Strymon, a name long synonymous with cutting-edge digital processing, has entered the analog arena with the Fairfax Drive, a pedal that intriguingly presents itself as a full amplifier circuit in miniature form. While inspired by a classic 1960s tube design, it substitutes valves with JFETs and employs a custom circuit to emulate the sonic characteristics of an output transformer. A key technical feat is its internal power supply, which steps up the standard 9V input to… 40V (!!!), granting the circuit significant headroom and a notably dynamic, amp-like response.
The control set is deceptively simple, built around foundational Drive and Level knobs that provide a wide gain spectrum—from a transparent, glue-like boost to harmonically saturated drive and into aggressive, angular distortion. A Bright switch offers basic top-end contouring. The standout feature, however, is the Sag control. This isn’t a simple bias adjustment; it’s a sophisticated circuit that dynamically modulates the current to the preamp and power sections based on your playing, authentically replicating the feel of a tube amp being pushed. Dialled back, it offers firm compression; cranked, it introduces gated, sputtery textures reminiscent of a dying valve rectifier.
As the first in Strymon’s new, deliberately non-digital ‘A Series’, the Fairfax is a statement of intent. It proves the company’s engineering prowess extends into pure analog domains, delivering a versatile drive that feels and responds like a premium amplifier front-end, all housed in a robust, pedalboard-friendly enclosure.
