# Victory VX100 - The Super Kraken



## Meeotch (Dec 14, 2018)

It's finally here!



I love the clean channel and midi addition. I've never been a fan of shared EQ, but I guess that's the trade off for a 19in wide head. Rabea mentions that he leaves all the EQ at noon, so maybe it's not too much of an issue.

The other thing I'm wondering is if there will be issues with cramming a 100W head into that size of shell? Has this been done before? 
*EDIT The JP2C is also about 19in wide.*
It sure sounds good in the demo, but I've heard this design can be a source of unwanted noise. Riff City has it listed at $1700. Seems reasonable for being made in UK.

Specs:

*Type: *All Valve Head
*Preamp Tubes: *4 x 12AX7
*Power Tubes:* 4 x 6L6
*Number of Channels: *Two Channels (Gain I, Gain II), Three Modes
*Power: *100/30 Watts
*Inputs: *1/4" IN
*Speaker Outputs: *2 x 8ohm, 2 x 4ohm
*Controls: *Clean Crunch On/Off Switch, Gain I, Gain I/Gain II Switch, Gain II, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master I, Master II, High Preheat/Low Switch. Back: Bass Focus Preamp and Power Amp On/Off Buttons
*Dimensions: *480 x 235 x 235mm
*Weight: *12.5 kg/27.5 lbs.
*Footswitch: *Included. Gain I/II, Clean/Crunch, Master I/II, Preamp Focus, FX Loop, Solo Master
*Effects Loop: *Yes, Send/Return
Slip cover included
*Country Of Origin: *?United Kingdom


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## BadSeed (Dec 14, 2018)

Into it. The 50 watt head was a nice sounding Amp in the mix. Hung with the big boys no problem, and had a good cut.


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## Deadpool_25 (Jan 16, 2019)

I’m interested in this amp. My ideal amp is basically three channels:

- Fenderish clean (love my Vibrolux)
- Marshallish crunch
- 5150/6505 lead

In the latest video, Rabea mentions the Krakens are based on JCM900 for gain 1 and 5150 for gain 2. And the Super Kraken has what seems to be a great clean. And with the good boost and MIDI control, it’s giving me some more GAS.


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## Hollowway (Jan 16, 2019)

Iirc, the 50 watt version had a LOT of uncontrolled feedback. I wonder if this will.


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## Deadpool_25 (Jan 16, 2019)

Interesting. I’ll have to keep an eye out for reviews when it’s released.


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## laxu (Jan 16, 2019)

For a shared EQ the important thing is balance between channels so when you dial in one the other one doesn't sound too thin or tubby.

Seems like it has a reasonable range of gain instead of just excessive amount with the gain low.


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## KnightBrolaire (Jan 16, 2019)

it sounded really good. i'd love to try some more victory amps, i only got to mess with the countess (which had a kind of vox vibe)


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## katsumura78 (Jan 16, 2019)

I’m interested for sure. 


This thing sounds killer. Makes me want a baritone again lol.


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## Wolfhorsky (Jan 16, 2019)

There is onboard tube screamer. Color me interested.


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## shanike (Mar 11, 2019)

....soooo, anyone got hands-on experience with this?


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## A-Branger (Mar 11, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I’m interested in this amp. My ideal amp is basically three channels:
> 
> - Fenderish clean (love my Vibrolux)
> - Marshallish crunch
> ...



or GAS like me: GASing for a clean amp with fx loop, like the Peavey Classic 20 mini head, + Kraken pre-amp pedal.

Same(ish) tonez as the Super Kraken but on a budget


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## Backsnack (Mar 12, 2019)

Hollowway said:


> Iirc, the 50 watt version had a LOT of uncontrolled feedback. I wonder if this will.


I'm inclined to believe that was harmonic feedback from people demoing them sitting too close to the amp & cab.


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## Backsnack (Mar 12, 2019)

Also really interested in this amp. The nearest Victory dealer is about 100 miles away from me, so getting some in-person demo time is gonna be challenging.

The only other way would be to refresh the GC used page every day or two and see if anything popped up in my area.


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## Alex79 (Mar 12, 2019)

Meeotch said:


> The other thing I'm wondering is if there will be issues with cramming a 100W head into that size of shell? Has this been done before?



Yes, another one that comes to mind is the Carvin Legacy 3.


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## Deadpool_25 (Mar 12, 2019)

Alex79 said:


> Yes, another one that comes to mind is the Carvin Legacy 3.



The TC-100 too


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## Meeotch (Mar 12, 2019)

I didn't realize the Carvin was 17" wide, crazy! The TC-100 is 22.75" btw.


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## Backsnack (Mar 13, 2019)

Meeotch said:


> I didn't realize the Carvin was 17" wide, crazy! The TC-100 is 22.75" btw.


So maybe feedback issues don't always correlate to amp size?


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## Backsnack (Mar 13, 2019)

The MIDI control also seems to be pretty well-implemented. You can control:

Gain I/GainII, 
Clean/Crunch modes
Preamp Focus
Power Amp Focus 
Master Volumes 
FX Loop toggle

This means you could pair this up with a Torpedo Live and switch IRs, EQs, etc. with each channel/mode.


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## shanike (Mar 13, 2019)

That’s it, I’m buying this thing as soon as I’ll get rid of my EVH.


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## t00lgasm (May 2, 2019)

I bought a Kemper in January. Awesome machine, but it has no soul. Bought the v4 kraken pedal give it a soul. I ran it with a profile of a mesa 2:90 power amp. I completely stopped playing any other profile on the kemper and was inspired daily by the sound of the V4. Now the kemper is on ebay and I have a Super Kraken w/ matching 2x12. I could not be happier. Its a dream. Its a new sound. Its perfect, I don't know what to say. Buy one. I ordered mine from Germany for way cheaper than US dealers. Look around.


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## Deadpool_25 (May 2, 2019)

t00lgasm said:


> I bought a Kemper in January. Awesome machine, but it has no soul. Bought the v4 kraken pedal give it a soul. I ran it with a profile of a mesa 2:90 power amp. I completely stopped playing any other profile on the kemper and was inspired daily by the sound of the V4. Now the kemper is on ebay and I have a Super Kraken w/ matching 2x12. I could not be happier. Its a dream. Its a new sound. Its perfect, I don't know what to say. Buy one. I ordered mine from Germany for way cheaper than US dealers. Look around.



Congratulations! Looks like a sweet amp. Are you in the US? And that pic...Timeline, HX Effects, and MC6. I have those too. Nice little setup. Do you have it all setup with presets?


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## t00lgasm (May 2, 2019)

Thanks! Yep, I'm near Pittsburgh. And yes, I'm using presets. Its not very in depth yet, but for now I have the 3 channels of the amp assigned to the bottom 3 buttons on the MC6, the same channels with Preamp Focus engaged on the top 3, and each of those buttons also selects a preset on the HX. Timeline is in one of the loops on the hx, so I control it from there. I loved the way the Kemper foot controller worked, so I built this to work the same way. I have V4 Kraken up on ebay too right now if anyone is intereseted.


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## rexbinary (May 2, 2019)

Damn that looks nice. Congrats man!


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## PrestoDone (May 2, 2019)

Gasing for oneone these.... Super kraken


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## t00lgasm (May 2, 2019)

Thanks guys. Since a couple people PMed, I got it from Thomann Music with the cab for about $2175 shipped. I preordered fortunately, they went out of stock almost immediately. Seems they're like the Sweetwater of Europe. They also have what looks to be their own brand called Harley Benton. They sell V30 loaded cabs for less you can buy the speakers for, and ship them to the US for 33 bucks. And here's some more porn.


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## Deadpool_25 (May 2, 2019)

@t00lgasm 

How would you describe the clean? Can you compare it to anything? Headroom before breaking up? And are you playing any Tool through it??


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## t00lgasm (May 2, 2019)

I've only ever owned 2 amps that weren't high gain heads. A Mesa DC5 and a 70s Fender Twin reverb. It instantly reminded me of the Twin reverb. And turning up the gain has kind of the same sound and effect as turning up the volume on a twin reverb. I'm not a connoisseur of clean, but its best clean I've heard in a high gain head. I run the gain on it at about 9 oclock and its just starting to breakup into the grainy Kraken sound. Usually I buy an amp for the gain channels and deal with whatever clean I get. Theres no comprimise here, the cleans are great. As far as head room, its nearly unlimited I suppose, much like any other 100 watt 6l6 amp. Its too loud before you can get the power tubes to contribute. Of course, theres the 30 watt setting on the amp, but I haven't experimented with its headroom.

And yes, I don't play much of other artists music, but more tool more than any other  I spent a lot of money on Kemper profiles trying to get Adam Jones tone, which is my all time favorite tone. The Kraken pedal and Super Kraken nail it. Better than the best VH4 kemper profiles. At least as an amp in the room, it sounds better to my ears. Ive never played an actual VH4 or Superbass. But Kraken has got that crisp, clear, saturated crunch on Gain I thats perfect for his sound. One of the main reasons I bought it.


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## Deadpool_25 (May 2, 2019)

t00lgasm said:


> I've only ever owned 2 amps that weren't high gain heads. A Mesa DC5 and a 70s Fender Twin reverb. It instantly reminded me of the Twin reverb. And turning up the gain has kind of the same sound and effect as turning up the volume on a twin reverb. I'm not a connoisseur of clean, but its best clean I've heard in a high gain head. I run the gain on it at about 9 oclock and its just starting to breakup into the grainy Kraken sound. Usually I buy an amp for the gain channels and deal with whatever clean I get. Theres no comprimise here, the cleans are great. As far as head room, its nearly unlimited I suppose, much like any other 100 watt 6l6 amp. Its too loud before you can get the power tubes to contribute. Of course, theres the 30 watt setting on the amp, but I haven't experimented with its headroom.
> 
> And yes, I don't play much of other artists music, but more tool more than any other  I spent a lot of money on Kemper profiles trying to get Adam Jones tone, which is my all time favorite tone. The Kraken pedal and Super Kraken nail it. Better than the best VH4 kemper profiles. At least as an amp in the room, it sounds better to my ears. Ive never played an actual VH4 or Superbass. But Kraken has got that crisp, clear, saturated crunch on Gain I thats perfect for his sound. One of the main reasons I bought it.



Call Victory. Tell them you just sold me an amp. Lol


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## t00lgasm (May 2, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> Call Victory. Tell them you just sold me an amp. Lol



Hahaha I know, I feel like such a fanboy, but it really is that good  The build/fit/finish is too. No plastic hardware like marshall, or plastic knob posts like blackstar. UK made custom name brand transformers, you can see the label through the back grille, not Chinese crap assembled outside of china. And you can see where my EQ is set in the pictures, its perfect across all channels.


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## Deadpool_25 (May 2, 2019)

t00lgasm said:


> Hahaha I know, I feel like such a fanboy, but it really is that good  The build/fit/finish is too. No plastic hardware like marshall, or plastic knob posts like blackstar. UK made custom name brand transformers, you can see the label through the back grille, not Chinese crap assembled outside of china. And you can see where my EQ is set in the pictures, its perfect across all channels.



I guess I’ll find out next week.
Trigger = pulled


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## t00lgasm (May 2, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I guess I’ll find out next week.
> Trigger = pulled


No kidding? Awesome! I cant wait to have someone else to appreciate it with! Be sure to stop back and let me know what you think. Where'd you purchase from?


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## Deadpool_25 (May 2, 2019)

I called Zzounds and asked for a deal and they gave it to me for a little cheaper. No tax, free shipping. Good enough lol.


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## t00lgasm (May 2, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I called Zzounds and asked for a deal and they gave it to me for a little cheaper. No tax, free shipping. Good enough lol.



Still absolutely worth it. You'll see when you get it, its practically boutique. I have no idea how that can sell it for the price they do. Mesa charges twice as much for the same quality. And at least you'll have US support. I have no idea what I'd do if it had come damaged or I needed to return it. Plus I had to change the mains fuse and power cable, cause I got the Euro version  I'm so excited for you lol


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## Meeotch (May 2, 2019)

Awesome feedback on the Super Kraken, congrats man! I'm curious what your thoughts are on the shared gain knob for the clean and gain I channels? It seems like if you want high gain on Gain I, then you can't really get a clean clean without using your volume knob?

Also, can you compare gain II to any other amps? Is it like 5150/6505? Mark? They market it as an American/Modern channel, with Gain I being more British/Classic vibe. Cheers


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## t00lgasm (May 3, 2019)

Meeotch said:


> Awesome feedback on the Super Kraken, congrats man! I'm curious what your thoughts are on the shared gain knob for the clean and gain I channels? It seems like if you want high gain on Gain I, then you can't really get a clean clean without using your volume knob?
> 
> Also, can you compare gain II to any other amps? Is it like 5150/6505? Mark? They market it as an American/Modern channel, with Gain I being more British/Classic vibe. Cheers



Sure man! So the shared gain, yes. I also wondered how it would work out. A couple of amps back, I had an Engl Fireball 100, and it was a single eq, 2 channel, 4 mode head so I already figured I would be fine with kraken. The whole amp has a ton of gain, every channel has a lot of gain on tap. I've got mine set at 10 o'clock and it gives me a solid high gain rock sound on Gain I and the cleans are right on the line of breaking up with picking dynamics. The Preamp focus switch kind of gives you 2 more variants of gain though. Using it with gain I turns that rock sound into an a punchy metal rhythm sound. I don't personally care for the sound of the clean channel boosted because it sounds like a really hot Fender, and thats not my thing  So hopefully that gives you and idea of how the gain relates. I could turn down the gain just a little and get the clean completely clean and would probably not notice much gain reduction on Gain I. But I like my cleans a little gritty, so I set it that way. By the way, I'm using active Fishman Fluence pickups. But if you're looking for super clean and super high gain, on that same channel, you may feel hampered. But it sounds so good on every gain setting none of this matters 

As for Gain II, it seems to have the EQ curve of a 5150ish. But that doesn't do it justice. It has a harmonic content Ive never heard before, and this grainy warm gain and its all so responsive. I first heard of the Kraken while looking for commercial high gain kemper profiles. And I started to read about an amp the profilers couldn't profile. So I checked it out and decided I had to hear this no name new metal amp that my profiler couldn't profile. So I bought the V4 and fell in love. And traded it all for a super kraken 
Gain I is sort of a kraken flavored modded JCM 800

Sorry, I used a lot of words to explain that, hope it helps


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## Meeotch (May 3, 2019)

Great write up man, this is great to hear. I've been on a bit of an amp binge lately, but I'm adding this to the list. I've been wanting the Kraken preamp for a while now. I'm sure the Super Kraken takes the cake, but what is your opinion on the preamp now that you have the real thing? I've seen Rabea's video comparing the two, and they sound close enough that I might be happy with just the preamp to get my Kraken on.


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## t00lgasm (May 3, 2019)

Meeotch said:


> Great write up man, this is great to hear. I've been on a bit of an amp binge lately, but I'm adding this to the list. I've been wanting the Kraken preamp for a while now. I'm sure the Super Kraken takes the cake, but what is your opinion on the preamp now that you have the real thing? I've seen Rabea's video comparing the two, and they sound close enough that I might be happy with just the preamp to get my Kraken on.



Yeah, you may be man. They sound much alike. Super Kraken has more gain, more options, and maybe a slightly more...energy*? Not sure of the word I want there. Just a little more alive. BUT, that could be because I used the pedal with a Kemper as a power amp instead of a tube amp. The pedal is awesome, it has the same character. I would have been exceedingly happy with the V4, if the VX100 never existed. I wouldn't have bought the 50 watt head instead of the pedal and I'd rather have the pedal and another good 100 watt head, than the 50 watt head. They all have the elemental kraken sound. I might recommend an EQ pedal running after the V4 to really tune it. Also I think the EQ of the channels on the V4 is not quite as shareable as it is on the VX100. I stuck pretty much exclusively to Gain II on the pedal, I use both on the head.

My V4 is on ebay if you're interested. In fact, if anyone from here wins it, mention you saw it here and I'll throw in the remote floor switch I used with it.


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## Tisca (May 6, 2019)

t00lgasm said:


> The Kraken pedal and Super Kraken nail it



Have you compared the pre pedal to a Kraken head? I'm interested in the pedal.


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## Soya (May 6, 2019)

It's literally in the post above yours.


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## Tisca (May 6, 2019)




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## Tisca (May 7, 2019)

Just came from testing a guitar and plugged into a VX Kraken with some Victory 2x12 cab. Holy shit that thing sounded way better then and there than any online clips I've heard. It's like I've only heard crunchy sounds while it does such great high gain. They were out of the Preamp versions but have to go back when in stock. I'm thinking a pre into my Mooer Radar has potential.


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## 777timesgod (May 7, 2019)

Had a chance to play a V Sheriff one but passed it, I regret it now given the hype for these amps at the moment.


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## Fred the Shred (May 7, 2019)

I am yet to play a Victory that doesn't do its job spectacularly well, to be honest. I was rather impressed with the Kraken at NAMM, given how tight and full I could get it to sound regardless of gain level, and how pleasant it was to play single note runs or chordal stuff equally - a hard balance to strike, really.


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## Deadpool_25 (May 8, 2019)

Amp arrived today. Damn, it’s amazing. It’ll be a few days before I can do a fuller review but my initial impression is that it may be my favorite of the amps I’ve owned.


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## prlgmnr (May 9, 2019)

I was a touch underwhelmed when I had the 50 watt Kraken, but I can't stop being curious about this.


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## A-Branger (May 9, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> Amp arrived today. Damn, it’s amazing. It’ll be a few days before I can do a fuller review but my initial impression is that it may be my favorite of the amps I’ve owned.



didnt you have an Invective?.....(sorry I dont follow these treads much) but I vaguely remember you posting there a lot about it? 

if so can you do an insight between the two?, as the mini invective head and the Kraken pedal are in my top 2 GAS list


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## t00lgasm (May 9, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> Amp arrived today. Damn, it’s amazing. It’ll be a few days before I can do a fuller review but my initial impression is that it may be my favorite of the amps I’ve owned.


 
Hahaha I told you!


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## Deadpool_25 (May 9, 2019)

A-Branger said:


> didnt you have an Invective?.....(sorry I dont follow these treads much) but I vaguely remember you posting there a lot about it?
> 
> if so can you do an insight between the two?, as the mini invective head and the Kraken pedal are in my top 2 GAS list



The Invective is out of commission for a few more days as I work on a little project . I’m curious about what I think when I compare them side by side. Give me a few days and I’ll do a little write up comparing the two.


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## Tisca (May 10, 2019)

prlgmnr said:


> I was a touch underwhelmed when I had the 50 watt Kraken, but I can't stop being curious about this.


What cabs and speakers were you using?


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## prlgmnr (May 10, 2019)

Orange 2x12 with v30s


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## Descent (May 10, 2019)

Sounds great, especially for such a super small amp. I like the fact they've built front boost in front of it, but definitely not a one trick pony. Too bad for the shared eq though. 

Really good comprehensive demo by the huge afro dude.


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## Deadpool_25 (May 11, 2019)

Descent said:


> Sounds great, especially for such a super small amp. I like the fact they've built front boost in front of it, but definitely not a one trick pony. Too bad for the shared eq though.
> 
> Really good comprehensive demo by the huge afro dude.



I’m sure the shared EQ will be a huge turn off for a lot of guys. Kind of a shame really. I find it easy to dial in multiple settings I really like on all three channels. Maybe in the next version the can use some concentric knobs like on the EVHs. I could see them being used on BMT and also on Gain I/II and Master I/II. That would open up two spots so they could add Presence/Resonance and Post Gain I/II or something. That last one would make the volume more controllable. As is, the amp gets loud quickly.

With all that said, the amp is a beast as is.


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## narad (May 11, 2019)

Descent said:


> Sounds great, especially for such a super small amp. I like the fact they've built front boost in front of it, but definitely not a one trick pony. Too bad for the shared eq though.
> 
> Really good comprehensive demo by the huge afro dude.



Afro dude help designed it so have to take that one with a grain of salt. Gain channels based on JCM / 5150 definitely sounds appealing to me though.


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## Descent (May 11, 2019)

It seems to have this nasal grind that is just like a gut punch...so to me it sounds closer to a Mark V. Still for these prices I'd take "made in California", i.e. Mesa Boogie. 

Dunno, that's the sad thing of today's economy, you can rarely find anywhere that would have these amps back to back so you can properly test them...and I live in the 4th biggest city in USA


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## Bearitone (May 12, 2019)

Descent said:


> It seems to have this nasal grind that is just like a gut punch...so to me it sounds closer to a Mark V. Still for these prices I'd take "made in California", i.e. Mesa Boogie.
> 
> Dunno, that's the sad thing of today's economy, you can rarely find anywhere that would have these amps back to back so you can properly test them...and I live in the 4th biggest city in USA



I live in LA and even i have still never seen/played a lot of big name amps/brands in stores. Maybe just bad luck on my part but...

Still never seen a Diezel (other than an Einstein), a Fryette/VHT, or a Friedman. I’ve seen a Bogner once, and a splawn once. I highly doubt i will ever see a KSR, Revv, or Victory in a store used.

It’s always the same. Fender, Peavey, Orange, Mesa, Marshall.

And even then, it’s rarely the latest and greatest offering (Invective, Mark V, Dual Dark).

When i saw a Dual Dark 100 at SamAsh in Hollywood i almost shit my pants. Only got to play it for 20 minutes because someone wanted to buy it on the spot.

If there’s was some app that alerted me when certain gear was in a local GC or SamAsh i would probably pay for it.


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## 4Eyes (May 13, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I’m sure the shared EQ will be a huge turn off for a lot of guys.


For well designed amp a shared EQ doesn't have to be a bad thing. In fact, from designer's point of view, it's a trade off between building the best sounding amp possible (shared EQ) and making it, what people think, is versatile (separate EQ). The less complicated design of the amp, the better it sounds.


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## t00lgasm (May 13, 2019)

4Eyes said:


> For well designed amp a shared EQ doesn't have to be a bad thing. In fact, from designer's point of view, it's a trade off between building the best sounding amp possible (shared EQ) and making it, what people think, is versatile (separate EQ). The less complicated design of the amp, the better it sounds.


+1


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## Descent (May 13, 2019)

Well...I don't care that much for cleans, right now I have literally one clean intro which I play on my Mesa distorted channel with volume rolled off as I am too lazy to connect the channel switch pedal just for that 

So I guess it won't be a huge turn off for me...but at the price point of this amp, it is actually a turn off. To pay this much $$$ for shared eq is just 

Interesting...GC in Las Vegas had Friedman room, and a few other boutique amps. If you really want to see a great selection the Chicago Music Exchange is absolutely the best store that I've been to. Second one is Austin Guitar House: https://www.austinguitarhouse.com/

They had a full line of Mesa, as well as some really interesting boutique and local amp makers. Got to play a Metropoulous which is a high end boutique take on the Plexi. Simply fantastic. Too many amps...too little money


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## t00lgasm (May 13, 2019)

Super kraken is 1500 plus 33 shipping if you order from Thomann music in Germany. That’s how I got mine.


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## Descent (May 13, 2019)

t00lgasm said:


> Super kraken is 1500 plus 33 shipping if you order from Thomann music in Germany. That’s how I got mine.


Not bad at all! Maybe I'll need to look at that route, although I got my eye on the Mesa Mark V right now and good quality used is about there as well.


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## Deadpool_25 (May 19, 2019)

I got the Invective back up and running so I did a little a/b between that and the the SK.

Clean:
Both have excellent cleans, but they’re significantly different. I tested using both my Strandberg Fusion and my Fender John Mayer Strat. The Invective is darker and has more low end while the SK is a bit more percussive, stringy, and sparkly. I’d say the SK is a bit more toward a Fender style clean but not quite. I could see myself preferring one or the other depending on the day. At home the extra low end is nice but I suspect it would have to be managed for live use.

Crunch:
My ideal crunch channel is in Marshall territory. Here, the Invective comes up short while the SK excels. The Invective has more gain, even with the gain dialed back to around 9:30 and doesn’t clean up quite enough for me. Additionally the gain is a bit coarser sounding to my ear. Conversely, the SK has a smoother texture to the distortion and definitely makes me think JCM or hot rodded Marshall. It cleans up very well. While the cleans were close, I very much prefer the SK crunch. As a huge Tool fan, I think this channel is awesome for that (@t00lgasm) Adam Jones style stuff. I’m also a huge instrumental prog guy (think Plini, Sithu Aye, Widek, etc.) and I think the crunch would also be great for that. Lastly, the low end in the SK is alive and well in the crunch channel. 

Lead:
Again, both are great. With high post gain settings, the Invective sounds just like my old 5150. The gain is coarse and grainy and awesomely brutal. The SK, while based on the 5150, seems a little smoother than the Invective. With that said, it too is awesomely brutal. I could hear that the 5150 is where it started and I can hear that they made some tweaks to that sound. They changed the character a bit, but the overall effect is intact: crushing high gain tone. Like the crunch channel there’s no lack of low end. 

Volume:
The Invective is seriously easy to control when it comes to volume. Turn its master boost off and it’s easy to dial in bedroom levels. This is not the case with the SK—it has me seriously considering an attenuator. The SK is more like the old 5150 in this way. Once you turn up the pre gain where you want it (I’ve been keeping it between 10:00 and 2:00) the master becomes pretty touchy. And just as it gets to around 7:30ish (so right around 2/10) the amp really opens up. Of course that’s pretty loud. Not overly so, but it sure ain’t bedroom level.

MIDI:
Both are midi controllable, however the SK has just the barest of midi implementation. It accepts PC messages but doesn’t seem to use CC messages. This means you can bring up presets which sets the amp’s channel, focus on/off, loop on/off, and master 1/2. What you can’t do via midi is directly control a single thing such as turning off the loop. The inability to use CCs isn’t a problem for me but I could see that being an issue for some users.

Build quality:
I had both amps opened up. The SK looks to be super high quality; the Invective looks good but not on the same level. 

All in all, both amps are outstanding. If I absolutely had to get rid of one, I’d have to give up the Invective and keep the SK. Both have great cleans and leads, but the SK crunch is just far better for what I need. It’s possible swapping a 12AU7 into the Invective would help. I’ve tried that but it was a long time ago so I don’t remember too well lol. Which one is better for a certain person will probably come down to pure personal preference. Great amps.


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## Tisca (May 20, 2019)

@Deadpool_25 
Anything that warrants the 200€ higher price on the made in China Peavey over the made in UK Victory?


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## Deadpool_25 (May 20, 2019)

Tisca said:


> @Deadpool_25
> Anything that warrants the 200€ higher price on the made in China Peavey over the made in UK Victory?



To be honest, I think that's so subjective as to be an unanswerable question. It's up to each person to decide the answer to that. Everyone will have different priorities and tastes. However, if I was debating this, I could VERY easily argue that the Invective warrants at least that much price difference (especially in the European market).

To be clear, I'm not saying the Invective is worth more (or less) to me. I'm saying I could easily argue it should be priced higher (again, especially in the European market).


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## MASS DEFECT (May 21, 2019)

Which is brighter on the high gain channels? The SK or the TC100?


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## Deadpool_25 (May 21, 2019)

MASS DEFECT said:


> Which is brighter on the high gain channels? The SK or the TC100?



Good question. I’ll check and report back.


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## Backsnack (May 21, 2019)

t00lgasm said:


> Super kraken is 1500 plus 33 shipping if you order from Thomann music in Germany. That’s how I got mine.





Descent said:


> Not bad at all! Maybe I'll need to look at that route, although I got my eye on the Mesa Mark V right now and good quality used is about there as well.



Apparently, Thomann can't ship Victory amps to the United States anymore, which is a huge bummer. When you add the SK to your shopping cart and you're on the Thomann US site, you get this message:

"We are quite disappointed with Victory Amplifiers for preventing us from shipping to your country of choice. Please consider products of a different manufacturer or switch to another delivery country. Remove this item"


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## Backsnack (May 21, 2019)

This could be the first real deal valve amp I end up purchasing. Many thanks to @Deadpool_25 for the great write-up.

What did you think of the sound of the onboard Preamp Focus (OD)? I read a user review somewhere that said he sold his Horizon Precision Drive because it was that good. Rabea said it's based on a Tubescreamer, but it could be something rather custom and unique? If you were going to pair an OD pedal with the amp, what might be a good choice that would give a noticeably different flavor than the onboard Focus?


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## Deadpool_25 (May 21, 2019)

Backsnack said:


> This could be the first real deal valve amp I end up purchasing. Many thanks to @Deadpool_25 for the great write-up.
> 
> What did you think of the sound of the onboard Preamp Focus (OD)? I read a user review somewhere that said he sold his Horizon Precision Drive because it was that good. Rabea said it's based on a Tubescreamer, but it could be something rather custom and unique? If you were going to pair an OD pedal with the amp, what might be a good choice that would give a noticeably different flavor than the onboard Focus?



The preamp focus is excellent, though it has basically no tonal control. It is definitely tube screamer-based, as it provides a mid boost and tightens up the low end. It’s definitely unique though too since it does so in a different way. 

I also have a PD and have no desire at all to use it with the SK. I haven’t really tried any OD pedals with it since it’s so versatile on its own. The pedal board I just built does have a Sunset on it and I have a few other OD pedals I could try. What style of OD do you gravitate towards?


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## Backsnack (May 21, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> The preamp focus is excellent, though it has basically no tonal control. It is definitely tube screamer-based, as it provides a mid boost and tightens up the low end. It’s definitely unique though too since it does so in a different way.
> 
> I also have a PD and have no desire at all to use it with the SK. I haven’t really tried any OD pedals with it since it’s so versatile on its own. The pedal board I just built does have a Sunset on it and I have a few other OD pedals I could try. What style of OD do you gravitate towards?


The first kind I like to use a nice mild overdrive on the clean channel, along with adding an analogue delay (BBD or tape.)

My other preferred OD is the kind you described: mid boost for high gain riffs with my ERGs.

So it sounds like a Greer Lightspeed drive might work well paired up with this amp.


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## Deadpool_25 (May 21, 2019)

MASS DEFECT said:


> Which is brighter on the high gain channels? The SK or the TC100?



If you mean bright the way I mean it, the TC-100 is way brighter. It can get too bright as you turn up the treble and/or presence. The SK got fairly bright but never out of control even with the treble dimed. I suspect some people will like the TC’s ability to go too far and then they can back it off. If someone likes a super bright amp, the SK might need an EQ in the loop or something (which I’d have regardless, but that’s me).

Both have excellent string clarity. I hadn’t played through the TC in quite a while and I’m reminded that I’m lucky enough to have some really nice amps. Time to quit tone chasing and just start playing!


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## MASS DEFECT (May 21, 2019)

Thanks for confirming that. Makes the choice between getting a Mark III and a TC that much harder. Lol


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## Deadpool_25 (May 21, 2019)

Backsnack said:


> The first kind I like to use a nice mild overdrive on the clean channel, along with adding an analogue delay (BBD or tape.)
> 
> My other preferred OD is the kind you described: mid boost for high gain riffs with my ERGs.
> 
> So it sounds like a Greer Lightspeed drive might work well paired up with this amp.



While I’ve never tried one, the Greer seems like it should be a great fit. The Sunset’s mild OD tones work with it quite well and I’d think the Lightspeed should be at least as good.


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## Backsnack (May 22, 2019)

@Deadpool_25

I have a theory regarding what you said about the SK’s limited MIDI implementation. I think that most folks who opt to use the midi function will probably be using a midi looper/switcher like a Boss ES-8 or an HX Effects: something that can utilize a 4 cable method for modulation effects or a volume/preamp loop. With those setups, it likely won’t be a problem that the FX loop couldn’t be turned off on the amp itself because the effects units or loopers will take care of it.


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## Deadpool_25 (May 22, 2019)

Backsnack said:


> @Deadpool_25
> 
> I have a theory regarding what you said about the SK’s limited MIDI implementation. I think that most folks who opt to use the midi function will probably be using a midi looper/switcher like a Boss ES-8 or an HX Effects: something that can utilize a 4 cable method for modulation effects or a volume/preamp loop. With those setups, it likely won’t be a problem that the FX loop couldn’t be turned off on the amp itself because the effects units or loopers will take care of it.



I’m sure that’s the case. The presets work just fine and would be plenty for most users. I can see cases where you just want to switch the preamp focus on or off or change which master you’re using without changing anything else. You would need 12 PCs to accomplish this. If you could just turn those things off individually you could use 5 functions (3 PCs and 2 CCs—edit: oops...7 functions...need 4 CCs).

Anyway, it’s definitely not a big deal and there are some pretty simple workarounds (quite easy to accomplish using my MC6 mkii).


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## prlgmnr (May 26, 2019)

The ultimate effect of this thread has been that now I really want....a 5150/6505 and a JVM.


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## Voron (Jun 3, 2019)

I finally got the chance to try out The Super Kraken!!! It's just killer!!!


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## Deadpool_25 (Jun 3, 2019)

Voron said:


> I finally got the chance to try out The Super Kraken!!! It's just killer!!!




That was awesome. Great demo and great song. I wish I understood French lol. I do know what tres bien means though!


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## Voron (Jun 3, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> That was awesome. Great demo and great song. I wish I understood French lol. I do know what tres bien means though!


Thanks! I have demoed nearly all Victory Amps and each time it's a bomb! Martin Kidd is a genius!


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## LiveOVErdrive (Jun 3, 2019)

I played the V30 the other day and that thing is awesome.


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## Deadpool_25 (Jun 3, 2019)

I put my Super Kraken in a V130 headshell. Damn amp is so sexy.


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## narad (Jun 3, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I put my Super Kraken in a V130 headshell. Damn amp is so sexy.



Is that an option or you just bought an extra shell?


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## Deadpool_25 (Jun 4, 2019)

narad said:


> Is that an option or you just bought an extra shell?



I just bought an extra shell since I already had the amp, but I imagine you could order it that way from Victory. They were very cool and easy to work with. You could probably order it completely custom color.


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## Tisca (Jun 4, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I put my Super Kraken in a V130 headshell. Damn amp is so sexy.


pics?


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## Bearitone (Jun 4, 2019)

Tisca said:


> pics?


Yes. Pics pls


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## Deadpool_25 (Jun 4, 2019)

Tisca said:


> pics?





Bearitone said:


> Yes. Pics pls



















V130 headshell with custom painted rear panel (the stock SK backplate is grey).


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## Bearitone (Jun 4, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> V130 headshell with custom painted rear panel (the stock SK backplate is grey).




aaahhhh, much better than the gray


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## A-Branger (Jun 9, 2019)

cant see pics


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## narad (Jun 9, 2019)

A-Branger said:


> cant see pics



Have you tried hitting reply on the post? Usually then it loads them for me.


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## Tisca (Jun 9, 2019)

A-Branger said:


> cant see pics


I have this problem often with Chrome and this site. I just open in another browser.


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## Deadpool_25 (Jun 9, 2019)

A-Branger said:


> cant see pics





narad said:


> Have you tried hitting reply on the post? Usually then it loads them for me.



This usually works for me too. In fact, I can’t even see my own pics on this post until I try to reply to myself lol


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## A-Branger (Jun 9, 2019)

Deadpool_25 said:


> V130 headshell with custom painted rear panel (the stock SK backplate is grey).



LOL it worked! hahahah I can see them now

looks great, but you should have gone with the Richie Kotzen amp headshell


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## Voron (Nov 17, 2019)

Looks really great!!!!


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