Yamaha PSS-170

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$58.50 Price Tier: Budget

4.0 (4)

2 Critic Reviews

1 Review

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

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2 wishlisted

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Page last updated Jun 10, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated June 10, 2026.

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5.0 (2)

$58.50 2 available Used

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Average Price: $59

Budget/Beginner

$100

$601+

Price Tier

In the Portable & Arranger Keyboards category, Yamaha PSS-170 is priced in the Budget/Beginner range. This is great gear to get started with or for creators on a budget.

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High-end

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Description

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Discover the Yamaha PSS-170, a versatile addition to the world of portable keyboards, ideal for both budding musicians and seasoned players on the go. This dynamic keyboard is designed to deliver a rich palette of sounds and rhythms, making it a perfect tool for learning, jamming, or simply enjoying music anywhere. With 49 mini keys, the PSS-170 offers a compact format without sacrificing playability, allowing for easy transport and storage.

The keyboard features a wide range of built-in tones, providing an array of instrumental voices and effects. Whether you’re exploring the crisp sound of the piano, the warmth of strings, or the punch of brass, the PSS-170 brings these tones to life with clarity. Accompany your melodies with the built-in rhythm patterns, which lend a professional touch to your music creation.

For those interested in custom sound exploration, the PSS-170's sound synthesis capabilities offer an engaging way to experiment with different soundscapes. This keyboard’s intuitive interface and user-friendly controls make it accessible, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced musician.

Key Features:

49 mini keys for a compact and portable design
Wide range of built-in instrument voices
Multiple rhythm patterns for versatile music creation
Sound synthesis capabilities for custom sound exploration
User-friendly interface for easy operation

Product specs

Brand	Yamaha
Model	PSS-170 Synthesizer
Finish	Black
Year	1986
Categories	Digital Synthesizers, Portable Keyboards
Analog / Digital	Digital
Key Size	Mini
Keyboard Action	Synth Action
Number of Keys	44 Keys
Polyphony	4 Voices

FAQs

How many keys does the Yamaha PSS-170 have?: The Yamaha PSS-170 features 44 mini keys, making it a compact option for portable play.
Is the Yamaha PSS-170 suitable for beginners?: Yes, the Yamaha PSS-170 is ideal for beginners due to its simple interface, mini keys, and built-in sounds and rhythms.
What type of sounds can I expect from the Yamaha PSS-170?: The Yamaha PSS-170 offers 100 voices and 10 drum rhythms, providing a variety of sounds suitable for different musical styles.
Is the Yamaha PSS-170 polyphonic?: The Yamaha PSS-170 is a 4-voice polyphonic keyboard, allowing you to play up to four notes simultaneously.
Does the Yamaha PSS-170 have any built-in accompaniment features?: Yes, the Yamaha PSS-170 includes an accompaniment section with fill-ins, enhancing your playing experience with automatic backing tracks.

Videos

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airvariable

YAMAHA PSS-170 Demonstration song

airvariable

Yamaha PSS-170

SynthMania

YAMAHA PSS-170

Keyboards - review - repair

YAMAHA PORTASOUND PSS-170

Edgar Ponce

Yamaha PSS-170 Portable Keyboard

Scavenge and Sell

Yamaha PSS-170 : Testing.

atthakorn Pann Meesh

Reviews

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Yamaha PSS-170.

Software and compatibility

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Owners recommend using an audio interface to connect the PSS-170 to a laptop due to the lack of MIDI inputs/outputs, focusing on AUX output capabilities.
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FL Studio users should select their audio interface in the 'audio settings' to utilize the PSS-170's sounds effectively.
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Features and functionality

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The Yamaha PSS-170 has only a headset and battery input, limiting its direct connectivity options to modern software without additional hardware.
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Setup and maintenance

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Heating the motherboard gradually with a hot air blower may help melt and solidify tin contact points, potentially resolving key registration issues.
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Build quality

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Minimal erosion on the internal board can occur, often from leaked battery acid, necessitating careful cleaning during disassembly.
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Critic Reviews

Yamaha PSS-170 | Analog Relics

wordpress.com

The Yamaha PSS-170 is a nostalgic nod to the late '80s, offering decent FM synthesis with a wide range of voices like brass and bells, though its natural sounds fall flat. The keyboard's physical controls for volume are a plus, but it suffers from poor drum sounds and a short keyboard length. Portamento is present but impractical, limiting its musical applications. While the keyboard is bendable for those into modification, its lack of line-out and basic rhythm makes it more a vintage toy than a serious instrument. A quirky piece for collectors, but not a must-have.

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Yamaha PSS-170 – SynthMania

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4.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 4 Ratings

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allanlegemaate

384

about 9 years ago

Lovely little keyboard

With only 2 operators, this tiny FM keyboard is able to make some super neat sounds. With a little reverb this keyboard sounds absolutely beautiful.

Roles:

Music Producer

Genres:

Electronic Jazz Alternative rock

Artist usage

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Alex Metric

Music Producer

Infadels

Verified via YouTube

In a studio tour video by MusicRadar Tech, Alex Metric showcases the Yamaha PSS-170 keyboard, highlighting its role in his music production setup.

Elias Holmlid

Singer, Keyboardist

Dragonland

Verified via Photo

Elias Holmlid confirmed the use of the Yamaha PSS-170 for special effects in the production of the forthcoming Dragonland album through a post on his Instagram, stating, "Almost done with keyboard production for the forthcoming @dragonlandband album! Now time to record the Yamaha PSS-170 for some special effects!"