Any Victory V40 owners out there?

RandallFlagg

Any Victory V40 owners out there that have any thoughts to share on this amp? I've had mine a few months and having a bit of a love/hate thing with it. Is it me or is it a quite dark sounding amp? I find the low end a bit overpowering and there doesn't seem to be enough treble on tap. I've also noticed an unpleasantness in the low end when the gain is just starting to break up, it seems like the low frequencies are distorting first and sounds odd. Yet, on other days I find it sounds pretty good and I love how fat it sounds.

benmurray85

I owned one for about 48 hours. Check out my experiences here

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/66067/nad-victory-v40/p1

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/65185/seriously-considering-victory-v40-opinions-please#latest

AndyJP

Had mine about 6 months or so now.  Still really enjoying it.  I'm using a strat mostly.

Tone wise I run it like this:

bass - almost off this amp has a lot of bottom end

mids - about 12pm the mids also seem to add more bottom end

treble - about  2-3pm

Don't be afraid to use the extremities of the eq to get your sound.  Use your ears rather than your eyes.

RandallFlagg

I dunno, it's not setting me on fire but the trouble is I'm not sure what I would replace it with. 

photek

Big fan of mine. It's a pedal platform at the end of the day so being on the darker side is a real benefit as it will take anything you throw at it. I run the bass almost off treble at 2 and mids at 10 with the mid kick on.

Playing through a Marshall 2061cx with creambacks or celestion vintage neos.

Maybe try the V30 if you after more character?

Doesn't stop me wanting a custom MJW though!

Rowby1

I was an owner briefly (24hrs) and really didn't get on with it.

Ended up talking to Martin an MJW and getting an L6-40 from him which I'm massively happy with.

Mkjackary

Rowby1 said:

I was an owner briefly (24hrs) and really didn't get on with it.

Ended up talking to Martin an MJW and getting an L6-40 from him which I'm massively happy with.

Wow seems like a lot of people have gone this path, I too was going to get a V40 then went for an MJW, couldn't be happier

RandallFlagg

Not seen or heard of MJW, will check them out Maybe it's the speaker? The Celestion G12M-65

BGG

Thought about a V40, looked good on paper but think I'm swerving towards a Brunetti Pleximan now

AndyJP

Guys, the way to think of this amp is like a fender.. It's all bottom and top with less mids.

So because I use it with a strat which is also scooped I need pedals with lots of mids to even out the frequency range. You have to approach your pedals with thought given to the frequency ranges.

If you're playing a les Paul that has more mids so bear that in mind with pedal choice.

shaunm

AndyJP;1039051" said:

Guys, the way to think of this amp is like a fender.. It's all bottom and top with less mids.

So because I use it with a strat which is also scooped I need pedals with lots of mids to even out the frequency range. You have to approach your pedals with thought given to the frequency ranges.

If you're playing a les Paul that has more mids so bear that in mind with pedal choice.

It's good advice but that does raise a question to me.

Is the amp too finicky to be a useful pedal platform? If you have to consider everything you use so carefully then I think so. Take the JTM45, it's brilliant with just about all pedals and guitars.

stratman3142

I've had mine for about three months now and used it at rehearsals and gigs.

It comes into its own when it's cranked at gigs. I like it.

I think I've posted this before: I took one of my Celestion Vintage 30 loaded closed back Marshall 1912 cabs with me when I tried it at Andertons and they put me in the big room with the PRS guitars and I played it at gig volume. To my ear, my cab sounded way better than the recommended open back creamback loaded cab when I did a comparison in the shop. The creamback loaded cab sounded compressed, small and darker.

Live I use it through two Vintage 30 loaded closed back Marshall 1912 cabs. I use it on Voice 2 with the mid kick switched off. The bass is fine. Obviously V30 speakers are slightly bass light so I have the bass knob quite high to compensate. Also, there's no shortage of treble and I have to roll it back quite a bit.

On balance it I'd say it suits my playing more than my previous Hotrod Deluxe 3. That was loaded with a V30 because I didn't like the original speaker and I also used one of my 1912s as an extension cab.

With the V30 speakers, it's not what I would call a Fender type of sound. But it's a clean sound that I like. I use the Master almost full up and get the drive sounds from pedals. It sounds great with my Maxon OD9 (tube screamer) and my JHS Angry Charlie.

One thing I like is that the V40 amp seems to give very immediate articulate response.

RandallFlagg

Thanks, I'm going to persevere, there is an element in the core tone of the amp I like! Just needs some refinement. I'm going to try some different speakers when I can and some different drive pedals.

photek

What power valves are you using by the way?

RandallFlagg

photek said:

What power valves are you using by the way?

EL34

photek

RandallFlagg;1039409" said:

photek said:

What power valves are you using by the way?

EL34

I have 6L6 in mine, I prefer them in this amp although you would think they would have less mids?

stratman3142

EL34 in mine. I compared it to a 6L6 version at Andertons when I got it.

To be honest I didn't hear a very obvious difference but I couldn't do a rapid switch between them because we had to swap over the cabs which took quite a few seconds. I had a vague perception (but not a certainty) that the EL34 version gave a better rock sound with my drive pedals, which is why I went for that one.

RandallFlagg

OK, I've had chance to open the V40 up a bit today and with fresh ears and a clear mind, set about reassessing. I've having a love it moment again!

It's clear that the master volume has to be opened up to really get the V40 singing. I set it up for a clean tone with the Les Paul and it sounds glorious. Here are my settings:

Annoying hell out of the kids, especially when I kick in the silver Archer but it does sound good, loud, clear articulate and none of that boomy low end that has bothered me and enough treble on tap.

I'm still looking for a higher gain pedal that the Archer, almost ready to buy a Thorpy Gunshot or perhaps a Plimsoul or may try the JHS Andy Timmons (although I found the Angry Charlie a bit too gainy when I tried it but that was with a PRS with hotter pickups.

I'm a lot happier now!

 

AndyJP

AndyJP;1039051" said:

Guys, the way to think of this amp is like a fender.. It's all bottom and top with less mids.

So because I use it with a strat which is also scooped I need pedals with lots of mids to even out the frequency range. You have to approach your pedals with thought given to the frequency ranges.

If you're playing a les Paul that has more mids so bear that in mind with pedal choice.

You'll have the same thing with a fender amp i guess. Scooped.

With a jtm 45 you're starting with more mids yeah?

Adam_MD

If you found the Angry Charlie too gainy the Andy Timmons will be exactly the same. The '100 watt' setting is basically the Angry Charlie so it will only get more compressed in the other settings.

RandallFlagg

Adam_MD said:

If you found the Angry Charlie too gainy the Andy Timmons will be exactly the same. The '100 watt' setting is basically the Angry Charlie so it will only get more compressed in the other settings.

OK thanks