Author Topic: Your favourite-sounding keyboard (Read 10778 times)

CX23882 · « **on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 14:36:22 »

For me, noise is almost as important as the feel of the switches. The good news is that some of the best-sounding (to me) switches also feel good, although the reverse isn't necessarily true.

My absolute favourite would be the Ortek board I posted a couple of weeks ago with the IBM Model M/Unicomp Customizer being a close second, followed by the Cherry G80-3000LSCGB.

What about you guys?

bigpook · « **Reply #1 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 14:42:17 »

I have to with the IBM Model M. Its got the right type of noise for me and the tactile feel of the keys is second to none.

Chloe · « **Reply #2 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 14:53:53 »

My favourite is the IBM 5576-A01, followed by the Model F.

wheel83 · « **Reply #3 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 14:57:19 »

i would have to vote for one of my ibm space savers. i have a few model m's, and even another space saver, but for some reason this particular one has a more metallic ping to it than the rest. and i absolutely prefer it.

itlnstln · « **Reply #4 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 15:05:14 »

Model M, hands down.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #5 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 15:25:14 »

I'll vote for my IBM 1391401. The "well-oiled machine" feel extends to the sound, too.

iMav · « **Reply #6 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 15:56:55 »

The first time I laid eyes, uhhh, EARS on my first blue Cherry-equipped keyboard (an SMK-88 with blues), I loved the sound. Love the subtle sound of the HHKB Pro's as well. And who DOESN'T love the classic buckling spring sound?

patrickgeekhack · « **Reply #7 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 15:58:39 »

I don't have a "true" Model M. I have only three mechanical keyboards anyway. Am I going to be the first one to say that I don't have a preference as far as sound is concerned ? I like them all because they are different.

What is my favourite one when it comes to how the keys feel under my fingers is a different story. Here, I would have to say my Customizer.

Viett · « **Reply #8 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 16:29:57 »

I love the high pitched sound from Blue Cherries. I have yet to try a Blue Cherry board, though.

BigWopHH · « **Reply #9 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 16:44:35 »

I'm fond of most cherry blue 'boards--place a Scorpius M10 on a large, cushioned mat to minimize resonance, and I'm good to go. Although I've been liking the silence of cherry browns more and more these past few weeks.

ch_123 · « **Reply #10 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 17:06:46 »

A Model F. Nothing beats that "ping" sound it makes.

xsphat · « **Reply #11 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 17:09:50 »

1. White Alps in the Northgate Omnikey 101.
2. HHKB Pro 2
3. DSI Mac Modular, blue Cherrys (You know, the one I have sitting in a box that I can't use while I wait for another month before they make the updated version? Yeah, that one sounds nice)

Mercen_505 · « **Reply #12 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 18:08:41 »

It's a very close decision, but I have to side with an IBM model F keyboard. Next to that is an IBM M2, with its deliciously sharp clack as the switches do their thing.

cchan · « **Reply #13 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 18:23:53 »

I have to say my number one right now is my ThinkPad keyboard, because it makes little noise and I often have to stealth compute. Of all time, though, I love white real complicated ALPS.

lam47 · « **Reply #14 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 18:55:50 »

The blues in a das (think its the plate)
Model M of course.

Probably the best though would be the subtle 'thup' of a a HHKB or Realforce.

wellington1869 · « **Reply #15 on:** Mon, 23 March 2009, 19:57:27 »

1391401. Believe it or not it sounds even better to me with a light coat of silicon grease on the springs. (all the click, much less ping).

The topre's 'thock thock' can be addicting too.

lal · « **Reply #16 on:** Tue, 24 March 2009, 10:24:13 »

Unicomp's modern Model Ms. I don't like the long tail ping of the older Ms I have, which also isn't consistent across the keys. But it's no *big* deal. I think it's mainly the buckling spring typing feel - which is second to none - that makes me love the sound they inherently produce, too.

With Alps I mean to hear the plastic friction that I feel. And blue Cherrys' cute little click blends well with the kind of "fragile" feel they have for me.

bigpook · « **Reply #17 on:** Tue, 24 March 2009, 11:51:31 »

Quote from: wellington1869;25177

1391401. Believe it or not it sounds even better to me with a light coat of silicon grease on the springs. (all the click, much less ping).

The topre's 'thock thock' can be addicting too.

I have to agree with you on the 'thock thock' of the topre. That would be my second choice behind the model m. For some reason the 'thock thock' sound reminds me of the Foxtrot comic strip.

bhtooefr · « **Reply #18 on:** Tue, 24 March 2009, 22:13:16 »

Yeah, the Peerless does have a decent sound, I will admit that.

nerp · « **Reply #19 on:** Tue, 24 March 2009, 23:19:38 »

Probably my Customizer 104.

Parn · « **Reply #20 on:** Wed, 25 March 2009, 03:10:09 »

Unicomp On-the-Ball, my first Buckling Spring keyboard
It has nice sound.

ktkr · « **Reply #21 on:** Thu, 26 March 2009, 12:06:50 »

I love the sharp, high pitched click of blue cherries. Granted, I got a Das III today and this is my first mechanical board ever. :love:

Korbin · « **Reply #22 on:** Thu, 26 March 2009, 15:37:25 »

Quote from: bigpook;25256

I have to agree with you on the 'thock thock' of the topre. That would be my second choice behind the model m. For some reason the 'thock thock' sound reminds me of the Foxtrot comic strip.

I have to agree with this one as well, especially when you get those speed bursts.

bigpook · « **Reply #23 on:** Thu, 26 March 2009, 15:38:45 »

Quote from: Korbin;25634

I have to agree with this one as well, especially when you get those speed bursts.

So true, once you get going it is quite the sound. To be honest, while I do like the HHKB, that "thock thock" sound is what makes it for me. How silly is that?

itlnstln · « **Reply #24 on:** Thu, 26 March 2009, 15:41:43 »

It's all part of the experience. I love the way my Northgate feels, but it sounds like I am in the middle of a Scarface firefight every time I type on it. In that case, the sound kills the experience.

xsphat · « **Reply #25 on:** Thu, 26 March 2009, 16:15:44 »

Quote from: itlnstln;25638

It's all part of the experience. I love the way my Northgate feels, but it sounds like I am in the middle of a Scarface firefight every time I type on it. In that case, the sound kills the experience.

Say hello to my little friend!

neptunebadger · « **Reply #26 on:** Thu, 26 March 2009, 17:17:03 »

Based off of the videos I've seen, my favorite would have to be the chunky sound of the HHKB Pro. I love my 1391401, but I think I would like the sound better if it were slightly quieter and didn't have a metallic ring to it. I understand that a lot of people here enjoy that metallic ring, but I just can't get myself to like it.

gwanghoops · « **Reply #27 on:** Thu, 26 March 2009, 23:21:11 »

Favorite sounding kbd -- the Topre or HHKB.

It's a real shame to listen to music with earbuds while hacking on a Topre or HHKB! It's like driving a muscle car with a big-ass stereo.

wheel83 · « **Reply #28 on:** Thu, 26 March 2009, 23:28:45 »

haha thats exactly how i feel about wearing headphones and typing on a model m

lam47 · « **Reply #29 on:** Fri, 27 March 2009, 04:24:49 »

You can get rid of the ping in an M with a little grease in each spring.
Might be exactly what's needed for the people who don't like the ring.

FKSSR · « **Reply #30 on:** Fri, 27 March 2009, 07:29:14 »

Out of the keyboards I own:
Fav: Model M 1391401
2nd: Macally MK96
3rd: ABS M1

From videos and sound clips, I think I would like the sound of the Realforce/HHKB Pro the most, as well, so I may be trying to get one of the new 87Us at some point to try out (though I'd prefer to try and get it from a US seller - hoping EliteKeyboards can get it).

ShawnMeg · « **Reply #31 on:** Wed, 18 June 2014, 22:12:28 »

IBM Model F XT. Music to my ears.

HPE1000 · « **Reply #32 on:** Wed, 18 June 2014, 22:19:25 »

Nice necro XD

"Edgar Allen Pho is Dead." · « **Reply #33 on:** Wed, 18 June 2014, 22:35:48 »

HHKB Type-S

Melvang · « **Reply #34 on:** Wed, 18 June 2014, 22:40:22 »

From personal experience the model m that cptbadass sent me. From sound clips it would have to be this one.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5fBx2-_wPk0

rowdy · « **Reply #35 on:** Wed, 18 June 2014, 22:50:27 »

I'm amazed how people find these old threads!

I might have to have a look around in the past myself

This might be relevant: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=55910.0

Daspartic · « **Reply #36 on:** Thu, 19 June 2014, 01:10:59 »

Quote from: ShawnMeg on Wed, 18 June 2014, 22:12:28

IBM Model F XT. Music to my ears.

+1, flossed Model F XT sounds so damn good. I've yet to hear anything that even comes close except for a beam spring ofc.

Oobly · « **Reply #37 on:** Thu, 19 June 2014, 02:35:37 »

1. Trampoline and latex modded ErgoClears with thick POM keycaps. Really thunky, low pitched and rather quiet. Subtle, yet still mechanical.
2. DIY silenced Topre. I prefer the sound of dental band modded Topre to type -s, somehow more subdued.
3. Buckling spring (nice sound, but too darn loud, otherwise it'd be higher on my list)
4. the rest....

I really don't like the high pitched click of MX clickys and most Alps. Sounds low quality / cheap to me..

davkol · « **Reply #38 on:** Thu, 19 June 2014, 08:01:21 »

Cream Alps with worn-out dampeners and PBT caps (quiet, but distinctive click and nearly no sound on bottoming out or upstroke)
TypeMatrix 2030 with a thick skin (those scissor switches make a quiet "thock" sound, but the noise produced by keycaps is dampened by the rubber skin)
linear Cherry MX with thick keycaps, while I'm wearing headphones and not bottoming out
Kinesis Advantage with its buzzer turned on

Computer-Lab in Basement · « **Reply #39 on:** Thu, 19 June 2014, 08:03:03 »

Model M. I'd probably say Model F, but I've never typed on/heard one before...

Hypersphere · « **Reply #40 on:** Thu, 19 June 2014, 08:13:05 »

1. IBM Model F XT. Solid, staccato, metallic.

2. IBM Model M SSK.

3. HHKB Pro 2.

absyrd · « **Reply #41 on:** Thu, 19 June 2014, 08:17:57 »

1. Complicated white ALPS
2. Model M
3. MX Blues

JinDesu · « **Reply #42 on:** Thu, 19 June 2014, 09:21:47 »

1. Topre thock
2. PCB mounted browns (almost thock)
3. MX blues (clickety clack)
4. Plate mounted browns (boring)

Will try to get a buckling spring keyboard and see if I prefer it more than any of the above.

intelli78 · « **Reply #43 on:** Thu, 19 June 2014, 10:27:38 »

Pinging Filco.

ping. ping. ping

daerid · « **Reply #44 on:** Fri, 20 June 2014, 16:08:50 »

FC660C or HHKB. The ultimate in Topre thock.

Blusey · « **Reply #45 on:** Sun, 22 June 2014, 17:28:45 »

Without a doubt the Gamdias Hermes.

Frenir · « **Reply #46 on:** Sun, 22 June 2014, 17:30:12 »

1. Silenced Topre

2. IBM Model M

dorkvader · « **Reply #47 on:** Mon, 23 June 2014, 11:20:27 »

IBM selectric typewriter.
Hands down the best.

For linear switches, the large resonating cavity in the dual magnet hall effect switches is quite nice on top-out.

Altis · « **Reply #48 on:** Thu, 26 June 2014, 17:48:13 »

I think that my favorite sounding board is either my QFR with MX Reds, or my BlackWidow (2012) with MX Blues.

Although it has to be said that my BW sounds a little crunchy compared with QFR and Filco with MX Blues, from what I've seen on YouTube... Like I'm hearing and feeling play in the keycaps, making them a little more squishy and rattly. They seem to sound more clean and crisp, which is what I'm really after. My QFR certainly feels more solid, so I might try to get one of those with MX Blue to replace the BW.

I tend to prefer the sound of all my keyboards (except the Model M) when they are on a soft pad or on my lap.

I'm thinking of getting some rubber bands for the spacebar to make it sound less distinct from the rest of the keys.

This is the sound I'm after, more or less:

Defect · « **Reply #49 on:** Thu, 26 June 2014, 18:16:27 »

Complicated Clicky Alps

Unicomp

IBM Model M

(sorry guys the F is too pingy to me)

News:

Author Topic: Your favourite-sounding keyboard (Read 10778 times)