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Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier review-big sound in a small package


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Review – One of the many hobbies I developed during the pandemic shutdown was bass guitar. I have played guitar since I was a kid, but I was always scared by the bass.It’s been almost twenty years now in the same band (insert shameless Spotify The plug is here) I often pick up the bassist’s guitar to mess with it during practice, but I have never mastered it. It took a year of pandemic self-isolation and practice to finally become proficient in bass, now it’s time to start buying some good equipment.

I have some reliable guitar amplifiers, but because bass guitars produce much lower frequencies, they require specially designed amplifiers to handle them. Playing the bass guitar through a standard guitar amplifier can severely damage it. Although for the Donner DBA-1 bass guitar amplifier I recently tested, this is not a problem at all. DBA-1 is very suitable for my needs. It is a practice bass amplifier, small in size but high in power. The DBA-1 is priced at $79.99, which is very suitable for beginners like me or as an auxiliary practice amplifier for professionals. DBA-1 not only sounds great, but it also has some additional features that make it a better choice.

What is it?

Donner DBA-1 is a 15W bass guitar amplifier with an auxiliary input jack and a headphone output jack.

The Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier is packed in a sturdy cardboard box, which is detailed with the Donner logo and amplifier specifications.

Everything is safely secured in a box with lots of foam and plastic for transportation.

What’s in the box?

  • Downer DBA-1 bass guitar amplifier
  • 1-Donner 10 ft 1/4 in (6.35 mm) instrument cable
  • 1 – 1/8″ (3.5 mm) male to male stereo audio cable
  • 2 – 1/4″ (6.35 mm) female to 1/8″ (3.5 mm) male adapter
  • User manual

Hardware specifications

  • Power consumption: 15 watts
  • Speaker: 6.5 inches, 8 ohms
  • enter:
    • 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) guitar input jack
    • 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) auxiliary input jack
  • Output:
    • 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) headphone output jack
  • Indicator: Power
  • Dimensions: 12.6 inches (320 mm) wide x 13.4 inches (340 mm) high x 8.86 inches (225 mm) deep
  • Power supply: AC adapter
  • Net weight: 15 pounds. (6.8 kg)

Design and features

Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier is very sophisticated, with some extra features, I was surprised to find it on such a cheap amplifier. These controls are fairly standard for the bass amplifier, master volume knob, and equalizer adjustments for treble, midrange, and bass.

There is no number increment on the knob, which is what I prefer. On the contrary, there is a big slash on the knob to mark 1/4 of the measured value, and a dash to mark smaller increments. The control panel is embedded to prevent accidentally touching the knob or power switch. The back panel is textured black plastic with the name of the control clearly marked in white. The main input is the standard 1/4″ port for the instrument cable.

Adding a 1/8″ auxiliary input port and a 1/8″ headphone output port does increase the value of DBA-1. The auxiliary input port allows you to plug in a separate audio source for performance, which is perfect for beginners or professionals who want to accompany the drum track. The headphone port can be used for practice without disturbing roommates or neighbors. There is a rocker power switch and a small red power indicator next to the port.

DBA-1 contains two 1/4″ to 1/8″ adapters and a 1/8″ male-to-male audio cable for auxiliary input ports.

Downer also put in a 10-foot 1/4-inch tilt instrument cable. The inclusion of adapters, audio cables and instrument cables does increase the value of the Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier.

DBA-1 has a black metal grille to protect the 6.5 inch 8 ohm hybrid cone speaker. The speaker is manufactured by Donner and has an outer paper cone and an inner aluminum cone.

The entire exterior of DBA-1 is covered with a thick carpet-like fabric to help silence and protect.

In order to further protect the amplifier from damage, all edges of Donner also have metal corners.

The power cord on the back of the Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier is 5 feet long and non-detachable.

The closed rear of the amplifier has an insert like the front, which is perfect for storing the power cord.

The top of the Donner DBA-1 has a sturdy handle, which is firmly fixed with a metal bracket.

Turn the DBA-1 over and you will find four rubber feet to help prevent it from sliding and preventing vibration.

Overall, the build quality of DBA-1 is impressive. It is sturdy and economical and can be thrown on the road without worrying about whether it will be damaged. Although the DBA-1 scores high on robustness, the real standard for measuring amplifiers ultimately lies in its sound quality.

Performance

I tested DBA-1 with my Squier Affinity series PJ Bass. Squier and DBA-1 are a perfect match because they are both super affordable, great for beginners, and they sound great.

The sound quality of the Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier really surprised me by such a small amplifier. DBA-1 has only one clean channel and no overload, so the notes are crisp and powerful, and will not be distorted at lower volumes. At maximum volume, the sound does start to distort and crack a bit. But because this is mainly a practice amplifier, and I live in a small apartment, I can’t see myself playing so loudly all the time. And because I live in such a small apartment, the headphone jack on the DBA-1 really comes in handy, especially when practicing late at night.

I’m not Bootsy Collins or Jaco Pastorius in bass, so I tested DBA-1 by playing some of my favorite bass lines. In the commented audio test, I played the bass line of the “Seven Army” by White Stripes. I chose this bass line because it is catchy, clear at a glance, and very easy to play.

I used the trusted Shure SM57 microphone to record my own performance of Squier bass through DBA-1’s external speakers, and then compared it through the headphone port directly connected to the computer’s audio interface.

The first audio sample is played at medium volume through DBA-1’s external speakers. This is the volume of the amplifier I mainly use in practice. In my opinion, the audio quality of the amplifier is very good. I wish I could say the same about the quality of the performance, but it was sufficient for testing.

The second audio sample was again played through the external speakers of the Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier, but the volume was much higher, as you can clearly see from the waveform. At this higher volume, you can hear some distortion in the sound, and the notes will be interrupted a bit. Out of respect for my neighbors, I didn’t play Donner at the maximum volume, but in any case I didn’t see myself using it at that volume. DBA-1 is actually a practice amplifier, so even if it can be played at high volume, it will work best at low volume.

The final audio sample is played through the headphone port of DBA-1. The sound from the headphones is very clean, clear, and powerful. This is my favorite way to practice when I really want to focus on what I’m doing. As can be seen from the sample, more practice is definitely what I need.

In general, the audio performance of the Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier left a deep impression on me. For the low price, I honestly didn’t expect it to sound so good, but Donner has a well-built, powerful small amplifier in DBA-1.

what do I like

  • Economical
  • Instrument cables, headphone ports, and auxiliary inputs are all great additional features
  • Quality build

Areas for improvement

  • High volume distortion
  • Gain control or overload channels would be great

Final thoughts

In terms of price, the Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier is an excellent, well-built practice amplifier for aspiring and professional bass players. Despite its small size, DBA-1 can still use its 15W power proficiently to make some loud sounds. The amplifier has a clean, crisp sound and may be distorted at higher volumes, but since this is more like a practice amplifier, I don’t think this is a big problem. Adding instrument cables, adapters, headphone outputs and auxiliary inputs makes the Donner DBA-1 15W bass guitar amplifier cheaper at a low price of $103.99.

Price: $103.99
Where to buy: Walmart or Give (Use code: litter thing 15% discount. Expires on December 31, 21)
source: The sample of this product is made by Give.

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