Mechanical Keyboard Club!

[IKEA Cherry Chair]

Showing off my new Keyboard

The keychron C2, with cyberpunk caps

A beaut, and my first ever true mech board

Just need to figure out how to activate fn lock

[atarione]

Today I removed my 1st mechanical keyboard I received as a xmas gift I believe in 2011 (maybe 2012?) I can not remember for sure..

 

This is a WASD V1 mx-break keyboard that is a full-sized ANSI that currently (not for long if I actually keep using it is sporting an ungodly combination of some super cheap dye sub pbt white keycaps and also the rather "horrible" thin ABS keycaps that WASD shipped this with... honestly they are kinda of hot garbage... but whatever.. it is "fine" for the moment...   The contrast in feel / texture / sound of the pbt alpha and thin ABS modifiers is pretty jarring..

 

The build quality is over all pretty good.. but decidedly less solid feeling than my Filco MT2 TKL keyboard which I have been using since about 2015~... not withstanding it is a very soldid feeling board that leave one with  impression it will take years and years of use and still be going ...

 

 

[Monkey with a keyboard]

On 1/3/2013 at 2:44 PM, Dave said:

Hello all,

Thought i should get in early and create a central hub for all us Keyboard enthusiasts to congregate.
For those who don't know what a mechanical keyboard is, here is a quick, very brief outline.

 

On a regular rubber dome keyboard, ones you generally find in Schools, work places etc, under each key is rubber dome. When pressed, this rubber dome is pressed down, making contact with the underlying membrane, transferring the electrical impulse through the circuitry and thus telling the computer what button has been pressed.

A mechanical keyboard, on the otherhand, doesn't have such a set up. Instead, underneath each key is an individual switch. When pressed, this switch is forced down, connecting the contact and transferring electrical impulse. The advantages of using a mechanical switch are quite strong, firstly it provides a much more tactile and wholesome feedback, good for telling the user when they have actuated the key. This allows the user, when they have got used to it, to type at a much faster rate as they know the feeling of when they have typed a letter, and thus can increase their word count. Also, mechanical keyboards allow for NKRO, or N-key roll over. Basically this means that the user can press down as many keys as they like, the computer will register all the key strokes. With a membrane board, there is a limit.

For a much more in depth talk, check out Linus' video on Mechanical keyboards.

There are many, many switch variants out there. However the ones you are most likely to come across are: Cherry MX switches. These come in a variety of names, denoted by their colour. Each switch feels slightly different, and provides the user with different reasons to use a switch.

Cherry MX Blues: Tactile, clicky. - Good for typing, not so much gaming.
Cherry MX Browns: Tactile, non-clicky. - Good gaming and typing due to their quietness, but still maintaining the tactile feedback (you can feel a bump when you press the key)
Cherry MX Reds: Linear, non-clicky - Good for gaming, similar to Membrane in linear motion; no bump as it's not tactile.
Cherry MX Blacks : Linear, non-clicky. - Similar to MX Reds, slightly heavier

There are many other variants of the Cherry MX line up, however these are the main constituents which filtrate into the mainstream market.

Simply post what Keyboard you're running, what switch type, TKL or not, and any other mods you've done to it.

Here is my Filco Majestouch 2 TKL:

 

 

Also, checkout the thread Introduction to Mechanical Keyboard by @Eschew

i have a cherrry mx brown alienware 410K but it still sounds like this 

 (it clickier in real life but still i tought they were supposed to be silent)

 

 

(

 

[seon123]

4 minutes ago, Monkey with a keyboard said:

i have a cherrry mx brown alienware 410K but it still sounds like this 

 (it clickier in real life but still i tought they were supposed to be silent)

 

 

(

 

Regular switches like the MX Brown are going to be fairly loud. They don't make a noise just from actuating the switch, but they still make a noise when you bottom them out, and when they top out. If you want quieter switches, you need to look for silenced switches, like the Boba U4, Zilent, Box Silent Brown, etc.

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

11 hours ago, Monkey with a keyboard said:

it clickier in real life but still i tought they were supposed to be silent)

There are not silent, they just don't do the extra click from the click mechanism in 'clicky' switches.

 

You will always hear the sound of the stem bottoming out in the housing, as well as hitting the top stop upon reset. Unless, you get specifically silent switches that have buffer material/dampeners on the stem or housing.

As someone already mentioned, try Boba U4 (NOT U4T, the T is for Thock aka loud), silent browns etc. anything with a silent in it.

[Monkey with a keyboard]

On 1/3/2013 at 2:44 PM, Dave said:

Hello all,

Thought i should get in early and create a central hub for all us Keyboard enthusiasts to congregate.
For those who don't know what a mechanical keyboard is, here is a quick, very brief outline.

 

On a regular rubber dome keyboard, ones you generally find in Schools, work places etc, under each key is rubber dome. When pressed, this rubber dome is pressed down, making contact with the underlying membrane, transferring the electrical impulse through the circuitry and thus telling the computer what button has been pressed.

A mechanical keyboard, on the otherhand, doesn't have such a set up. Instead, underneath each key is an individual switch. When pressed, this switch is forced down, connecting the contact and transferring electrical impulse. The advantages of using a mechanical switch are quite strong, firstly it provides a much more tactile and wholesome feedback, good for telling the user when they have actuated the key. This allows the user, when they have got used to it, to type at a much faster rate as they know the feeling of when they have typed a letter, and thus can increase their word count. Also, mechanical keyboards allow for NKRO, or N-key roll over. Basically this means that the user can press down as many keys as they like, the computer will register all the key strokes. With a membrane board, there is a limit.

For a much more in depth talk, check out Linus' video on Mechanical keyboards.

There are many, many switch variants out there. However the ones you are most likely to come across are: Cherry MX switches. These come in a variety of names, denoted by their colour. Each switch feels slightly different, and provides the user with different reasons to use a switch.

Cherry MX Blues: Tactile, clicky. - Good for typing, not so much gaming.
Cherry MX Browns: Tactile, non-clicky. - Good gaming and typing due to their quietness, but still maintaining the tactile feedback (you can feel a bump when you press the key)
Cherry MX Reds: Linear, non-clicky - Good for gaming, similar to Membrane in linear motion; no bump as it's not tactile.
Cherry MX Blacks : Linear, non-clicky. - Similar to MX Reds, slightly heavier

There are many other variants of the Cherry MX line up, however these are the main constituents which filtrate into the mainstream market.

Simply post what Keyboard you're running, what switch type, TKL or not, and any other mods you've done to it.

Here is my Filco Majestouch 2 TKL:

 

 

Also, checkout the thread Introduction to Mechanical Keyboard by @Eschew

 

what is the epomaker naming scheme there is th,gk/sk and ep whats the difference

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

Well, here we go again: I have a new keyboard.

 

Actually, it has already been almost two weeks since it arrived, several months since I paid for it: the Zoom 98 from Meletrix. I wasn't sure if I wanted to make a post about this, but I guess it can't hurt. I don't have pictures at the hand, would need to get some lighting figured out (preferably daylight) and my phone doesn't take the best pics anyway. So text only for now. I got one picture I've taken with my phone down below, but it doesn't do it any justice with just the desk light. You can tell how much the camera is struggling by how much the LCD and RGB glow is exaggerated. Maybe I do a few more shots in daylight tomorrow.

 

 

Now, to get the unfortunate truth out of the way first and to give some context to my complaints: this board was ridiculously expensive to me, over 500EUR with taxes, shipping, switches, and keycaps. So if I complain over details or get nitpicky... there is still a lot of phantom pain in my wallet. Shipping alone was 110EUR, plus ~90EUR in taxes and fees. So 200EUR just to get the thing into Europe. And of course things like shipping you only see really at the end, while the 90EUR in fees you only get the bill for once it is in EU.

In case you are curious:

(https://meletrix.com/collections/zoom-98-gb-end)

 

Here is the build:

• Zoom 98, black anodized special edition (meaning it has a narrow gold chamfer around the areas with keys) with "tri-mode" and the LCD module.
• extra 2-key module to replace the LCD (not installed, might switch over though)
• extra FR4 plate, which I used over the included PC plate.
• WS Morandi switches
• WS WOB keycaps

I ended up swapping over to these keycaps here: https://traitorskeys.com/infinity/ Looks pretty nice and they sound good, but the caps are definitely of lesser quality than the doubleshot PBT from Wuque Studios.

 

Overall impressions:

Definitely a level or two up from something like a Keychron Q6. Already when you receive the package, the main box contains a variety of additional smaller boxes that are protective boxes for the actual boxes. No carrying case included with the keyboard, but you wouldn't carry or commute with this thing anyway (~3.5kg). BTW I don't know why I would pay extra for an internal brass or stainless steel weight you can't even see. With the external weight you get at least the bling.

 

Main box has some anime artwork and folds open nicely with some magnets holding the cover closed. Inside are again more individually packed pieces and a microfiber cloth protecting the absolute fingerprint magnet that is the case. Once it warms up to room temp it gets a bit better, but wash your hands and/or wear gloves when assembling this.

Construction is similarly premium, although the anodization has some blemishes around the tapped screw holes in the inside of the case. You can't see them in practice, but it is there. Otherwise the machining quality and finish is excellent in my opinion. Plate and PCB are nicely cut with no sharp edges, as much as that is possible with FR4. Assembly is relatively easy, they also have a video guide and a Discord Server with many helpful guides. Still, the ribbon cable construction with the LCD display is...questionable.

 

Stiff gasket mount:

Feel is interesting, rather on the stiff side, especially when you build it with all the foam. Reason is that while the zoom is a Gasket mount, it simply doesn't have the flex nor space for it to really flex. With all the foam the sound is a higher pitched marbly sound, which gets muted from all the foam, rendering it somewhat creamy.

When assembling I noticed that the silicone socks that are mounting points aren't even touching the lower case, simply because it was lying already on the under-PCB foam that gets stuck on the PCB. It is removable and reusable, but tears easily so be careful with it. For 500EUR I would have expected either more durable foam or some extras, but guess they had to make money somehow...

This all means that with the foam present, you will not get any flex and the gasket is basically just sound isolation from the case.

 

Once you remove the foam, the sound becomes a bit more interesting to me and the board has now room to flex ever so slightly. Having build this with the FR4 plate and the PCB sans flex cuts, this is really springy feeling. Not sure if I will keep it this way, but it is something different.

 

Another funny, yet annoying thing were the gasket socks and how you assemble them. The manual states they come in two sizes and that the shorter ones go on the sides. However, when I compared the silicone pieces, they looked like they all came from the same endlessly extruded piece and were cut off at roughly the same point. Result is that they have a more of a narrow distribution of lengths than two sizes.

Idiot me took 10 minutes to realize this though, endlessly getting confused over which piece was long and which short.

 

No batteries and "useless" LCD screen:

Now, the board does have 2.4GHz, BT, and comes with two internal batteries. I have opted to not install them at this point and use it wired only. Mostly because I wasn't sure how often I was going to open/close the thing and didn't want to tear any cables. The PCB is attacked to both the lower part (USB daughter board) and the top (LCD) with rather short cables, making assembly/disassembly rather annoying.

 

More annoying is that I can't seem to find the current version of the app required to make anything useful with the LCD screen. I've also seen mixed reviews of it. The phone app still exists, but I would rather not have to connect my phone to my keyboard to just set the clock on it. Rather annoying.

 

Modding in the future?

In terms of longer term enjoyment and modding the thing, I don't see a lot of "potential". The sound and feel are already top notch, the internal construction doesn't allow for much more. Maybe you can tape mod it, or add different foam. More foam is definitely not an option. Force break mod might be an option, but I don't feel like it would much as the two halves are mounted to squish the gasket and don't sit metal to metal as far as I can tell. Which also means that the gasket can't flex, only the PCB/Plate.

So, maybe that could be something: devise a standoff via some rubber pieces to give the gasket some room and replace the silicone socks with some soft foam. Maybe that will do something. But if I want that, I can just go back to my Q6...

 

Would I buy this again? Hell no! I mean, have you seen the price?

Don't get me wrong, I don't regret buying it, but this was kind of both my Christmas and birthday present to myself. And while it is a great keyboard and I enjoyed building it as well as typing on it, for 500EUR it better be! Plus side is that these seem to be on the better side of resell values, being a group buy and all.

 

However, there is one more thing I learned while building the thing and writing on it: I like building and modding boards more than actually, well, using them. And this board is just so good, you don't really want to mod it further. By contrast, the Q6 I basically had to mod in order to get the most out of it. Put in better foam, look for a better plate material, force break mod, tape, etc. Then it sounded great just like I liked it!

 

With the Zoom98 even the stabs arrived pre-lubed and assembled in an extra box with nice golden screws and transparent washers. Worst, they sounded great out of the box and had no pinging. I guess I bought a pre-assembled jigsaw puzzle and learned that I never cared about the image, I just liked doing the puzzle.

 

Anyway, there are few more things I could write about, like the details on the stabilizer modifications I did on the Q6, or the (lack of) difference between the $40 Keychron WOB PBT keycaps and the $90 WS keycaps, or how these compare to the cheaper Traitor Infinity PBT set.

 

[Spreadking]

Hello Everyone,

Long time LTT watcher and others of course. Recently i got into mechanical keyboards and thought i share my first customization/mod here.

The baseboard is the fuegobird K3 and has (fake cherry red switches) but i really like the feel of these switches. I added o rings to reduce travel by .4mm and filled the empty spaces in the case with foam i got in the box of my graphics card. 

The yellow keycaps are a Temu purchase to see if this hobby was something for me and i can tell you i already ordered a new hotswap pcb and case and cherry mx brown switches for my next keyboard.

 

 

 

The only downside to this keyboard is that you have RGB or no light. There is no option for a single color.

If you guys have tips or anything i'll gladly hear it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Volbet]

I guess I've been slacking in posting some of the group buys that finally have arrived:

 

First up is the SP-111 R2 in lavender:

I decided to build this out with Gateron Melodic switches, Durock V2 stabilizers (mainly because they came with 3U wires) and the keycaps are some Domikey SA Cyberpunk ABS caps. 

The switches are mounted to a (badly) modded carbon fiber plate. Modded in order for it to fit the ISO enter and the split left shift. As a solder PCB was the only choice, obviously the switches are all soldered in. And yes, it's a pain the ass to solder 111 switches, but I fear the day i might wanna try some different switches. 

 

This board is actually really fucking nice, and I know this is weird, but for me the best part is the dedicated caps-, scroll- and numlock indicator lights. it's something you see way too little on custom keyboards. It's also nice to have a custom keyboard with a numpad. 

And while not a roomy keyboard, it doesn't sound like it. I would honestly liken the sound of the keyboard more to old plastic keyboard than the modern customs made of metal. It sounds really good with the clicky switches. I do think a lot of the sound is down to the very isolating sandwich mount, where the plate goes all the way to edge of the case, creating a band around the entire keyboard. 

 

The only two bad thing I have to say so far is that:

1. You have to reflash the firmware yourself in order for the keyboard to work properly. Else the keymapping is all over the place and VIA/QMK/VIAL won't recognize the keyboard correctly. Took the better part of two day to figure out what was wrong, but now it works perfectly and the keymapping is just like it should be. 
2. The recess for the USB cable (both for the computer connection and the connection between the two halves) is extremely shallow. So while I do wanna use a longer cable between halves, I can't fit any of the cables I currently have in my possession.    

 

 

Next up is the Machina Orbit in red with a copper bottom:

This is a hefty 65% keyboard, weighing in at 2,55kg fully build with a POM plate. 

 

The switches used are Gazzew Boba U4Ts, which have had their springs swapped for a long 100g double springs. So it's an extremely heavy and very tactile typing experience, which you won't really find with any other switch. The switches have also been lubed with Tribosys 3204 and filmed with Deskey poron films. 

The plate is POM and the keycaps are KAM Command PBT caps, which are are sculpted, flat keycap profile. It uses TX AP stabilizers, which are my current favorite stabilizers to use, as snap-ins are so easy to install. 

The plate and PCB are mounted using rubber gasket in the tadpole-style.

 

The only mod I've done to the board is the forcebreak mod. I don't really know if it was necessary, but I did it just to be safe. It's not like it's going to hurt. 

This is also a really nice board that doesn't really need any foam. it did come with both plate and case foam, but I opted to not use any of it. And the sound is really nice and full. 

 

On 2/17/2024 at 11:22 PM, GarlicDeliverySystem said:

Well, here we go again: I have a new keyboard.

 

Actually, it has already been almost two weeks since it arrived, several months since I paid for it: the Zoom 98 from Meletrix. I wasn't sure if I wanted to make a post about this, but I guess it can't hurt. I don't have pictures at the hand, would need to get some lighting figured out (preferably daylight) and my phone doesn't take the best pics anyway. So text only for now. I got one picture I've taken with my phone down below, but it doesn't do it any justice with just the desk light. You can tell how much the camera is struggling by how much the LCD and RGB glow is exaggerated. Maybe I do a few more shots in daylight tomorrow.

 

 

Now, to get the unfortunate truth out of the way first and to give some context to my complaints: this board was ridiculously expensive to me, over 500EUR with taxes, shipping, switches, and keycaps. So if I complain over details or get nitpicky... there is still a lot of phantom pain in my wallet. Shipping alone was 110EUR, plus ~90EUR in taxes and fees. So 200EUR just to get the thing into Europe. And of course things like shipping you only see really at the end, while the 90EUR in fees you only get the bill for once it is in EU.

In case you are curious:

(https://meletrix.com/collections/zoom-98-gb-end)

 

Here is the build:

• Zoom 98, black anodized special edition (meaning it has a narrow gold chamfer around the areas with keys) with "tri-mode" and the LCD module.
• extra 2-key module to replace the LCD (not installed, might switch over though)
• extra FR4 plate, which I used over the included PC plate.
• WS Morandi switches
• WS WOB keycaps

I ended up swapping over to these keycaps here: https://traitorskeys.com/infinity/ Looks pretty nice and they sound good, but the caps are definitely of lesser quality than the doubleshot PBT from Wuque Studios.

 

Overall impressions:

Definitely a level or two up from something like a Keychron Q6. Already when you receive the package, the main box contains a variety of additional smaller boxes that are protective boxes for the actual boxes. No carrying case included with the keyboard, but you wouldn't carry or commute with this thing anyway (~3.5kg). BTW I don't know why I would pay extra for an internal brass or stainless steel weight you can't even see. With the external weight you get at least the bling.

 

Main box has some anime artwork and folds open nicely with some magnets holding the cover closed. Inside are again more individually packed pieces and a microfiber cloth protecting the absolute fingerprint magnet that is the case. Once it warms up to room temp it gets a bit better, but wash your hands and/or wear gloves when assembling this.

Construction is similarly premium, although the anodization has some blemishes around the tapped screw holes in the inside of the case. You can't see them in practice, but it is there. Otherwise the machining quality and finish is excellent in my opinion. Plate and PCB are nicely cut with no sharp edges, as much as that is possible with FR4. Assembly is relatively easy, they also have a video guide and a Discord Server with many helpful guides. Still, the ribbon cable construction with the LCD display is...questionable.

 

Stiff gasket mount:

Feel is interesting, rather on the stiff side, especially when you build it with all the foam. Reason is that while the zoom is a Gasket mount, it simply doesn't have the flex nor space for it to really flex. With all the foam the sound is a higher pitched marbly sound, which gets muted from all the foam, rendering it somewhat creamy.

When assembling I noticed that the silicone socks that are mounting points aren't even touching the lower case, simply because it was lying already on the under-PCB foam that gets stuck on the PCB. It is removable and reusable, but tears easily so be careful with it. For 500EUR I would have expected either more durable foam or some extras, but guess they had to make money somehow...

This all means that with the foam present, you will not get any flex and the gasket is basically just sound isolation from the case.

 

Once you remove the foam, the sound becomes a bit more interesting to me and the board has now room to flex ever so slightly. Having build this with the FR4 plate and the PCB sans flex cuts, this is really springy feeling. Not sure if I will keep it this way, but it is something different.

 

Another funny, yet annoying thing were the gasket socks and how you assemble them. The manual states they come in two sizes and that the shorter ones go on the sides. However, when I compared the silicone pieces, they looked like they all came from the same endlessly extruded piece and were cut off at roughly the same point. Result is that they have a more of a narrow distribution of lengths than two sizes.

Idiot me took 10 minutes to realize this though, endlessly getting confused over which piece was long and which short.

 

No batteries and "useless" LCD screen:

Now, the board does have 2.4GHz, BT, and comes with two internal batteries. I have opted to not install them at this point and use it wired only. Mostly because I wasn't sure how often I was going to open/close the thing and didn't want to tear any cables. The PCB is attacked to both the lower part (USB daughter board) and the top (LCD) with rather short cables, making assembly/disassembly rather annoying.

 

More annoying is that I can't seem to find the current version of the app required to make anything useful with the LCD screen. I've also seen mixed reviews of it. The phone app still exists, but I would rather not have to connect my phone to my keyboard to just set the clock on it. Rather annoying.

 

Modding in the future?

In terms of longer term enjoyment and modding the thing, I don't see a lot of "potential". The sound and feel are already top notch, the internal construction doesn't allow for much more. Maybe you can tape mod it, or add different foam. More foam is definitely not an option. Force break mod might be an option, but I don't feel like it would much as the two halves are mounted to squish the gasket and don't sit metal to metal as far as I can tell. Which also means that the gasket can't flex, only the PCB/Plate.

So, maybe that could be something: devise a standoff via some rubber pieces to give the gasket some room and replace the silicone socks with some soft foam. Maybe that will do something. But if I want that, I can just go back to my Q6...

 

Would I buy this again? Hell no! I mean, have you seen the price?

Don't get me wrong, I don't regret buying it, but this was kind of both my Christmas and birthday present to myself. And while it is a great keyboard and I enjoyed building it as well as typing on it, for 500EUR it better be! Plus side is that these seem to be on the better side of resell values, being a group buy and all.

 

However, there is one more thing I learned while building the thing and writing on it: I like building and modding boards more than actually, well, using them. And this board is just so good, you don't really want to mod it further. By contrast, the Q6 I basically had to mod in order to get the most out of it. Put in better foam, look for a better plate material, force break mod, tape, etc. Then it sounded great just like I liked it!

 

With the Zoom98 even the stabs arrived pre-lubed and assembled in an extra box with nice golden screws and transparent washers. Worst, they sounded great out of the box and had no pinging. I guess I bought a pre-assembled jigsaw puzzle and learned that I never cared about the image, I just liked doing the puzzle.

 

Anyway, there are few more things I could write about, like the details on the stabilizer modifications I did on the Q6, or the (lack of) difference between the $40 Keychron WOB PBT keycaps and the $90 WS keycaps, or how these compare to the cheaper Traitor Infinity PBT set.

 

Man, I'm jealous of that Zoom 98. It's one of those boards that I really wanted to try, but I just couldn't justify the price to myself. 

I've pretty much loved all the Wuque/Meletrix keyboards I've tried, but I have yet to actually own one. One day maybe...

 

Also,  the WS Morandi switches are some of my favorite linear switches. Considering their price, they're a bargin.

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

4 hours ago, Volbet said:

Next up is the Machina Orbit in red with a copper bottom:

This is a heft 65% keyboard, weighing in at 2,55kg fully build with a POM plate. 

Damn this looks nice, how long did it take you to find caps that fit the case so nicely?

 

How do you like the Gateron Melodics? I just got a bunch for my 68% project/test keyboard, not sure what to make of them yet. On the one hand I am not fond of the sound, but I found the tactility to be really nice and above regular tactile switches I tried. Even compared to U4T or Baby Kangaroo. However, I think the test board I use is not really well suited for sound, it is basically plastic with a lot of dampening material stuffed in there. Plate is generic aluminium and screwed in.

 

Regarding the Zoom98, it is a beauty. Still, I wish it was a true 100% and not 98% with the slightly squished middle. I just learned I use home/end, apparently.  And muscle memory for arrow keys is also a bitch. As I wrote earlier, if you like gasket mounts with flex, this board ain't it.

Morandi switches are definitely a highlight though, I really like them.

 

One thing I might do in the future is replace the silicone socks with foam pieces or softer silicone, plus I probably need some spacers for the top and bottom case. Mus be possible to get some more flex out of this board without resorting to flex cuts etc. I don't want the individual keys or areas to just flex, but some nice bounce on the plate/pcb as a whole.

 

[Volbet]

13 hours ago, GarlicDeliverySystem said:

Damn this looks nice, how long did it take you to find caps that fit the case so nicely?

The match between the keycaps and the keyboard was actually a happy coincidence. 

I bought the keycaps a long time ago on sale, as I thought the KAM profile looked interesting to try. But as is often the case, I ended up never really doing anything with the keycaps after I got them. 

But once the Machina Orbit arrived, I thought the color was a near perfect match. Too good a match to not use them, anyway. 

 

13 hours ago, GarlicDeliverySystem said:

How do you like the Gateron Melodics? I just got a bunch for my 68% project/test keyboard, not sure what to make of them yet. On the one hand I am not fond of the sound, but I found the tactility to be really nice and above regular tactile switches I tried. Even compared to U4T or Baby Kangaroo. However, I think the test board I use is not really well suited for sound, it is basically plastic with a lot of dampening material stuffed in there. Plate is generic aluminium and screwed in.

I think the Gateron Melodics, like any clicky switch, is a compromise in terms of their sound. With any clicky switch it seems you have to give up certain qualities in order to gain others. 

The Alps-like click-leaf design of the Melodics is really nice compared to the Cherry click-jacket or the Kailh click-bar, as it as a more substantial click than the former and doesn't have the double click of the former. Further more, the Melodics also doesn't have the hollowness of the ZealPC Clickiez.

However, the trade-off with the melodics is that the sound is much more high pitched than the aforementioned ZealPC Clickiez or something like the Kailh Box Jade/Navy/White Owl. Although, the Melodics do also have a much quieter click than either the ZealPC Clickiez or the any of the Kailh click-bar switches I've tried. 

 

But even with all that, I do think the Melodics sound just fine with the SP-111 R2. I think it might be down to both the semi-open design of the case and the SA keycaps I chose to use. It seems to create the right balance of openness and resonance to compliment the sound. But for the switches to truly shine, you probably need a true plastic case, made of either polycarbonate or ABS, with a lot of empty space inside. Basically make the keyboard into an acoustic guitar. 

I could imagine that the bottom-mounted aluminium plate you describe would give some strong metallic resonance when paired with a clicky switch. I always strongly preferred either carbon fiber, FR4 or PC plated for clicky switches. Or even better is a plate-less build. And some sort of isolating mount is a must, if the case isn't plastic.   

 

And as you mentioned, the tactility of the Melodics is really something else. It's basically a lighter version of  Blue Alps, which is something I'm always glad to use. The tactility that a click-leaf offers is something that really can't be replicated by any other means. It's a snappy tactility that not even the heaviest of tactile switches can come close to. The closest I think I've found are the Wuque Studie Heavy Tactiles, but even those aren't a perfect match. 

 

My main criticism of the Melodics is that the actuation and the click don't match perfectly, as the actuation happens slightly after the click is activated. It's not really an issue that you experience with normal typing, but if you're one of those people that always keep your keys slightly pressed, that might be an issue. 

 

13 hours ago, GarlicDeliverySystem said:

Regarding the Zoom98, it is a beauty. Still, I wish it was a true 100% and not 98% with the slightly squished middle. I just learned I use home/end, apparently.  And muscle memory for arrow keys is also a bitch. As I wrote earlier, if you like gasket mounts with flex, this board ain't it.

Morandi switches are definitely a highlight though, I really like them.

 

One thing I might do in the future is replace the silicone socks with foam pieces or softer silicone, plus I probably need some spacers for the top and bottom case. Mus be possible to get some more flex out of this board without resorting to flex cuts etc. I don't want the individual keys or areas to just flex, but some nice bounce on the plate/pcb as a whole.

Yeah, I always found flex-cuts to be gimmick, which mainly serve to make your mechanical keyboard feel like a membrane keyboard. Flex-cuts also negatively affect the sound in my experience. 

 

One thing that could be interesting to try, would be to have some spacers 3D printed, so as to fit bigger gaskets on the plate. Akin to what Glorious did with the GMMK Pro, but without the need for a new bottom case. 

Experimenting with replacing the silicone socks with foam sounds really interesting. Poron foam should definitely create more flex, but you also need space for that flex to shine.  

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

8 hours ago, Volbet said:

But even with all that, I do think the Melodics sound just fine with the SP-111 R2. I think it might be down to both the semi-open design of the case and the SA keycaps I chose to use. It seems to create the right balance of openness and resonance to compliment the sound. But for the switches to truly shine, you probably need a true plastic case, made of either polycarbonate or ABS, with a lot of empty space inside. Basically make the keyboard into an acoustic guitar. 

I could imagine that the bottom-mounted aluminium plate you describe would give some strong metallic resonance when paired with a clicky switch. I always strongly preferred either carbon fiber, FR4 or PC plated for clicky switches. Or even better is a plate-less build. And some sort of isolating mount is a must, if the case isn't plastic.   

I might be able to test that, I have a V6 here that I no longer use. It was my daily driver for quite a while, so it does have some extra foam and a POM plate, if I revert back to the stock silicone dampener and keep the POM it might create a bit more hollowness. Might even remove the plate-pcb foam.

Only issue is that I don't have enough of the Melodics right now, but even if only part of the board is converted it should give an idea on the final result. Apparently Keychron also changed over the V series to their gasket mount style, the V6 max is marketed to have the same "double gasket" as the Q series. So a stiff FR4 or carbon fiber plate in that might be the place for the melodics.

 

8 hours ago, Volbet said:

One thing that could be interesting to try, would be to have some spacers 3D printed, so as to fit bigger gaskets on the plate. Akin to what Glorious did with the GMMK Pro, but without the need for a new bottom case. 

Experimenting with replacing the silicone socks with foam sounds really interesting. Poron foam should definitely create more flex, but you also need space for that flex to shine.  

The main thing I need to figure out first will be how much space there actually is for the gasket and how the two case pieces interact once mounted. Once I know where the points of contact are and what determines the gap, I can see what is needed to keep that at the appropriate distance. Might even be as simple as an extra layer of thick foam stickers to shim it up a mm or two, which would also take care of any potentially needed force break mod.

 

For the foam pads I already have a good source: KBDfans module foam leftovers. It is basically the soft foam that other companies use for their gasket, but pre-cut to become platefoam for any keyboard. Since they apparently lasercut it from a solid sheet, there are a lot of thin strips leftover after use. I kept those for stabilizer mods, but they should be the perfect size for the gasket as well. Plus they are somewhat easily removable in my experience.

 

If it works it would also require a tape mod, otherwise the PCB might rub against the inner metal surfaces too much. But that is for another weekend.

 

[robjt]

anyone know a good white mechanical keyboard with mx blue switches, fully rgb and 60% or a bit bigger from a reliable brand ?

[Noblekouta]

I see a lot of newer versions of keyboard platforms but is there anything drastically different on newer setups?

My example is I'm running a GMMK TKL with Durock silent linear Dolphins (i got kids and the wife doesn't appreciate the clickity clack). 

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

9 hours ago, Noblekouta said:

I see a lot of newer versions of keyboard platforms but is there anything drastically different on newer setups?

I'd say it really depends on the particular keyboard and brand. From what I can tell, some boards just get refreshes for the next round of a group buy, for example. Some brands also update their boards with new controllers etc. to add better wireless connection or VIA support. In particular brands that have a regular shop and instead of selling boards in batches.

 

Other things like differences in construction and the resulting changes sound/tactile experience can be very hard to judge without trying them, especially as some of them can be quite minor. Overall, unless there is a particular feature you are looking for or some other huge apparent difference, I would not say there is a good reason to buy a newer version when you already have one. That is, unless this is more about hobby/collecting than actual day to day usage.

 

Regarding your example, I can't seem to find a reliable description of the GMMK TKL, nor do I see which of the boards on their website would be the current replacement. Do you have any links?

 

 

[flatnag]

I'm looking for a new mechanical keyboard, and am somewhat lost with the amount of options available these days.  I've had a WASD, and am currently using a DAS Pro.  I rarely use the number pad, so am looking for an 80% TKL ISO-UK with blank switches (yes, I'm one of those weird ones that prefers to have nothing printed on their keycaps).  Not 100% certain of the switches, but I can figure that out as long as the keyboard has swappable switches.  So the key here is the formfactor and blank keycaps, with a quality frame.

 

Can anyone make any brand/model suggestions?  I looked at Keychron Q3, but couldn't find any blank key options.  Maybe this is where I get educated on third-party keycaps and their compatibility.

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

Just now, flatnag said:

Can anyone make any brand/model suggestions?  I looked at Keychron Q3, but couldn't find any blank key options.  Maybe this is where I get educated on third-party keycaps and their compatibility.

Well, you will have a harder time finding a pre-build board with them. However, with mechanical keyboards the vast majority uses Cherry MX style stems (i.e. they have the + on top), meaning you can put almost any keycap set on any board.

 

Only thing to look for is that the layout is supported by the kit of keycaps, as things like 75% or 65% have smaller modifier keys or put things like PgUP or DEL on different rows.

You can even make completely custom sets apparently, though I have no clue about quality:

https://www.maxkeyboard.com/iso-layout-custom-backlight-cherry-mx-keycap-set-side-print.html