Introduction
The Yamaha PSR-E483 and PSR-E583 are two home music keyboards launched in 2026. They are part of the PSR family of keyboards whose first models launched over forty years ago.
Both models can be considered entry- to mid-level keyboards whose target audience is beginner musicians, children, and those who enjoy experimenting with a lot of built-in sounds, rhythms and other functions.
Comparison
We’ll take a look at how each of the main features compares between the two models.
Keyboard
Both keyboards have 61 full-size keys (five octaves) which are of an unweighted organ/synth style. They are touch sensitive but don’t have aftertouch.
- Full size keys mean keys of a similar or identical size to an acoustic piano’s keys
- Unweighted means there is little to no weight to the keys when pressed – they are a very light touch compared to a piano whose hammer action provides a noticeable weight to each key.
- Touch sensitive means the harder a key is struck, the louder the note is (the timbre of the note may also change along with other parameters)
- Aftertouch means the keyboard responds to additional key pressure after the initial press, often with some kind of effect such as vibrato, a pitch change or other parameter.
How to choose the best keyboard size and weight
Polyphony
Both keyboards feature 64 notes of polyphony. Although fairly low by modern standards, it matches keyboards in this price range, and is adequate for most types of playing with this style of keyboard.
Polyphony is how many sounds can be produced simultaneously, and on this type of keyboard includes the main voice, any layered voices, accompaniments and other sounds.
Sounds
Both keyboards have a large number of sounds, including acoustic instruments, synthetic sounds and effects. They use Yamaha’s AWM Stereo Sampling technology, which is both well-established and continually updated.
The PSR-E583 has slightly more sounds — 890 — than the PSR-E483’s 860. We haven’t trawled through the data sheet to see what the additional thirty sounds of the PSR-E583 are, but they are most likely variations or additions to what’s on the PSR-E483.
In addition to the built-in sounds, both models can perform one-shot and looped sampling using sound sources including the auxiliary ‘in’ jack, microphone and USB audio interface. Samples are saved as 44.1kHz WAV files. Up to four samples of ~9.6 seconds each can be kept in memory at one time.
Other functions include dual (layered) and split (one voice in each of two defined keyboard zones), harmony (additional notes), arpeggios, and articulation (which adds extra performance styling to voices).
Effects include digital signal processing (DSP), reverb, chorus, and master EQ.
Accompaniments
Both instruments feature a large number (345) of built-in accompaniment styles, plus ten external styles. These can be controlled with Yamaha’s multi-finger and smart chord systems.
Pedals
Both models can use a foot switch to control any of sustain, arpeggio hold, sustain and arpeggio hold, or articulation. The E-583 can also use a volume pedal.
Learning
Neither of the keyboards have onboard learning or tutorial systems, but they can be connected to a range of learning apps from both Yamaha and others.
Sound System
The PSR-E583 features 2x12W amplifiers while the PSR-E483 has 2x6W amps. Both have 12cm x2 speakers which can handle stereo sound.
There’s both a stereo mini jack and standard stereo phone jacks (L/L+R, R) for audio output, plus a standard stereo headphone jack.
Both instruments can accept a microphone input.
Storage
Both instruments have 1.72MB of onboard memory, as well as being able to read and save data from USB flash drives.
Connectivity
Other connections include USB to Device type A and USB to Host type C.
Power is either via AC adaptor or batteries.
Dimensions
Both instruments measure 992 x 136 x 404mm (39 1/16″ x 5 3/8″ x 15 7/8″). The PSR-E583 weights 7.3kg (16lb1oz) while the PSR-E483 is marginally lighter at 7kg (15lb7oz).
Price
The PSR-E483 retails for $400 and the PSR-E583 at $490.
Specifications
The full specification table for both models is below.
| PSR-E483 | PSR-E583 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size/Weight | Dimensions | Width | 992 mm (39-1/16”) | |
| Height | 136 mm (5-3/8”) | |||
| Depth | 404 mm (15-7/8”) | |||
| Weight | Weight | 7.0kg (15 lb, 7 oz) (not including batteries) | 7.3 kg (16 lb, 1 oz) (not including batteries) | |
| Packing Box | Width | 1068 mm (42-1/16″) | ||
| Height | 216 mm (8-1/2″) | |||
| Depth | 500 mm (19-11/16″) | |||
| Control Interface | Keyboard | Number of Keys | 61 | |
| Type | Organ-Style | |||
| Touch Response | Yes (Soft, Medium, Hard, Off) | |||
| Display | Type | LCD | ||
| Backlight | Yes | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Panel | Language | English | ||
| Other Controllers | Pitch Bend | Yes | ||
| Modulation | No | |||
| Art. Switches | Yes | |||
| Control Knobs | 2 | |||
| Voices | Tone Generation | Tone Generating Technology | AWM Stereo Sampling | |
| Polyphony | Number of Polyphony (Max.) | 64 | ||
| Preset | Number of Voices | 860 (322 Voices + 40 Drum/SFXKits + 40 Arpeggio Voices + 458 XGlite Voices) | 890 (352 Voices + 40 Drum/SFXKits + 40 Arpeggio Voices + 458 XGlite Voices) | |
| Featured Voices | 15 S.Art Lite Voices | 19 S.Art Lite Voices | ||
| Compatibility | GM | Yes | ||
| XGlite | Yes | |||
| Accompaniment Styles | Preset | Number of Preset Styles | 345 | |
| Fingering | Multi Finger, Smart Chord | |||
| Style Control | ACMP ON/OFF, SYNC START, SYNC STOP, START/STOP, INTRO/ENDING/rit., MAIN A, MAIN B, TRACK ON/OFF | |||
| Other Features | One Touch Setting (OTS) | Yes | ||
| Auto Chord Play | 100 Chord Progressions + 10 USER Chord Progressions | |||
| Expandability | Expansion Style | 10 | ||
| Compatibility | Style File Format (SFF) | |||
| Effects | Types | DSP | DSP1: 41 types + DSP2: 12 types | |
| Motion Effect | 57 types | |||
| Reverb | 15 types | |||
| Chorus | 7 types | |||
| Master EQ | 5 types | |||
| Functions | Dual/Layers | Yes | ||
| Split | Yes | |||
| Melody Suppressor | Yes | |||
| Harmony/Echo | 26 types | |||
| Arpeggio | 164 types | |||
| Songs | Preset | Number of Preset Songs | 2 | |
| Recording | Number of Songs | 10 | ||
| Number of Tracks | 6 (5 Melody + 1 Style) | |||
| Data Capacity | Approx. 19,000 notes (total for all 10 Songs) | |||
| Compatible Data Format | Playback | SMF (Formats 0 & 1) | ||
| Recording | Original File Format (SMF 0 conversion function) | |||
| USB Audio Recorder | Recording Time (max.) | 80 minutes (approx. 0.9 GB) per Song | ||
| Format | Playback | WAV (44.1 kHz, 16-bit, stereo) | ||
| Recording | WAV (44.1 kHz, 16-bit, stereo) | |||
| Quick Sampling | Sampling Type | Oneshot, Loop | ||
| Samples (Preset/User) | 4 | |||
| Sampling Time | Approx. 9.6 sec | |||
| Sampling Sources | AUX IN, MIC INPUT, USB audio interface, WAV format files | |||
| Sampling Format | Original File Format (16-bit, stereo) | |||
| Sampling Rate | 44.1 kHz | |||
| Functions | USB audio interface | 44.1 kHz, 16-bit, stereo | ||
| Registration | Number of Buttons | 4 (x 8 banks) | ||
| Control | Freeze | |||
| Overall Controls | Metronome | Yes | ||
| Tempo Range | 11 – 280 | |||
| Transpose | -12 – 0 – +12 | |||
| Tuning | 427.0 – 440.0 – 453.0 Hz (approx. 0.2 Hz increments) | |||
| Octave Button | Yes | |||
| Scale Type | 5 | |||
| Miscellaneous | PIANO Button | Yes | ||
| Looper | Yes | |||
| Megaboost | 2 steps (approx. +3 dB, and +6 dB) | |||
| Storage and Connectivity | Storage | Internal Memory | Approx. 1.72 MB | |
| External Drives | USB flash drive | |||
| Connectivity | DC IN | 12 V | 16 V | |
| AUX IN | Stereo mini jack × 1 | |||
| Headphones | Standard stereo phone jack × 1 | |||
| Foot Switch | Yes (Sustain, Arpeggio Hold, Sustain+Arpeggio Hold, Articulation) | |||
| Expression Pedal | No | |||
| USB TO DEVICE | Yes (USB Type-A) | |||
| USB TO HOST | Yes (USB Type-C™) | |||
| LINE OUT | Standard stereo phone jacks: L/L+R, R | |||
| Microphone | Standard stereo phone jack x 1 | |||
| Sound System | Amplifiers | 6 W x 2 | 12 W x 2 | |
| Speakers | 12 cm x 2 | |||
| Power Supply | Power Supply | Adaptors | PA-150 or an equivalent recommended by Yamaha (Output : DC 12V, 1.5 A) | PA-300C (Output : DC 16 V, 2.4 A) |
| Batteries | Six “AA” size alkaline (LR6), manganese (R6) or Ni-MH rechargeable batteries | |||
| Power Consumption | 13W (When using PA-150C AC adaptor) | 13 W (When using PA-300C AC adaptor) | ||
| Auto Power Off Function | Yes (Disabled/5/10/15/30/60/120 minutes) | |||
| Accessories | Included Accessories | Owner’s Manual, Music Rest, AC adaptor *: PA-150 or an equivalent recommended by Yamaha. (* May not be included depending on your area. Check with your Yamaha dealer.) | Owner’s Manual, Music Rest, AC adaptor PA-300C*, Power Cord* (* May not be included depending on your area. Check with your Yamaha dealer.) | |
Summary
Both the PSR-E483 and PSR-E583 are excellent entry-level music keyboards ideal for anyone just starting out with music making. They’re even advanced enough for taking out on gigs.
They don’t have the full range of a digital piano but for many styles of music, with the built-in accompaniments, they are more than adequate. Even simpler piano pieces with no more than a five octave range can be played. Yamaha’s onboard acoustic piano samples are very good considering the price.
Buying
These models can be bought online:
