V40D vs V40H
No sound clips this time. As this was my first time I thought it should be private. No idea why. Answers on a postcard please.
Also, as it turns out, I've only got 2 kettle leads at home - all my spares are in the practice shack and as I want to do a real world comparison with pedals that means I have to unplug one amp to play the other. No problem.
First off, the thing that shines through most is: don't Victory make some beautiful amplifiers? Side by side these are stunning. I almost lament the production Deluxes having the brown appointments becuase as a black and white pair they look incredible together.
They also sound out of this world too. There are no bad sounds to be had here - to find a favourite tone is firmly just a matter of personal taste.
Initially, I set them identically with the Deluxe leading the way as that is the next amp to get gigged and set like this; they really do sound different. Voice 1 and mid kick off and the Deluxe has it (was a competition?). It's a recognisable nod to a silver/black face feel but still very obviously the tone of a V40. Volume at 11o'clock and the V40H is breaking up strongly but the V40D is only just on the edge.
In this setting the V40D is the fuller, warmer tone. It takes a phaser, flanger and then a chorus superbly and fills the room with delicious modulating tone. The drives need some tweaking to punch through and a small tweak to the treble nails that full presence tone.
Voice 2 and Mid kick on and the roles are reversed. Now the V40H has it. The softer, honkier, darker tone of the V40H comes out much more prominently and becomes something utterly unique: with both Fender and Marshall heritage there but much less apparent - it becomes clear that the V40H is very much it's own voice and is all Victory. And I love it for it.
The drive pedals now add some real sparkle and I find myself noodling for ages and not missing the added presence of the V40D. The modulation pedals don't fill the room in quite the same way but the tone that is being thrust forward is absolutely my kind of thing. When a grown-up reviews this they will be able to describe it better. But for now... there is a honky, mid range tone that is still shapeable with the tone controls but remains prominent throughout.
It's there for the V40D too but its less 'honky' and playing with the tone controls can bring it slightly more to the fore but for me personally, this is somewhere between that silverface I spoke about on an earlier post and the V40H. Also the V40H is definitely more "tweedy" in this setting than the V40D.
To conclude for now and trying very hard not to write the overall conclusion before the big gig...
I think what this back to back shows is that these are 100% two different amps. Neither is better than the other and I think that each one is likely to appeal to different people or to be used for different scenarios. Could I justify having them both? Yes; absolutely. The sound is that different. Related but different. I love the idea of having a V40 head I will use for my normal core tone and mix and match with the Kraken depending on the gigging situation but also having a Deluxe combo on hand for that Tremolo tone, and that more traditional feel when that is needed. I also really like the convenience of plugging it in and noodling at home rather than setting up a head and a cab for a quick twiddle.
If the V40H is all Victory then the Deluxe is a step-sibling where a silverface was more involved in the parenthood. Or something.
Simon is a guitarist in Salisbury Classic Rock covers band Break Cover.
Break Cover website
Break Cover Facebook
Also, as it turns out, I've only got 2 kettle leads at home - all my spares are in the practice shack and as I want to do a real world comparison with pedals that means I have to unplug one amp to play the other. No problem.
First off, the thing that shines through most is: don't Victory make some beautiful amplifiers? Side by side these are stunning. I almost lament the production Deluxes having the brown appointments becuase as a black and white pair they look incredible together.
They also sound out of this world too. There are no bad sounds to be had here - to find a favourite tone is firmly just a matter of personal taste.
Initially, I set them identically with the Deluxe leading the way as that is the next amp to get gigged and set like this; they really do sound different. Voice 1 and mid kick off and the Deluxe has it (was a competition?). It's a recognisable nod to a silver/black face feel but still very obviously the tone of a V40. Volume at 11o'clock and the V40H is breaking up strongly but the V40D is only just on the edge.
In this setting the V40D is the fuller, warmer tone. It takes a phaser, flanger and then a chorus superbly and fills the room with delicious modulating tone. The drives need some tweaking to punch through and a small tweak to the treble nails that full presence tone.
Voice 2 and Mid kick on and the roles are reversed. Now the V40H has it. The softer, honkier, darker tone of the V40H comes out much more prominently and becomes something utterly unique: with both Fender and Marshall heritage there but much less apparent - it becomes clear that the V40H is very much it's own voice and is all Victory. And I love it for it.
The drive pedals now add some real sparkle and I find myself noodling for ages and not missing the added presence of the V40D. The modulation pedals don't fill the room in quite the same way but the tone that is being thrust forward is absolutely my kind of thing. When a grown-up reviews this they will be able to describe it better. But for now... there is a honky, mid range tone that is still shapeable with the tone controls but remains prominent throughout.
It's there for the V40D too but its less 'honky' and playing with the tone controls can bring it slightly more to the fore but for me personally, this is somewhere between that silverface I spoke about on an earlier post and the V40H. Also the V40H is definitely more "tweedy" in this setting than the V40D.
To conclude for now and trying very hard not to write the overall conclusion before the big gig...
I think what this back to back shows is that these are 100% two different amps. Neither is better than the other and I think that each one is likely to appeal to different people or to be used for different scenarios. Could I justify having them both? Yes; absolutely. The sound is that different. Related but different. I love the idea of having a V40 head I will use for my normal core tone and mix and match with the Kraken depending on the gigging situation but also having a Deluxe combo on hand for that Tremolo tone, and that more traditional feel when that is needed. I also really like the convenience of plugging it in and noodling at home rather than setting up a head and a cab for a quick twiddle.
If the V40H is all Victory then the Deluxe is a step-sibling where a silverface was more involved in the parenthood. Or something.
Simon is a guitarist in Salisbury Classic Rock covers band Break Cover.
Break Cover website
Break Cover Facebook
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