Image credits and source versions

Zynthian main board shown in the V5.1 assembly guide ↗ · Zynthian wiki contributors · CC BY-SA 3.0

CAIBI ASSESSMENT

Zynthian V5.1

CAIBI VERDICTBUILD IT

An open Raspberry Pi 5 music workstation and synthesizer platform available as a documented DIY kit, combining audio I/O, MIDI, touchscreen control, sequencing, sampling, effects and open software.

See what the build involves Original source ↗

Build or buy?

Compare the documented build with the purchase reference.

Build it yourself

Known parts cost£339Build total not establishedBase kit only; VAT, Raspberry Pi, PSU and storage extra

Time: 1 to 3 hours assembly
Difficulty: 2/5
Physical processes: Raspberry Pi 5 · Audio · MIDI · Linux

See build requirements →

Purchase reference

Buy price referencePrice not checkedNo priced alternative recorded

Check the source for the exact model, availability and what is included.

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Purchase comparison not yet priced

What the prices cover

Official €395 base-kit price converted for planning. VAT, Raspberry Pi 5/PSU choices and microSD can add materially.

Includes: Official base kit.

Not included: VAT where applicable; Raspberry Pi 5 option; PSU option; microSD and shipping.

Build evidence recorded 4 Sep 2026. Currency conversions are approximate.

Zynthian is an open multi-engine instrument and software platform. Commercial keyboards and modules vary too much in engines, controls and openness for a single price difference to be honest.

BUILD AT A GLANCE

Source view and main parts

Check the source ↗

Zynthian V5.1 · Zynthian ↗

PHYSICAL BUILD10 key parts or groups

No.	Source specification
01	Zynthian V5.1 black anodised aluminium case
02	Zynthian V5.1 main board
03	Control board with silicone keypad and four machined aluminium knobs
04	5-inch DSI capacitive touchscreen
05	Raspberry Pi 5
06	Thermal block and thermal pad
07	Display
08	24 V 1.5 A PSU where selected
09	Good-quality microSD card of at least 32 GB
10	Optional CR2032 RTC battery

Full source specifications

Zynthian V5.1 black anodised aluminium case
Zynthian V5.1 main board
Control board with silicone keypad and four machined aluminium knobs
5-inch DSI capacitive touchscreen
Raspberry Pi 5, selected separately from the base kit where required
Thermal block and thermal pad
Display, control, USB-C and microSD flat-cable assemblies
24 V 1.5 A PSU where selected
Good-quality microSD card of at least 32 GB, not included in the kit
Optional CR2032 RTC battery

TOOLS / PROCESSES4 involved

Raspberry Pi 5
Audio
MIDI
Linux

The real-world work

YOU STILL HAVE TOThe real-world work

Fit thermal pads
Mount Raspberry Pi and boards
Connect delicate ribbon cables
Prepare microSD
Connect and verify real audio and MIDI hardware

THE BUILD SEQUENCE

How it comes together

1Preparation

Choose the actual kit configuration
Start from the current V5.1 shop listing and account for the options rather than treating the base €395 price as a complete all-in cost. Confirm whether Raspberry Pi 5 and PSU are included in the chosen configuration and supply a suitable microSD card separately.
AI + YOU
Prepare the thermal block carefully
Measure and cut the published thermal-pad pieces, then place them on the correct Raspberry Pi 5 contact areas before mounting the thermal block. This is simple work but dimensions and placement matter to cooling.
YOU
Build the lower electronics assembly
Fit the Raspberry Pi 5, main board, microSD adapter and related hardware into the aluminium base using the documented screws and spacers. Do not force connectors or board alignment.
YOU

2Build and assembly

Build the control and display section
Mount the control board, silicone keypad, touchscreen and spacers in the top case. Leave the display slightly loose until the final case alignment step as instructed by the source.
YOU
Join the assemblies with the flat cables
Connect the display and control ribbon cables in the documented orientation, checking connector contact direction and any board-revision warnings. Builder reports consistently identify these small FPC connectors as the fiddliest part.
YOU

3Configure and test

Prepare ZynthianOS and prove first boot
Write the current ZynthianOS image to a good-quality microSD card, boot the assembled unit and allow the first configuration cycle to finish. If it fails, verify the SD card and physical connections before changing software.
AI + YOU
Configure the instrument around the real setup
After the stock unit works, configure audio, MIDI, synth engines, sampler, effects, sequencing and controller behaviour for the actual instruments and workflow. AI can help interpret configuration and source code, but the builder must verify real audio levels, latency and MIDI behaviour.
AI + YOU

Benchmark this project

Use the Zynthian V5.1 prompt. Compare what different models deliver, then add what happened when you tried it.

Try this benchmark

View the project prompt

CAIBI adaptation · Prompt 1.0 · Project source

Prompt for Zynthian V5.1

CAIBI project benchmark: Zynthian V5.1
Prompt version 1.0

Help me build Zynthian V5.1 using the existing creator project at https://wiki.zynthian.org/index.php/Assembling_Zynthian_Kit_V5.1. This is a CAIBI benchmark adaptation of the project build brief, not a claim about how the creator used AI.

Project context:
- An open Raspberry Pi 5 music workstation and synthesizer platform available as a documented DIY kit, combining audio I/O, MIDI, touchscreen control, sequencing, sampling, effects and open software.
- Build context: Zynthian V5.1 black anodised aluminium case; Zynthian V5.1 main board; Control board with silicone keypad and four machined aluminium knobs; 5-inch DSI capacitive touchscreen; Raspberry Pi 5, selected separately from the base kit where required; Thermal block and thermal pad; Display, control, USB-C and microSD flat-cable assemblies; 24 V 1.5 A PSU where selected; Good-quality microSD card of at least 32 GB, not included in the kit; Optional CR2032 RTC battery.
- Where AI helps: ZynthianOS troubleshooting, MIDI and audio routing help, Configuration planning, Python and integration work, Custom workflow investigation.
- Physical work: Fit thermal pads, Mount Raspberry Pi and boards, Connect delicate ribbon cables, Prepare microSD, Connect and verify real audio and MIDI hardware.
- Main limitation: The €395 headline is the base kit price before VAT and optional Raspberry Pi 5 or PSU choices, and a microSD card is required separately. The physical build is approachable, but ribbon cables, thermal-pad placement and first-boot software still need careful handling.

Read the source first. Use its published design, files, dimensions and parts as the baseline; do not redesign it unless a missing detail requires a clearly labelled proposal. If you cannot access a source or verify a revision, say so.

Provide one practical build package:
1. Design and files: explain the source design, link the original editable files, and identify missing files or modifications.
2. Parts and fabrication: give quantities, exact variants and compatibility, plus a cutting or printing list where applicable. Preserve source dimensions; flag anything unconfirmed.
3. UK and US purchasing: direct product links, checked dates, stock, pack sizes, taxes, delivery and regional costs. Mark unverifiable details as unknown; do not invent links, prices or availability.
4. Assembly: an ordered guide covering fabrication, fitting, wiring or software as applicable, setup, checks and troubleshooting.
5. Cost and time: separate parts, fabrication, delivery, hands-on time and machine time, with assumptions and exclusions.
6. Function and ease: a test plan for the project's stated purpose, likely difficulties, required skills and any corrections or limitations.

Keep source facts, your proposals and items needing physical verification distinct. An estimate is not a measured build result. Do not claim to have built or tested hardware. Include failed attempts and omissions. If a section does not apply, say why.

Use the source as accessed during this run and record its revision or access date. The prompt is fixed; the linked source can change.

Open and copy prompt →

Benchmark results 0

No reviewed results yet for Zynthian V5.1. Add the first result →

AI IN THIS PROJECT

Get AI help on this build

CAIBI · AI CAN HELP

AI can help with

ZynthianOS troubleshooting
MIDI and audio routing help
Configuration planning
Python and integration work
Custom workflow investigation

CAIBI · AI CAN'T DO

You still need to

Fit thermal pads
Mount Raspberry Pi and boards
Connect delicate ribbon cables
Prepare microSD
Connect and verify real audio and MIDI hardware

Original source AI use and prompts

SOURCEThe original project does not publish an AI prompt

The prompts below are CAIBI helpers for this build. They are not presented as instructions from the creator.

CAIBI STARTING PROMPTS

Copy a prompt for this build

Each prompt tells AI to keep the original project source as the reference and to flag anything you must verify on the real build.

Ways to take it further

AFTER THE FIRST BUILD

Ways to take it further

Custom Raspberry Pi-based build rather than official caseCustom MIDI controller mappingsAlternative synth engines and effects chainsSampler and looper workflowsPython or OSC integrationsCustom control hardware using published open hardware information

More routes and resources

OTHER WAYS TO GET THERE

You do not have to follow one route.

ORIGINAL BUILDFollow the creator route

Use the published files and instructions as the baseline.

ALTERNATIVE PROJECTOpenMower

A conversion that replaces the electronics in compatible robot mowers with GPS-guided, map-aware open hardware and software.

REVIEWED RESOURCES

Useful places beyond the main source

GITHUB REPOZynthian UI

Active core user-interface repository for the open music workstation.

GITHUB REPOZynthian hardware

Public hardware-design repository supporting the open-hardware side of the platform.

GITHUB REPOZynthianOS

Current operating-system build and distribution source for Zynthian devices.

DOCSZynthian V5.1 assembly guide

Current official BOM, tooling, assembly sequence, first-boot guidance and one-to-three-hour build estimate.

DOCSZynthian V5.1 kit

Current official kit configuration and base price, including explicit exclusions and selectable Raspberry Pi / PSU options.

COMMUNITYV5 builder first impressions

First-hand builder report describing a little over three hours of careful assembly and identifying thermal pads and flat-cable connectors as the trickiest steps.

COMMUNITYV5 one-hour build report

Independent owner report describing a successful one-hour assembly and straightforward initial bring-up, while noting room for UI refinement.

COMMUNITYV5.1 current build experience

2025 V5.1 builder report confirming the current guide is workable while flagging a few ribbon-cable and illustration details that can cause uncertainty.

SOURCE · CAIBI · BUILDERS

What supports the verdict

SOURCEZynthian

Current Zynthian V5.1 DIY kit, shop listing, assembly guide and active open-source software/hardware ecosystem verified. Multiple first-hand builders corroborate the official one-to-three-hour assembly range and identify ribbon cables, thermal-pad preparation and first boot as the main practical catches.

Open source ↗

CAIBIBUILD IT

Unlike many DIY instruments, the current official route gives you a substantial finished music workstation without requiring PCB fabrication or soldering. AI becomes useful after assembly for configuration, MIDI routing, software investigation, scripting and adapting an unusually open audio platform.

Evidence: Strong

BUILDERSNo published reports yet

Actual time, cost, changes and outcomes appear here after submitted builds are reviewed.

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HAVE YOU MADE THIS?

Leave a build review.

First-hand evidence improves the assessment

What we want to know

What happened when you actually tried to make it.

Did it work?
Actual time and cost
What did you change?
What was harder than the source suggested?
Would you build it again?