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Our Verdict

The DED-100 comes out as a superior competitor, a set ideal for drummers seeking extensive sound options and expressive capabilities on their toms and snare. That being said, the AED-500 is still a solid option for beginners looking for a straightforward e-drum kit.

AODSK AED-500 vs Donner DED-100 (2024) Head to Head

The AODSK AED-500 and Donner DED-100 e-drum sets offer compelling features for drummers at the budget level, with each kit presenting unique strengths. The AED-500 stands out with its larger kick pad size and a comprehensive set of 225 sounds while the DED-100 excels with its 425 sounds, providing an expansive palette for creative exploration, and features dual-zone technology.

Key Differences

The AED-500's 8-inch kick pad offers a more substantial surface compared to the DED-100's 6-inch pad, providing a larger playing surface.

With 225 sounds, the AED-500 has a solid library, but the DED-100 surpasses it with 425 sounds, catering to drummers who desire a wider array of sonic options.

The AED-500 features single-zone toms, whereas the DED-100 includes dual-zone toms, enhancing the ability to produce varied sounds from the same drum pad.

Similar to the toms, the DED-100's snare is dual-zone, offering a richer snare-playing experience, as opposed to the single-zone snare of the AED-500.

The DED-100 features 2 additional pad/cymbal inputs which the AED-500 lacks, but the AED-500 has onboard recording which is missing in the DED-100.

The AED-500 is equipped with the AED-500, while the Donner DED-100 uses the DED-100.

Kick Pad Size
8-inch
6-inch
Number of Sounds
225
425
Drum Module Name
AED-500
DED-100

Key Features in Common

Both kits feature an 8-inch snare pad and 10-inch hi-hat cymbals, ensuring a standard playing surface area.

MIDI-over-USB is available on both models, facilitating easy connection to computers and MIDI-compatible devices for recording and music production.

Both models utilize tower kicks, providing a stable and familiar feel for drummers.

Each kit includes 10-inch ride and crash cymbal pads with single-trigger zones, maintaining a consistent approach to cymbal setup.

Kick Type
Tower
Tower
Snare Pad Size
8-inch
8-inch
MIDI Connectivity
MIDI-over-USB
MIDI-over-USB

Check out the AED-500 in action.

And here's a video of the Donner DED-100.

Price Comparison Between The AED-500 and Donner DED-100

Use the below to get up-to-date prices for both the AED-500 and Donner DED-100

We have included a head-to-head comparison of the features and specs on both the AED-500 and Donner DED-100.

Hi-Hat

Hi-Hat Size (Inches)
10-inch
10-inch
Hi-Hat Type
Electronic hi-hat pedal
Electronic hi-hat pedal

Cymbal Pads

Ride Cymbal Pad Size (Inches)
10-inch
10-inch
Ride Cymbal Zones
Single-Trigger
Single-Trigger
Number of Crash Cymbal Pads
1
1
Crash Cymbal Sizes
10"
10"

Toms

Tom pad sizes
8", 8", 8"
8", 8", 8"
Number of Tom Pads
3
3
Tom Pad Material
Mesh
Mesh
Tom Zones
Single-Zone
Dual-Zone

Drum Module

Number of Sounds
225
425
Drum Module Name
AED-500
DED-100
Metronome
Yes
Yes
On-Board Recording (of internal sounds)
Yes
No
Additional Pad/Cymbal Inputs
0
2
Audio Outputs
1 Output
1 Output
Audio Input (Auxiliary Input)
1/8" inch
1/8" inch
Effects and Sound Editing Capabilities
Low
Average
MIDI Connectivity
MIDI-over-USB
MIDI-over-USB
Number of Kits
15
30

Snare

Snare Mount Type
Mounted to Rack
Mounted to Rack
Snare Pad Size
8-inch
8-inch
Snare Pad Material
Mesh
Mesh
Snare Zones
Single-Zone
Dual-Zone

Kick

Kick Type
Tower
Tower
Kick Pad Material
Rubber
Mesh
Kick Pad Size
8-inch
6-inch

Overview

Verdict

Both the AODSK AED-500 and Donner DED-100 offer significant value within the budget range of electronic drum sets. The choice between them hinges on individual preferences for kick pad size and playability (AED-500) versus the desire for a more extensive sound library and expressive capabilities on the toms and snare (DED-100).

Matt Taylor

Matt Taylor

I'm Matt Taylor, a guitarist with a genuine love for music. I've had the pleasure of playing in a few bands and collaborating with some amazing artists along the way. As a music journalist, my goal is to share my passion and learnings with you while keeping my finger on the pulse of emerging trends and talents.