Mechanical Keyboard Sound Isn't That Simple
Figure 1: I couldn't think of a more literal way to represent this article if I tried... Looking back just a few years ago, there’s no doubt that the huge influx of people that joined the hobby at the peak of the COVID pandemic were drawn to keyboards by way of YouTube, TikTok, and other audio-visual content platforms. Even as the output from these content creators has waned in recent months, their collective impact and legacy on the keyboard hobby is rather firmly etched in the history books. As a result of all of their sound tests, build logs, and opinion videos, the message is clear to any new person joining the hobby: mechanical keyboards are all about the sound. Thock this, clack that. Whether it’s keyboards, keycaps, or even singular switches, seemingly everyone new to the hobby meticulously pores over each component of their keyboard not in an attempt to figure out how it will feel in hand, but how it will sound as they’re furiously grinding their way out from...
Mar 27, 2024
I'm avoiding all SP buys after this...
Massdrop made the mistake of assuming that SP's original ship date applied to an unlimited number of keycaps, and then had to scramble at the nth hour once they realized they'd far surpassed the order size SP had been expecting when they gave their original estimate. SP probably ran into a production error in making the RGB modifiers and had to resupply before making the rest of the batch. Since that would extend the shipping deadline, they probably approached Massdrop to let them know about the delay, and Massdrop opted to go for this split shipping schedule in order to at meet their original shipping deadline for at least some of the users in this drop.
Either way, both companies have proven themselves to be more than willing to make up for their mistakes in my eyes. Looking over my past Massdrop orders, I've had notable quality or delay issues with 2 of 22 completed drops, but in both cases I feel that Massdrop made a fair effort to compensate for the issue at hand. Likewise, when I ordered the Galaxy Class set from SP, they ensured that all involved in the group buy were aware of the (rather egregious) delays that occurred due to their difficulty in sourcing some kind of coloring paper. This kind of responsiveness was seen again when SP put a rush order on remaking a small novelty key set that they'd accidentally moulded for row three instead of row one, and then shipped the recreated keys free of charge to everyone who had received keys for the wrong row.
At the end of the day it isn't like these keys are a time-critical product. Whether they arrive this week or next, I'll still have a board to put them on.
Although Massdrop's tendency to meet update deadlines at the last minute is a little tiring. (All eyes on you @HassanS -- would love to see that promised 12/10 update for my AKG K7XX and Amber Rix Gaming Dice orders.)
Maybe they will update with some good information soon.
So I won't actually be seeing these caps till next year sadly.
After joining the ill-fated 'Wood Omega Style Headphone Stand' drop, Massdrop offered to either accept a full return and refund for the product, or to apply a 15$ credit to my account. The other order I was referring to was a seriously delayed order for the Aune T1; although I can't remember what, if anything, Massdrop did about that. I think that in the case of the Aune it was more the distributor's fault than Massdrop's, and I was just happy to be receiving regular shipping updates.