This is not meant to disparage the beautiful and extremely high quality design of the orignal Zynthian V5.x.
We can discuss and give feedback and input to the design for the next Zynthian, or for makers constructing some own design.
Before Zynthian, I did actually try to avoid large screens in my setup. Especially the lapop for the VST engines is a source of dislike, because I always fear it breaks.
There have been discussions around musicians about screen size and the robustness of the screen and arguments for and against a certain screen size.
From my experience of two months moving and using my DIY-V5.1Acrylic (at home, in the lab, on events,…) I could summarise this: I like the 8’’ screen. So call me a turncoat if you want.
- A screen size of 8’’ is perfect to use the pattern editor, the pad, the mixer. Everything is at hand without scrolling, even 64 pads on screen are each large enough to safely launch whatever clip/pattern safely and precisely.
- All mixer strips are visible and usable at a glance.
- Multitouch. So nice to edit patterns with pinch and swipe.
- Resolution of 1280x800 is fantastic. Fonts are clear, labels are readable even at distance or in smoke.
- This hardened screen glass survived the most challenging accident. An XLR-connector bashed onto the screen by a cable whip while doing some fast rebuild action did not cause a visible defect in the glass, touch or display. May have been luck, or it is just made that way.
- Drink resistance. I hate when somebody approaches my setup with a drink, but actually my DIY-V5.1Acrylic survived a splash of sugary “Glühwein” perfectly. Just rinsed with water, dried and go. The MX keys also seem to have coped very well with this. The screen has some fine double-sticky tape as a gasket between the glass and the Plexiglas enclosure. Even though the tape has not much sticky strength and the screen is bolted to the crosspiece plate inside the enclosure, it prevented liquids from entering.
- A well-designed edge-to-edge enclosure would not render the Zynthian larger than the original – the MX keypad did so in my example (which anyway is an excellent investment, imho).
- Optical bonding: No parallax problems with touch, no attenuating internal reflections, no double or ghost image, excellent view angle. These are the reasons, why I did not take one of the RPi Screens. I think they are inferior and too much cost-optimised, just one time 10 bucks more and forever a pleasure.
What do you think about screen?
Keypad:
I have the MX Brown Box keys, my next Zynthian will have MX Low Profile, Chocolate or MX Brown Box again. Preferring a little bit of clickiness with reduced noise, I chose browns, box makes them robust against spill or dust. Tthey do an excellent job, imho. I always had problems with aging rubber pads (Electribe ) and frogies (Radias), but never with ‘real’ microswitches. Those frog-clicker-switches of the Mini are a no-go item for me.
I love the LED buttons. They give orientation and make everything so easy, so would never again make or use a Zynthian without them.
What do you think about keypad and switches and LEDs?
Rotary encoders:
Bourns. Through-hole soldered and screw mounted to enclosure. Reliable and precise, no missing codes, precious haptic. No China-knockoff! Never! No.