GEAR REVIEW
DDP-80 DIGITAL PIANO : RETRO LOOK WITH TODAYS FEATURES | Eric Dahl
KEY FEATURES
• 88-Weighted Key Action
• Built-in Speakers
• Small Footprint
• Affordably Priced
Everyone is familiar with portable keyboards that you can pack up in a bag and put in the backseat of your car to take to the next Youth Camp . But there is still something special about having a well-built electric piano that maintains a place of prominence in the room that it stays . Whether that is at the front of the congregation , in a Youth music room or in your own home .
Donner has been bringing a number of costeffective musical instruments to the market in the past few years and the new DDP-80 Digital Piano certainly fits this criteria .
Assembly , which is primarily the attachment of the metal legs that are wrapped to appear like wood , took me about 20 minutes to complete from the time I opened the box . The triple sustain floor pedal is included and plugs in on the back of the piano . It features Donner hammer action II - 88 full sized and weighted keys made of ABS plastic .
The DDP-80 has the look of a vintage wooden piano the past , but the connectivity and features keep it modern . t has two x 20-watt built-in speakers that project underneath the keyboard . Connectivity on the back of the piano includes a USB output ( computer or tablet ), sustain pedal plug in , power plug , ¼ ” output ( PA or amplifier ) and a headphone output jack . When you plug in your headphones / earbuds it automatically disables the powered speaker so you can practice in silence .
The weighted keys are housed in a fruitwood cabinet that is reminiscent of a nice piece of furniture . The full range piano sound is achieved with what is termed AWM dynamic sampling and the new French Dreams Sound Source . The bottom line is the piano sound is much fuller than I expected from a piano this compact .
The DDP-80 can easily fit into small spaces since it only measures 53.86 x 17.91 x 29.33 inches , making it ideal for a limited space practice room , smaller sanctuary or in your home . The wooden music stand on top secures with thumb screws and can also double as a great place to display your tablet or smartphone for practice or tutorials .
The only thing missing from the Donner DDP- 80 is a bench to sit on , but an average chair will work , and Donner has a matching one available for $ 86.99 . Donner ’ s new digital piano looks , plays , and sounds like a piano that would sell for two or three times this much . Features that won me over are the weighted keys , real wood cabinet , small footprint , and sound timbre . My only negative points are that I wish it did include a bench and that the off / on switch was in the front under the keys instead of on the back of the piano .
Priced at $ 619.99 street this Donner DDP- 80 would be an incredible learning tool for a beginning musician , but also for anyone with limited space requiring a quality piano . In a youth group room , choir practice area or adult studies room the Donner Digital piano would be an ideal addition at a reasonable investment price . It ’ s also a lot of fun to play .
$ 619.99
www . DonnerDeal . com