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
Here it is sporting a custom set I put together with keys from several different kits from the last Massdrop x Matt3o /dev/tty MT3 drop (https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-matt3o-devtty-custom-keycap-set):
Either of these seem like they'd make good starting boards, but a Unicomp recreation of the old IBM boards would be a good place to start too, and you could get started without having to wait for a drop. You can find them @ http://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/UKBD.
Only thing I'd advise being aware of is that some switches can be *really* loud, so much so that they'd bother people sitting around you in an office setting. So stay on the quieter side if that's your use case.