Our musical instrument review today is on the all-new series of workstation by musical giant Yamaha. We bring you our review of the flagship PSR-SX series, the Yamaha PSR-SX900 Arranger Workstation Keyboard.
OVERVIEW OF YAMAHA PSR-SX900
The PSR-SX900 is the flagship in the PSR-SX Series. Surpassed only by the Genos, this power-house songwriting and performance keyboard features never before seen speaker technology, pro-level connectivity, and a completely redesigned user interface.
The Yamaha PSR-SX900 comes with a whole newly designed user interface, new assignable functions, joystick and Live Controllers. This digital workstation can easily be called a Mini Genos. The Yamaha PSR-SX900 shares a brilliant 7-inch TFT touch screen that incorporates the same intuitive graphic user interface offered on Genos, allowing users to easily navigate Voice and Style assignments, as well as assess and adjust other settings.










Uniqueness of Yamaha PSR-SX900
Yamaha PSR-SX900 Workstation keyboard incorporates a newly-designed, bi-amped speaker system with a wide stereo audio field, is the new flagship of the PSR-SX line. It boasts 4GB of internal memory, 1337 instrument Voices, 56 Drum/SFX kits, and 480 XG Voices, as well as 329 Multi Pad banks. To ensure silky-smooth, high-quality sound, the DAC (Digital Audio Converter) on this keyboard has been upgraded to 32-bit, the same as those found in Genos and in the top-of-the-line Yamaha MONTAGE synthesizer.
KEY FEATURES OF YAMAHA PSR-SX900
The key features includes;
Joystick
The joystick offers intuitive pitch and modulation control. Now you can play rapid trills, dynamic pitch bends, and finely-nuanced modulation—all from a single, easily-configured controller.
FSB Keyboard
FSB Keyboard offers remarkable playability thanks to its heavier initial key resistance and greater key travel. The refined keyboard structure, with an adjusted fulcrum, allows you to play comfortably even on the backs of the keys whilst upgraded components suppress horizontal key movement.
Sub Output
The PSR-SX900 features four sub line-out connections that you can use to adapt your sound to various situations. Try routing bass through a separate subwoofer for a fuller, more powerful bottom end, or send parts and drum instruments to an external console to further shape your sound.
Expansive Soundfield Speakers
The PSR-SX900 is structured to deliver balanced sound throughout a broad listening area. This is more like a 360 surround system.
High Quality Output
The audio output of the PSR-SX has been completely overhauled with focus on delivering the highest quality sound from your keyboard. The new Digital Audio Converter (DAC) provides high quality defined sound across a wide frequency range, ensuring the PSR-SX always cuts through the mix.
Style Section Reset
When playing Styles, easily jump to the beginning of the bar by pressing the [RESET/TAP TEMPO] button. A valuable feature for accompanying singers or performing music with varying time signatures.
TouchScreen Graphical User Interface
The 7” touch display and new graphic user interface provide for instinctive control over the instruments powerful features.
Style Assembly
Styles are made up of many instrument Parts, such as drums, bass, guitar, piano etc. In Style Assembly it’s easy to explore, audition and combine Parts from any Style to create your own personal accompaniments.
Assignable Function
While performing, you often need to act fast to access certain features. Choose from a range of functions to assign to one of six panel buttons, or to the Live Control knobs, pedals or the Home Shortcut menu, and then instantly recall your desired function with a single touch.
Chord Looper
The Chord Looper lets you record a chord sequence and play it back, freeing your left hand from playing chords and providing new ways to enhance your performance.
Since the chords play back in a loop, you don’t need to repeat the chord pattern manually anymore—letting you focus on your performance and other operations.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Vital information about the Yamaha PSR-SX900 keyboard includes;
- 1337 Voices. This includes 252 Super Articulation voices, 24 Organ Flutes! Voices. 56 Drum/SFX kits
- 525 Styles, including 463 Pro Styles, 46 Session Styles, 10 DJ Styles and 6 Freeplay Styles
- Pre-installed Expansion content
- Real Distortion and Real Reverb, with an intuitive effects interface
- 1GB on-board memory for expansion data
- 4GB internal memory
- MIDI song file capacity : 3MB per file
- Joystick, FSB keyboard, Sub output, and Expansive Soundfield Speakers for powerful live performance
- Intuitive and fast control with 7″ color touch screen and Assignable function
- Chord Looper function
- Mic/Guitar input for use when singing or collaborating with other performers
- Playlist and Registration for quick and easy set up
- Vocal Harmony and Synth Vocoder functions
- Audio Recording (WAV/MP3)
- Voice and Style expandability with the Yamaha Expansion Manager
- 2 USB TO DEVICE terminals
- External display capability
- Bluetooth Audio *may not have this functionality depending on the country
Pricing and Availability
The Yamaha PSR-SX900 (MSRP $2,799) was shipped in October 2019
TECHNICAL SPECS OF YAMAHA PSR-SX900 WORKSTATION
PSR-SX900 | ||
Color/Finish | ||
Body | Color | Black |
Size/Weight | ||
Dimensions | Width | 1017 mm |
Height | 139 mm | |
Depth | 431 mm | |
Weight | Weight | 11.5 kg |
Control Interface | ||
Keyboard | Number of Keys | 61 |
Type | Organ (FSB), Initial Touch | |
Touch Response | Normal, Soft 1, Soft 2, Hard 1, Hard 2 | |
Other Controllers | Joystick | Yes |
Control Knobs | 2 (assignable) | |
Display | Type | TFT Color Wide VGA LCD |
Size | 800 x 480 dots (7 inch) | |
Touch Screen | Yes | |
Color | Color | |
Language | English, German, French, Spanish, Italian | |
Panel | Language | English |
Voices | ||
Tone Generation | Tone Generating Technology | AWM Stereo Sampling |
Polyphony | Number of Polyphony (Max.) | 128 |
Preset | Number of Voices | 1337 Voices + 56 Drum/SFX Kits |
Featured Voices | 252 S.Art!, 54 Mega Voices, 31 Sweet! Voices, 87 Cool! Voices, 131 Live! Voices, 24 Organ Flutes! | |
Compatibility | XG | Yes (for Song playback) |
GS | Yes (for Song playback) | |
GM | Yes | |
GM2 | Yes | |
Expandability | Expansion Voice | Yes (approx. 1 GB) |
Editing | Voice Set | |
Part | Right 1, Right 2, Right 3, Left | |
Effects | ||
Types | Reverb | 59 Presets + 30 User |
Chorus | 106 Presets + 30 User | |
DSP | 322 Presets (with VCM) + 30 User | |
Insertion Effect | 1-8: 322 Presets (with VCM) + 30 User | |
Master Compressor | 5 Presets + 30 User | |
Master EQ | 5 Presets + 30 User | |
Part EQ | 28 Parts | |
Others | Mic/Guitar Effects: Noise Gate, Compressor, 3 Band EQ, Vocal Effect: 23 | |
Arpeggio | Yes | |
Vocal Harmony | Number of Presets | Vocal Harmony: 54, Synth Vocoder: 20 |
Number of User Settings | 60 *The number is the total of Vocal Harmony and Synth Vocoder | |
Accompaniment Styles | ||
Preset | Number of Preset Styles | 525 |
Featured Styles | 463 Pro Styles, 46 Session Styles, 10 DJ Styles, 6 Free Play | |
Fingering | Single Finger, Fingered, Fingered On Bass, Multi Finger, AI Fingered, Full Keyboard, AI Full Keyboard | |
Style Control | INTRO x 3, MAIN VARIATION x 4, FILL x 4, BREAK, ENDING x 3 | |
Other Features | One Touch Setting (OTS) | 4 for each Style |
Chord Looper | Yes | |
Style Section Reset | Yes | |
Expandability | Expansion Style | Yes (Internal Memory) |
Expansion Audio Style | Yes (Internal Memory) | |
Compatibility | Style File Format, Style File Format GE | |
Songs | ||
Preset | Number of Preset Songs | 5 Sample Songs |
Recording | Number of Songs | Unlimited (depends on the drive capacity) |
Number of Tracks | 16 | |
Data Capacity | Approx. 3 MB/Song | |
Recording Function | Quick Recording, Multi Recording, Step Recording | |
Compatible Data Format | Playback | SMF (Format 0 & 1), XF |
Recording | SMF (Format 0) | |
Multi Pads | ||
Preset | Number of Multi Pad Banks | 329 Banks x 4 Pads |
Audio | Audio Link | Yes |
Functions | ||
Registration | Number of Buttons | 8 |
Control | Registration Sequence, Freeze | |
Playlist | Number of Records | 2500 (max.) Records per Playlist file |
Lesson/Guide | Lesson/Guide | Follow Lights, Any Key, Karao-Key, Your Tempo |
Search | Registration Bank | |
Demo/Help | Demonstration | Yes |
Overall Controls | Metronome | Yes |
Tempo Range | 5 – 500, Tap Tempo | |
Transpose | -12 – 0 – +12 | |
Tuning | 414.8 – 440 – 466.8 Hz | |
Octave Button | Yes | |
Scale Type | 9 types | |
Sub Scale Setting | Yes | |
Bluetooth | Yes (Audio) * May not have this functionality depending on the country | |
Miscellaneous | Direct Access | Yes |
Text Display Function | Yes | |
Wallpaper Customization | Yes | |
Display Out | Yes (by using a commercially available USB display adaptor) * For a list of compatible devices, access the “Yamaha Downloads” website. | |
Voices | Harmony/Echo | Yes (with Arpeggio) |
Panel Sustain | Yes | |
Mono/Poly | Yes | |
Styles | Style Creator | Yes |
Style Recommender | Yes | |
OTS Information | Yes | |
Songs | Score Display Function | Yes |
Lyrics Display Function | Yes | |
Multi Pads | Multi Pad Creator | Yes |
Audio Recorder/Player | Recording Time (max.) | 80 minutes/Song |
Recording | .wav (WAV format: 44.1 kHz sample rate, 16 bit resolution, stereo), .mp3 (44.1 kHz sample rate,128/256/320 kbps, mono/stereo) | |
Playback | .wav (WAV format: 44.1 kHz sample rate, 16 bit resolution, stereo), .mp3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3: 44.1/48.0 kHz sample rate, 64-320 kbps and variable bit rate, mono/stereo) | |
Lyrics Display Function | Yes (.mp3 only) | |
Time Stretch | Yes | |
Pitch Shift | Yes | |
Vocal Cancel | Yes | |
Storage and Connectivity | ||
Storage | Internal Memory | Yes (approx. 4 GB) |
External Drives | USB Flash Memory (via USB to DEVICE) | |
Connectivity | Headphones | Yes |
FOOT PEDAL | 1 (SUSTAIN), 2 (ARTICULATION), Function Assignable | |
Microphone | Microphone/Guitar x 1 | |
MIDI | IN, OUT | |
AUX IN | Stereo mini jack | |
LINE OUT | MAIN OUTPUT (L/L+R, R), SUB (AUX) OUTPUT (1,2 (L/L+R, R)) | |
USB TO DEVICE | Yes (x 2) | |
USB TO HOST | Yes | |
Amplifiers and Speakers | ||
Amplifiers | (15 W + 10 W) x 2 | |
Speakers | 13 cm x 2 + 2.5 cm (dome) x 2 | |
Power Supply | ||
Power Supply | PA-300C or an equivalent recommended by Yamaha | |
Power Consumption | 24 W | |
Auto Power Off Function | Yes | |
Accessories | ||
Included Accessories | Owner’s Manual, Online Member Product Registration, Music Rest, AC Adaptor(may not be include depending on your area. Check with your Yamaha dealer.) |



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