Tag Archives: Yamaha PSR-EW425

Yamaha PSR-E473 and PSR-EW425

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The PSR-E473 and PSR-EW425 continue the evolution of the Yamaha E-series arranger keyboards.

Yamaha PSR-E473 and PSR-EW425 arranger keyboards

Main features are:

  • PSR-E473: 61 keys, PSR-EW425: 76 keys
  • Super Articulation Lite voices and articulation button
  • 820 voices (including 43 Super Articulation Lite)
  • Category access buttons to select voices
  • 290 auto-accompaniment styles
  • Two DSP effect channels (DSP1 and DSP2)
    • DSP1: 41 types of DSP insertion effects
    • DSP2: 12 effect types
  • New quick sampling user interface (44.1kHz, 16-bit, stereo, 9.6 sec)
  • Motion effects (57 types) and motion effect button
  • Mega Boost (adds +6dB to the apparent volume)
  • Two live control knobs
  • 1/4″ main audio out (R, L/L+R)

Pricing has not been announced as of this writing.

The PSR-EW425 has an exclusive organ sound from the YC stage keyboards. Although the E473 and EW425 share ten new drawbar organ voices, the EW425 has some extra tricks. Quoting Yamaha’s documentation, “On the PSR-EW425, a percussive click sound at key-on/key-off and a leakage sound are added, providing more realistic vintage organ sounds.”

DSP1 is automatically assigned to the main voice. DSP2 can be assigned to any part. DSP2 is assigned to all parts (including the keyboard and backing) by default. There is a dedicated DSP2 button on the front panel which provides direct access to DSP2 and turns it ON and OFF. You can choose the effect type for each DSP unit. Effect parameter editing is limited to that available through the Live Control knobs.

PSR-E473 and PSR-EW425 effect routing [Yamaha]

With reverb, chorus and two DSP effect units, effect routing (above) is more sophisticated than earlier E-series models. The routing adheres to the XG architecture. The MIDI implementation does not provide SysEx for effect selection and routing. (Well, at least it’s not documented…)

Motion effects are implemented via MIDI pitch bend and continuous control messages. (The approach is similar to the Yamaha PSS-A50.) Message-heavy effects will cut into song size when recording into MIDI.

The PSR-EW425 has two 12cm speakers and its amplifiers produce 12W per channel. The PSR-EW425 requires six D size batteries, which will affect final weight. The PSR-EW425 weighs 8.3kg (18 pounds, 5 ounces) without batteries.

The PSR-E473 requires six AA size batteries. The PSR-E473 weighs 7.0kg (15 pounds, 7 ounces) without batteries.

Live control knobs can be assigned to:

  • Keyboard:
    • Filter cutoff and resonance
    • Reverb and chorus level
    • DSP1 parameters A and B
  • Backing:
    • Filter cutoff and resonance
    • Reverb and chorus level
    • Volume balance and retrigger rate
  • System:
    • DSP2 parameter A and B

Check out my pre-announcement post. See how well I did. 🙂

Copyright © 2022 Paul J. Drongowski

Casio CT-S1000V, anyone?

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Update: Here is the latest information about the CT-S500 and CT-S1000 from Casio.

The forums are alive with rumors about the yet unannounced Casio CT-S1000V vocal synthesizer. Casio have posted a teaser video indicating a “January 2022” announcement date. I say “announcement” because the world-wide supply chain crisis will likely hold up deliveries.

As in the case of the rumored Yamaha PSR-EW425 (PSR-E473), enterprising souls have teased out pre-release images.

We do know that the CT-S1000V is based on Casio’s AiX synthesis technology. AiX is Casio’s latest generation of tone generation (large-scale integrated (LSI) circuitry). Their own teaser video has snippets of synthesized voice and/or vocoder. The teaser video is a flashdance by a four octave keyboard (pitch bend wheel and a few knobs.)

Casio CT-S1000V advertisement

The Guitar Center snap shows black and red models with oval-ish built-in speakers. There are two live control knobs along with the usual master volume and data wheel controls. There are five buttons below the display for navigating the menu system. The keys are squared-off, more like unweighted piano keys than synth keys. The GC text mentions portability, so I would expect battery operation as well as AC adapter.

The knob legends are different on the red model and the gray (black) model. This suggests two new models. Perhaps the red CT-S1000V has voice synthesis and the grey (CT-S500) is solely instrument synthesis?

Casio CT-S1000V panel

The second image has more detail. The assignable live control knobs to the left of the display are labeled “K1/VOCAL TYPE” and “K2/PORTAMENTO”. The vocal type sweeps between MALE and FEMALE. The tone mode select switches choose LYRICS and INSTRUMENT. There is some rhythm and record capability.

Intriguingly, the panel is is labeled “AiX sound source with vocal synthesis”. Coupled with “lyrics” and “vocalist,” one thinks of voice synthesis. Is this instrument Casio’s answer to Yamaha’s VKB-100 VOCALOIDâ„¢ keyboard?

Update: Casio have posted a new teaser video. Casio will be holding an event — CasioKeynote.com — on January 20, 2022 at 1PM EST. No, that’s not too early for me on the west coast, 10AM PST. 🙂

Counting keys in the new video, there must both 49- and 61-key models. If — if — the sound in the video is produced by the CT-S1000V in one pass, then it is capable of combining (playing) voice over music/rhythm parts.

There is also a new unofficial image showing the Casio CT-S1000V back panel. It’s blurry as heck, so have at it. The rear panel layout is very similar to the CT-S400. For that matter, the front panel has a similar flavor, too.

Casio CT-S1000V back panel

At least Casio aren’t waiting for Summer NAMM (June 3-5, 2022) to announce new product!

If you’re wondering about Casio’s recent R&D, please see my short list of recent Casio patents.

Interested in Vocaloid?

Copyright © 2022 Paul J. Drongowski

PSR-E473 speculation

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Update: Yamaha PSR-E473 and PSR-EW425 announcement.

Yamaha have had a busy few years updating their entry-level models, most notably, the PSR-E373 and the DGX-670. We have yet to see the PSR-E473 and PSR-EW425 models which will replace the PSR-E463 and PSR-EW410, respectively.

No doubt, supply chain and global shipping problems have delayed product launch. Prior PSR-E4xx models employ digital-to-analog converters (DAC) including DACs from Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM). The AKM plant in Nobeoka city suffered a major fire on October 20, 2020. Japanese authorities just recently gave AKM permission to clean-up and rebuild. The AKM fire caused a mass shortage of its digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters. The shortage affects other major audio and digital musical instrument manufacturers, too, not just Yamaha.

In addition, Yamaha is ramping up production at its new OneHub Chennai (India) manufacturing plant. The Chennai plant products acoustic guitars and portable keyboards for the Indian market and for export. According to a May 2019 press release, the initial goal is to make 200,000 acoustic guitars and 150,000 portable keyboards, including the PSR-I500 and the PSS series. Yamaha eventually wants to raise the goal to 400,000 acoustic guitars and 300,000 keyboards per year. Roughly 50% of production will be for export.

My PSS-A50 was manufactured in India. Given kinship to the PSR-I500, I would expect Chennai to make the new PSR-E473 and PSR-EW425. Export data indicate that a few E473s already have been run off and exported. Prototypes? Development? Testing?

Of course, the delayed launch has intensified interest among enthusiasts. The E373 received substantial feature upgrades: Super Articulation Lite (S.Art Lite) voices and new DSP effect types which once could only be found on mid- and upper-range arrangers. A few of the new effects are top-of-the-line: dual rotary speaker, Real Distortion guitar amp effects, vintage stereo phaser, compression and harmonic enhancer. One fully expects to see the same upgrades in the E473 and EW425.

S.Art Lite voices behave somewhat differently than their mid- and upper-level cousins. A dedicated articulation button triggers the articulation effect. The cousins transparently employ software scripting which reacts to player gestures, e.g., legato, intervals, and so forth.

Is this the new Yamaha PSR-EW425?

My first thought was “That looks quite professional,” not just a home keyboard. The live control knobs are re-located to the upper left. This decision will be controversial! The lighted buttons look pleasant (light blue color) and the screen is black and white monochrome. Still only four registrations per bank.

Yamaha did majorly swizzle around a bunch of front panel controls with respect to the E463. The keypad to the right has been significantly redesigned.

The quadrant to the right of the display has a 3×4 button matrix for voice and style selection by category. The buttons above the data wheel control selection mode: voice or style. I wonder if one of the mode buttons turns the matrix into a numeric keypad? The FUNCTION and PORTABLE GRAND buttons are below the matrix along with some kind of BOOST button.

The control groups running above the keyboard are (left to right): master volume, SONG/STYLE control, TRACK control, registration memory, and quick sampling. The large light blue button between the volume knob and the SONG/STYLE control group may be the ARTICULATION button.

The Quick Sampling feature got more real estate. Quick Sampling has several buttons: LOOP HOLD, A, B, C, D, and CAPTURE. I wonder if it’s possible to capture four waveforms? Did Yamaha re-think sample control including sample zones? Do the lighted A, B, C, D buttons reflect sample status like a pad controller? Can we play the pads? Are they velocity sensitive?

The live control knobs are further away from the keyboard in the quadrant to the left of the display. I can’t tell if there is an additional row or not. E463 has five live control rows; EW425 has 6 or 7?

The rest of the buttons in the upper left quadrant must be record, metronome, tap tempo, melody suppressor, voice control and all that miscellaneous stuff. The legends in the picture are too distorted to read.

Yamaha is still using an LCD with pre-defined, fixed icons and legends. Do they really save that much money versus a full graphic, pixel addressable display? What do I know? It probably simplifies the software, but it seems so 90s.

Should be interesting finally to see the specs, and not just guess.

Copyright © 2021 Paul J. Drongowski