Much like everybody else’s mother did, my mother always stated that should you not have something nice to state, don’t say anything. Understanding that I’ve always attempted to complete exactly that goes a lengthy way towards explaining why I’m as quiet like me, particularly when I’m at the office. However, basically adopted that advice here, this could an very short publish.
It had been really a bit of an unexpected which i found so very little to understand concerning the PSS-120 and 130. As I found the Casio SA-21 somewhat frustrating since it did several things, but not one of them well, these models do hardly any and do this little very poorly.
The PSS-120 was launched in 1986 and it was substituted with the PSS-130 later. Seperate posts aren’t warranted here because aside from exterior cosmetics they are the identical keyboard. The 130 includes a glossy user interface overlay with slightly different graphics, and also the Yamaha emblem around the back has become white-colored. Fundamental essentials only variations – internally they’re identical.
It's 2-note polyphonic (duophonic?). Aside from the ability switch, the user interface is membrane switches. You will find eight voices under within the ironically-named Orchestra section, and eight rhythms, such because they are. The obligatory demo button( Yankee Doodle), volume up and lower, and also the record/play controls for any 110-note sequencer (“Melody Memory”) complete their email list of controls.
On power-up, the amount is placed at maximum and also the clarinet voice is chosen. The amount control just four increments. You might believe that the voices could be FM-based, only one could be very wrong. They're muddy, buzzy, and certain notes have a tendency to distort the built-in speaker at any volume level. I initially thought the speaker was either loose or broken, but each of my units perform the same factor.
The drums are simply bland squirts of digital noise. The cymbal seem within the rhythm tracks is much more just like a cowbell, which is also clearly pitched, so hitting certain notes around the keyboard seem off-key when performed against accompaniment. Tempo can be adjusted within a variety of 16 increments.
A sequencer might appear unnatural, but there's a really fundamental 110-note one aboard. It’s volatile, obviously, which means you lose the succession once the power is switched off. Additionally you lose it should you hit the record button again.
There's no headphone jack, or indeed any jacks apart from the ability adapter. You could easily be added, because the situation is spacious enough, however i don’t think there’d be lots of impetus to do this. Only for giggles I drawn on in to the audio out contacts & attempted running the signal into an amp hoping the seem quality may be improved. There really wasn’t very much of a lot difference. For that record, there have been no giggles, either. The odd speaker-caused distortions disappeared, however the now-audible digital noise only agreed to be as irritating.
While I am not into circuit-bending, I’m also not entirely unaware of it – it’s simply not my factor. So when i state that there's little if any chance to circuit-bend this, it isn't because I’m unfamiliar with the procedure, it’s since the factor is effectively according to one nick (YM2410). There's more circuitry dedicated to power handling and amplification rather than really generating the seem, as seen above.
For me personally, many of the little home keyboards produce a fair quantity of mind-scratching. Frequently I do not know exactly what the designers supposed to have been completed with the instrument, and I’m just like frequently undecided about the implementation of features. This, however, isn't just baffling but one of the couple of keyboards I positively dislike.
Cons: 2-note polyphony. No output jacks. Noisy, simplistic rhythms. Noisy, muddy-sounding patches. Noisy internal speaker. Little if any chance for circuit bending.
Pros: Either model could be unlikely to kill you whether it fell for you from from a tree.
Main point here: I added strap pegs to 1 of my two PSS-130s and employ it like a costume prop drilling holes inside it was very cathartic. That one’s a keeper. Another 130 and also the 120 're going in to the “to be offered as rapidly as possible” pile.
Yamaha PSS-130 Demo The demo song, adopted by a few measures of each one of the eight rhythms.
I selected on of those up about about ten years ago in a thrift store for $5. I immediately added a mono 1/4″ jack left side from the plastic situation, disconnected the speaker, and connected the audio output in the circuit board towards the jack. The amount must be set a single click lower from max you receive a strong output without noise by doing this. I've discovered the clarinet seem is actually nice like a drone. Tape lower some keys, play an easy tune, or some moving diads. Run this factor right into a Moogerfooger MF101 using the drive switched up after which right into a Boss CE-2 Chorus and viola! Sick fat pad seem! This factor is certainly a 1 trick pony but I’ve tried on the extender on the couple of records like a ace in the hole and contains certainly pulled a few pounds.