Donner Noise Killer Review – Budget Noise Gate That Simply Works

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Donner is a name that has become synonymous with inexpensive pedals that bring a very decent performance for the money. Their Donner Noise Killer is another model that follows this same policy with great success. It's actually one of the most competitive noise gate stompboxes you can get on a tight budget.

Even so, it brings the core performance and features that are a must for a decent pedal of this type. Today we are going to introduce you to this great stompbox, and show you just what it is capable of doing. You might end up surprised after all.

Features

Narrow body is more or less a signature Donner style at this point. Noise Killer features those same aesthetics, which are definitely more favorable if you are running low on pedalboard real estate. The pedal itself offers standard threshold adjustment and two different modes of operation. You have the hard mode which is your standard, no prisoners taken noise gate.

Then there is the soft mode, which represents a more forgiving noise gate performance. While relatively simple in nature, Noise Killer has all the right perks in all the right places to be on the list of best guitar effects pedals in the affordable range.

Controls

The main point of control you are going to have on this pedal is that Threshold knob. For the most part, that is to be expected, especially on a model that is this affordable. The range of the threshold goes from -70dB to +10dB. That is plenty enough for just about any type of application that comes to mind. Hard and soft mode we have described above are pretty handy when you want to roll off the gate a bit, and let some of the noises through. The footswitch they install in this unit is not the best in its class, but it's definitely capable of handling its own even during more unforgiving use.

Performance

Whenever we discuss affordable guitar effects pedals, performance is the first thing that keeps the majority of people on their back foot. In case of Donner Noise Killer, performance is actually quite amazing. While some won't agree with what we are about to say, the Donner Noise Killer punches a bit above its price range. There is enough accuracy, and the attack phase of the gate effect is rather comfortable. Sure, it's not one of those clinical noise gate pedals, but it does a better job than most users had expected.

Conclusion

Donner surprises once again with a pedal that is made up to spec and costs a fraction of the price you would otherwise have to pay for one of the popular models in this segment of the market. Whether or not Noise Killer will solve your hiss issues depends on your setup, and how pedantic you are about your tone.

Expecting a triple digit performance from a pedal that costs about as much as two large pizzas in your favorite pizza joint is a bit unreasonable. With that said, most of those who took the plunge and got one of these pedals, were more than impressed with its performance.

For more info about the Donner Noise Killer, click here.
For more Noise Gate Pedal Currently On The Market, click here.