I'm getting ready for my Lunar AEK group buy to show up. I view this as my End Game Alps board.
Of the Alps switches, Orange are my favorite to type on, but I also have a bunch of Ambers. And while I'm not a big fan of clicky switches, Amber Alps qualify as a true 'unicorn' switch in my book. They only showed up on a subset of Apple //c computers and are amazing in their own right, not as enjoyable to type on day-in and day-out for me personally, but very unique. Either way, I don't see the board as being my primary driver so I might want to go the route of preserving a truely unique switch in a modern board.
So my question comes down to this: what switches should I use for my build?
I recently made a thread on r/mk posing that same question for end game alps builds. Just posted it today, still havent received any answers. To me, the best alps switches I've tried are brown alps. But I didnt want to scalp the magnavox videowriter it came in because it was in such great condition and the board itself is actually great. I already have an AEK64 made out of oranges, but I recently acquired more than one board with Orange switches in much more pristine condition, and I am also on the fence on what to use for end game boards. Got an IIc, but it was pretty dirty, and even though they still felt pretty good, I hesitate to think what new ones felt like. Just got SKCM blues that are in much better condition than the last SKCM blue board I owned, which made me think blues were overrated. Just got SKCM whites that have a gold toned spring and feel very similiar to blues. Not only switch type, but I'm still trying to figure out the ideal plate material, and case material, and board size. Some have said clicky alps arent done justice in 60% builds, that they sound better in TKLs to full size boards. And I can see the reasoning behind that, or rather, hear it. They do sound bassier in a larger heavier case. the Lunar AEK is a pretty solid case though, I don't think you could go wrong with either switch. If thats the most you plan on spending on a case, I would go with the ambers. Orange alps are somewhat readily available, and sound and feel good in all sorts of cases and plates. Amber alps are rarer and for a case like the Lunar AEK, I'd go with the clicky switch. I hesitate to call them clicky, because when you think clicky you think of mx blues, and the sound that alps clicky switches make is much more pleasing to the ear. I think it would pair quite well with the Lunar AEK. just one mans thoughts.
