Donner Arena 2000 Multi-Effects Pedal Review – Is It For You?

Multi-effects processors are the swiss army knives of guitarists, which offer all the different tones you need in a stompbox. With many different effects, amp and cab simulations, and extra functions like a looper, drum machines, and more, they offer amazing versatility to sculpt your tone and play.

Known for its impressive products with a high vale-for-price ratio, Donner released its new multi-effects pedal, Donner Arena 2000, for guitarists looking for a feature-packed, highly versatile, and affordable stompbox to sculpt their tones. With 278 effects, 80 amp models, 50 cabinet IR models, and 50 slots for loading your own IRs from third parties, Donner Arena 2000 has a lot to offer.

For the offered price, Donner Arena 2000 is a great multi-effects processor which has high sound quality with Donner’s Forward Analog Virtual Circuit Modelling technology. It also has plenty of ports for connectivity and extra features like a looper and drum machine grooves.

Pros	Cons
Great value for the price	The navigation between banks is not easy with the stomps
Versatile with a wide range of effects and amp modeling choices	Preset editing takes time with standard controls
Donner’s Forward Analog Virtual Circuit Modelling technology for great sound quality	Not the best default presets
Plenty of input-output ports
Android/iOS app that controls the pedal

On the drawback side, there are issues with navigation and editing, which are kind of difficult to manage with the standard controls on the processor. The lack of a touch screen is clearly felt as it takes a bit of effort and time to edit presets with the standard controls. Also, changing between banks is done by pressing two stomps at the same time, which gets difficult for me sometimes.

Overall, I would rate this pedal 4 out of 5 for the high sound quality and versatility it offers. The one-point break is because of the difficulties with the controls and navigation. But, overall, it is a great multi-effects processor when you get used to the controls.

Donner

As an increasingly popular brand, Donner offers great products for affordable prices for musicians. The brand stepped into the music world almost a decade ago and has provided high-quality instruments, musical gear, and accessories like effect pedals, multi-effects processors, and instruments with amazing value-for-price ratios.

The brand first got famous for its guitar effect pedals with high quality and affordable prices before releasing different products like multi-effects processors, musical gear, and instruments. Today they have a wide range of products from guitars to amps and ukuleles to pianos.

Donner is highly popular, especially among musicians with tighter budgets, thanks to their affordable yet handy and good quality products. The brand’s fame was slowly built with social media, online stores, music blogs, and websites, and today it is one of the first names that come to mind when talking about cost-effective musical gear.

Donner’s warehouses are located in the U.S.A. and Canada and across Europe. So if you buy a Donner product, it will be shipped from these warehouses. The delivery times are quite fast, and customer service is always apparent in case of any issue. So, Donner is a 100% reliable brand keeping customer satisfaction as its priority.

The Specs Of Donner Arena 2000 Multi-Effects Pedal

Let’s check the features of Donner Arena 2000 to see what it has to offer.

General

Model	Arena 2000
Casing	Aluminum housing
Color	Black and Gray

Dimensions 

Weight	3 lbs (1.36 kg)
Width	11.5″ (292 mm)
Height	2″ (50.8 mm)
Depth	5.8″ (147.5 mm)

Impulse Response

IR sampling rate	44.1 kHz
AD/DA	24 bit
IR sampling points	1024 points

Effects

Number Of Amp Models	80
Cab IR	50 + 50 free slots
Mic Simulations	10
Number Of Effects	138
Effects Blocks	10
Total Presets	150

Electronics

Input Impedance	470KΩ
Output Impedance	Unbalanced 100Ω Balanced 200Ω
Working Current	0.5 A
Led Indication	3.5” TFT color screen

Controls

Knobs	Output, XLR, assignable 1-2-3-4-5 knobs, headphone knob, main assignable knobs
Switches	A,B,C stomps and assignable expression pedal
Buttons	Comp, FXA, Drive, Amp, Cab, EQ, Ng, FXB, Delay, Store, System, Drum, Exp, Tuner, Loop, Ctrl, Output touch buttons

Input/Output

Input	1/4” mono audio input jack
Output	1/4” stereo audio output jack, XLR stereo audio output
MIDI	5PIN MIDI In port
External Expression Pedal Connection	1/4” stereo audio input jack
Stereo FX Loop	–
AUX In	1/8” stereo audio input jack
Headphone Output	1/8” stereo audio output jack
USB	Type-C USB port

Donner Arena 2000 is a medium-sized multi-fx processor that comes in aluminum housing with black and gray tones. It is a highly durable pedal with good build quality, as you expect from Donner.

The processor has a 3.5” TFT color screen on the front panel that shows the effect modules and helps navigate through different parts of the pedal, such as tuner, looper, effects, amp and cab models, and more. However, the screen is not a touch screen which would have made everything so much easier when navigating or shaping your tone.

The pedal is controlled with standard touch controls next to the screen. There are Comp, FXA, Drive, Amp, Cab, EQ, Ng, FXB, Delay, Store, System, Drum, Exp, Tuner, Loop, Ctrl, and Output touch buttons to shape your tone. 

When you select a mode, you can use the Output, XLR, assignable 1-2-3-4-5 knobs, headphone knobs, and main assignable knobs for adjustments. Plus, there are A, B, and C stomps and assignable footswitch expression pedals to use while playing. The A, B, and C stomps help go through presets, and when you press two of them simultaneously, it changes the band to reach different presets.

The connectivity options of the pedal are plenty as it has the classic 1/4” mono audio input jack, 1/4” stereo audio output jack, and XLR stereo audio output, as well as a 5PIN MIDI-In port for using external MIDI devices with the pedal.

Furthermore, there is a 1/4” stereo audio input jack for connecting an extra expression pedal, a 1/8” stereo audio input jack as an AUX-in port, a 1/8” stereo audio output jack for headphones, and finally, a Type-C USB port to connect the pedal to your computer.

Donner Arena 2000 Multi Effects Pedal Manual

The manual can be downloaded also from their download page in the guitar effect pedal section under the ARENA 2000.

Donner Arena 2000 Multi Effects Pedal Features

Effects

Donner Arena 2000 features 278 effect types to choose from. The multi-fx processor is highly versatile with its range of effects, and it offers 10 effect modules to build your tone. The effect modules available are Compressor, FxA, Drive, Amp, Cab, EQ, Noise Gate, FxB, Delay, and Reverb.

To sculpt your tone, you can customize the signal chain as you desire with the moveable effects blocks for flexible signal routing. So, you can customize the order of effect blocks to have different tones. There are 150 presets with 50 Banks x 3 Presets to save your own presets.

Amp Modeling

When it comes to amp modeling, Donner Arena 2000 is quite versatile with 80 hi-res amp models. The amp models sound quite realistic with the FVACM (Forward Analog Virtual Circuit Modeling) Technology.

IR Speaker Simulations

Another important aspect that increases the pedal’s versatility is the IR speaker simulation choices. Donner Arena 2000 provides 50 built-in cab IR models with the option of 50 Slots for loading 3rd party IRs. 

You can load the third-party IRs with the help of the software to have your own IR speaker simulations ready in the pedal. As amps require the right cabs to perform the best they can, this module and a high range of choices are quite important.

Tuner

As with most multi-fx processors, Donner Arena 2000 also has a built-in tuner. You can access the tuner by pressing the touch tuner button on the pedal.

MIDI

Donner Arena 2000 features a 5-pin MIDI in port on the backside of the stompbox to use the pedal with MIDI devices. You can easily connect external MIDI devices to the pedal through this port.

Drum Machine

The Arena 2000’s drum machine features 40 Patterns to choose from if you want a rhythm background to your playing. 

Looper

Donner Arena 2000 also has a 60-second looper with reversed-double Speed-half speed adjustment options.

Expression Pedal

Donner Arena 2000 comes with an assignable expression pedal on the side of the stompbox. You can use it by assigning volume or any effect to the expression pedal, changing it as you like. If you need an extra expression pedal, there is a 1/4” stereo audio input jack for connecting an extra expression pedal to Donner Arena 2000.

Donner Arena 2000 Multi Effects Pedal Sound Quality

Overall, Donner Arena 2000 is a quite good-sounding and versatile multi-fx processor. The pedal uses FVACM (Forward Analog Virtual Circuit Modeling) Technology which provides the characteristics of classic guitar tones and amps excellently. This way, the tones get much more dynamic and layered.

The pedal also features high precision with 24bit/44.1kHz audio processing, which increases the sound quality significantly. 

Arena 2000 has an IR sample length of up to 23.2 ms, which greatly reproduces the acoustic environment of the collection space. With this feature, tones get a greater dynamic range and amazing spatial authenticity.

The pedal offers some presets to start playing immediately, but they need a bit of adjustment, at least in my opinion. The default presets are not the best, which is a con for the pedal. After the adjustments, you can get some great tones out of the pedal, but the navigation and adjustments with the standard controls take some time.

Also, the name of the presets do not give much information about them, which makes things more confusing and time-consuming.

In short, the pedal sounds pretty good and features high versatility. But, tone-shaping processes can be a struggle and take some time.

Donner Arena 2000 Editor Software

Donner Arena 2000 comes with editore software, making it much easier to control the pedal and create or customize your presets and tones. You can use the editor software for the PC or smart devices. The smart device app comes for both Android and iOS.

The mobile app can be downloaded by scanning the QR codes in the manual which can be found on page 11 or you can use the links above. As for the PC editor Software, you need to download the “Donner Control” which can be found on Donner’s download page under the Guitar Effects Pedal in the ARENA 2000 section, or use the links above.

The editor software is pretty standard, with effect blocks and different effect options for each block. So you can basically create your tone easily without the hassle of navigating with the standard control on the control panel of the pedal.

You can turn on any of the 10 effect blocks and choose which effect you want to have in the block, adjust the parameters, download and use third-party IRs, adjust the expression pedal function, and more.

There is a problem with the PC software as it is not able to recognize the pedal for some reason. I contacted Donner and let them know about this issue. If anything changes I will make sure to update it here.

Furthermore, there are a couple of things you need to make sure to work with the iOS/Android app. First, you need to ensure that the pedal’s Bluetooth lock is disabled. You can find the switch in the general settings.

Then, you need to enable Bluetooth and GPS (location) services. And finally, you need to use the app to connect to the pedal. You need to press the Bluetooth icon, and you should already see the pedal on the list. If you do not see the pedal on the list, you should make sure you made the first two steps properly.

The smartphone app make things much easier and faster for navigation and editing, so this is a huge plus for the pedal.

Donner Arena 2000 Is Perfect For Whom?

Donner Arena 2000 is a perfect pedal for beginner and intermediate guitarists who want high versatility with an all-in-one style pedal to jam with friends, practice, have small concerts, or learn about tone shaping and different tonal sculpture processes.

The pedal provides a great range of effects, amp and cab simulations to explore the tone-shaping world for beginner guitarists. It can be used for any genre as its versatility is quite high. 

The pedal is quite compact if you consider the many different effects and tones you can reach with it. Instead of carrying a whole analog setup traveling with this multi-fx processor can be a good idea for traveling musicians.

I would not recommend this pedal to professional guitarists or guitarists looking for a multi-fx processor to use on the stage. Navigation through different presets and tonal adjustment processes are not very easy, which can be frustrating on many occasions.

But, if you have the time and patience and looking for an affordable multi-fx processor with high versatility, decent quality, and durability, Donner Arena 2000 is a great pedal to have.

Donner Arena 2000 Multi-Effects Pedal Compared To Other Pedals

Mooer GE200 Multi-Effects Pedal

Mooer GE200 and Donner Arena 2000 have very similar designs and functions. Mooer GE200 is a great all-in-one multi-fx pedal with a good range of amp and cab models for quite an affordable price. It comes with a 55 amp, 26 speaker IR models, 70 effects, a tuner, and a looper.

Compared to Donner Arena 2000, the sonic versatility is slightly lower in Mooer GE200; however, the difference is not that big. Where these two pedals are highly similar is the design and physical properties of both pedals.

Mooer GE200 only offers an input jack, stereo output jack, control jack, USB, and headphones ports, while Arena 2000 also has MIDI-in and extra expression pedal ports.

The price difference between the two pedals is very small, as Mooer costs slightly higher.

Harley Benton DNAFx Pro

Harley Benton DNAFx Pro is another great multi-fx processor with 63 studio-quality digital and analog effects, 51 professionally voiced amplifier models, 31 cab models, a tuner, looper, and drum machine with 8 rhythm styles with 10 different grooves for each, and MIDI support.

In comparison, Donner Arena 2000 has more effect, amp, and cab models than Harley Benton DNAFx Pro. The functionality of both pedals is quite similar, as you can select one effect for each module, and the navigation is done with standard controls. The transition between preset groups and banks is done by pressing the two footswitches at once which can be difficult sometimes.

Harley Benton DNAFx Pro has four footswitches and fewer knobs in the physical design, which makes it a bit more simplistic and easier to use. 

Besides those, both pedals have high value-for-price ratios. Harley Benton DNAFx Pro costs slightly less than Donner Arena 2000.

Flamma FX200

Flamma FX200 also has many similarities with Donner Arena 2000 as it comes with 10 effects modules with 160 different types of effects in total, 58 amp models, 30 high-quality cabinet simulations along with the option to load 50 third-party impulse response files through the software, a built-in tuner, looper, and MIDI support.

The sound quality of both pedals is similar, but Flamma FX200 offers a bit more authenticity, in my opinion. 

The sonic versatility is slightly higher with the Donner Arena 2000, but Flamma FX200 is much easier to use thanks to its 5” touch screen. The touch screen makes the tone-shaping process quicker and easier.

The connectivity options of the Flamma FX200 are also greater as it has a 1/4” mono audio output jack of FX LOOP 1/4” mono audio input jack of FX LOOP ports.

As Flamma FX200 offers a bit more than Donner Arena 2000, the prices are shaped according to that. Flamma FX200 costs significantly more than Donner Arena 2000.

Other Donner Products Worth Checking Out

Donner Multi-Pad100 Multi-Effect Pedal

Donner Multi-Pad 100 Multi-Effects pedal is a portable stompbox with amp, cab, mod, delay, reverb effects, tuner, and drum machine functions. It offers 5 different effects, including reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, and tremolo effects, 7 amp models, 40 drum rhythm grooves, along with a built-in tuner for guitar and bass.

Alternatives To Donner Arena 2000 Multi Effects Pedal In Terms Of Look, Feel, Sound, Specs, And Price

Mooer GE200 Multi-Effects Pedal

Mooer GE200 is highly similar to Donner Arena 2000 in terms of design and functionality. The pedal offers 5 high-quality amp models, 26 IR (impulse response) speaker cab models, 70 high-quality effects, 40 drum rhythms and 10 metronome rhythms, a 52-second looper, and many other functions.

The price ranges are also similar, as Mooer GE200 costs slightly more.

BOSS GT-100 COSM Amp Effects Processor

BOSS GT-100 COSM Amp Effects Processor is a highly popular and one of the best multi-fx pedals in the price range. With the Boss quality, the pedal offers hundreds of different effects and advanced COSM amp models to excellently replicate some of the most classic vintage amp tones.

The sound quality of the effects, as well as the amp and cab models, are amazing with this pedal. Plus, it features two LCD screens making the navigation and tonal adjustments process music easier. You can build your tones from scratch with the EZ Tone feature and a graphical tone grid.

OD-DS function of the pedal is another unique aspect as it allows the players to create original amp models, overdrive tones, and distortion effects brilliantly.

The design has six footswitches, additional buttons for control, an expression pedal, and an overall volume knob, along with stomps for navigating through the banks.

BOSS GT-100 COSM Amp Effects Processor is a higher-end pedal with much more versatility and sound quality compared to Donner Arena 2000. But, of course, this difference is reflected in the price tag as Boss GT-100 costs significantly more than Arena 2000.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro

As mentioned before, Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro functions in a very similar way to the Donner Arena 2000. The DNAfx Git Pro offers 63 studio-quality digital and analog effects,  51 professionally voiced amplifier models, 31 cab models in the unit, and support of third-party IR files, tuner, MIDI compatibility, 8 drum track rhythm styles with 10 different grooves for each, a 52-second looper and an expression pedal.

The designs are also very similar, along with the sound quality of effects and amp models. There is not much that separates these two pedals besides the fact that DNAfx Git Pro has four stomps, while Arena 2000 has three.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro costs slightly less than the Arena 2000.

Conclusion

Donner Arena 2000 is a great multi-fx pedal overall with its high range of effects, amp and cab simulations, great FVACM (Forward Analog Virtual Circuit Modeling) Technology for high realism, and decent extra features like a tuner, drum machine, and looper.

It is a bit hard to control the pedal with the standard controls as it takes too much time to shape tones this way. Also, going through presets by pressing the two stomps at the same time is quite hard sometimes.

But, besides these issues, it is a good pedal with an amazing value-for-price ratio to have while practicing, jamming, and recording, as well as in small concerts.

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Last update on 2024-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API