The Victory V4 The Copper is an all-valve preamp pedal from British amp builder Victory Amplification, announced on 20 November 2020 as a pedalboard-friendly version of the company's VC35 The Copper amp head12. Victory describes it as delivering "Classic EL84 chime and rock, based on our VC35 Copper and Copper Deluxe amplifiers"3. It runs four valves at high plate voltage in an all-valve signal path, which Victory calls a first for pedal-format guitar preamps3.
For a player, the appeal is carrying a British EL84 amp voice, the kind associated with late '50s Vox AC30 style circuits1, on a pedalboard. Delicious Audio notes it "shines for its clean sound, so it's a useful device for those who have amps with not so great sounding clean channels," while its two gain stages can easily be pushed into overdrive4. It is made in the UK54 and developed by Martin Kidd, Victory's chief amp designer1.
An EL84 Copper amp voice in a four-valve pedal
The V4 The Copper condenses Victory's VC35 The Copper amp into a pedal, sharing the same aesthetic and tonal approach as the amp5. Gearnews describes the target sound as "a chime-y EL84 clean tone, with sweet mids and a very British classic rock sound"1. The circuit runs its valves at high plate voltage, and Victory states these were the first pedal-format guitar preamps to feature four valves and an all-valve signal path3. Guitar World's reviewer notes they are "the only valve preamp pedals with four valves"9.
The valve complement is listed two ways: Victory's product page specifies 2 x EC900 and 2 x CV40143, while GuitarPlayer's launch coverage and Delicious Audio describe 1 x EC900 and 3 x CV401484. The valves themselves have an unusual history: Guitar World reports that the CV4014s were made in the UK in 1981 to NATO specifications at Mullard's Mitcham factory, then shipped to the Royal Navy's supply depot in Spring Quarry, Wiltshire, where they were stored for four decades. The EC900s were made by EI on former Philips production lines in what was Yugoslavia9.
Neither valve type is interchangeable with a 12AX7: their bases have seven pins rather than nine, so replacements must match the original types9.
The controls
MusicRadar describes the layout as clearly arranged, with global tone and gain controls, independent volume controls for the clean channel and the treble-boosted channel, and a three-band EQ5.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Single global gain control12 |
| Tone | Single global tone control12 |
| Volume 1 / Volume 2 | Independent master volumes for the Normal and Treble Boost sides51 |
| Bass, Middle, Treble | Three-band EQ; Victory says these also have a significant effect on gain character and drive levels3 |
| Bass Mode switch | Three positions, detailed below3 |
| Footswitches | Normal/Treble Boost select and Bypass5 |
The treble boost circuit is designed to work like a gain boost, pushing the V4's front end to create what Victory calls creamy valve overdrive and sustain. The non-boosted side runs from clean through to slightly pushed, and both sides have their own volume controls3. With the treble boost function engaged, MusicRadar notes the pedal is effectively a two-channel design6.
The three-position Bass Mode switch shapes the low end3:
- Position 1: Full bass on channel one, with a bass cut when switched to the treble boost side3
- Position 2: A global bass cut, in both modes35
- Position 3: Full bass globally; MusicRadar found this can tighten the bottom end when running a lot of gain5
A TRS jack on the side of the case allows remote switching of both on/off and channel 1/2, using a two-button latching footswitch or a programmable switching unit94.
Power: 12V DC, 800mA minimum
The pedal runs on 12V DC with a minimum current of 800mA, and a DC adapter is supplied3. MusicRadar recommends 2000mA5, and Guitar World notes the supplied adapter is rated at two amps, giving plenty of headroom9. This is not a battery pedal, and its current draw is well beyond what most small pedalboard supplies offer per outlet.
Amp Through and Standalone modes
The V4 The Copper offers two connection modes3:
- Amp Through Mode uses the effects loop of your guitar amp. With the pedal on, it bypasses the amp's front end; with the pedal off, you plug into the amp as normal3. Delicious Audio recommends this mode for full functionality, where you can choose between your amp's own front end and the V4 preamp4.
- Standalone Mode goes straight into the front of the amp, for use without an effects loop, treating the pedal like a normal pedal3.
The rear panel carries Input, Through, Loop In, Loop Out and Effect Out jacks51, and Victory has printed setup instructions on the pedal itself showing how to integrate it into a rig1. In Amp Through Mode, stomping the bypass footswitch reverts to the amp's original preamp4.
History and versions
Victory announced the V4 The Copper Preamp on 20 November 2020, priced at $519 / £369 / €449 and available immediately26. It joined the V4 series that began in 2018 with pedals such as the V4 The Kraken Pedal Preamp10. By 2026, Guitar World listed a street price of $32973, and Victory's own site shows the pedal in preorder and notify-me states in some regions, so availability varies3.
The Copper line also includes the compact V1 The Copper drive pedal, and Delicious Audio notes the V4 family itself spans different formats, with one version acting as a full power amp you can plug into a cab and another carrying only the preamp stage1112.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review praised the pedal's versatility across its modes:
"From beautifully compressed cleans through hot molten crunch, the Copper V4 excels in AC30-inspired valve tones, and its 'amp through' operation is an excellent way of expanding your rig"5
The same review found the Normal mode, with the treble booster on standby, offered "a wealth of vintage clarity, heaps of headroom, and a '50s and '60s character to the tones," while engaging the Treble Booster brought "punchy gain, rich in upper mids, and harmonically generous"5. Guitar World's reviewer found the Treble Boost voice adds more gain, with complex highs and upper mid harmonics that shift with picking strength9. On noise, Guitar World reported the pedal is exceptionally quiet in operation, with practically inaudible hiss and hum levels9.
Victory lists session player Aaron Grimes among its users3.
Videos
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Andertons Music Co
Victory Amplifiers
Questions
Can I replace the valves in the Victory V4 The Copper with 12AX7s?
No. Guitar World's review notes that neither the EC900 nor the CV4014 is interchangeable with the commonly used 12AX7 twin triode, because their bases have seven pins rather than nine. Replacement valves need to match the original types, and Victory holds ample stocks of them.
Does the Victory V4 The Copper need an amp with an effects loop?
No. Amp Through Mode uses the amp's effects loop for full functionality, but if your amp has no loop you can use Standalone Mode and go straight in the front, treating the pedal like a normal overdrive-style pedal in front of the amp.
Can the V4 Copper's footswitches be switched remotely?
Yes. A TRS jack on the side of the case lets you switch both functions remotely, on/off and channel 1/2, using either a two-button latching footswitch or a programmable switching unit.
How long is the warranty on the V4 Copper and its valves?
MusicRadar reports a five-year warranty on the pedal and a two-year warranty on the valves. Guitar World describes the two-year valve warranty as unprecedented, and notes that Victory holds ample stocks of the original valve types.
Is the Victory V4 The Copper noisy?
No. Guitar World's review found it exceptionally quiet in operation, with practically inaudible hiss and hum levels, in line with the rest of Victory's V4 pedal range.
How many tubes does the Victory V4 Copper use?
Four. Victory's product page lists 2 x EC900 and 2 x CV4014 valves, while some press coverage describes the complement as 1 x EC900 and 3 x CV4014. Either way it is a four-valve, all-valve signal path running at high plate voltage.
Sources (12)
- Victory V4 The Copper Preamp, brings the VC35 into a pedal, with vintage British amp tones on tap, gearnews.com, 2020-11-20
- Victory condenses its VC35 The Copper amp head into a pedal with the V4 The Copper Preamp, Guitar World, 2020-11-20
- V4 The Copper Preamp, Victory Amps, 2026-07-28
- Victory V4 Copper Preamp, Delicious Audio, 2022-04-12
- Victory V4 The Copper preamp pedal review, MusicRadar, 2021-03-24
- Victory puts the metal to the pedal as the Copper joins its stellar V4 preamp series, MusicRadar, 2020-11-27
- Tone King Imperial Tri Tube Preamp review, Guitar World, 2025-07-02
- Victory Unveils New V4 The Copper Preamp Pedal, GuitarPlayer, 2020-11-20
- Victory V4 The Copper Preamp Pedal review, Guitar World, 2021-02-12
- Danny Gill, Victory Amps
- The 20 Best Vox-Style Pedals & Vox-In-a-Box Overdrives In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-12-02
- Victory V1 The Copper Drive, Delicious Audio, 2022-12-15
