ALPS Complicated Blue/Matias Tactile

[Linkbane]

Hey guys, I was thinking about trying to get a keyboard with Complicated ALPS Blue or a similar (white is similar, I believe?) switch, and am having difficulty finding one, but Matias offers their 'Tactile Pro Mini' which seems like a nice keyboard that's both small and with clicky switches. However, I hear that they use their own switches, and don't know how close they are to Complicated Blues (because I hear, again, that they are based off of the simplified), and neither do I know how they compare to Cherry Blues.

So, any help? Thanks!

[Daniel Beardsmore]

If Matias click switches are as light as Matias quiet switches (which feel around 50 g, though I think they're officially 60 g?), they'll be the closest to blue Alps now or ever in terms of feel. The old complicated white Alps are nowhere near as soft or smooth as blue Alps. Matias click switches don't have the nice blue Alps sound though; nothing does. Blue Alps are wonderfully deep and mellow.

Really looking forwards to trying out Matias click switches!

[Linkbane]

Hm, I found an FK2001 without windows keys which would lead me to think that it uses complicated switches, but the price is very high, so I'm just making an offer. If Blues truly are better, then I'll go for those.
Still, any thoughts on MX Blue vs Complicated ALPS Blue? I know that the actuation point is significantly higher, but not too much more.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Without Windows keys, the FK-2001 could have any of blue complicated Alps, white complicated Alps, steel click leaf Himake ("Type IV"), or the smaller (not B3G-S series) Omron switches. There may be other switches used that are not yet documented.

MX blue is a very "fluid" switch, but the click sound is tinny and rattly, and the tactility is light, and the force curve is a little imprecise. Complicated blue Alps is a bit balky (they don't bind, but the stiffness isn't consistent across keystrokes), but it's very smooth, and you get a lovely deep click. The spring weight is similar, but the tactile weight is much higher: it takes more force to actuate, but the remainder of the travel is nice and light.

Blue Alps is a fair amount louder (perceptually, at least) and a lot meatier, without being excessively stiff. White Alps seems to have more issues with binding, and it's significantly stiffer.

[Linkbane]

Without Windows keys, the FK-2001 could have any of blue complicated Alps, white complicated Alps, steel click leaf Himake ("Type IV"), or the smaller (not B3G-S series) Omron switches. There may be other switches used that are not yet documented.

MX blue is a very "fluid" switch, but the click sound is tinny and rattly, and the tactility is light, and the force curve is a little imprecise. Complicated blue Alps is a bit balky (they don't bind, but the stiffness isn't consistent across keystrokes), but it's very smooth, and you get a lovely deep click. The spring weight is similar, but the tactile weight is much higher: it takes more force to actuate, but the remainder of the travel is nice and light.

Blue Alps is a fair amount louder (perceptually, at least) and a lot meatier, without being excessively stiff. White Alps seems to have more issues with binding, and it's significantly stiffer.

Not sure if meaty is what I'm looking for, as for typing I like rather light switches with clickiness, but I think that having the click at the top rather than bottom helps me, as I occasionally bottom out on Blues but my fingers naturally stop just a bit after the click. Smoothness is desirable; but I wouldn't say the blue is necessarily tinny or light, if you type with soft fingers as is usually required of 120+ wpm typing, I think that it's helpful. A deeper sound would definitely be nice though, so hopefully the ALPS will provide that. I do say that the deepness of the sound depends somewhat on elevation. When my Blue is a bit above waist high, it's not very deep, but placed on the actual desktop at chest height, it feels much more solid with a solid 'thunk', probably because of the thickness of the wood and not being suspended by metal rails.

Something that I'm really liking about the ALPS is the pricing, they seem much more affordable than MX or obviously Topre. Hopefully I can get the AT converted to USB, though.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

This video is exaggerated by the acoustics, but this is the deeper sound of blue Alps:

If you like light switches, blue Alps is going to be on the edge of what's acceptable; I wouldn't really class them as being light. They have some "oomph" to them. They're a little odd, with the heavy tactility and soft spring, compared to say buckling spring, which is consistently and singularly heavy, or Cherry MX, which is wholly soft.

I meant the sound of MX blue — the click sound is rattly and tinny compared with many other switches.

[Linkbane]

I meant the sound of MX blue — the click sound is rattly and tinny compared with many other switches.

I don't agree with that. Buckling springs, having a much larger spring and more sudden collapse are certainly louder, but there aren't really many other switches to compare it to, other than Greens, which are deeper for sure, but they require almost twice the force, and ALPS, which are heavier and more clicky. In comparison, it is tinny when compared to other clicky switches, but when typing quickly, the sound of all the keys together drowns out the tinniness to only click. Rattly, certainly not. MX switches and any other mechanical switch do not rattle.

[hasu]

I got blue yesturday finally, it is dirty and dead keyboard though. I've been long for cheap one for two years

Alps blue is heavy to me , simplified white is lighter and its feel is not bad for unfamous simplified. MX blue is lighter than the white and suits most to me in terms of weight. As for click sound I prefer Alps click.

I can understand what Daniel want to say with 'rattly', I think. If you press a key without bottoming out it is more noticeable. To me MX blue click note sounds like it is comprised of first big plastic clash and successive very tiny clash sounds. (And my keyboard makes a bit pingy noise after click.)
But I didn't found this at all till I compare Cherry with Alps today. Not that I say it is annoying sound.

My keyboards are:
Alps complicated blue = NEC PC-8801
Alps simplified white = CVT Avant prime
Cherry MX blue = Dolch

[Linkbane]

Alps blue is heavy to me , simplified white is lighter and its feel is not bad for unfamous simplified. MX blue is lighter than the white and suits most to me in terms of weight. As for click sound I prefer Alps click.

I can understand what Daniel want to say with 'rattly', I think. If you press a key without bottoming out it is more noticeable. To me MX blue click note sounds like it is comprised of first big plastic clash and successive very tiny clash sounds. (And my keyboard makes a bit pingy noise after click.)
But I didn't found this at all till I compare Cherry with Alps today. Not that I say it is annoying sound.

I see what you mean, and finally, someone else who likes Blues more than heavier switches!
Based on what you've said, I'm definitely going to try out the Alps. Hopefully I manage to get a complicated, whether Blue or White. Thank you hasu!

[sprit]

Abundant Alps White Click's are OK enough for me instead Blue.
Blue is much more metalic, noisy, I feel.

[Linkbane]

Abundant Alps White Click's are OK enough for me instead Blue.
Blue is much more metalic, noisy, I feel.

In terms of being metallic, does it detract from the feel of the key, is it annoying or jarring to type on? Because I'm strongly considering just buying a white POM set for ~$20 or so, instead of the AT keyboard which would cost me a lot to do.

[sprit]

Blue SW's are quite noisier than Cream nonclick and Matias Quiet SW.
But the metalic sound of Blue SW is not easy to refuse, i guess.
personally I know  Apple  110  110a  II  Focus  Dell  IBM  SGI  Wang  Zenith, and LeadingEdge Blue 
I dont know the POM set for Alps, Can you plz show me the link ? 

[Linkbane]

I was wrong, read 'PBT' as 'POM'. On the 'great finds' section, I found black, blank POM for $17 but I really wanted white keys as all of mine are black, so I'm thinking of getting the Vortex PBT set.
Noise for me isn't too much of an issue, just the tactility! But I just feel a little disappointed passing up the opportunity knowing that Complicated switches aren't made anymore.