Donner DDP-100 Digital Piano Review

Let’s take a look at a less-known brand Donner DDP-100 digital piano. It is one of the Donner upright digital piano series.

Donner is a relatively young digital piano manufacturer. It was founded in 2012 and started with guitar effect pedals, then branched out to digital pianos and other digital instruments.

It has gradually become popular for its simplicity and affordable musical instruments and accessories.

To help you know more about the Donner DDP-100, below is our in-depth review of everything you need to know about this digital piano.

Donner DDP-100 Specifications

DDP-100 Specifications
  • Keyboard: 88 keys, fully weighted keyboard
  • Sound: French Top DREAM sound sampling
  • 128-note polyphony
  • Tone: one voice – piano
  • Pedals: 3 build-in pedals (sustain/damper, soft, sostenuto)
  • Speakers: yes; 25Wx2 amplifiers
  • Connections: headphones, pedal socket, USB-to-Host, MP3 Interface, MIDI connectivity
  • Color: available in black or white
  • Dimensions: 54″ x 15.7″ x 33″ (1372 mm x 399 mm x 838 mm)
  • Weight: 88 lbs (40 kg)
  • Release Date: July 2019

Design

Donner DDP-100 is an affordable and high-quality piano that will perfectly suit the needs of anyone on a budget.

Though its quality is not up to the Casio and Yamaha models, it is still an incredible piano for beginner and intermediate pianists. Still, the design suits the advanced pianists looking for an instrument just for casual play.

The DDP-100 has a simple design that makes it hassle-free to assemble. Assembly can be done by one person, but it is a bit heavy with the keyboard. Hence, an additional pair of hands will be helpful.

donner-ddp-100-covered

Once assembled, it feels stable, and you can place it on a wide range of floor surfaces.

Everything in this instrument is made from high-quality materials. The cabinet is made of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) which is more durable and easy to maintain than pressed wood.

The texture on the piano stand and frame made it look like classic wood.

Overall, everything in this digital piano is made to last, and the piano will be worth your money.

The simple design comes in a compact size. You can assemble the piano and fit it even in the tightest spaces, especially if you have a small apartment. On the other hand, it doesn’t include a lot of accessories.

Its design is elegant, with only a few control buttons located on the left-hand side of the keyboard. The piano features a slide cover that prevents dust from entering inside the keyboard so that it can prolong the lifespan of the piano.

donner ddp-100 buttons

Overall, the design is simple and pleasing, and all the controls are straightforward.

Sound

donner ddp-100 grand piano sound

Generally, the most crucial part of a piano is the sound. The main advantage of this digital piano is that no tuning is needed. Sounds from the piano remain constant.

The Donner DDP-100 features Advanced Wave Memory (AWM) dynamic samples that produce rich and deep grand piano sound. It adopts the French DREAM sound that produces a realistic sound quality.

Though the sound quality may not be top-notch, it is still very impressive sound quality for this price range.

The sounds are still good enough for beginners, and they will help them only focus on the piano sounds without focusing on any other sounds.

Polyphony

Polyphony is the number of notes a piano can sustain simultaneously. You may think this digital piano cannot play a couple of notes simultaneously, but with the help of pedals, you can easily reach a higher level.

The Donner DDP-100 digital piano features a polyphony of 128, which is enough most of the time. It is perfectly suitable for beginners and intermediate pianists.

As you get used to playing this piano, you will reach a level where you can play the music that needs higher polyphony levels to perform at your best.

Speakers

speaker disected

The DDP-100 is equipped with two speakers with a 25W amplifier each.

The speakers are enough for a large room. You can have some performances playing in front of friends without external speakers.

Keyboard

donner-ddp100-keyboard

What you will love about the Donner DDP-100 is its weighted action. It has keys that work similarly to those of an acoustic piano.

The keys have a realistic weight, an added advantage for beginners and intermediate pianists as they continue mastering the finger technique and strengthening the fingers.

Because the keys are progressively weighted, a pianist can vary the touch of the keys from light to heavy. A player will get used to the keys and become a better pianist with time. So, the weighted design is important for beginning players.

Furthermore, we also love the textured surface, a nice touch on the keys that ensures your fingers don’t slip or sweat when you play for long periods.

keyboard

In addition, the keys are designed to be scratch-resistant to maintain their stylish color.

Controls

Increasingly many digital pianos furnish numerous features. These can be fun but come with a price. Those models normally are more expensive.

However, the many different functions might be essential for some pianists and a distraction for others.

For example, an instrument can have effects and sounds that might tempt beginners to try them even though they are not part of the fundamentals.

For concentrating on developing the fundamentals, the DDP-100 will fit the bill. It just has the piano voice, but also comes with some convenience that an acoustic piano cannot offer, like audio output and other connectivities.

DDP-100-controls

There is no control panel on the instrument which could mean less distraction for any players. The only controls are the volume knob and a power button, all located on the left-hand side of the keyboard.

The instrument includes 3 pedals that are pretty effective and functional. They are functioning like the pedals of an acoustic piano including sustain, soft, and sostenuto.

The base is made of sturdy plastic, but the pedals are made of metal to enhance good performance and durability.

Connectivity of Donner DDP-100

ddp-100 interfaces

The Donner DDP-100 has many connectivity features. The interface board is located under the keyboard which makes it easy to access without pulling out the piano.

Audio Interface

It supports external sound or headphones. For larger venues like schools or worship houses, you can use the audio interface to connect to externally powered speakers.

For personal use or practice during odd hours, the headphones will be handy.

MP3 Interface

It allows you to input and plays music from your MP3 device.

USB-to-Host Interface

keyboard and ipad

The USB-to-Host interface allows you to connect your DDP-100 to a computer to exchange the MIDI data. You can connect to music apps or record your performance on your computer.

To offer music lovers more help, Donner has a music app with free online courses that are easy to understand. You can download the App from the app store and learn music anytime.

Sustain Pedal Socket

This socket is actually where you hook up the triple pedal unit with the keyboard. The three pedals are fully mimicking the acoustic piano functions.

Pros & Cons

Pros Cons
128-note polyphony No Bluetooth connectivity
Three pedals – closely mimicking the acoustic piano Only one piano sound, no other instrument sounds
Compact & elegant design No built-in metronome
Powerful speakers Tend to overheat quickly
Suit for beginning and intermediate level players  
Quality piano for the great price  

Our Final Verdict for Donner DDP-100

4.0 out of 5.0

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Our review above shows that the Donner DDP-100 is becoming a popular musical instrument among value hunters.

For someone who does not need a great many features and tones, this digital piano offers good quality acoustic piano sound without the acoustic piano price and maintenance requirements.

Besides, it provides useful digital features like headphones, volume control, and MIDI connectivity.

With a simple design and many helpful features, it is one of the best digital pianos in this price range. It has a classic and elegant design with two color options that will blend well with any interior decor.

Overall, it is a good piano for beginners, intermediate, and professional players to play casually.

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