How loud is loud?

[chicken charlie]

I've been interested in a mechanical switch keyboard ("duh", you say ) since looking for a new keyboard (I'm on a peripheral upgrade kick) - reading a few guides convinced me to pass up the gaming boards for something higher quality.

My conundrum is that after scouring the interwebs, watching youtube clips, and listening to the audio samples, I'm still concerned about the volume of Cherry blue switches, which I'm gravitating towards.

To me they don't sound -that- loud in the clips but I've read they can be heard on another floor and through closed doors (steel, even).  Having a housemate and being up late in the night I'm concerned about the sound through another floor.  The second issue (exaggerated, maybe) is that the houses in my block are spaced close together and if the sound is that loud,  perhaps it might be heard in the neighboring house.

What has your experience been with the volume/loudness of these switches?  I've looked in the thrift stores and asked several associates but haven't been able to find one.

[didjamatic]

The clips are great to give you an idea, but ultimately you will have to try it to know for sure, and you will need to try it in your environment.  What is not loud in a room of noisy people might be very loud in a room adjacent to sleeping children or a significant other who doesn't appreciate the finer details of mechanical input devices.

[Arc'xer]

Listen to this sound clip Majestouch Tenkeyless (FKBN87MC/EB)

Out of all the sound clips I heard of the blues. This one is the most accurate, either the other ones had distortions or the quality of microphone used was poor.

So it seems this guy has a nice higher-end, audiophile-grade mic. There's no distortion nor any improper volume recording.

Maybe it's just me; sound card with amp and headphones but I pick up all the negative effects from the sound clips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LH5SxothgA&fmt=18 This one as well but I guess the sound is modified by the surface of the table. Still his mic has a hiss and a low volume. Fairly accurate sound.

[Rajagra]

I've read they can be heard on another floor and through closed doors (steel, even).

Haha, Cherry blues are becoming an urban legend. Rumour has it that a geekhacker in LA triggered this event by typing on Cherry blues.

They really aren't that loud, it's just that they make the kind of sound that you *think* will travel far. If you use it in a quiet room at night you will worry about whether people it other rooms will hear it. If the doors are closed, they won't.

I have a decibel meter somewhere. I don't think it's advanced enough to measure short clicks, but if I dig it out I may try to find a way to do some comparative tests.

[HaaTa]

Rajagra your avatar is awesome.

Bah, baby sleeping. Give'em some earplugs like the rest of d'em.

[Rajagra]

Rajagra your avatar is awesome.

It is. I can't take any credit though!
http://technabob.com/blog/2008/10/04/jeremy-mayers-typewriter-robots-will-blow-your-mind/
http://jeremymayer.com/

[Mental Hobbit]

If Cherry blues can be heard on another floor or through closed doors, this tells more about the constuction of the house than the volume of the switches. Can you wake your housemate by clicking your mouse repeatedly? Then blues will be too loud for you.

http://jeremymayer.com/

That stuff is awesome. I love the standing cat.

[trievalot]

cherry blues.......ftw

[platon]

Can you wake your housemate by clicking your mouse repeatedly? Then blues will be too loud for you.

I think that sums it up.

[chicken charlie]

Thanks, guys.  I did a quasi-scientific test with the audio samples by playing them and running to various rooms and outside.  Despite looking ridiculous I did find that the sound wasn't audible on the second floor or more than about a foot outdoors from the door.

The browns would probably be a safer bet but I'm so intrigued by the blues I wouldn't be content until I tried them. :violin:

I'm going to spring for the Das, partly for their (supposedly) hassle-free return policy.  The consensus seems to be that Filcos are higher quality but I want to err on caution.    I'm pretty excited - I've only used cheap oem boards and mice for not knowing any better.

Speaking of avatars, what is yours from, ripster?

[Otterclock]

Blues were the first mechanical switches I used, and were actually a lot quieter than I figured. Model M also didn't seem loud to me. I think a first time user has an exaggerated idea of the noise level. At least I did.

[Kostamojen]

Having recently purchased a Filco Brown Cherry keyboard, I can safely say it is quite a bit louder than your average rubber-dome keyboard.

HOWEVER, the big thing i've noticed that isn't really mentioned is the metallic "ping" sound from the switches.  They have a bit of an echo to them, takes a little while to get used to it.

I do use headphones most of the time, so I don't notice the noise and i'm already used to it after a couple weeks.

Plus, the feel and weight of everything is VERY much worth the drawback in noise.  Its like I'm using a solid piece of machinery now to type with instead of some plastic kids toy...

[chicken charlie]

Well I got the Das and have been using it for several days now.  You were all right - it's nowhere near as loud as I expected (I was actually taken aback by the volume).  I think I subconsciously cranked up the audio samples for a worst-case scenario because it's hardly as loud as I "tested".

The feel is pretty amazing coming from cheap keyboards; with the typewriter-like "click" I almost feel like Hemingway even when I'm typing LOLs and WTFs.  The USB hub is relatively useless to me for its rightward location on my cramped desk but I haven't had issues otherwise (yet).

I appreciate the help in making the leap.  I doubt I have much I can contribute to the hive of knowledge but I'll be lurking aboot.

[xsphat]

This is the clickiest mechanical I have:

[ch_123]

If you click a Beam Spring switch near your face, you don't as much hear it as you feel the vibrations in your ear drum.

[elservo]

Welcome to the winning team!  


I should have capitalized that in order to be more epic.

[ricercar]

Congrats.  Blue Cherries really aren't that loud.

What? WHAT? What did you say rip? I can't hear you over your damn Filco.

[EverythingIBM]

You know, I don't find model M keyboards that loud (way too much exaggeration, it's just a wimpy thwanging of keys). I think people are just too picky; if you're in an extended environment, where, even keyboard keys can be too loud, there's a problem.
But I guess my desktop is so loud that even a model F sounds dampened lol.

[ricercar]

i was once asked by a boss to get a different keyboard because my model m was too loud for the cube farm.

[bigpook]

i was once asked by a boss to get a different keyboard because my model m was too loud for the cube farm.

and that truly must have been a sad day.

[muchadoaboutnothing]

The big problem with listening to sound samples are twofold:

• If it's not the same person, they're probably not using the same mic, or, more importantly, positioning it in the same spot/distance from the keyboard.
• If the person is to get a mechanical keyboard and is just bottoming out every key (which makes them much noisier). Here, where everyone who is recording is probably nutty about keyboards, this isn't a problem. It makes trying to get any realistic idea about the sound on Youtube impossible, though. Don't watch unboxing/typing videos there...

i was once asked by a boss to get a different keyboard because my model m was too loud for the cube farm.

CLACKA-I-CLACKA-WONDER-CLACKA-WHY-CLACKA-CLAKCA-CLACKA


Seriously, if I was used to the Model M, I'd be upset.

Did you give in? Or did you persuade your boss otherwise?

Or did you quit?

[Nonmouse]

Is that my Paypal password on the pink sticky?.....

Pffft.  That's clearly* taped to the desk...



*At 500% zoom.

[EverythingIBM]

i was once asked by a boss to get a different keyboard because my model m was too loud for the cube farm.

You should have got a model F AT; he only said a different keyboard.

[trievalot]

Did he say it like
......hmmmmmmmmm, I'm gonna need you to come in Saturday......hmmmmmmmmm....and bring in a new keyboard.....
Holding a worlds greatest boss cup?
(office space)

[ricercar]

There were many issues between me and that boss. I did not choose to fight a battle to keep the model m on my workdesk. I changed to one of the then-newfangled Logitech scissors keyboards for desktop use.

[itlnstln]

Is that my Paypal password on the pink sticky?.....

Hey... that looks like my GF's phone number.  *******.