Membrane vs Mechanical sounds?

[mgsstar]

Which one is louder? Membrane or Mechanical Keyboard Sounds? Will the mx browns be as quiet as membrane keyboards?

[Dave :)]

Depends. If you bottom out browns, they sound very loud. If you're a light typist then you would probably notice a difference in sound, i'm not too sure though without being there. If you're really worried about sound, go for Blacks or reds, they're a more linear switch, therefore no sound, but you do lose the tactile feel. All comes down to how heavy you press the keys if i'm honest. :)

[mgsstar]

I thought that browns were the most quiet...

[mgsstar]

I thought that browns were the most quiet...

mx browns are in the middle of these mx switches right?

[Toby]

I thought that browns were the most quiet...

Correct. In terms of sound, it goes blues > browns > blacks > reds.

[mgsstar]

I thought that browns were the most quiet...

Whats the difference in feel between reds and membrane keyboards?

[dchen12]

I thought that browns were the most quiet...

Well reds are linear and the cheap membranes I've used have a small bump.

I would say that bottoming out any mechanical keyboard will be louder than most membrane keyboards (atleast the cheap membrane keyboards). I have never used a quality membrane keyboard so I can't compare.

[Prettyfinej]

If you every bottom out the keys mechanical will be louder than membrane.

[Tr3vor]

http://linustechtips.com/main/forum/computer-hardware/peripherals/40820-mechanical-vs-non-mechanical ;)

[Dave :)]

I thought that browns were the most quiet...

They're the most quiet of the tactile switches ( Blues and Browns mainly), but compared to the Linear switch ( Red and Blacks mainly) they are not as quiet as these.

[NeoZeon]

Greens/Blues are the loudest, with clears,browns,blacks, and reds all being about the same. What makes blues and greens louder are the clicky noise. Even if you bottom out keys, this is the case, but if you are a touche typist browns black red and clears should same simular to a membrane keyboard. Maybe slightly louder, but not really. Depending on how well the keyboard is constructed, the mechanical keyboards will be louder if you bottom them out than membrane, but this is not always the case; It depends on the mounting.

[Ningeal]

If you bottom out, mechanicals are way louder, I can tell you that from personal experience (had to return my MX blacks because my neighbours complained about my nightly gaming sessions). I find browns with o-rings quite acceptable (my neighbours haven't complained yet) and unlike blues they still feel nice to type on. IMO, go for browns / reds with o-ring mods.

[Sauber-C10]

Mechanical is always louder than membrane but dont worry you get used to the sound and its actually quite a satisfying click or bump depending on your keys

[mgsstar]

If you bottom out, mechanicals are way louder, I can tell you that from personal experience (had to return my MX blacks because my neighbours complained about my nightly gaming sessions). I find browns with o-rings quite acceptable (my neighbours haven't complained yet) and unlike blues they still feel nice to type on. IMO, go for browns / reds with o-ring mods.

where are some retail/online places that I can get O-rings and I heard there are different types of O rings, Is that true? If yes, which O-ring do you recommend?

[Ningeal]

If you bottom out, mechanicals are way louder, I can tell you that from personal experience (had to return my MX blacks because my neighbours complained about my nightly gaming sessions). I find browns with o-rings quite acceptable (my neighbours haven't complained yet) and unlike blues they still feel nice to type on. IMO, go for browns / reds with o-ring mods.

Ceck out WASD Keyboards' Sampler Kit. I personally use the black A50R o-rings on my MX browns and love them. They reduce all the bottoming out noise but still feel very nice. I had some A50Rs left so I decided to them on my MX blues but I personally don't like the feeling of blues with this particular o-ring,

[mgsstar]

If you bottom out, mechanicals are way louder, I can tell you that from personal experience (had to return my MX blacks because my neighbours complained about my nightly gaming sessions). I find browns with o-rings quite acceptable (my neighbours haven't complained yet) and unlike blues they still feel nice to type on. IMO, go for browns / reds with o-ring mods.

so does it give a deeper tactile feel in you put those o-rings on? How far down do they go with o-rings?

[Ningeal]

If you bottom out, mechanicals are way louder, I can tell you that from personal experience (had to return my MX blacks because my neighbours complained about my nightly gaming sessions). I find browns with o-rings quite acceptable (my neighbours haven't complained yet) and unlike blues they still feel nice to type on. IMO, go for browns / reds with o-ring mods.

so does it give a deeper tactile feel in you put those o-rings on?

No not really. The tactile feeling stays the same (the clicky noise form the blues stays) but rather the loud 'clack' (when the plastic keycap hits your backplate) is removed / becomes a 'thud'. The A50Rs reduce the key travel distance to 2mm (where the key actually actuates).

[mgsstar]

If you bottom out, mechanicals are way louder, I can tell you that from personal experience (had to return my MX blacks because my neighbours complained about my nightly gaming sessions). I find browns with o-rings quite acceptable (my neighbours haven't complained yet) and unlike blues they still feel nice to type on. IMO, go for browns / reds with o-ring mods.

are the o-rings basically like training wheels on a bike? So if you actually get used to the keyboard you would't need to get o-rings?

[Ningeal]

If you bottom out, mechanicals are way louder, I can tell you that from personal experience (had to return my MX blacks because my neighbours complained about my nightly gaming sessions). I find browns with o-rings quite acceptable (my neighbours haven't complained yet) and unlike blues they still feel nice to type on. IMO, go for browns / reds with o-ring mods.

Uhh, not at all. O-rings are not supposed to help you becoming a touch typist but rather remove the sounds of the keycaps bottoming out. So it really depends on the user. I personally am a heavy typer (so whatever I do, I will always bottom out) and need the noise reduction. Conclusion: if you're a HEAVY typer and NEED sound reduction, install o-rings, if you're TOUCH TYPIST you probably won't have an 'issue' with bottoming out, so you probably won't need o-rings.

[Ningeal]

Mechanical is always louder than membrane but dont worry you get used to the sound and its actually quite a satisfying click or bump depending on your keys

I think if you care about the 'noise' a mechanical keybaord can make, then it's primarily because you might disturb others (in my case: old neighbours upstairs). If 'noise' really bothers you personally, you shouldn't waste money on a mechanical keyboard. It's the feel and more importantly the sound that make mechanical keyboards so special. :D

[mgsstar]

If I get a cherry mx red/black, doesn't it basically have the same feel as a membrane keyboard except you can be a touch typist on mechanical?

[Ningeal]

If I get a cherry mx red/black, doesn't it basically have the same feel as a membrane keyboard except you can be a touch typist on mechanical?

I don't think so. Mechanicals are a completely different universe compared to membranes.

[mgsstar]

If I get a cherry mx red/black, doesn't it basically have the same feel as a membrane keyboard except you can be a touch typist on mechanical?

Ok Thanks Probably going to need to try them out first...