A valve device - comprising a valve housing and - comprising a valve piston which is arranged such that it can move axially within a piston bore of the valve housing and via which a first load connection and a second load connection can be alternately connected to a pressure connection and to a tank connection (T1, T2) by the action of a first electromagnet and a second electromagnet, - the valve piston being able to be moved out of a centred, middle rest position for connecting the first load connection to the pressure connection and the second load connection to the tank connection (T1, T2) in a first direction, and for reversed fluid-conveying connection of the connections (A, B, P, T1, T2) being able to be moved in an opposite direction, - a pilot control unit being provided which has a first pilot chamber which applies a compressive force to a first piston rear side of the valve piston and which has a second pilot chamber which applies a compressive force to a second piston rear side of the valve piston, - the first and the second pilot chamber (8, 10), each with one fluid-conveying connection (12, 13), being able to be connected to the pressure connection, - a first pilot piston and a second pilot piston being provided which respectively clear or block one fluid-conveying connection (16, 17) between the pilot chambers (8, 10) and the tank connection (T1, T2), - the pilot control unit being made in the manner of a spool valve, - at least one pilot piston (14, 15) having an annular channel on its outer peripheral surface which controls a fluid-conveying connection (16, 17) between the respective pilot chamber (8, 10) and the respectively assigned tank connection (T1, T2), and - a thrust force being able to be applied to the respective pilot piston (14, 15) by the respectively assigned electromagnet (5, 6) in order to bring about opening of the fluid-conveying connection (16, 17) from the respective pilot chamber (8, 10) to the assigned tank connection (T1, T2), characterised in that from the respective pilot chambers (8, 10), fluid-conveying connections (16, 17) in the form of narrow longitudinal channels, each with one radial branch duct which is kept short in length, lead to the respective annular channel, and that coming from the pilot chambers (8, 10) to the fluid-conveying connections (16, 17), one respective tank connection (T1, T2) includes respective other branch ducts and longitudinal channels which are opposite the shorter branch ducts and which lead to the respective tank connection (T1, T2) in the valve housing. - comprising a valve housing and - comprising a valve piston which is arranged such that it can move axially within a piston bore of the valve housing and via which a first load connection and a second load connection can be alternately connected to a pressure connection and to a tank connection (T1, T2) by the action of a first electromagnet and a second electromagnet, - the valve piston being able to be moved out of a centred, middle rest position for connecting the first load connection to the pressure connection and the second load connection to the tank connection (T1, T2) in a first direction, and for reversed fluid-conveying connection of the connections (A, B, P, T1, T2) being able to be moved in an opposite direction, - a pilot control unit being provided which has a first pilot chamber which applies a compressive force to a first piston rear side of the valve piston and which has a second pilot chamber which applies a compressive force to a second piston rear side of the valve piston, - the first and the second pilot chamber (8, 10), each with one fluid-conveying connection (12, 13), being able to be connected to the pressure connection, - a first pilot piston and a second pilot piston being provided which respectively clear or block one fluid-conveying connection (16, 17) between the pilot chambers (8, 10) and the tank connection (T1, T2), - the pilot control unit being made in the manner of a spool valve, - at least one pilot piston (14, 15) having an annular channel on its outer peripheral surface which controls a fluid-conveying connection (16, 17) between the respective pilot chamber (8, 10) and the respectively assigned tank connection (T1, T2), and - a thrust force being able to be applied to the respective pilot piston (14, 15) by the respectively assigned electromagnet (5, 6) in order to bring about opening of the fluid-conveying connection (16, 17) from the respective pilot chamber (8, 10) to the assigned tank connection (T1, T2), characterised in that from the respective pilot chambers (8, 10), fluid-conveying connections (16, 17) in the form of narrow longitudinal channels, each with one radial branch duct which is kept short in length, lead to the respective annular channel, and that coming from the pilot chambers (8, 10) to the fluid-conveying connections (16, 17), one respective tank connection (T1, T2) includes respective other branch ducts and longitudinal channels which are opposite the shorter branch ducts and which lead to the respective tank connection (T1, T2) in the valve housing.