Yamaha PSR-41 User reviews -Page 1

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Average rating: 3.8 out of 5

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Kyle Weiss from USA writes:

If it weren't so uncommon, I'd say it'd be a poor man's DX. No, it doesn't sound like one, but the sounds it can put out are unlike anything I've heard. When I found it, it was a curiosity. When I played it, I was amazed. Why they don't make keyboards like this anymore are beyond me. The "patches," you can make 832 different sound variables (16 sounds, 5 slider effects, 5 levels), all of which sound distinct. No programming, no wheels, no click-click-click buttons. Instant gratification. Push buttons, slide a switch, that's it. I find it makes me want to create music just to see what kind of sound I could produce. Built well, designed well, and ugly. A pitch-bending wheel is all this thing needs, that and maybe some pro 1/4" jack outputs (all it has are stereo RCA's). If you can find one, get it. People will laugh at it when they see it, but will suddenly wonder where that weird spacey robot gargle is coming from.

Rating: 4 out of 5 posted Wednesday-Nov-19-088 at 13:28

Karl Heller a hobbyist user from USA writes:

As many people have said, this is a strange and wonderful keyboard. I've owned mine since it came out in 1988. The great thing about this is the syth part. It uses 5 sliders to control the sound. You can get some incredible stereo sounds out of this thing. The auto accompaniment is great, drums are great. You can create your own drum track, melody and bass/chorus tracks. Yes memory is very limited. With all tracks going you might get 35 to 40 seconds of music. Poliphony is very limited to the mode you are in (12, 6 or 2 .. depending).

Again, a rather rare machine that sits on the same rack as my DX7IIFD.

Rating: 4 out of 5 posted Monday-Jul-17-066 at 22:01

Trevor Heitlauf a professional user from US writes:

Was looking for the cheapest midi controller I could find. Came across this board on ebay then searched it out on this site. I realized what was after reading these reviews. I recalled playing this keyboard's baby cousin at some persons house a few years ago. The sounds were pretty freaky, I liked it.....and here I am, happy to see yamaha made a larger and higher quality version of that board. No its not professional, but its kool! funky FM chip sound...I hate general MIDI. That's what I was trying to avoid.

Rating: 3 out of 5 posted Monday-Sep-23-022 at 09:04

Stiiv a part-time user from USA writes:

The PSR-41 has served me well over the years, withstanding smoke, cat piss, & gypsum dust. I use it mainly as a MIDI trigger now, but I still go back to it to write loops & create samples. Tough, good-sounding, & it's a Yamaha.

Rating: 4 out of 5 posted Sunday-Sep-03-000 at 19:17

Sucrose a hobbyist user from United States writes:

This is not a synthesizer I'd really consider a great buy, but, as the person who added it said, buy one if you can get one. This is one of the strangest synthesizers I've used, but it can create some really strange sounds. I've gotten the best sounds out of this synth using a digital reverb/effects box and making it do strange stuff. The voices are great, but the polyphony is strange When the unit is only using presets, in a non-split mode, it has 12 note polyphony. When you use the (strange) custom digital synth section, the polyphony goes down to six. If the keyboard is split into bass and main, polyphony goes down ot 8 on top, 1 on bass. If in custom synth like this, it goes to 1 on bass, 4 on top.

It's strange, but i've made some very interesting sounds. I've heard strikingly similar sounds come from musical albums by "Ray Lynch." The DX-like Electric Pianois really great, especially when you add on your own chorus and reverb. The limited polyphony and strange synth engine haven't been a problem for me yet, but the keyboard does have an annoyingly BAD signal-to-noise ratio. The internal speakers are ok, but lack a little bass.

Mine has gotten abused a great deal and is still holding together pretty well. I've opened it up, and it looks pretty un-modable, except for some random circuit bending. The MIDI implimentation is strange, it seems to respond on all channels.

I traded mine for a 386 computer a few years ago, and as the years go on, the trade has become better. I don't know how much I'd pay for one of these now. It's a versitile digital synth, but not very customizable, and looks really strange in a studio. It's kind of heavy, but it's worth it if you like weird digital sounds.

Rating: 4 out of 5 posted Tuesday-Dec-08-9898 at 19:22

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