Victory Amplification V4 The Kraken Preamp Pedal

2-channel Guitar Tube Preamplifier Pedal with 2 Gain Modes, 3-band EQ, Bright Switch, and Standalone/Amp Through Connection Modes

Item ID: KrakenPre

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Victory Amplification V4 The Kraken Preamp Pedal

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Tenacious All-tube Tone for Any Amplifier

Turn any guitar amp into a monstrous metal machine with the Victory Amplification V4 The Kraken Preamp Pedal. Equipped with four tubes running at high plate voltage, V4 The Kraken delivers the touch sensitivity and harmonic complexity only a tube preamp section can provide. Run it into your amp’s effects loop to bypass your amp’s preamp section entirely, or set it to Amp Through Mode to use it like a drive pedal. Just like The Kraken amplifier head, The V4 Kraken Preamp Pedal packs two distinct gain channels that cover everything from vintage-style British tones to modern, midrange-focused drive tones. Complete with a 3-band EQ and bright switch for fine-tuning your tone, you’ll be impressed with V4 The Kraken’s sonic prowess.

Two versatile, dynamic gain options

Developed with renowned metal guitarist Rabea Massaad, V4 The Kraken delivers hefty, versatile gain options. Gain mode I exemplifies classic British-style-friendly mids that create the perfect tonal range for genres like classic rock and metal — this mode especially complements dynamic playing within a hard rock structure. Conversely, Gain mode II provides a tighter, more grinding “American” midrange voice that is perfect for aggressive picking styles and heavy metal riffing.

Powerful tone shaping

Tone chasers will love the sound-shaping flexibility of the V4 The Kraken. With its master volume configuration, you can drive the preamp into pleasing saturation and trim the output level to sit perfectly in a mix. The 3-band EQ opens a range of tonal possibilities and allows you to dial in an ideal sound for any situation. From single-coil-loaded vintage-style 6-strings to modern active axes, V4 The Kraken impresses with its ability to bring out the best aspects of your favorite guitar!

A pair of options to integrate with your amplifier

Guitarists at Sweetwater love sending preamp pedals like V4 The Kraken directly into an amp’s effects loop return, bypassing the preamp section to give the amp an entirely new character. For this, use V4 The Kraken’s Amp Through Mode, which essentially adds two new drive channels to your favorite amp. But what if your amplifier doesn’t have an effects loop? No matter: engage Standalone to use it like a drive pedal into your amp's front end.

Victory Amplification V4 The Kraken Preamp Pedal Features:

Equipped with 4 tubes for touch-sensitive breakup and harmonic complexity
Amp Through Mode and Standalone Mode give you 2 options for how you hook up to your amplifier
2 gain sections cover everything from classic British tones to modern metal mayhem
3-band EQ and Bright switch fine-tune your tone for any guitar and pickup combination
Series effects loop allows you to integrate effects pedals like delay and reverb
Ultra-rugged steel construction is ready for life on the road

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Oct 12, 2021

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Tech Specs

Pedal Type: Tube Preamp
Analog/Digital: Analog
Channels: 2
Form Factor: Pedal
EQ: 3-band EQ, 3-way bright switch
Tubes: 1 x EC900, 3 x CV4014
Inputs: 1 x 1/4" (guitar)
Outputs: 1 x 1/4" (through), 1 x 1/4" (effect out)
Effects Loop: 2 x 1/4" (loop in, loop out)
Other I/O: 1 x 1/4" TRS (Remote: bypass, channel)
Bypass Switching: True Bypass
Power Source: 12V DC 800mA power supply (included)
Height: 3.14"
Width: 8.85"
Depth: 5.51"
Weight: 3.74 lbs.
Manufacturer Part Number: VIC0023

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Reviews

4.8

Customer Photos & Videos

If your amp has an FX loop, then this pedal may be a dream come true. It's not even a pedal so much as it is the entire preamp section of the Victory Kraken. The tubes are different from the full size amp due to size requirements, but the gain staging and eq function almost identical to the real deal.

Channel 1 is where you go for your classic British crunch and breakup. Perfect for rock, blues, indie, punk, etc.

Channel 2 is HOT. It's not the classic american metal tone of a 5150 or a rectifier, more like Channel 1 on steroids. Throw a modern OD pedal in front of it and you can even get some modern progressive metal (aka djent) tones. Big distortion without sacrificing chord definition, so go play your amaj7, nerd.

On top of that, you can bypass the V4, which will re-engage the pre section of your actual amp, while keeping the other fx in your loop active.

If you are planning on re-amping from your DAW, literally all you need to do is send a dry signal out, loop it through the V4, and back into your interface and cab IR of choice. This thing is crazy easy to work with.

The engineers at Victory are mad scientists, and we are lucky to have them out there making gear like this.

I bought this because I was tired of trying to clean up the background noise from mic'ing my amp. After buying a Dark Glass B7K which I use direct in, I really wanted something similar for my guitar. I did some research and ran across this beast. I have always been a huge fan of old school Thrash Metal tones for their punchiness when playing palm mutes. I figured the Rectifier would help that out, so I decided to give it a try.

First, it works great direct in. This cleaned up my signal perfectly. And the tones!!!!! Between the two gain channels and the three way selector, the palette of tones is almost unlimited. Crank the gain and this thing screams, roll the gain back, and it gets a nice, gritty, bluesy tone. It's basically like adding a Marshall JVM and Mesa Boogie to your collection. I honestly can't think of a style of music this wouldn't work for.

this thing has sooooo much definition and clarity....even with the gain cranked to the max, each note is clear and beautiful. from raspy blues tones to metal, the tone remains rich and clear.

This has been so far one of the best preamp pedals that I have used. I don't regret this purchase at all. So far I have used it with my Orange super crush 100,Boss katana head mkii and my 5150 iconic and it has been a great addition for all of them.

What a versatile and incredible preamp pedal. I love the freedom the bright switch gives you for an array of different instruments and equipment. The Dirty/Gain 2 channel I'm absolutely in love with. It keeps up even with an eight string guitar and doesn't sound muddy, yet it sounds tight,raw and powerful. Highly recommend for those looking to shape tones with different instruments and equipment!