Donner Arena 2000 Multi Effect Unit - $270 MultiFx with plenty of knobs and stuff

[@davidwoods358]

I am constantly amazed at how much they can stuff into these little boxes for such reasonable prices these days. Like every modeler out there, I believe rolling your own presets obtains the best results. The basic amps and effects sound good with tons of options to play with here. I think I could make this sound like gold. If someone would have built a box like this back in the early 70's it would have cost about 100K to own one. This new technology astounds me.

[@KennethDonnellyStargazer21]

Exactly. Most people today don't realize how much is accessible to them for reasonable prices compared to the 70s or 60s. A good time to be a guitarist or any electric musician I guess 🎃 Something else that keeps me rolling my own is switching cabs and mic models (!!)

[@shuster1921]

Well, I'm all for rolling my own😂🤣😜🤪

[@edwinstovall3334]

Okay, I bought one of these for my 65th birthday (6-12-1958, do the math!😎), and I slowly climbing the learning curve. I'm not messing around with the front panel, though -- I never do. Instead, I've been acquainting myself with the applications for Windows and for Android. Peculiarly, I think there are some things only accessible from the front panel -- which is weird to me. Maybe I haven't found them in the apps, yet. So far, I'm liking some of the clean tones. I'll get to the drive tones later. So far, so good -- but my old DigiTech pedals had a few tricks this one doesn't. Not time to retire them entirely, then. Might be time to re-tube my even older Zoom pedal. Anyone remember their G9.2tt Guitar Effects Console? Uses 2 12AX7s? I think I need one or even two. The new stuff may be good, but that doesn't make the old stuff bad. Not working does!😆

[@justinbutler3465]

I bought one recently and used it for the first time last night at band practice! Sounded really good! I didn't download any IRs, I just tweaked the Trivium and Lamb of God presets and ran it with the cab sim off in to the effects loop of my amp!

[@Jason31256]

do you still use it?

[@irife2771]

I saw an ad on facebook for one for like $260 USD on amazon and now I have gone down a rabbit hole. Its pretty crazy what you can get for under $300 these days. I am not in the market for one (I have a fractal) but its pretty cool to see something like this. I would have killed for this when I was starting out.

[@MichaelThomas-ll1hw]

The greatest surf rock guitarist alive 🙌 🏄‍♂️ 🎸

[@Eddyvnhln5150]

I agree

[@HeelBJC]

I like to think that Ryan plays surf music at his worship gigs.

[@IndyRockStar]

you know it's gotta be good when the leading selling point is "plenty of knobs and stuff".

[@MrSpeed-lt8gr]

I would imagine just like any multi effect; if you really take the time to dial it in, I can sound great. I’ve never had that kind of patience so I still use old school pedals.

[@jameslewis2635]

But once you set up the multi-fx units with the sound you need never have to change that sound which is a lot easier than old style pedals. It is my experience that guitarists with a bunch of pedals spend a quarter of any practice session fiddling around with them trying to get the sound they want which always escapes them first time. With a multi-fx you just select the patch and go because it is the same every time.

[@IndyRockStar]

The truly great (and much more expensive) modelers are pretty much dialed in out of box. I have the Quad Cortex and before that I had the Helix. I do tinker with settings because....I'm a guitarist, but if you never touched a single block you could use it on stage the same day you got it. This one on the other hand, I fear, will take a lot of coaxing to get something somewhat passable.

[@coolboy-qc4eb]

@@jameslewis2635 this is whats up. pedals is hard to be consistent everytime. its a dying breed tbpfh.

[@KennethDonnellyStargazer21]

@@jameslewis2635 and locked into memory patches! 😎 No comparison in convenience. I love this pedal but I have too many now 🎃

[@stevefowler4427]

I own a pod go and would never trade it for that. You can stack delays fyi. I use 2 in a few presets. One for bounce and the other for stereo effect. can also stack other effects. You are limited to 4 slots, but there are a lot more choices, way more settings, and an fx send and return.

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

If you are on a budget the modeler to get is the new Valeton GP-200LT. Their approach is to make the pedal user friendly, with sounds you really NEED not a lot of SciFi crap that can not work on the tunes you play. Best of all it is to have NO EXCUSES quality in getting the amps authentic and can hold their own again all the modelers regardless of price. It is $280.00 USD and you can buy it direct. $280.00 USD.

[@willtato8778]

Honestly, after watching this vid, I couldn't agree more

[@russellperry8635]

I got the full GP200 for $270 from Amazon. It’s got 8 stomp buttons so quite a bit of flexibility and capability on the floor without needing as much fiddling with the knobs.

[@wyldemusick]

I'm the weird guy who uses the sci-fi sounds, so this is interesting...though I'm pretty well stocked between Line6 and a metric ton of software.

[@Eddyvnhln5150]

Could be a hope for Spring (reverb) video 😂

[@ewm416]

Great review. I appreciate the honest fumbling. Makes your videos legit. Lost me with the spring reverb. How can you have a modeler without good spring reverb.

[@jasonsmith1133]

I think these are amazing. I love individual stomp boxes but I am poor so I can’t feasibly do that. I use a boss katana and ga/fc foot switch as my gigging rig. I have it dialed in to sound as close to a tube sound as I can and just have a few effects that I run. I have a few individual pedals but most of my effects are done through the katana.

[@davidbergewaytogo]

A pedal rig can get complicated to operate if you need multiple tones in a live situation, and the cabling can get messy… multiple points of failure. After 30 years of guitar playing, I try to keep things simple and reliable. Pulled the trigger on this!

[@bikersoncall]

​@@davidbergewaytogo How do/did you like this processor, what kind of tones were you able to find with it, that seem 'authentic' ?

[@Burricane26]

I honestly can't think of a better at home practice set up with how many tones are available and at such an affordable price. I can't really play my AC30 at home anymore with a little one in the house so I'm definitely considering this. Thanks for the most thorough review of this so far! Everyone seems to focus on the metal tones and not the clean options.

[@BigdaddiZ]

It’s not pink though

[@bivotarshamble3672]

Only on the inside 😬

[@braxtonbrinson5224]

:c there's no jello kitty on it ....damn

[@dnamusicchallenge5995]

Not flamma enough? Haha

[@epiphonium]

The menu system or interface would be the most important thing to me. Like most pedal demo videos nobody starts with a completely clean dry signal. Sounds like you start with some reverb on. Still this looks pretty interesting for the price. I have a clunky old BOSS ME-33 so I'm sure this would be an upgrade.

[@drawstraw4483]

My apologies 🙂 i shot my question before the totality of the video. Just excited i guess! Great 👍 demo thanks

[@_OopsieDaisies]

Really goes to show that it pays off to read the manual in a lot of situations. I admit it i'm a manual reader

[@smiley50ish]

Great video just bought one

[@barnshart9662]

THIS IS A GOOD VIDEO AND 60 CYLCLE HUN IS A GOOD KZbin CHANNEL

[@schreds8882]

I'd like to see a comparison of the Arena 2000 with a PodGo. See how it compares with the higher end units. Against a full Helix, it won't come close but against a Pod Go would be interesting to see.

[@TheSammyreynolds]

This thing it's close to a PodGo. A PodGo has the Helix engine in it. This thing sounds like an old school pod.

[@CL_Audio_Tuning]

Hey Ryan! You need to test the Valeton GP series, either the 200LT or the 200, you probably will love it! Its really good and for the money you just cant beat it!

[@paulkorchok6567]

I second this!

[@alseveron6558]

Good review. I wonder why the user manual doesn't list the effects. Anyone got a link to the FX list?

[@leszeks8436]

Amazingly beautiful clean channels and distortion too? Fany, Is it possible to extend the replacement of the footswitches with others on the cable

[@paulkorchok6567]

Lol. Thanks for the great review. I subscribed within 45 seconds just because of the insighful analysis of the 2000 name. Cheers!

[@russellperry8635]

I think Donner and Valeton are the same company. I got the Valeton GP200 off Amazon for $270 which I think is a better value. I would guess it’s the same amp and effects models but comes with 8 stomp buttons instead of 3, and quite a bit more connectivity.

[@mahmam3128]

Nope, they are different, the hotone ampero, the first one and valeton 200 are the same thing, both are better than this one tho

[@ehdforlife]

The Punk preset sounded great

[@thedeadxtras9927]

HoHoHo!! Great colour coordination with your Christmas top and guitar. Also love the Inspector Gadget riff and the Charlie and the chocolate factory riff, better than playing blues riffs through a tube screamer which 98% of KZbin pedal reviewers play which my opinion is I find it boring!! Good review though Ryan cheers

[@Narrowboat.and.offgrid.living]

You can use a Bluetooth app on your phone that makes using the pedal so much more easy

[@GuyHarrison-nm1xt]

Can u connect a external distortion pedal threw send &return with s/r on the lay out. So u can auto turn the external pedal off and on like the mg30

[@Eddyvnhln5150]

For a second I thought you were going for Strawberry field’s forever 😊

[@TheDrunkenScoundrel]

Perfect color combo...Nightmare Before Christmas....

[@johnmoser1162]

Great review - would appreciate if you could review Valeton GP 200.

[@russellperry8635]

I have the GP200. I think it’s the same company that owns Donner, so would expect the amp and effects models to be the same.

[@briandipierro8865]

I have been really wanting one of these since I saw them show up, but I don't know. I was using a recent Vox Stomplab, one of the really small ones with an expression pedal and I loved the sounds, but that thing was so confusing to use so I ended up selling it. I feel like this is way more accessible than that was, it confused the hell out of me to change my settings of a preset. I'm still doing my research.

[@KennethDonnellyStargazer21]

Determination will pay off.. but tweaking is either in your blood or not. It's all over mine, so I have come up with sounds I would not have imagined years ago 🎃

[@bivotarshamble3672]

Dude you left the volume all the way up just about on the amp model there for awhile and then wondered why the hum . 😐 Lol, I know you are just having fun 😊

[@SkeeterMcBeater]

I have a solid state 2x12 Princeton

[@teknomanning]

You would fit right in playing in Nigeria👍🏿🕺🏿🕺🏿🕺🏿 the outfit and the guitar

[@TheRealxVincent]

That's an exceptionally nice strat. And some sweet playing as well!

[@drawstraw4483]

Man to think how gard they used to have to work at finding some of those sound's 50 or 60 year's ago, and its just all in one. Looks like a sturdy little box too. Im really thinking about it? I'm just getting back into music, and what i really wanted in combination with all these sounds is a good long loop to help me practice up again to something close to where I used to be. Just curious does it record in those effects and allow you to lay another effect over the loop?

[@carwynvan]

I'm guessing the Bluetooth lock is so that other people can't connect to it whilst you're playing and mess with your settings. There's a few other devices out there that connect to your phone with similar features

[@johnpainter5750]

Is this stereo looper or after recording your signal will be playing as normal mono looper? Q2 Is there panorama knob in menu? I want to move clean signal on left side ,and overdrive on right speaker ? It is possible or not? Thx for funny and interesting movie, and happy holidays 🎸

[@Akbalyei]

I have the same question.

[@KennethDonnellyStargazer21]

This thing seems to be all about refinement. The looper is mono, there is no Left Right dual-channel capability, but it's amazing to tinker with. It almost sounds too clean, and I had to work to warm it up and get some nice heavy cosmic riffs, but it whispers Detail and Quality. Looper sounds good, can reverse or half-pitch 👽

[@johnpainter5750]

@@KennethDonnellyStargazer21 Thank you . I will check NUX multiefect- looper.

[@justokotoeh]

does it have a built in Audio Interface through the USB?

[@BigdaddiZ]

Still rocking my big gt-1, I get a lot of great tones from it. I haven’t seen anything sub $400 that makes me think. “Hmmm that will really make my sound better”

[@guitarjay741]

Zoom g5n is pretty nice

[@ryab1817]

Thank you so much. You covered everything a guitarist needs to use the unit. Can you please make a video about the Peavey AT200 electric guitar that has autotune, but please cover the MIDI option on it as no body talked about how to use it as a MIDI controller. It's a unique guitar and I'm planning to buy one soon. Thanks again. I'm subscribing to your channel

[@tymime]

Like a lot of digital multieffects I've heard, some presets sound very bright to my ears, but I'm sure there are ways of tweaking that.

[@pageluvva]

One hour of pure guitar porn. I loved every second of it. Thanks for doing this.

[@PipVanWinkle]

In your opinion, how does this drum machine compare to the Triple Looper pedal? Beat quality, number of options and all that.

[@deandee8082]

hard to believe no one has compared this to a Flamma FX200

[@11000038]

Looks great for the money. Quite a bit dearer here in the UK. I guess it won't make your £75 practice amp sound like a fender tube. Katana already has much of this built in and you get a pretty good amp thrown in. Stereo input would have made it perfect for synths but it's mono in? I'll stick to my tube amps and small number of pedals for now thanks but pretty cool!

[@whatissurge]

Between the Flamma fx200 and the Donner Arena 2000 which would you choose?

[@drawstraw4483]

Maybe you could answer a question ⁉️ can you play straight through the arena 2000 into headphones without an amp?

[@Vazmusic]

The basic amp tones and distortion sound pretty good but some of the effects seem a little iffy. Still...For the money...

[@sassycat]

A perfectly acceptable pedal for the pedal curious. Where can I get a shirt like that? 😻

[@60CycleHumcast]

Amazon

[@onefatstratcat]

I'm bi-pedal curious :)

[@robertmcdowell6936]

Ryan, I know you're not a lap steel guitarist, but do you think this might be okay for a starter simple all around pedal kit solution? Especially with a volume pedal built on it.

[@paulerxx]

Do you need a preamp with a multi fx (Donner 2000 for example) to play through a cabinet?

[@60CycleHumcast]

yeah you need need something with enough power to push a speaker to amplify the signal. a powered pa speaker would work.

[@user-ym9wb2mk5e]

Wondering the same thing. I have. Blackstar ID Core v1 40 watt. Hate to get a larger amp, just ordered this Donner 2000, and would like the ID Core to run a cab.

[@riccardomadama1184]

I'm undecided between Donner Arena 2000 or Nux MG 30 (the price is the same for both)....which is better in terms of versatility and quality. advise?

[@SirPraiseSun]

can u toggle the delay eq or effects on and off with the touch buttons??

[@hangman960]

looks solid

[@deanallen927]

Pretty cool unit. Just relying on presets it seems to have 1992 spray painted across it (Digitech, ADA), but some tweaking and familiarity seems to sidestep that. Could be a pretty cool gig tool if you can get that hum under control

[@KennethDonnellyStargazer21]

Likely his single coils 😎

[@robertmillard6266]

are there provisions for adjusting the output of each patch ?? so they are all the same volume... thanks in advance !!

[@KennethDonnellyStargazer21]

Absolutely, all multis do in my experience 🌛

[@robertmillard6266]

@@KennethDonnellyStargazer21 actually, there is not.... the Boss GT-100 has an output block with an overall volume... the Arena 2000 does not .... i'll have to most likely turn the amp model section down or up to achieve uniform patch levels

[@KennethDonnellyStargazer21]

@@robertmillard6266 That's what I mean. That's important, and I'm careful to set that in the patch. I used to fantasize a pedal with equal output volume automatically for the amps, but.. 🎃

[@mattdoliver1984]

Hey Ryan, a question if I may? Your two Princeton’s Your black one is a 65’ reverb resissue I believe.. What model is your blonde one pls? I’m Princeton curious & it’s getting itchy

[@gae7081]

Craaaazyyy guuuuyy!!!😂😂😂

[@DrShrimpPuertoRicoMD]

Talented and beautiful

[@deanallen927]

Exactly what I thought about the "spring" reverb, pretty cool, but still not it.

[@dimsonvenus684]

For the price, i think its good but ill go with the nux mg30 for that price range.

[@fu2419]

Oh yeah? Which Thanks Giving? Some will understand the question and I'm sure you do.

[@RobinZ-vc4tu]

Does it have Whammy effect? I can't find it😢

[@AC2237]

The expression during delay sounds like when i played Galaga as a kid...

[@alissonzakka3]

Hi Bro! Thanks for the video. I bought the arena 2000 but the Softwere for windows the software for windows does not work, Would you help me? Do you have any information about? I use win 10, acer, 12gb ram, ssd, etc...

[@dr.s.]

I wonder where this thing really sits. At 150 to 300 bucks you get a fairly decent practice amp that does the amp simulation thing, that does a few effects and that also does the loud thing. I think for a beginner that doesn't have anything it's the way better deal than this box. Only downside, they don't have the expression pedal which as a beginner you might not need. And as a multi effects unit to use with an amp it's abilities are pretty limited. Using it primarily with headphones like you did in the video is the only case where I really see it shine but then there are lots of other affordable options to go for. So, how does it compare to those and where does it really stand out.

[@KennethDonnellyStargazer21]

Talks like someone with headphones on.. 🎃 Good idea showing when you're switching the pickup settings too.. really need that. I like the video.. you actually show the range of the beast. much grass

[@gyslainbeauchamp9241]

Great review Ryan

[@terrenceduncanson2716]

The AH-HA moments are so refreshing!

[@joaodias4239]

"M" for mono?!?!?!?! love to see your demos! :D

[@geirkehlet1974]

NO Shimmer option?

[@donaldbeyer7277]

As a faithful zoom pedal fan, I find this interesting. Lots of controls, not a lot of menus and fairly good sound. Wonder if it can be updated or anything from downloading like the Zoom pedal can?

[@JonFlo-b7q]

Thanks buddy for all the info , really helped out a lot .

[@SpiritDK]

it sounds ok, but looks like a smaller and budget Valeton GP-200

[@jhmorgan72753]

43:25 funky delay

[@jhmorgan72753]

good luck remembering all the effects options, combos, and tweaks !!!

[@KENNA25]

For 200 you can get a used line6 m9. Just saying

[@bjornleifeld4442]

I don't know man. In Generall it Sounds Like it has too much treble. Can't really discribe it. Must be a frequence around 3-4khz. Drives me crazy. Doesn't Sound warm at all. But for that price and for advanced beginners it's a good choice i think.

[@rossbalch]

I kinda wish instead of these things having like 80 amp models they just had 20 really great ones.

[@macbeth642]

Look into the NUX modeler, thats the exact way they do it.

[@StephenCameron]

At 23:42 is that Buckethead "Pure Imagination"????

[@60CycleHumcast]

did buckethead cover that song?

[@StephenCameron]

@@60CycleHumcast Yeah.. I didn't realize it was a cover until now, lol. Willy Wonka, ok. I was racking my brains trying to figure out where I'd heard that before, and finally came up with Buckethead, but didn't occur to me that it was a cover.

[@StephenCameron]

@@60CycleHumcast kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZfGZ4ludrSejqs

[@onefatstratcat]

Party with a Donner!

[@VPROXE-HELLRAISER]

That mustache is epic! Nice work :)

[@Eddyvnhln5150]

Oh now I’m gonna want to hear you do Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory come with me and you’ll see a world of your imagination Every demo, that floored me 😊😊😊😊

[@sheerheartattack6701]

I kinda like it. Who knew that a reindeer could make a cool pedal . It’s the season 😂 Happy thanksgiving

[@antonchigurh8541]

What is that riff at 26:40? I can't think of it. But I know it. LOL

[@BuckFlicks]

Little tribute to Primus and the Chocolate Factory there?? Very nice.

[@meldeer6253]

you remind me and look like my best friend i know he never had any kids but DUUUDe burn a dube du wap do waaah .....that 2000 has some realy killer sound ,, O By the way MERRY CHRISMASS lmao

[@ΓιώργοςΑβραμόπουλος-ρ2γ]

this or flamma fx200 dude?

[@discocrisco]

It's hard enough to chainsaw at C#, to attempt it in standard is brave.

[@Tysandifer]

25:05 literally me when I can't think of anything to play haha. Willy Wonka had a good soundtrack

[@aftertheendtimes]

M may suggest "Marshall" 😄😀

[@Blaxkout-Rose]

Hey how do you make the exp pedal wahhhhhh

[@Overclock213]

I’ve been trying to find out since I got it 😭

[@Blaxkout-Rose]

@@Overclock213 I actually figured it out when you press really hard on it it’ll turn it on and the EXP will light up to set it make sure your FXA is on WAH then click the EXP button go to EXP one and then set that one to FXA WAH as well

[@Blaxkout-Rose]

Don’t step on it too hard or it will turn off

[@Spendo]

Roland Schitt?

[@pgiff4173]

Seems a lot/enough tones for less$ or a lot of bang for the buck as some say😮

[@BrianMiller-mj4xb]

Carnt buy them anywhere

[@jameslewis2635]

It seemed like this multi-fx had some decent sounds in it but the controls seemed rather limited and not immediately apparent. Competition for the Line 6 Helix it is not, but it is probably a good entry point into the world of multi-fx for the uninitiated. It should probably come with an RTFM sticker on the front though.

[@gerd2213]

SORRY James, but - which "MANUAL" should someone read??? On their WEB-Site I only can find 10 little PDF-Pages, for the whole ARENA 2000 ...but nobody talks about!!! 🤷 Some helpless Greetings from Germany 🎸 Gerd