The Alps Trilogy Part 2: Zenith ZKB-2R review (Alps SKCL Green)

[Chyros]

This week we look at how the Alps SKCL/SKCM series started off, in a Zenith ZKB-2R. Hope you enjoy it, and check back next week for the final part of the trilogy!

[seebart]

Good work Chyrosran22 production Team. Nice info on Zenith as a company. I don't see that blue paste on my Zenith ZKB-2 stabilizers BTW.

In the 1980's the industry demanded new standards from manufacturers

is more realistic...of course according to jacobolus Germany somehow was able to force the entire world to do this which I still highly doubt:

That tilt was the standard for electronic typewriters and computer keyboards in the 1960s–1970s. It only went out of style when German office equipment standards outlawed anything tall or beautiful in the 1980s (basically driving switches like Cherry M5–M7, Micro Switch hall effect, Alps SKCC, IBM beam spring, etc. etc. out of the market by mandating low-profile switches along with low-profile keycaps in dull colors). Of course, the same German standards also mandated desk heights which were inappropriate to use with keyboards following their guidelines. As far as I can tell they didn’t have any particularly good evidence to back up any of the guidelines. Germans just love their arbitrary rules. <3

[Engicoder]

Great review, as always. I love your American pronunciation in the beginning. Too funny.

That is interesting about the grease on the stabilizers. My ZKB-2 from November 1987 shows no sign of any grease or lube.
As a side note, I think a further reason the ZKB-2/R sound so solid is that the switch assembly (pcb, plate and switches) is bolted to the case with six hex head screws. Most other keyboards have one or two screws, and some it is not attached in any way other than being clamped between the two case halves.

[Engicoder]

Good work Chyrosran22 production Team. Nice info on Zenith as a company. I don't see that blue paste on my Zenith ZKB-2 stabilizers BTW.

Mine doesn't either. What is the date on yours?

[seebart]

Good work Chyrosran22 production Team. Nice info on Zenith as a company. I don't see that blue paste on my Zenith ZKB-2 stabilizers BTW.

Mine doesn't either. What is the date on yours?

August 1987.

IMGP7262.JPG (948.64 KiB) Viewed 6841 times

[klikkyklik]

Cool vid, Thomas- glad you enjoy the board. Your review has done nothing to diminish my pursuit of one, that's for damn sure!

[snuci]

Nice review, as usual. It got me looking to see if there was an Alps SKCC Cream (not "Tall") page in the Wiki because I have at least one board with them but it looks like it's needed so I'll take some pics and create that page. These wer3e used in a slimmer keyboard and I imagine they were DIN compliant.

[itzmeluigi]

Excellent review, top quality as always. Very glad you got this board

My ZKB-2 didnt have any paste on the stabilizers either, maybe its only on ZKB-2R models?

[Redmaus]

Already told you about what I think about the review, but I think you should have saved this intro for SKCM orange

[jacobolus]

Do people really say the word “zenith” with a short e sound? Very weird. I’m curious about the historical pronunciations of the word.

[jacobolus]

Agreed 100% on “finally a linear switch that I really really like”. Even these aren’t my favorite (I like clicky switches), but plenty usable for day to day typing. To approach the same in a Cherry MX switch, you need to swap out the springs and add lubricant.

Chyros: while you’re talking about Alps, do you have any Alps plate spring keyboards? If not, you might try to find one. It’s substantially different than other clicky switches. Somewhat like a less stiff version of an IBM beam spring switch, though there are some other differences in the feel between the two, beyond stiffness.

[derzemel]

Excelent review. I would love to have a ZKB-2/2R.

Regarding stab lube, I do have lube on the ZKB-7 that I have:


Sorry for the dust. I have not gotten around to clean it thoroughly.
Also, it is made in October 1987, in parallel with the ZKB-2, just as Chyros said (I did not know that):

[Chyros]

Thanks for all the praise everyone!

It's possible the R model also has the added lube compared to the normal ZKB-2. Maybe someone else with a ZKB-2R can confirm this?

Chyros: while you’re talking about Alps, do you have any Alps plate spring keyboards? If not, you might try to find one. It’s substantially different than other clicky switches. Somewhat like a less stiff version of an IBM beam spring switch, though there are some other differences in the feel between the two, beyond stiffness.

I don't, but I'm looking for one . I think it could be very interesting to review .

Do people really say the word “zenith” with a short e sound? Very weird. I’m curious about the historical pronunciations of the word.

In English English it's "zennith", yes, in American English it's "zeenith". I didn't know there was a different pronunciation until someone pointed it out to me. AS for the origins; according to dictionary.com: "1350-1400; Middle English cenith < Medieval Latin < Old Spanish zenit, scribal error for zemt < Arabic samt road, incorrectly read as senit by medieval scribes (compare Arabic samt ar-rās road above (over) one's head, the opposite of nadir)"

Already told you about what I think about the review, but I think you should have saved this intro for SKCM orange

I actually considered that, but I think it stands out much more this way .

Cool vid, Thomas- glad you enjoy the board. Your review has done nothing to diminish my pursuit of one, that's for damn sure!

Haha I can imagine xD .

Great review, as always. I love your American pronunciation in the beginning. Too funny.

Haha thanks, I tried xD . I think I've might've over-Texanised it a bit tbh xD .

Good work Chyrosran22 production Team.

In the 1980's the industry demanded new standards from manufacturers

is more realistic...of course according to jacobolus Germany somehow was able to force the entire world to do this which I still highly doubt:

I used the channel name really just to more closely mirror the Clockwork Orange intro better xD . As for the standard; I'm all but sure it's the one D'Milo talked about when he mentioned the Hi-Tek 725 series.

[jacobolus]

Do people really say the word “zenith” with a short e sound? Very weird. I’m curious about the historical pronunciations of the word.

[...] I didn't know there was a different pronunciation until someone pointed it out to me. AS for the origins; according to dictionary.com: "1350-1400; Middle English cenith [...]

The part I’m curious about is the pronunciation in England circa 1600–1700.

[seebart]

Do people really say the word “zenith” with a short e sound? Very weird. I’m curious about the historical pronunciations of the word.

[...] I didn't know there was a different pronunciation until someone pointed it out to me. AS for the origins; according to dictionary.com: "1350-1400; Middle English cenith [...]

The part I’m curious about is the pronunciation in England circa 1600–1700.

Rigtht and I'd like to know what the pronunciation in victorian Germany might have been like.

[snuci]

The funny part of the Canadian pronunciation is that we say the letter as "zed" like England does but pronounce the word as "zeenith" because of the old TV commercials

[E3E]

Agreed 100% on “finally a linear switch that I really really like”. Even these aren’t my favorite (I like clicky switches), but plenty usable for day to day typing. To approach the same in a Cherry MX switch, you need to swap out the springs and add lubricant.

Chyros: while you’re talking about Alps, do you have any Alps plate spring keyboards? If not, you might try to find one. It’s substantially different than other clicky switches. Somewhat like a less stiff version of an IBM beam spring switch, though there are some other differences in the feel between the two, beyond stiffness.

Haha, I'm probably in more of a minority in that I prefer linears as my daily driver switch variety whereas blue Alps, for instance is something I consider more of a "showroom' switch that I take out every so often but really don't like using for extended periods of times. I used my KB101A over the past weekend, but quickly switched back to my Hammer Alps board with SKCL Greens after a few days. So, while I really enjoy clicky and tactile switches, linear is my favorite.

I definitely love variety though.

I have an IBM P70 board. They're very gentle switches (Alps Plate Spring) with a very interesting sound and feel. I don't know if I like them all that much, but they're worth a try for anyone.

Here's a sound clip of typing on the P70: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz7wy2 ... sp=sharing

This board does use a carbon fiber plate, so I think that contributes significantly to the extremely pleasant feel with SKCL Greens. On normal boards with steel plates, the switches aren't -quite- as captivating.

It's also incredibly quiet. I use DS ABS just so it can be a little bit louder. PBT is super silent on it, but the board is dampened with a sorbothane sheet as well.

[ohaimark]

I agree that smooth linears can be just as satisfying for everyday use as tactile/clicky switches. I do think they require more energetic typing, though. Instead of "slapping" keycaps with one's fingertips it seems like you have to follow through properly -- sort of like a swing or throw in a sports game.

I didn't expect to enjoy the Gateron Clears I've been using, but they've become my primary switch. The Magicforce 68 that they're in is even getting some PBT caps to remedy its ABS/POM doubleshot malady. Gamer fonts. -shudders-

[jacobolus]

I have an IBM P70 board. They're very gentle switches (Alps Plate Spring) with a very interesting sound and feel. I don't know if I like them all that much, but they're worth a try for anyone.

The sad thing about the P70 / P75 is that the keycaps are very thin, and the case is the one of the flimsiest ever. Switches are PCB mounted, and the only rigidity is from a couple of metal strips plus the plastic shell (which has so many clips holding the two parts together that taking the thing apart is a huge pain).

I found the P70 keyboard dramatically nicer to type on after completely removing the PCB from the case, swapping the keycaps for thicker ones, and then placing the PCB on top of a ~1" thick hardwood board.

The switches themselves are great if you want to type fast (though even in the best context I wouldn’t be the biggest fan of their sound), but the rest of the P70/P75 keyboard is just so cheap and flimsy.

Sort of similar situation to Chicony keyboards with SMK switches.

I really want to build some sturdier custom Alps plate spring keyboards.

[Chyros]

Damn, hope I run into some Alps plate spring keyboards soon, they sound like fun .