Donner DDP-100S 88-Key Digital Piano Bundle

 This is a very nice Digital Piano! Just to clarify up front, because it is a digital Piano it does not have the typical settings (organ, harpsichord, strings, etc.) settings that you might find on a standard keyboard, but the piano does sound very nice which you can hear in the short video. It has 2 speakers (about 6 inches each) underneath the main body that provide quite a big sound that is way more than enough for practicing at home. I’ve been playing with it for a couple of weeks now and have kept the volume less than half up and its plenty loud for playing with an acoustic guitar. However, there is a 1/4″ output jack that can be used to run to a PA system or amplifier and still allows the speakers to play. I have plugged into my guitar amp a couple of times and it provides a very nice and clear sound coming through a 12 inch speaker. On the other hand, there are also 2 headphone jacks that bypass the speakers that I have used several times when I don’t want to make noise.

The weighted key are nice, but a little stiffer than most piano/key I’ve played. It makes it a little awkward at first, but it not terrible to get used to. I was also really impressed by the fact that I could get 3 pedals for sustain and damping like a real piano. Obviously, the pedals feel a little different than a real piano, but it was easy to get used to. There is an input in the back for sustain pedal, but the 3 pedals used a MIDI type connection on the bottom. So I didn’t have a need to use it input on the back. There is also a 1/4″ Audio In on the back for plugging a microphone that can play through the speakers, which is nice if you are playing a small event that just needs a little vocal boost. The only downside is the Audio in doesn’t go through the Audio out, but I got around it but sending the sound through the Headphone jack.
The only 2 ports I couldn’t try out where the MIDI out and the MP3 in USB. My computer registered the MIDI out, but I don’t have the right software to utilize it and my MP3 cord died on me.
Last, but definitely not least, is the construction. It’s made out of fiberboard, but is pretty solid and looks really nice with the artificial wood grain. Its visible in a couple of the pictures, but looks much more realistic in person. It came in a single box that weighed 49 kg (108 lbs!). My advice, get a friend to help you carry it inside. It came in pieces like Ikea furniture, but it took less than 30 minutes to put together. It also looks so much nicer and crisper than a keyboard with a standard X-frame. Overall, its a pretty nice digital piano, especial for younger kids or if you are just learning.

The product is ideal for me as a beginner as it has MIDI and could be connected to the computer. I strongly recommend the beginners to look for Digital Pianos with this feature. The existing software and online courses are so convenient and cheap these days but without MIDI in Digital Piano, many of their features are useless. Fortunately this Digital piano has it and its quality and design is really good. Customer service of the company was very good, as well. As I did not find anything about MIDI in the manual of the product, I asked the manufacturer and they properly explained it to me.
In contrast, I am really dissatisfied with Amazon as they made me to move the heavy and big box of this valuable product with my sedan car! I specifically mentioned in the delivery instruction that they should call me before delivery, but nobody cared that and they sent it even one day before the day was mentioned on the website! So I had to refer to the moving company and take it! Never try to do that. It was a nightmare!

I settled on the Donner DDP-100 model after reading several reviews for this and other models. I was slightly nervous because reviews were a bit mixed recently, but thought it would be worth the chance, considering our needs (2 beginners…really all 4 of us are at a pretty basic skill level). We have to travel an hour to find a good piano shop that has a decent inventory and the high-end brands didn’t really have reviews that sounded all that much better compared to this one.

Packaging:
I will say that it came very well packaged: box was sturdy, pieces were securely fit in styrofoam, and each piece was individually wrapped in plastic to protect the finish. I assessed each piece for any signs of damage or defect and found only a small drip of glue on the front of the keyboard that is BARELY noticeable.

Assembly:
Again, reviews were mixed about how easy it is to get this assembled. Some swear it is a 2-person job, while others say one person can handle it. I was really nervous as I started to assemble the base because it didn’t seem terribly sturdy initially. It took a bit to get it all screwed together. One of the caster inserts wasn’t installed correctly and came out when I was trying to adjust a screw, but it was a very easy fix. Once the base was assembled, the whole unit felt more sturdy and it looked great. I was able to pick up the keyboard unit by myself and put it on the base without assistance. It took just a little bit of work to line everything up, so I could attach the keyboard to the base, but I’m pleased to say that yes, it is entirely possible for one person to assemble this without help. It took about 40 minutes to assemble and would have been less, had I not had the issue with the caster. Still, assembly was very easy and it looks great. There was just one little issue with one of the brackets that supports/connects the keyboard to the base being slightly lower that the others, so there is a visible gap, but the screw still was able to be secured at that corner and if I felt like it was a bigger deal, it wouldn’t be hard to fix.

Sound Quality/Playability:
Other reviewers note that it takes a little more effort to push the keys than other pianos, but honestly…not that much. It was very easy to adjust to the resistance of the keys and I think it will be perfect to help strengthen the fingers of our beginners. My daughter (age 7) sat down right away and started playing with no problem. As for the sound quality, WOW! If you were listening with your eyes closed, it would be difficult to guess that you were listening to a digital piano. The quality of the sound is incredible! They keys feel great; the foot pedals are nice. Everything about this looks, feels and sounds beautiful. We haven’t tried any of the additional hook-ups yet (audio in/out, usb jack, etc.), but I also don’t foresee us needing to use them all that often.

Overall:
I’m so glad I went with my gut on this one. This is a wonderful digital piano and I am excited for my family to use it.

I’ve had this for two weeks now and I love it. I feels very similar to a standard piano with the added benefit of being able to adjust the volume. I haven’t tried plugging anything into it yet…