Come on all you thumbs downers.... where's your sense of humour?! You know this channel likes to poke a bit of fun from time to time. Anyhow... the title is correct... we took a brand new Boss Katana amp & used it with a valve preamp. If you misread that as something else, its not our fault ;) Its actually quite interesting how well the Katana stacks up, and for all our fellow tier 4 people - there's nothing else to do but watch videos right? Enjoy, and have a very Happy New Year!
I fell for the title but I love this idea, the Katana's poweramp section is really great and reacts very well to whatever you send through it, it takes pedals very well and if you set the acoustic channel with the eq all open, it reacts amazingly to amp modelers! great video chaps!
Valves, solid state, whatever. I’m listening on a phone while I wander my house doing chores and the real tone battle is the surfaces I put my phone on. Kitchen counter~harsh and brittle. Laundry basket~mellow and sweet but a little muddy. Dryer~adds a pleasant reverb effect. Bed~muddy again but highly adjustable.
I would rather turn music off than listen through a phone speaker. If you can't afford $20 for a Bluetooth speaker, put your phone inside a cardboard box to amplify the sound. You can experiment with different boxes to get the best sound.
@@bard119 I would rather listen through a tin can tied to a string than be as absolutely daft as you are. It’s a little bit of lighthearted humor man. Get over yourself. And what are you on about “if you can’t afford a good Bluetooth speaker...” I have all manner of excellent audio devices, none of which I bothered to employ to listen to this video while I did my laundry. Crawl back under your rock until you know how to say something not stupid.
I have this exact setup. A katana artist + victory kraken preamp and it growls. The amount of extra bottom end victory adds is admirable and not totally apparent on youtube. It also smoothens the top end a bit. May not be replacement for a tube head + 4 x12 but the fact that you can use it at bedroom levels (on 0.5W or 50W setting on katana) is a big bonus.
If you're a fan of the channel then you should know the sense of humor these guys have. Stop taking everything so seriously. 😂 I swear, the online guitar community is worse than a bunch of high schoolers haha
Haha yeah I agree, I also got baited but laughed when I heard the catch. I had a shite day so a laugh was welcome. Like you say, we should be used to the humor by now, they still catch me every April 1st
@Luke yeah it's definitely something I've noticed, but so be it 🤷🏻♂️ I'm just happy I don't live my life mad at every little, inconsequential thing haha
@@killainmaccallan4700 Yap exactly. I don't belong to any parties but it's clear who's the more decent one here. lol Not ganna say who but they always do disservice to themselves than anyone else. lol
@@thegreatcerebral he said "he didn't know" and even threw the question to the comments, to which, the above gentleman replied "yes." I too can attest that you absolutely CAN reorder the fx in the Tone studio software or whatever it's called.
Wow! The Katana sounds awesome without the Preamp pedals haha. The Katana really is an awesome little rig. It's my main gigging amp and also my recording interface. I slightly prefer the Katana Artist to the stereo 2x12.
That was a super hard choice for me .. I've watched many reviews and can't be sure which would make me happier but I ordered the Artist because it will be in my room 99% of the time and the one comparison of the two amps I could find the Artist sounded like it had more depth and detail
I used the Katana head as a power amp at some jams for a pedalboard rig and it certainly delivered the goods. Cheaper than most power amps, and lighter to boot.
By the way, using the software, you can choose the order of the effects. There's also a setting where you can have all the effects in the loop, so you can use all built in effects
Amp models are really staring to get close...5 years ago they where a million miles away but still impressive at the time coz 10 years ago they where 100 million miles away. They are still not quite there....Still cant quite do the pleasant creamyness of a real amp but its so close if your not doing a side by side you dont really notice the slightly more hifi quality of the digital stuff until you get a lovley valve next to it. However that being said we are starting to split hairs now which is pretty brilliant for anyone who doesnt have the space, money or a really good sound enginner. Great work as ever gents!
I bought my katana mk2 100 after seeing this video.. been a tube amp snob my whole life bit I heard the katana and couldn't believe how awesome it sounded.. I went down to GC and played one because I didn't believe the demo on TH-cam.?? Saying they have to be running it through something?? I bought it!! $399 !! WOW.. 🤘🤘I couldn't be happier
THIS VIDEO really helps us katana owners understand what the katana lacks, so we can find ways to mimic these valve sounds a little more with the build in eqs etc. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I think an interesting video would be to blind test some solid state and valve amps and have the player guess solid or valve. And see how close they really are.
So, I have had solid state, hybrid, and all-tube amps, and while you can tell on certain settings clearly, on some settings, the difference in how it feels when you play--the feedback I get when playing, let's say, is much more noticeable than any difference on playback.
I have two V4s (Countess aka "The Jack" now, Kraken)...they are so worth their money. And plus the Katana/V4 combo gets you a fully gig ready setup for under what the Victory head would cost on its own....which is amazing for being on a budget.
I used to have a solid state amp and at loud volume it kind of made a barking sound whereas a tube amp sounds spongier and more percussive like a drum. Much better bass sound from a tube amp. When Ministry toured in the 90’s they brought with them a tube powered PA. It sounded amazing
I am so glad you did this video. I literally was thinking of doing a v4 kraken pedal with my katana 100 2x12. And I'm pretty much convinced that I will go that route. the kraken really cleans up the gain, but also adds a wall of thickness and clarity that the brown channel doesn't have.
I put a Celestion Redback( which is 150w) in my katana 100 mk2 and it "corrects" a looot of the super high frequencies. It's a great upgrade, katana is now a new amp. 👍
EXCELLENT VIDEO !!! I loved every second of it. While the title is perfect crafted to be click baity but also accurate, I guessed at what you were doing even before I watched the video. I did a video recently on the Boss Katana MK1 (100 Watt Head) with the Kraken V4. I agree that for the Kraken it is very similar to the sound I'm getting out of the Kanata MK1 but the Kraken V4 makes it fatter, cuts some of the high end out and feels more responsive (or maybe just has a different response/feel). The point that was hit but I felt glossed over was the effects. I think the ability to still use the Katana effects is what makes the Boss Katana and the Victory V4 Preamps a winning combination. For example, I did this same setup with the Marshall Code head and while doing so, all the effects are bypassed and can't be used but with the Katana all or most the effects are available. The key to using the Victory V4 pedals with the Katana in regards to effects is selecting which chain to use. The Boss Katana MK2 has 4 different (effect) chains, depending what effects you want available to the V4 preamp would depend on what chain you use. Chain 1 gives you the most effects available and you could then program what effects you want on or off in the patch. The only effect that can't be leveraged with the V4 Preamps is the booster. So if you use a foot controller with the Boss Katana and Victory Preamp pedal, you could quickly change effects on the fly by selecting different "channels". Thanks again for such a great video and providing great content! Cheers
@Andertons Music Co: yeah you're right about the 50 watt version not having an Effects Loop. However, 50 watt has a special dedicated "POWER AMP IN" which does exactly the same in this situation, that is, to use a valve preamp into the Katana 50 and only using the Katana's power amp. No malice intended in this comment, I'm only writing this so everyone who may not be aware of this, and are considering buying the 50 watt but now wonders about using their Katana 50 in such a way, the answer is they CAN.
I have both a Victory V4 Countess and a V4 Kraken to use with my Boss Katana Artist. They both sound absolutely amazing with the Katana's power section and the 12" Waza speaker.
Rewatching this video now in 2023, these pedals make sense more for an orange super crush than a katana. Just for the tone difference that orange brings to the table.
Wow, the katana vs the kraken is so strikingly similar with the gains dimed. even when they were slightly lower gain settings they sounded really similar but with the victory preamp you could definitely hear some of those tubey-good harmonics more
You can do almost the same thing on the Katana 50, without an fx loop. Just plug your preamp pedal into the "power in" input on the back of the amp. You won't be able to switch between the preamp pedal and the Katana's in-built preamp, but other than that its the same thing.
It’s like the difference in the looks of a flame maple cap and a veneer. It’s close but there’s more depth in the tube preamp. I have run an Orange Micro Dark from the send to the Katana return.
You should do a blindfold test for this. Tube amp vs solid state (or even digital) amp, where you try to make the tones as close as possible to not give it away too easily. That way you could find out if this gap can be bridged with a good EQ and perhaps some tweaks to the gain settings.
Well done Captain ! "Bien joué" comme on dit ici !! You got me as a child, eyes wide open in front of the last biggest gift from Santa's beside the Christmas tree, and I felt laughing seeing the Victory's preamps on the desk at the very beginning !!! Amazing !!! Please don't change anything : forgive the few haters, we're many many more in real to enjoy your stuffs !! Merry Christmas et Bonne Année !!!!
At first I thought, these two guys are bullshitting me, but the longer I watched the video the better I got the idea, what the sense of this video is. This sense I found in Lee's words "If you've already got a Katana ...". Great video ...
Hello everyone I have a katana too I run the vox their new line of pedals I just use the three high Gain and the voxy 30 and 15 tone with the three different pedals and a power amp in I can feel the difference and I have to say it's lot cheaper than what you guys are offering at least in that video but you guys doing incredible job and keep up the good work
I'll put it this way... if I only heard the katana, I'd be super happy and impressed with the tone. But The Sherriff just sounds freakin awesome. The katana definitely sounds amazing for the price and for most people's needs though.
Still haven't convinced me to keep my Katana. I own the exact same one. Bought it because of reviews like this. Selling to fund me a Fender tone master twin reverb.
Depends what you play. If I played anything other than thrash metal I probably would have bought a different amp. But Katana first edition has suited me nicely with the Boss software. If I played professionally I’d have gone with Orange!
If you go into the Katana editor app you can reassign the built-in effects to either before or after the preamp. I usually just leave the "drive" one going into the preamp. I have the 50watt version so I don't really use the presets as much and I don't need much more than a bit of delay and reverb and a touch of drive into whatever amp mode I'm using. I love this test though. I do tend to prefer the tube sounds to the Katana, but Boss did do a great job in designing those amps!
I can hear the nice organic quality of the Victory preamps but the Katana also sounds really good. I can't complain about any of them. Adding a tube preamp seems like a great option to simply add a recognizable thick texture
I think the main difference is in the "depth" of the sound. Katana still sounds great but its a little bit more flat sounding than the valve alternative
To be honest, the Katana sounds pretty good. The pedals may sound slightly better but the Katana covers a wide variety of tones. Most of my amps are valves but I still enjoy playing my Katana Artist.
I literally cursed out loud when I saw the notification for this video because I bought a Katana head MKII just a month ago. Then I realized. Well played Anderton's
I’ve got the 50w Katana Mk I. I had an old Art Gold mic Tube pre amp knocking around. Ran the tube pre amp direct in the Katana, warmed it up nice and gave it a massive volume boost. I only play clean, perfect for me. Not really tried it on crunch or brown, but I’m sure it will sound great. There is probably many other tube gear you could experiment with, if you’ve got anything lying around, might as well give it a go.
Cool video, and I'm sure it has probably already been mentioned a thousand times in the comments section already, but in my experience a valve power amp section is actually what gives amps that valve amp sound&feel. This is why modellers into valve power amps is such a popular way to run them.
The thing is, you can tune the Katana to do the exact same thing. Shure, you have to use the software tone studio, but it is quite easy to handle and it has a massive impact on how the Katana sounds.
Sounds feckin’ awesome!! ... or as the greatest guitar player who ever lived (R.I.P) Allan Holdsworth, stated... I’m paraphrasing here: If it sounds good, who cares?
I’ve tried a couple Vox VTX’s before, and they’ve got that nice sorta midrange/low end warmth that amps with solid state preamps don’t seem to capture as well.
These V4s are brilliant. I have two...a Countess (now known as "The Jack") and a Kraken. I use them on my Boss Katana Artist which sounds even better than the Katana 100 they are using here. The power section is even class AB on the Artist. The best part?: A V4 and an Artist costs less than a standalone Victory amp head! The V4 is so worth it if you have a Katana.
Well, I have a Sheriff and a Kraken Preamp. I use them on a DI pedalboard set up in stereo with stereo Cabsim outs. Works well for live with in-Ears or recording and they sound really good. I haven't tried the Copper yet. Though I use lots of high gain and that one seems a bit more subtle
I was pleasantly click baited. A bad click bait is often followed up with Rick Astley’s glorious voice. Thank you Anderson’s for following up with not that.
I had a rig with three Katanas and tried a variety of tube preamps, all into the front of the amps. It could be a little piercing if I wasn’t careful but it did improve the sound of the Katanas. However improved is not the same as great. No matter what you do the Katanas will always have a “silently compressed” quality to them. I have three Marshall Origin 50 watts now and they do a much better job of taking my Kingsley Maiden D into the front of the amp without getting too fizzy.
Did you ever try to use Tone Studio? Did you ever try to adjust the global EQ, adjust the noisegate or any other implimented options of the Katana? If not, you have never realy used the Katana to its fullest potential and made a trade down with the Origins. The Katana on its own can sound like in the video or better if you tune it to your liking.
I actually really like Katanas, and I did tinker with the EQ and noise gate. The reason I went all tube is difficult to describe other than there is some sort of compressed frequencies between the frequencies that never go away. Kind of like the difference between a compressed overdrive and an open head room overdrive but more profound. Pound for pound you can’t beat the Boss for features, but the Origin as a platform for other pedals is definitely not a step down.
@@gregdittman7610 OK I should have made clear that in my opinion the Origin is a step down. For you it can be different of course. I don't really get what you mean with compressed regarding the Katanas sound though. The only thing that I can imagine is that you maybe used the combo versions, that lack in the high volume sound, because the speakers are full range and meant to sound best at low and medium volumes. Also the combos are not quite big enough to give you a verry powerful signal with enough low mids and low frequencies. Did you ever play the Katana Head or a combo version with different speakers? I can't imagine it being anything else, since the Katana is so diverse in its ways to adjust the tone, there is no way I can see that would make it sound overly compressed in every scenario.
I came back to this video after 2 years and it's always fun to see you guys talk and demo those magic pieces of gear. Now my question might seem dumb but I'm wonderning why didn't you use the power amp in of the Katana ? Thanks again for the great and entertaining content you always put out for us guitar geeks!
I'm literally thinking about upgrading to a v4 kraken in combination to my Katana for the last two weeks....Can you guys read minds?? Definitely gonna buy one after watching this!!
Really useful demo comparing these valve preamps and the stock SS preamp, reminds me again not to jump into a Katana without thinking hard about valve amp choices.
The last show I played I opened for big Canadian metal band called the Agonist, all I used was my katana V1 1x12 and they’re guitarist was like dude what’s your tone? And was blown away by the katana . I love mine only wish I had got the 2x12 as opposed to the 1x12
Hey guys great video, and something I had been wondering about. Much thanks and enjoyed as always. For the "Thumbs Downers" . . . They need to rotate, and insert where the sun don't shine!
Nothing bad here! Analoge pre amp and ss power amp is all nice and well!! Thank you for the ride! A, victory pre amp is almost more expensive than the 212katana 100w!!
I love my Kat 100 MK 2 but I don't play it without a couple of pedals in front to put some weight (feel) and variation in its tones. I input first to a keeley 4 knob compressor into a Wampler Equator eq and lastly an EH Soul Food. I also run delay and reverb pedals in the effects loop that mix with the Kat's internal verb and delay. I also swapped out those 4 big chrome screws on the grill for some smaller black ones. It not only sounds great now ...... but it looks a lot nicer too.
I have a mk2 katana, I think it stacks up very well vs the valve pre pedals. Given 15 mins with the katana editor I could get those sounds to be very close to each other. Nothing here that makes me regret my purchase. I guess if you want that valve sound but don't want to buy a new amp then this is a good option.
Can you guys do an updated video of this and include the Duchess AND the new V1's. And if you really want to help me in my journey of equipment, use the Katana Mk2 Artist. I know I'm getting that combo. But I've watched a lot of your videos, of course, and seriously was thinking of simply putting at least 3 of the V1's in front or somewhere in the mix of the Artist. The Duchess pretty much anytime a clean(ish) tone is on or anything smooth, and use the copper simply as a lead/boost (just to turn shit up when I need it) and the Sheriff for some marshal flavor. I mean come on. I would get the Krakan maybe last because what I want to know is,,, (explanation pause)... when you play those on this video, when you turn them on there is morrrreeeee presence or at least that's the way it sounds on this end. Fuller. More weight, deeper in a tube(y) way. And some use to say, more balls or more ballsy. And if I can get that, just that, along with what each of the V1's does best, I'm good! / Then on the flip side if I had the original/newer pedal, or both, could I just dial these tones in and be done with it. I don't think the Katana can reproduce these fuller valve/tube sounds and it's not really the sounds as much as the presence, and that's the word I'm going to stick with. But when you kick them on I can feel it from the speakers from the sub. I love that. I hope to see a video like this soon. I would so appreciate it and it would answer a shit ton of questions I have. Thanks for everything you guys do. Say hello to Leo for me :) Thanks.
Ahhh, ya got me.. Still really impressed by the pedals. Boss almost nails the brown sound. I would like to see an actual AC30 top boost go against the Copper. Didn't feel like that particular comparison was done justice.
I was affraid that my katana mk. II isn't best of the line anymore, but was happy to realise that indeed it still is, and I can get more out of it! Yay! Happy merry new year. Hopefully you'll get an eu warehouse one day and I can order my stuff from you in the future also.
Come on all you thumbs downers.... where's your sense of humour?! You know this channel likes to poke a bit of fun from time to time. Anyhow... the title is correct... we took a brand new Boss Katana amp & used it with a valve preamp. If you misread that as something else, its not our fault ;) Its actually quite interesting how well the Katana stacks up, and for all our fellow tier 4 people - there's nothing else to do but watch videos right? Enjoy, and have a very Happy New Year!
I fell for the title but I love this idea, the Katana's poweramp section is really great and reacts very well to whatever you send through it, it takes pedals very well and if you set the acoustic channel with the eq all open, it reacts amazingly to amp modelers! great video chaps!
I thought it was a cool idea ;)
Don’t worry about it people have lost their minds and senses of humour even more than normal with these useless lockdowns.
Right back atchoo guys and I fell for the title also whenever I see Katana, I click on it, you sneaky fucks😜😹😿😋
I reckon if you change the thumbnail to include the Victory stuff and take 'NEW' out of the title, people will shush.
Valves, solid state, whatever. I’m listening on a phone while I wander my house doing chores and the real tone battle is the surfaces I put my phone on. Kitchen counter~harsh and brittle. Laundry basket~mellow and sweet but a little muddy. Dryer~adds a pleasant reverb effect. Bed~muddy again but highly adjustable.
You’ve just given anderton’s a new blindfolded chappers test video
Dude: headphones only!!!
If you are finding your bed muddy I suggest you try plugging in some Imodium.
I would rather turn music off than listen through a phone speaker. If you can't afford $20 for a Bluetooth speaker, put your phone inside a cardboard box to amplify the sound. You can experiment with different boxes to get the best sound.
@@bard119 I would rather listen through a tin can tied to a string than be as absolutely daft as you are. It’s a little bit of lighthearted humor man. Get over yourself. And what are you on about “if you can’t afford a good Bluetooth speaker...” I have all manner of excellent audio devices, none of which I bothered to employ to listen to this video while I did my laundry. Crawl back under your rock until you know how to say something not stupid.
I have this exact setup. A katana artist + victory kraken preamp and it growls. The amount of extra bottom end victory adds is admirable and not totally apparent on youtube. It also smoothens the top end a bit. May not be replacement for a tube head + 4 x12 but the fact that you can use it at bedroom levels (on 0.5W or 50W setting on katana) is a big bonus.
If you're a fan of the channel then you should know the sense of humor these guys have. Stop taking everything so seriously. 😂 I swear, the online guitar community is worse than a bunch of high schoolers haha
Haha yeah I agree, I also got baited but laughed when I heard the catch. I had a shite day so a laugh was welcome. Like you say, we should be used to the humor by now, they still catch me every April 1st
@Luke yeah it's definitely something I've noticed, but so be it 🤷🏻♂️ I'm just happy I don't live my life mad at every little, inconsequential thing haha
@Luke agreed, bunch a boomer morons for the most part
@@valebliz They always say the left is very tolerant as demonstrated here. Nice loving people. Not at all hateful towards other groups of people.
@@killainmaccallan4700
Yap exactly.
I don't belong to any parties but it's clear who's the more decent one here. lol
Not ganna say who but they always do disservice to themselves than anyone else. lol
This video just made me want a Boss Katana. Dang good tones for a solid state.
I don't know- Katana sounds pretty damn good to my ears.
sounds better than those muddy preamps
You can re-order the position of the FX loop in the Tone Editor software so you can utilise the on board katana fx with the V4 pedals 😊
They should have said this. That was my first question. I mean at that point in time you are using the Katana as a multi FX processor and a cab.
@@thegreatcerebral he said "he didn't know" and even threw the question to the comments, to which, the above gentleman replied "yes." I too can attest that you absolutely CAN reorder the fx in the Tone studio software or whatever it's called.
@@thegreatcerebral More than that, because you're still using a solid state power amp.
Came to the comments to find exactly this! Thank you!
I try this already but isn’t possible. You only can use the delay and Reverb with the V4 preAmp
I always come back to this video to see how my katana should sound if I put some EQs or ODs before the preamp! Great Video !
Wow! The Katana sounds awesome without the Preamp pedals haha. The Katana really is an awesome little rig. It's my main gigging amp and also my recording interface. I slightly prefer the Katana Artist to the stereo 2x12.
Sneaky Amps & Dumble Amps. Give 'em a try.
I take my Katana and use the Ibanez re-issue tube screamer and run into the front of the Katana and it is right up there with my EVH.
That was a super hard choice for me .. I've watched many reviews and can't be sure which would make me happier but I ordered the Artist because it will be in my room 99% of the time and the one comparison of the two amps I could find the Artist sounded like it had more depth and detail
@@jessehutchings I think you'll like it. The waza speaker is outstanding. Also, it's convenient to have the controls on the front.
I used the Katana head as a power amp at some jams for a pedalboard rig and it certainly delivered the goods. Cheaper than most power amps, and lighter to boot.
Title almost gave me a heart attack as I just ordered the Katana just a week ago...
By the way, using the software, you can choose the order of the effects. There's also a setting where you can have all the effects in the loop, so you can use all built in effects
Amp models are really staring to get close...5 years ago they where a million miles away but still impressive at the time coz 10 years ago they where 100 million miles away. They are still not quite there....Still cant quite do the pleasant creamyness of a real amp but its so close if your not doing a side by side you dont really notice the slightly more hifi quality of the digital stuff until you get a lovley valve next to it. However that being said we are starting to split hairs now which is pretty brilliant for anyone who doesnt have the space, money or a really good sound enginner. Great work as ever gents!
Every time I watch this video, in the kraken vs katana part, I start to smile hearing how similar they sound
I bought my katana mk2 100 after seeing this video.. been a tube amp snob my whole life bit I heard the katana and couldn't believe how awesome it sounded.. I went down to GC and played one because I didn't believe the demo on TH-cam.?? Saying they have to be running it through something?? I bought it!! $399 !! WOW.. 🤘🤘I couldn't be happier
THIS VIDEO really helps us katana owners understand what the katana lacks, so we can find ways to mimic these valve sounds a little more with the build in eqs etc. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Have you made any patches?
@@paulsmusic861 for both the sheriff and kraken, but a ts in front, and use the post eq on the katana app to cut the fizzy treble
I think an interesting video would be to blind test some solid state and valve amps and have the player guess solid or valve. And see how close they really are.
So, I have had solid state, hybrid, and all-tube amps, and while you can tell on certain settings clearly, on some settings, the difference in how it feels when you play--the feedback I get when playing, let's say, is much more noticeable than any difference on playback.
I was really excited for a minute.
I fell for it too
Same
Samee😜
Same
Me too
Fell for the joke, but I have a katana and it’s really interesting to hear what these pedals and the amp can do. Really impressed with both.
ie, not the third?
@@stk7778 both the pedals and amp.
I have two V4s (Countess aka "The Jack" now, Kraken)...they are so worth their money. And plus the Katana/V4 combo gets you a fully gig ready setup for under what the Victory head would cost on its own....which is amazing for being on a budget.
Same here
What even was the old title?
I used to have a solid state amp and at loud volume it kind of made a barking sound whereas a tube amp sounds spongier and more percussive like a drum. Much better bass sound from a tube amp. When Ministry toured in the 90’s they brought with them a tube powered PA. It sounded amazing
I am so glad you did this video. I literally was thinking of doing a v4 kraken pedal with my katana 100 2x12. And I'm pretty much convinced that I will go that route. the kraken really cleans up the gain, but also adds a wall of thickness and clarity that the brown channel doesn't have.
This was a huge relief. I thought someone at Boss has become insane when I read the title.
I put a Celestion Redback( which is 150w) in my katana 100 mk2 and it "corrects" a looot of the super high frequencies. It's a great upgrade, katana is now a new amp. 👍
I've got a line 6 hx stomp going through my 100 watt katana's effects loop and I literally have any tone imaginable at my disposal. I love my rigg
EXCELLENT VIDEO !!! I loved every second of it. While the title is perfect crafted to be click baity but also accurate, I guessed at what you were doing even before I watched the video. I did a video recently on the Boss Katana MK1 (100 Watt Head) with the Kraken V4. I agree that for the Kraken it is very similar to the sound I'm getting out of the Kanata MK1 but the Kraken V4 makes it fatter, cuts some of the high end out and feels more responsive (or maybe just has a different response/feel). The point that was hit but I felt glossed over was the effects. I think the ability to still use the Katana effects is what makes the Boss Katana and the Victory V4 Preamps a winning combination. For example, I did this same setup with the Marshall Code head and while doing so, all the effects are bypassed and can't be used but with the Katana all or most the effects are available. The key to using the Victory V4 pedals with the Katana in regards to effects is selecting which chain to use. The Boss Katana MK2 has 4 different (effect) chains, depending what effects you want available to the V4 preamp would depend on what chain you use. Chain 1 gives you the most effects available and you could then program what effects you want on or off in the patch. The only effect that can't be leveraged with the V4 Preamps is the booster.
So if you use a foot controller with the Boss Katana and Victory Preamp pedal, you could quickly change effects on the fly by selecting different "channels".
Thanks again for such a great video and providing great content!
Cheers
The 50 Mk II has a "Power amp in" which will work just like an effects return for purposes of amplifying the signal of an outboard preamp.
@Andertons Music Co: yeah you're right about the 50 watt version not having an Effects Loop. However, 50 watt has a special dedicated "POWER AMP IN" which does exactly the same in this situation, that is, to use a valve preamp into the Katana 50 and only using the Katana's power amp. No malice intended in this comment, I'm only writing this so everyone who may not be aware of this, and are considering buying the 50 watt but now wonders about using their Katana 50 in such a way, the answer is they CAN.
Girth is the correct word. It's really incredible with a tube preamp
I've actually been trying to find videos of people using the Kraken pre into a Katana so this is exactly what I've been looking for. Thanks guys!
I can DEFINITELY hear the difference, and it's HUGE.
This is EXACTLY the video I’ve wanted to see. I have a boss katana 100 and definitely have wanted to hear these pedals into the Katana!!!
Same here.
Me too. I've been wanting to hear this for a while now
Yup, me too!
I'm guessing you just saved yourself from wasting 300 pounds in a Victory preamp.
I have two V4s and a Katana Artist...it's even better than what they even got because of the better Waza speaker in the Artist.
Just got a sheriff preamp from andertons for Christmas, what a great little box of tricks it is.
I have both a Victory V4 Countess and a V4 Kraken to use with my Boss Katana Artist. They both sound absolutely amazing with the Katana's power section and the 12" Waza speaker.
Rabea, you are the Master of Sound, thank you.
It has a valve preamp setup. The title is solid. THUMBS UP!
Rewatching this video now in 2023, these pedals make sense more for an orange super crush than a katana. Just for the tone difference that orange brings to the table.
Wow, the katana vs the kraken is so strikingly similar with the gains dimed. even when they were slightly lower gain settings they sounded really similar but with the victory preamp you could definitely hear some of those tubey-good harmonics more
You can do almost the same thing on the Katana 50, without an fx loop. Just plug your preamp pedal into the "power in" input on the back of the amp. You won't be able to switch between the preamp pedal and the Katana's in-built preamp, but other than that its the same thing.
I think you could get it closer to each other if you played with the EQ on the Katana
Get yourself a Vox VT40x. Solid with valve preamp! Amazing tones for days. But Katana is really great on its own too.
That was just cruel captain.
It’s like the difference in the looks of a flame maple cap and a veneer. It’s close but there’s more depth in the tube preamp. I have run an Orange Micro Dark from the send to the Katana return.
You should do a blindfold test for this. Tube amp vs solid state (or even digital) amp, where you try to make the tones as close as possible to not give it away too easily. That way you could find out if this gap can be bridged with a good EQ and perhaps some tweaks to the gain settings.
Well done Captain ! "Bien joué" comme on dit ici !! You got me as a child, eyes wide open in front of the last biggest gift from Santa's beside the Christmas tree, and I felt laughing seeing the Victory's preamps on the desk at the very beginning !!! Amazing !!!
Please don't change anything : forgive the few haters, we're many many more in real to enjoy your stuffs !! Merry Christmas et Bonne Année !!!!
At first I thought, these two guys are bullshitting me, but the longer I watched the video the better I got the idea, what the sense of this video is. This sense I found in Lee's words "If you've already got a Katana ...". Great video ...
Hello everyone I have a katana too I run the vox their new line of pedals I just use the three high Gain and the voxy 30 and 15 tone with the three different pedals and a power amp in I can feel the difference and I have to say it's lot cheaper than what you guys are offering at least in that video but you guys doing incredible job and keep up the good work
I'll put it this way... if I only heard the katana, I'd be super happy and impressed with the tone. But The Sherriff just sounds freakin awesome. The katana definitely sounds amazing for the price and for most people's needs though.
You can change where the effects are in the chain in Katana to a certain extent. There are 5 preset signal chains you can choose from
You can change the chain in any way you want if you use FxFloorboard instead of Boss TS. Much better.
Great video! You should make a video on how to set up the amp + pedal with the 4 cable method!
Still haven't convinced me to keep my Katana. I own the exact same one. Bought it because of reviews like this. Selling to fund me a Fender tone master twin reverb.
Depends what you play. If I played anything other than thrash metal I probably would have bought a different amp. But Katana first edition has suited me nicely with the Boss software.
If I played professionally I’d have gone with Orange!
For the money, Katana MK-ll 100 Head sounds great 👍👍
I think you just proved how good the Katana is. Very interesting how close they all are.
If you go into the Katana editor app you can reassign the built-in effects to either before or after the preamp. I usually just leave the "drive" one going into the preamp.
I have the 50watt version so I don't really use the presets as much and I don't need much more than a bit of delay and reverb and a touch of drive into whatever amp mode I'm using.
I love this test though. I do tend to prefer the tube sounds to the Katana, but Boss did do a great job in designing those amps!
The Katana II 50 has a jack on the back specifically for bypassing the preamp and using an outside preamp. I’ve done it several times.
Good to know, cheers
Really?!
@GOD&GUNS power amp in
the power amp in on the 50 cuts everything out basically making it a speaker cab you get none of the effects from the 50.
gosh darn it, I fell for the title lol.. well played!
See you next year guys. Stay safe. Always look forward to your videos. 👍
First, I fell for the title.
Second, I fell from laughter.
Thank you. You guys made my evening.
And third, the title isn't even a lie so.
I can hear the nice organic quality of the Victory preamps but the Katana also sounds really good. I can't complain about any of them. Adding a tube preamp seems like a great option to simply add a recognizable thick texture
I think the main difference is in the "depth" of the sound. Katana still sounds great but its a little bit more flat sounding than the valve alternative
Glad you got Rabea to demo this!
To be honest, the Katana sounds pretty good. The pedals may sound slightly better but the Katana covers a wide variety of tones. Most of my amps are valves but I still enjoy playing my Katana Artist.
I literally cursed out loud when I saw the notification for this video because I bought a Katana head MKII just a month ago. Then I realized. Well played Anderton's
I’ve got the 50w Katana Mk I. I had an old Art Gold mic Tube pre amp knocking around. Ran the tube pre amp direct in the Katana, warmed it up nice and gave it a massive volume boost. I only play clean, perfect for me. Not really tried it on crunch or brown, but I’m sure it will sound great. There is probably many other tube gear you could experiment with, if you’ve got anything lying around, might as well give it a go.
Cool video, and I'm sure it has probably already been mentioned a thousand times in the comments section already, but in my experience a valve power amp section is actually what gives amps that valve amp sound&feel. This is why modellers into valve power amps is such a popular way to run them.
The tube preamps have more low end punch than the Katana preamp. The "The Sheriff" preamp impressed me the most.
The thing is, you can tune the Katana to do the exact same thing. Shure, you have to use the software tone studio, but it is quite easy to handle and it has a massive impact on how the Katana sounds.
@@fredericsrhetorics6114 I agree, that software is magic
Sounds feckin’ awesome!! ... or as the greatest guitar player who ever lived (R.I.P) Allan Holdsworth, stated... I’m paraphrasing here:
If it sounds good, who cares?
I actually do this with my Katana, but I use the Synergy preamp (with Soldano and Bogner modules)
The Vox VTX has a preamp valve. Actually my favorite modeling amp, and it doesn’t get much love at all.
I’ve tried a couple Vox VTX’s before, and they’ve got that nice sorta midrange/low end warmth that amps with solid state preamps don’t seem to capture as well.
The Copper rocks ! The Sheriff is also very cool. And for the price, the Katana is a great amp.
To my ears, the Katana alone does the job. I think the pedals do add that extra something but the Katana by itself really holds its own.
A whole lotta thumbs down SMH. I definitely took the bait and it was a great laugh. Great idea guys Happy New Year's to everyone reading this! 🤘🏼🎸
"That sounds GREAT!" -- Says Bea as he's holding DP's Les Paul.
I was just thinking of trying this exact configuration with my new V4 Copper! Nice!
This video proves that not all clickbait is bad
Best Video Title of Year 2020!!!
It’s great to be aware of these options And how they sound, really appreciate your work and sharing!!
These V4s are brilliant. I have two...a Countess (now known as "The Jack") and a Kraken. I use them on my Boss Katana Artist which sounds even better than the Katana 100 they are using here. The power section is even class AB on the Artist. The best part?: A V4 and an Artist costs less than a standalone Victory amp head! The V4 is so worth it if you have a Katana.
@@TeslaOsiris I actually have the artist as well, even more ideas haha keep em comin
Well, I have a Sheriff and a Kraken Preamp. I use them on a DI pedalboard set up in stereo with stereo Cabsim outs. Works well for live with in-Ears or recording and they sound really good. I haven't tried the Copper yet. Though I use lots of high gain and that one seems a bit more subtle
I was pleasantly click baited. A bad click bait is often followed up with Rick Astley’s glorious voice. Thank you Anderson’s for following up with not that.
I had a rig with three Katanas and tried a variety of tube preamps, all into the front of the amps. It could be a little piercing if I wasn’t careful but it did improve the sound of the Katanas. However improved is not the same as great. No matter what you do the Katanas will always have a “silently compressed” quality to them. I have three Marshall Origin 50 watts now and they do a much better job of taking my Kingsley Maiden D into the front of the amp without getting too fizzy.
Did you ever try to use Tone Studio? Did you ever try to adjust the global EQ, adjust the noisegate or any other implimented options of the Katana? If not, you have never realy used the Katana to its fullest potential and made a trade down with the Origins. The Katana on its own can sound like in the video or better if you tune it to your liking.
I actually really like Katanas, and I did tinker with the EQ and noise gate. The reason I went all tube is difficult to describe other than there is some sort of compressed frequencies between the frequencies that never go away. Kind of like the difference between a compressed overdrive and an open head room overdrive but more profound. Pound for pound you can’t beat the Boss for features, but the Origin as a platform for other pedals is definitely not a step down.
@@gregdittman7610 OK I should have made clear that in my opinion the Origin is a step down. For you it can be different of course.
I don't really get what you mean with compressed regarding the Katanas sound though. The only thing that I can imagine is that you maybe used the combo versions, that lack in the high volume sound, because the speakers are full range and meant to sound best at low and medium volumes. Also the combos are not quite big enough to give you a verry powerful signal
with enough low mids and low frequencies.
Did you ever play the Katana Head or a combo version with different speakers?
I can't imagine it being anything else, since the Katana is so diverse in its ways to adjust the tone, there is no way I can see that would make it sound overly compressed in every scenario.
Power amp in dude
That Les Paul sounds immaculate through all of the different tone rigs
I came back to this video after 2 years and it's always fun to see you guys talk and demo those magic pieces of gear. Now my question might seem dumb but I'm wonderning why didn't you use the power amp in of the Katana ?
Thanks again for the great and entertaining content you always put out for us guitar geeks!
Delayed comment but yeah... It has an imput just for this...
Thats why Katana is the best pedal platform..
That guitar sounds incredible
I'm literally thinking about upgrading to a v4 kraken in combination to my Katana for the last two weeks....Can you guys read minds?? Definitely gonna buy one after watching this!!
Some Really Good Info And Knowing This Helps Without Spending Too Much To Find a Tone 👍👍🎶🎶🎸
Sounds fantastic
Katana sounded good at my end and can be tweaked any way you want. I would put the cost of the pedal towards an instalment payment for that PRS..👍🇦🇺
Really useful demo comparing these valve preamps and the stock SS preamp, reminds me again not to jump into a Katana without thinking hard about valve amp choices.
The last show I played I opened for big Canadian metal band called the Agonist, all I used was my katana V1 1x12 and they’re guitarist was like dude what’s your tone? And was blown away by the katana . I love mine only wish I had got the 2x12 as opposed to the 1x12
Hey guys great video, and something I had been wondering about. Much thanks and enjoyed as always. For the "Thumbs Downers" . . . They need to rotate, and insert where the sun don't shine!
Nothing bad here! Analoge pre amp and ss power amp is all nice and well!! Thank you for the ride! A, victory pre amp is almost more expensive than the 212katana 100w!!
NEURAL DSP QUAD CORTEX
+
KATANA MKII 100/212
+
MARTY FRIEDMAN TUBE BUFFER+
+
MARTY FRIEDMAN TUBE PREAMP
=
PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION SOUNDS!!!
I love my Kat 100 MK 2 but I don't play it without a couple of pedals in front to put some weight (feel) and variation in its tones. I input first to a keeley 4 knob compressor into a Wampler Equator eq and lastly an EH Soul Food. I also run delay and reverb pedals in the effects loop that mix with the Kat's internal verb and delay. I also swapped out those 4 big chrome screws on the grill for some smaller black ones. It not only sounds great now ...... but it looks a lot nicer too.
Y'all Crack me up! Great idea. However, Musicians on a budget buy the Katana Mkii because it's highly versatile and affordable on its own...
All I hear is Capitan saying: "Quaken"
Release the Quaken
Cue "Life of Brian" Pontius Pilate speech impediment quotes.
@@breadyegg Or the marriage scene from Princess Bride.
th-cam.com/video/3odMTPuzLwY/w-d-xo.html
i hear it has a pretty quacky strat tone
I have a mk2 katana, I think it stacks up very well vs the valve pre pedals. Given 15 mins with the katana editor I could get those sounds to be very close to each other. Nothing here that makes me regret my purchase. I guess if you want that valve sound but don't want to buy a new amp then this is a good option.
I would like to hear some different preamp pedals into the Katana, always a great video! Happy to see Reba in the studio! Way to go Andertons!
Can you guys do an updated video of this and include the Duchess AND the new V1's. And if you really want to help me in my journey of equipment, use the Katana Mk2 Artist. I know I'm getting that combo. But I've watched a lot of your videos, of course, and seriously was thinking of simply putting at least 3 of the V1's in front or somewhere in the mix of the Artist. The Duchess pretty much anytime a clean(ish) tone is on or anything smooth, and use the copper simply as a lead/boost (just to turn shit up when I need it) and the Sheriff for some marshal flavor. I mean come on. I would get the Krakan maybe last because what I want to know is,,, (explanation pause)... when you play those on this video, when you turn them on there is morrrreeeee presence or at least that's the way it sounds on this end. Fuller. More weight, deeper in a tube(y) way. And some use to say, more balls or more ballsy. And if I can get that, just that, along with what each of the V1's does best, I'm good! / Then on the flip side if I had the original/newer pedal, or both, could I just dial these tones in and be done with it. I don't think the Katana can reproduce these fuller valve/tube sounds and it's not really the sounds as much as the presence, and that's the word I'm going to stick with. But when you kick them on I can feel it from the speakers from the sub. I love that.
I hope to see a video like this soon. I would so appreciate it and it would answer a shit ton of questions I have. Thanks for everything you guys do. Say hello to Leo for me :) Thanks.
You had me there Andertons , I almost sold my mk2 for this valve one hahaha
SAME
Ahhh, ya got me.. Still really impressed by the pedals. Boss almost nails the brown sound. I would like to see an actual AC30 top boost go against the Copper. Didn't feel like that particular comparison was done justice.
I was affraid that my katana mk. II isn't best of the line anymore, but was happy to realise that indeed it still is, and I can get more out of it! Yay! Happy merry new year. Hopefully you'll get an eu warehouse one day and I can order my stuff from you in the future also.