumlein 88]

The IMpact is merely a two position low end EQ bump. Could be more, but I bet the Spatial is merely a mid-side processing to widen the audio sound a bit. More side and less mid.

 

[Purité Audio]

It’s cheering to see that the exclusion of MQA is now a positive attribute.
Keith

 

[Lambda]

It's defiantly overpriced... but would be interesting to see how it measures
(And if it gets a fair review)

 

[Livestock110]

The IMpact is merely a two position low end EQ bump. Could be more, but I bet the Spatial is merely a mid-side processing to widen the audio sound a bit. More side and less mid.

There's no way it's mid-side. Many players already do this, and it doesn't sound great either. Seems like it's some crazy DSP going on instead

Usually it's done via crosstalk, but GS wanted something "better" whatever that is.

Likely an algorithm, similar to plugins like iZotope Stereo Imager, which I've used for mixing before.

 

[MacClintock]

It’s cheering to see that the exclusion of MQA is now a positive attribute.
Keith

Probably now you have to pay for the exclusion of MQA.

 

[admiralnorman]

I had one for a weekend. Unfortunately I do not have the equipment to measure with, but it sounded very good. The tube+ and impact+ worked well, but were track and headphone dependent so i would turn it on and off a lot. the spatial headphones setting was fantastic and I'd leave it on all the time. I got to hear a number of headphones on it and we didn't find one in which turning off spatial made it sound 'better.'

Of course no measurements. I'm sorry about that. So this is all subjective. If anyone has questions on my experience I'll be happy to answer. It's pretty fresh in my ears still.

 

[MacClintock]

the spatial headphones setting was fantastic and I'd leave it on all the time. I got to hear a number of headphones on it and we didn't find one in which turning off spatial made it sound 'better.'

You didn't hear a headphone where the spatial feature didn't make it better or did make it better?
My experience with spatial audio in heaphones is the Creative Sound Blaster dongle, and while it is somehow interesting, it sounds somehow off and with weaker bass. Is it a bit like that?

 

[admiralnorman]

You didn't hear a headphone where the spatial feature didn't make it better or did make it better?

Correct. Abyss Diana TC and 1266 TC, MH tungsten, koss kph40, focal utopia, etc etc.

You didn't hear a headphone where the spatial feature didn't make it better or did make it better?
My experience with spatial audio in headphones is the Creative Sound Blaster dongle, and while it is somehow interesting, it sounds somehow off and with weaker bass. Is it a bit like that?

I'm not sure how the device does it, but i would suspect some kind of DSP that is not just an EQ. It increases instrument separation and expands soundstage, with, to our ears, no negative to anything else. Bass was actually better as well. Seemed more accurate at least, but certainly not recessed. If a track had bass, it SLAMMED. The Diana TC in particular was quite mind blowing.

 

[Livestock110]

You didn't hear a headphone where the spatial feature didn't make it better or did make it better?
My experience with spatial audio in heaphones is the Creative Sound Blaster dongle, and while it is somehow interesting, it sounds somehow off and with weaker bass. Is it a bit like that?

There are many methods and algorithms! Especially nowadays. Can also download professional VST plugins for it.

The Creative one is likely a simple method, like EQ or mid/side effects. It does sound totally weird to me.

But there are several new ways to achieve it with processing/algorithms. The ones I've tried really work, but I haven't tried GS Wandla specifically.