Victory VX The Kraken User manual

User Guide
VICTORY VX ‘The Kraken’
All Valve 50 Watt Guitar Head

Thank you, and congratulations on acquiring a Victory Amplification VX. This
amp is proudly designed and built by our committed team of engineers and
craftsmen in the UK.
We value simplicity in operation, flexibility in use and absolutely no
compromise in tone. Our aim is simple: to create amplifiers that inspire you
ever onwards in your playing and never let you down.
SAFETY FIRST
We want you to enjoy your amplifier to the best of its potential. So please…
Before you go any further, take a moment to read these SAFETY
INSTRUCTIONS
• Read these guidelines & keep them
• Follow all instructions & guidelines
• Do not use this amplifier near water or any other liquid
• Do not block any openings
• Do not attempt to clean the amplifier with any fluids: use only a dry cloth
•
Do not attempt to modify or service this product yourself
•
Removing covers could mean you are exposed to dangerous voltages that
may result in severe injury or death
• Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel
• Damage Requiring Service: Unplug this product from the wall outlet and
refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions:
•It is the nature of valve amplifiers to get hot, so please take care when
moving the amp after use.
(a) When the power-supply cord or plug is damaged;
(b) If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the product;
(c) If the product has been exposed to rain or water;
(d) If the product does not operate normally by following the operating
instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating
instructions. Improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and

will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the
product to its normal operation;
(e) If the product has been dropped or damaged in any way;
(f) When the product exhibits a distinct change in performance - this indicates
a need for service.
•Replacement Parts: When replacement parts are required, be sure the
service technician uses replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or
have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized
substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, or other hazards.
What’s included?
Your new Victory VX comes with the following:
1 x Dual Latching Footswitch for GAIN I/II and MASTER I/II
A mains lead for your country
A heavy duty Gig Bag/Travel Bag
This User Guide
FRONT PANEL
Input Jack
Plug your guitar in here!
GAIN I
This control adds a classic British crunch to the sound. Use low settings for
maximum clean headroom and higher settings when you want to introduce
more natural valve overdrive to your tone.

Balancing this control with either Master Volumes is crucial in delivering the
tone and feel that works best for you.
GAIN I/II switch
Switches between the two different Gain ranges. This function is also foot-
switchable.
GAIN II
This control adds more of a modern American high-gain character to the
content of your sound and again should be used in conjunction with both
Master controls to achieve the tonal response you desire.
BASS
This controls the low frequency content of your sound. Higher levels of bass
can be good at low volumes, but take care when running the amp louder –you
may find you need to reduce the bass control. As with all the EQ pots, adjust
to taste!
MIDDLE
Controls the midrange frequencies in your sound. Run the middle control
higher to help cut through a band mix, or generally fatten and ‘widen’ your
sound. Run it lower for a lighter, less ‘in-your-face’ kind of sound.
TREBLE
Controls the high frequency content of your sound and is also a powerful tone
shaper when it comes to overdrive character.
MASTER I
The Master I Volume control is used to set the stage or overall volume of the
VX. If this is turned to maximum, then the VX becomes a non-master volume
amplifier where either Gain control in conjunction with the Volume control on
the guitar allows for a wide range of Volumes & Gains to be achieved. This can
be very powerful for tone shaping.
The Master Volume control is positioned before the phase splitter valve and
after the FX return.

MASTER II
The Master II Volume control performs the exact same function as Master I
but allows you to set different Volume levels and when used in conjunction
with the footswitchable Gain settings, allows for instant switching for solo
boost.
HIGH –STANDBY –LOW Switch
The VX should always be switched on, (mains switch on rear of amplifier), with
this front panel toggle switch in its centre position. The amplifier is now in
‘STANDBY’ mode with just the valve heaters and low voltages on. This allows
the valves to heat up before they get 100s of volts up them, (it’s less of a
shock). After around 60 seconds, the amp can be switch to either HIGH,
(around 50watts rms) or LOW, (around 8 Watts rms). When switching the
amplifier ON or OFF please ensure the Volumes are turned down and you
leave at least 30 seconds before switching from Standby to Off. This will
ensure extended valve life and avoid any power-down noise. This is especially
relevant if you’re running through a large PA system as any small pop may
become amplified to audience death levels, which may limit your music
career.
REAR PANEL

Voltage selector
This selects the correct mains voltage for your territory. Please refer to a
qualified technician before even thinking about moving this switch. If you do
find yourself in foreign climes where the mains voltage is different to home,
(and the water tastes funny), it will be necessary to switch this selector. The
mains fuse must always be changed at the same time. Failure to do this will
result in either the mains fuse blowing as soon as the amp is turned on or the
amp running with a fuse that is of too higher value to provide adequate safety
protection. Generally, the fuse value will double if the mains voltage is halved,
(i.e. if it’s a 1A fuse in the UK @ 230V, it will needs to be a 2A fuse for the USA
@ 115V).
Always use the correct rating and type of fuse. Victory amplifiers exclusively
use UL-approved 20x5mm glass ‘T’ or ‘Timed’ fuses. If you have difficulty
acquiring the correct fuses, please contact Victory using
[e-mail].
Mains inlet with Switch, (IEC Socket)
Please only use the correct mains cord for your territory! The mains switch
turns your amplifier ‘ON’. Ensure the front panel toggle switch is in the
middle, ‘Standby’ position before turning on the mains.
HT FUSE
The HT or ‘High Tension’ fuse protects the high voltage for the valve supply. If
this fuse blows, the first step is to replace it with an identical T500mA 20x5mm
fuse. The HT fuse may sometimes blow due to ‘flash-over’ inside an output
valve. This is where during the manufacturing process, not all of the gas is
removed from the glass envelope and the ‘getter’ inside the valve, usually
made from barium or magnesium oxide, will burn or evaporate these
remaining gasses resulting in the common silvered internal surface of the
valve. This process, which is more likely to happen with new equipment,
draws high current momentarily and can blow the HT fuse. It will rarely cause

any damage so just replacing the fuse is sufficient to get the amp running
normally again.
However, if the HT FUSE blows again, it may indicate a serious valve failure
where internal parts of a valve are shorted and in this case the amplifier needs
to be checked by a qualified engineer to assess the problem.
Speaker outputs
PLEASE NOTE: The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an
equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of
uninsulated ‘dangerous voltage’ within the product’s enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock. Terminals labelled
as “Speaker Outputs” must be connected to a speaker cabinet of the
designated load rating using an un-shielded two conductor cable for speaker
use at all times during operation. Never use a guitar cable to connect the
amplifier to a speaker as this presents the amplifier with a ‘capacitive load’.
This can cause instability or oscillation which may seriously damage valves
and/or the expensive output transformer.
Always ensure a speaker is connected to the amplifier before powering up or
damage to the output transformer may result. Never unplug a speaker when
the amplifier is ON as this is even more likely to damage the transformer and
the output valves.
The output transformer in the VX has 2 separate secondary windings; a 16
Ohm and an 8 Ohm. This makes it easy to connect different combinations of
speakers. There are three speaker output jacks: 2 x 8 Ohms, (wired in parallel)
and 1 x 16 ohms.
So here are the possible combinations:
1. For a single 8 Ohm cabinet, use either of the 8 Ohm sockets.
2. For a single 16 Ohm cabinet, use the 16 Ohm socket.
3. For a pair of 16 Ohm cabinets, use both of the 8 Ohm sockets.

It is possible to use a pair of 8 Ohm cabinets with the VX but a special series
lead needs to be used.
Here is a diagram of how this is achieved:
BASS FOCUS SWITCH
This function alters the negative feedback at low frequencies in the poweramp
resulting in a ‘looser’ or ‘tighter’ overall bass response. This will be affected by
the positions of the tone controls so please experiment with this switch to
achieve the bass response you desire.
Effects Loop
The VX has an effects loop, which is a simple, low impedance, series loop.

The SEND socket is for connection to the input of effects units. On the VX it is
a lower impedance version of the signal that appears at the INPUT. Use the
send to connect to floor pedals or rack effects such as Delay, Chorus and
Reverb etc. Effects such as Overdrive, Fuzz, Wah Wah and Tuners often give
better results plugged into the Instrument Input on the front panel. The Send
socket can also be used on its own to send a signal to another amplifier.
The RETURN socket is for connection to the output of effects units. When not
used it is internally connected to the SEND, therefore the EFFECTS LOOP can
be ignored if not in use. It can also be used as a small signal ‘Slave’ input from
another amplifier but DO NOT plug an amplifier’s speaker output into the
Return socket or very bad things will happen.
The RETURN socket is also very useful for fault diagnosis. If your VX doesn’t
produce any sound when played, plug the guitar directly into the RETURN
socket and play. This bypasses the entire pre-amplifier section and sends the
guitar signal through just the output stage. If sound is now heard then the
problem is in the pre-amp section and is likely to be a faulty pre-amp valve.
FOOTSWITCH 1: GAIN I/II (Tip of TRS Jack) & MASTER I/II (Ring of TRS Jack)
Connect the supplied Dual latching footswitch here to switch between GAIN I
& II and between MASTER VOLUME I & II.
FOOTSWITCH 2: MASTER I/II + GAIN I/II (SOLO OVERRIDE - Tip of TRS Jack) &
FX LOOP ON/OFF (Ring of TRS Jack)
Connect an optional Dual latching footswitch, (available from your Victory
dealer) here to switch the GAIN & MASTER at the same time. When activated,
this will switch to GAIN II and MASTER II independent of previous GAIN &
MASTER VOLUME settings. If used without Footswitch 1 plugged in and the
GAIN switch in position I then the amplifier acts as a 2-Channel system. With
both Footswitches inserted then the front panel GAIN I/II switch is overridden.
The right-hand switch turns the FX LOOP ON and OFF.

Single Ended Mode Switch.
This switch, located through a hole in the rear grill, is used to switch off either
of the 2 output valves. This results in the amplifier running ‘single-ended’
which is a very pure Class A mode. If the front panel power switch is on LOW,
in single-ended mode the VX produces around 0.3 Watts rms. This should
allow playing at home without getting lynched by the neighbours. The switch
throws both ways to alternate between each output valve for even wear if
this mode is used extensively.
However, even this very low output power can still be very loud so be aware
of who you may be affecting. Victory takes no responsibility for any physical
or verbal abuse that may result from your playing.
Biasing:
Whenever any output valves are changed, the amplifier will need to be re-
biased. This must be done by a qualified or competent person as there are
lethal voltages inside the VX and getting killed by a guitar amplifier is a
rubbish way to die. Also take care as valves may still be very hot from use. Use
a cloth to remove valves if possible. Take care when removing any valve as the

pins can easily be bent and the plastic locating key on the output valves can be
snapped off. We recommend a slow circular motion known a ‘dweezling’
while lifting the valves from their bases as this will free them with the least
amount of effort and stress. Ensure that as you remove them that they are
never more than a few degrees from vertical to avoid bending or breaking pins
etc.
Please always try to buy matched pairs of output valves as they will be easier
to Bias and give longer service. Ensure the toggle switch on the top of the
chassis is in the correct position for the selected output valves, (either 6L6s or
EL34s). The VX ships with 6L6 output valves fitted but is available with EL34s
as a special order, (no extra cost).
Biasing Continued - Unplug the VX from the mains and remove the bottom
chassis plate using a No.1 Posidrive screwdriver. Unscrew the 4 x M4 screws
from the side of the top grill using a No. 2 Posidrive and remove it. Carefully
place the VX on a clear and secure surface upside down so all its soft bits are
exposed.
The BIAS pre-set is found in the power supply section on the PCB, (yellow
circle on photo). The Bias voltage measurement is performed between the
chassis and the test point TP10 & TP11, (yellow squares on photo). Using a
multimeter set on the 200mV range, measure these test points and adjust the
BIAS preset so the meter reads approx. 34mV. This translates into 34mA of
current per output valve. Check both Test Points a few times and try to
balance the Bias voltage so it is as close as possible between the 2 valves. We
don’t recommend a difference of greater than 6mV between the 2 valves.
Amplifier Dimensions:
SIZE (mm): 342(w) x 185(h) x 185(d) Unboxed. 545(w) x 310(h) x 300(d)
Boxed.
Weight: 7.3Kgs Unboxed. 9.5Kgs Boxed
Output Power
WARNING! The VX has been designed to achieve a very high sound pressure
level (SPL) so caution is required when playing in high power mode or hearing

damage may result. To quote a certain Mr. Nugent: ‘this amplifier is
guaranteed to blow the balls off a charging rhino at 60 paces’
Please note that due to the asymmetrical nature of the waveforms involved
when the amp is in Single-ended mode, measuring the available output is very
subjective.
The following measurements were taken at 240V mains input into an 8 Ohm
load using a 1 KHz Sine Wave with the output waveforms set just before
clipping. Master Volume 1 and GAIN I were used and the tone controls set to
give the best representation of a sine wave:
High Power: 49.5 Watts
Low Power: 7.8 Watts
High Power Single-Ended: 1 Watt
Low Power Single Ended: 0.3 Watts
Warranty
All Victory products come with a 5 year limited warranty. This covers any
defects in manufacturing or faulty components. Valves and speakers are
warrantied for 90 days from the purchase date but replacement parts will be
at our discretion. Please contact your local dealer if you have any issues with
your Victory product.
A note from Team Victory
We’ve built your Victory Amplifier as a professional, no-compromise musical
instrument, with a great deal of pride and an absolute commitment to tone.
We encourage you to learn to get to know it by experimenting with all the
controls, in order to discover its vast array of tonal combinations.
Thank you for making your tones with us: we wish you many years of
achieving inspiring sounds to push your playing ever onwards.
Now I’ll shut up; you go play yer guitar.

Contact info: [e-mail]
Web: www.victoryamps.co.uk
www.facebook.com/VictoryAmpsUK

Handmade in England