The XTS Fermata is an optical compressor pedal, a design that uses a light-dependent element to control gain rather than the voltage-controlled or FET approaches found in other compressor pedals. XTS, whose full name is Xact Tone Solutions, says the Fermata "is a product that has spent a very long time in development at XTS"1.
The maker's aim is compression that stays out of the way. XTS says the pedal lets you "easily dial in natural sounding compression that enhances your guitar playing without overpowering it"1. The company also addresses a common complaint about compressors being fiddly: "we have worked very hard to provide a compressor that offers a ton of control without being difficult to dial in"2.
Power, size and bypass
The Fermata runs on 9 VDC through a 5.5 x 2.1mm plug with center negative polarity, the standard connector for most pedalboard power supplies2. It is a True-Bypass pedal, so when it is off, the compression circuit is removed from the signal path2.
The pedal's power requirement is 9 VDC with a center negative plug2. As with any center-negative pedal, it needs a supply wired that way; a battery is not among the power arrangements the maker specifies.
Physically it is a compact pedal, listed at 2.6" x 4.8" x 2.0"2.
What the maker says about the sound
XTS positions the Fermata as a transparent-sounding compressor rather than one that colors the tone. The maker's own description is compression that "enhances your guitar playing without overpowering it"1, and the emphasis in the company's materials is on control that is easy to set: "a ton of control without being difficult to dial in"2.
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Questions
Is the XTS Fermata true bypass?
Yes. XTS lists the Fermata as a True-Bypass pedal, so when it is switched off your guitar's signal passes through without the compression circuit in the way. That matters on a pedalboard where several effects sit between the guitar and the amp, since bypassed pedals should stay out of the signal path until you engage them.
What power supply does the XTS Fermata need?
The Fermata runs on 9 VDC through a 5.5 x 2.1mm plug with center negative polarity, which is the standard connector used by most pedal power supplies. As with any center-negative pedal, use an isolated or appropriate supply rather than a battery arrangement the pedal is not specified for.
Where is the XTS Fermata made?
XTS states that the Fermata is made in the USA. The pedal comes from Xact Tone Solutions, a company that says the Fermata spent a very long time in development before release.
Is the XTS Fermata an optical compressor?
Yes. XTS describes the Fermata as an optical compressor, a design that uses a light-dependent element to control gain. The maker says it spent a very long time in development at XTS before being released.