Yamaha PortaSound PSS-460

3.0 (8)

5 Reviews

Find out who is using Yamaha PSS-460

1 wishlisted

19 saved

Page last updated Oct 21, 2025

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Description

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The PSS-470 was released by Yamaha in 1987, and was clearly aimed at non-professionals. This is the type of keyboard that would not be surprising to find in the musical instrument section of a major toy store. It's a simple synth built in a plastic case, with built-in stereo speakers, stereo outputs and 49 mini-sized keys. It's designed to be lightweight and portable. Yet at its heart it has inherited Yamaha's DX series digital FM synthesis, which is enough to garner this synth some attention.

Videos

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The Sound Test Room

The YAMAHA PSS 460 - Fantastic & Wonderful Retro Brilliance

The Sound Test Room

Yamaha PSS-460 eBay demonstration

Patrick Manderson

Yamaha Portasound PSS-460 FM keyboard - the 'Soundblaster' chip in action...

Alfonse

The Yamaha PSS-460: A Vintage, Cheap, And Awesome Synthesizer!

Josh Is Making Music

Gary Numan - Cars (Yamaha Portasound PSS-460)

Beeble

Yamaha PSS-460 FM synth: NOT. BAD. AT. ALL. SIR!

Gearfacts

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PROS

Unique primitive, cheesy sound adds fun to mixes
Lightweight, portable design ideal for mobility
Includes stereo output for quality sound projection
Features interesting preset sounds like saxophone, trumpet, and piano
Allows creation of custom sounds with digital synthesizer faders
Can be used extensively in music production, as evidenced by user projects

CONS

Too lo-fi for some users' tastes
Lacks MIDI support, complicating recording processes
Some instrument patches poorly modeled, affecting realism
Considered by some as only suitable for children or basic use

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Yamaha PortaSound PSS-460.

Features and functionality

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Owners wish the PSS-460 had MIDI input to connect preferred keyboards for better playing feel.
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The PSS-460 includes synthesized FM drums and a programmable drum pattern, while the PSS-560 offers PCM drums with more variations for drum and accompaniment patterns.
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User experience

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Despite being a "toy," the PSS-460 delivers sound quality that can be used for serious music-making, as long as it's creatively fulfilling.
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One owner appreciates the PSS-470 as a standout FM synth in their collection, highlighting its unique appeal despite its simplicity.
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Comparisons

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The PSS-560's custom drummer section and detailed auto chord section are key differences from the PSS-460, which might appeal to those valuing rhythm versatility.
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Setup and maintenance

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Incorrect power supply polarity can prevent the PSS-460 from functioning; it requires specific voltage and correct center polarity to operate properly.
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Battery power is disabled when a DC connector is inserted; ensure the correct DC power supply to avoid shutdown issues.
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3.0 out of 5

Based on 5 Reviews and 8 Ratings

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lost_in_reverb

1558

over 2 years ago

Funny

I had it for a while, some sounds are cool, the synth section is funny but it is too much lo-fi for my taste.

Roles:

Guitarist Keyboardist Composer

Genres:

Ambient

floydbarstool

over 4 years ago

Yep

I found one on the side of the road, it said needs work but they didn't know where the power button was, it's a decent light weight keyboard, I don't have much experience with more expensive keyboards so I'm pretty happy with it.

Roles:

Guitarist Keyboardist

Genres:

Electronic Rock Folk, World, & Country

tommypatzius

199

almost 12 years ago

Yamaha PortaSound PSS-460

What a great little FM Synthesizer! It boasts stereo output, and has such a primitive, cheesy sound that is sometimes just what I need to add a little fun to a mix. It dates back to 1987, and some of the patches are modeled (poorly) after instruments such as saxophone, trumpet, oboe, flute, piano, jazz guitar, and koto for example. You can also use the digital synthesizer faders to create your own sound, which can come in handy when you're looking for a synth lead, or pad, or even synth bass sound that you know you could only get from a little synth like this. It doesn't support MIDI (not surprising) so for recording the audio into my DAW, I'm using a stereo auxiliary to 1/4" jack rig that I pieced together from parts I found while digging through Radio Shack.

transquanta

420

over 9 years ago

Got given it to me for free, nothing but a toy...

This is very good for child nothing more...I have used it for working out the occasional song, its very lightweight, so might be good for taking out and about with you. The only real positive, is it has some interesting sounds

jay_sharp

230

over 10 years ago

This is the sound of Elijah Should

Reckon it's from 86 or so it seems from the manuals. Natalia gifted it to me. I am indebted. I've used this EXTENSIVELY (or even sometimes exclusively) on all the E.S. LPs here: https://elijahshould.bandcamp.com/