During the development of the Duchess MKII, we were careful not to stray too far from what made the original range so beloved. Tonally, the Duchess remains the go-to amplifier for clean to edge-of-breakup tones and the ultimate pedalboard platform. Additionally, we’ve drawn inspiration from some of our more recent products—adding new tonal switching features from the MK Clean Series and updating the reverb circuits incorporating two different types of digital reverb to chose from.
Victory V40MKII Compact Sleeve Amp Head 42 Watts Features:
- Switchable output - 42 watts (Hi) or 7 watts (Lo)
- Three position Voice switch
- Three position Mid Kick switch
- Dual digital reverb with footswitch/bypass option
- Series effects loop with hard bypass
- Single-ended mode
- Single-button footswitch for reverb on/off included
Voice Switch
Extra tonal flexibility can now be achieved with a new 3 way voice switch enabling you to accommodate any pickup type or playing style. Each successive selection allows greater lower mid-range frequency content through the treble control.
Mid Kick
This popular feature from the original Duchess range has been expanded to include three stages of dynamic midrange shaping:
- Position I: Stock response
- Position II: Increased lower midrange
- Position III: Additional gain in the upper midrange
Reverb
Two distinct digital reverb types are now available via the front panel:
- Vintage: Classic spring-style reverb, ideal for the Duchess’ tonal character
- Modern: A new reverb type inspired by The Deputy, ranging from subtle ambiance to full shimmering immersion Both reverb types include Level and Dwell controls and are footswitchable (footswitch included).
Series Effects Loop
The hard-bypassable effects loop enables you to use delays, reverbs etc after the preamp section of the amp to keep them clean sounding. If they aren’t as clear as you like, try lowering the mix/output of the pedal, especially as you turn the amp master up.
Low Power & New Cosmetics
The from panel switch offers a low power mode dropping the output to around 7 watts. We’ve given the front panel an overhaul too, which includes a more streamlined look along with our new Victory logo, first seen on the MK Series.
6L6 or EL34 Power Valves
Although we ship The Duchess range with EL34 valves, the V40 gives you the option of running either EL34 or 6L6 power valves. They offer subtly different tonal characteristics in terms of power stage overdrive and also overall frequency response. There’s a bias range switch to get you in the right ballpark, but precise bias adjustment is also advised whenever you change power valves.
