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 Forum index » Reviews, Editorials and Commentary » Reviews, Reports and Interviews
Yamaha PSS-470 (same as PSS-460) review
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A E J O T Z



Joined: Aug 14, 2011
Posts: 423
Location: Griffith, Indiana, USA
Audio files: 148

PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 6:10 pm    Post subject: Yamaha PSS-470 (same as PSS-460) review Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

NOTE: The Yamaha PSS-470 and PSS-460 are exactly the same instrument, but with different color schemes. The PSS-470 is better known and more sought after, and therefore more expensive.

The Yamaha PSS-470 might be the best "toy" synthesizer, ever.

This 1987 mini-keyed "home electronic keyboard" uses the same 8-bit sound chip used in early "Sound Blaster" sound cards for PCs. It's like a little brother to the DX-7 and it's much easier to use.

The PSS-470 has 21 preset unrealistic instrument sounds, all of which can be tweaked with the six slider "Digital Synthesizer" section. Or you can start from scratch and make your own new sound. The sliders only have five positions each, but you'll be surprised how many cool things you can do with them.

The sounds can be nasty, noisy, lo-fi, artifact-ridden and gloriously 80s. Run this grunge through a Polivoks filter and you can remove paint with it.

The instrument is monaural but has a phony stereo effect which sounds very good and a delayed vibrato that's subtle and nice. Use both and the sound is twice as rich.

As a big bonus there's a programmable quantizing drum sequencer. It only does two-measure loops and there are only five percussion sounds but it's a lot of fun and it sounds retro-cool.

It has other features that I don't give a @#$% about like auto-accompaniment, one-finger chords, preset percussion loops and blah blah blah. (Google it if you want a full boring description.)

You can get these beauties on Ebay for under $100.00 USD, including shipping. Grab one now, before the circuit benders bend them all.

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AEJOTZ is pronounced "A-Jotz"
retro-futurism now
electronics = magic
free albums at http://aejotz.bandcamp.com
listen to genre-defying synthetic music at http://sat-5.com
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modulator_esp
Stream Operator


Joined: Feb 04, 2005
Posts: 2845
Location: Nottingham, UK
Audio files: 276
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I've got a PSS-570 it's very similar, and a PSS-380 which has 8 position sliders for it's synth section and 100 presets
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Jez
music | adventures in sound | gear for sale
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A E J O T Z



Joined: Aug 14, 2011
Posts: 423
Location: Griffith, Indiana, USA
Audio files: 148

PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

ooh... now I want a PSS-380.

Does it never end? Razz

For PSS noobs: the 380/390 has the later "better" sound chip, making it a better-sounding easy-to-program FM synth. The main attraction of the 470/460 (and others of their vintage, including the 570) is the relatively lo-fi YM3812 sound chip. The whole PSS and early PSR lines contain some very interesting and unique instruments.

One of the few instruments I bought new, and the nicest, is my 1995 PSR-520. Unlike earlier "synth" PSRs the 520 is a rompler, using the same high-quality samples as Yamaha's best pro boards of that time. I call it my orchestra.

Bottom line is that the designations PSS and PSR don't precisely tell you what kind of instrument it is, only that it's a "home" or non-pro instrument. Casio did the same @#$% thing with its model number prefixes.
----------------------
UPDATE 7-13-17
I just bought a Yamaha Reface DX. In other words, no, it never ends.

_________________
AEJOTZ is pronounced "A-Jotz"
retro-futurism now
electronics = magic
free albums at http://aejotz.bandcamp.com
listen to genre-defying synthetic music at http://sat-5.com
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View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
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