Fairfax Vol. 2 ADpak

XLN Audio's Fairfax Vol. 2 delivers meticulously sampled drums from a 1960s Gretsch "Round Badge" kit recorded at the legendary Fairfax Recordings studio in Los Angeles. The expansion pack captures the characteristic warmth and punch of vintage Gretsch hardware paired with two Ludwig snares and hand-selected cymbals, all recorded in a studio space that has shaped decades of essential rock and pop records.

The sonic character leans toward the rounder, fuller tones typical of late-60s kit design. Where modern kits often emphasize attack and definition, this Gretsch set provides a naturally compressed, almost mellow fundamental that works particularly well in rock, folk, and indie contexts. The room sound at Fairfax contributes a subtle ambience that sits naturally in mixes without requiring heavy compression or reverb.

Fairfax Vol. 2 includes 30 professionally voiced presets spanning kick, snare, tom, and cymbal combinations. The flexibility of two separate tom tunings and multiple crash options allows producers to dial in appropriate brightness or darkness without leaving the plugin. Experienced engineers will appreciate that the samples preserve the natural sustain and decay characteristics of the original kit, making for responsive dynamic control.

This expansion suits producers seeking organic, period-appropriate drum tones without resorting to drum machine emulation or heavily processed samples. It occupies a specific niche within Addictive Drums 2 - not the brightest or most modern sounding option, but genuinely useful for projects where vintage warmth and musicality take priority over pristine clarity or aggressive punch.