How loud are the loudest ALPS?

[Pixel_Outlaw]

I know that the ALPS are not really liked much but as I only care about sound I was wondering what the loudest ALPS switch has to offer. How durable are they compared to cherry blues and also IBM springs? Are the ALPS boards usually cheaper too because they are not as widely sought after?

[kishy]

Fukka Town

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[Brodie337]

The ones in the GHSS are pretty damn loud... In the library now, and getting some odd looks.

[clickclack]

Yeah the ABS M1 is silly loud for a board that does not have a clicky switch. The Dell AT101W is not all that quiet either. In these cases it has less to do with the switch then it does the way the board is made in relation to the metal plate. They bottom out with the fierceness of a thunderclap! =P

[Pixel_Outlaw]

That is an interesting thought. Since I tend to bottom out anyway it might not be a bad option to try if they are affordable. I wear chrome aviator glasses being the center of attention with a loud keyboard is only a few steps away. Still rocking my 3 Model Ms with pride but it might be interesting to try and hear a the loudest clicky ALPS aswell as that aforementioned ABS M1. Anyone willing to get really close to the keyboard and hammer out some notes for me?

[Rajagra]

the ones in the ghss are pretty damn loud... In the library now, and getting some odd looks.

[Brodie337]

Dear god... You've made my day.

[didjamatic]

That pic is seriously AWESOME!

The ABS M1 I had and sold was the loudest board I had... maybe.  The way it was built really amplified the switches in it.

Brodie!  I can't believe you took a clicky mechanical into a library!  No wonder you get looks!  I work in the single quietest office on the planet and have gradually worked my way up from cherry browns and topres to hammering away on ALPS.  I hear some sighs at times when I'm really getting down to business, so I try to throttle back the board's magnificence when that happens.  Once in a while they can't handle it's extraordinary magnitude, so I have to plug something else in for a while.

Raj, you need to put that in the contest thread!

[Pixel_Outlaw]

This is my reference point for noisy.
http://www.youtube.com/user/PixelOutlaw#p/a/u/0/Zzcy2NQI9Bg

[Brodie337]

I do it to annoy the apple worshiping folks here.

Every other laptop in this library is a Macbook, and each user accordingly thinks that the Apple Aluminium keyboards are the best things since sliced bread. This is real life trolling in action.

[chimera15]

Fake white alps are the loudest, they're about 3 times louder than cherry blues, real complicated are maybe 1.5 times as loud as cherry blues, if they're not oiled.  If they're oiled they become almost silent, and very very light.


It also depends somewhat on the type of caps.  Good double shots like are on most leading edge boards reduce the reverve significantly. Single shots like on the minitouch increase the reverb.

[Harry_Y]

To me the Alps do not seem as loud as Buckling Springs.

They also have a more pleasing lower pitched click than the
Cherry Blues (Cherry blues are too high pitched for my liking).

The Alps are still my all time favorite.

[chimera15]

Yeah they fall between buckling spring, cherry blues, and most off brand switches like montereys.

[ch_123]

Typing on my Blue Alps keyboard... it isn't all that loud, and most of the noise probably comes from the bottoming out as opposed to the click leaf. Pretty nice switches, but not the best.

[aegrotatio]

I agree, the ABS M1 is the loudest non-clicky keyboard I have ever used.  I didn't know such beauty existed.

However, after using it daily for a few weeks, it quiets down a little.  I don't find these ALPS switches shallow enough to avoid bottoming them out all the time.  I'm not sure I have the dexterity to avoid bottoming out any keyboard.