The effect of PBT caps on MX blues?

[Razor88]

Hey guys

I have a Cooler Master Quickfire Rapid with mx blues, and I'm wondering how thick (or non-thick) pbt caps will effect the sound it makes? Does anyone want to shed some light on this? I heard it makes the clicks less sharp? If this is the case it would definitely pique my interest.

[Sifo]

Thick PBT will make it less sharp and give it a deeper sound, thin PBT will still have the same pitch as with ABS but a little quieter. However with the thick PBT the trade off is that when you bottom out the clack will be louder.

[Linkbane]

With thin or medium-thick PBT, there's not much of a change of feeling or sound, but I have to say that for me, thick PBT really doesn't go well with Blues; it muffles the click's feeling while not altering the noise, and makes it seem really heavy.

[Razor88]

Hmmm I was hoping to get something to lower the pitch of the clicks slightly. But if it makes bottoming out louder its a no go ( my brother bottoms out all the time)

[Sifo]

Hmmm I was hoping to get something to lower the pitch of the clicks slightly. But if it makes bottoming out louder its a no go ( my brother bottoms out all the time)

You might wanna try thin PBT then, should help out a little.

[False_Dmitry_II]

The guy I sold my Das to got titanium caps for wasd and a pi symbol for esc to replace the nonstandard keys I had on it (the green wasd and red esc).

I was expecting the titanium caps to feel like cold metal, but they didn't and they changed the feel and sound some - made it more subdued I suppose is the word I would use.

I didn't type on it like that, so I can't say anything to bottoming out noise, the titanium keys did seem quieter in general though.

[Oobly]

ABS is clicky, PBT is clacky.

POM caps will help reduce the clickiness and make it more thocky. The sound of quality

[ideus]

You may want to give a try to the modifiers set offered by SP, they come in PBT and POM, so you will get a better idea if it is what you want. Other option could be to ask for examples of caps in PBT thick, and thin to get the actual feeling. There are always fellows that want to help by letting go some caps.


It is good to listen to others experiences, but I am pretty sure you will have an actual opinion until you try the caps yourself.

[yuktsi]

the feeling of thick pbt is nice.
it is hard to put the feelings in words, best if you could try it on yourself

[IvanIvanovich]

I agree Cherry thick POM has the most dramatic effect for sound for keycap, followed by Cherry thick PBT and ABS, then Cherry thin PBT. Grabbing one of these or these is usually the cheapest way to try out... at least for most of the keys anyway. You will have to source the rest from elsewhere Cherry models if you decide you like them to finish it out.

[Razor88]

Thanks for the help guys . A couple of problems with some of the suggestions:

1) I live in South Africa, so some of the super cheap keyboards on eBay are not available (mostly things from china are available with decent shipping prices)

2) I can't get blank keycaps . My brother ( and my mother sometimes) use my keyboard and they are not touch typists.

3) I was planning on getting this http://www.ebay.com/itm/37PBT-Plus-thick-Single-color-Key-caps-MX-Cherry-Switches-Top-printed-/300997690791?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4614dc45a7 but it seems thick pbt makes the clacks louder, which might disturb my parents, since my brother bottoms out.

4) I was thinking this http://www.banggood.com/Keycool-104-PBT-White-Laser-Etched-Keycap-Laser-Engraving-Key-Caps-p-84161.html was a safe option, but it's sold out.

[absfac]

As I've said elsewhere on this forum, for me the difference between ABS and thin PBT is that ABS makes the blue switch's click sound a bit like a fingernail clipper "tick", whereas with thin PBT the click sounds more like a musical "chirp". The latter is nice but the former gets on my nerves.

This is just the click near the actuation point. Bottoming out is a different sound which also changes to some extent based on keycap material, but that shouldn't be different on blues vs. any other MX switch, and honestly I find the change in bottoming-out sound much less noticeable than the change in the more delicate resonance of the switch click.

Reading the other responses in this thread makes me think that other people hear different components of the sound than I do though. Chances are that your ears will hear slightly different things than anyone else. Once you start paying attention to your keyboard all kinds of personal quirks come to the fore.

Haven't yet had a chance to put POM or thick PBT caps on my blue board yet.

[Txduck]

Hmmm I was hoping to get something to lower the pitch of the clicks slightly. But if it makes bottoming out louder its a no go ( my brother bottoms out all the time)

I Have a Ducky with MX blues / PBT Double shot keycaps, and the PBT is approximately twice as thick as the ABS keys that came with the board.
I've tried the two types side by side and there is a difference. My PBTs clearly produce a noticeably lower pitch sound when bottoming out.
As for the little "click" of the blues, the PBTs seem to have a slightly lower pitch click, but not by much.

[Oobly]

Thanks for the help guys . A couple of problems with some of the suggestions:

1) I live in South Africa, so some of the super cheap keyboards on eBay are not available (mostly things from china are available with decent shipping prices)

2) I can't get blank keycaps . My brother ( and my mother sometimes) use my keyboard and they are not touch typists.

3) I was planning on getting this http://www.ebay.com/itm/37PBT-Plus-thick-Single-color-Key-caps-MX-Cherry-Switches-Top-printed-/300997690791?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4614dc45a7 but it seems thick pbt makes the clacks louder, which might disturb my parents, since my brother bottoms out.

4) I was thinking this http://www.banggood.com/Keycool-104-PBT-White-Laser-Etched-Keycap-Laser-Engraving-Key-Caps-p-84161.html was a safe option, but it's sold out.

I would say go for the ebay ones. Qtan is a GH member and respectable seller and the thick PBT are nice caps. The bottom out sound with thick PBT is NOT louder, just lower pitch. In my experience with thin ABS, medium PBT and medium POM caps, the heavier caps tended to make less noise on bottoming out actually.

[Txduck]

Thanks for the help guys . A couple of problems with some of the suggestions:

1) I live in South Africa, so some of the super cheap keyboards on eBay are not available (mostly things from china are available with decent shipping prices)

2) I can't get blank keycaps . My brother ( and my mother sometimes) use my keyboard and they are not touch typists.

3) I was planning on getting this http://www.ebay.com/itm/37PBT-Plus-thick-Single-color-Key-caps-MX-Cherry-Switches-Top-printed-/300997690791?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4614dc45a7 but it seems thick pbt makes the clacks louder, which might disturb my parents, since my brother bottoms out.

4) I was thinking this http://www.banggood.com/Keycool-104-PBT-White-Laser-Etched-Keycap-Laser-Engraving-Key-Caps-p-84161.html was a safe option, but it's sold out.

I would say go for the ebay ones. Qtan is a GH member and respectable seller and the thick PBT are nice caps.
The bottom out sound with thick PBT is NOT louder, just lower pitch. In my experience with thin ABS, medium PBT and medium POM caps, the heavier caps tended to make less noise on bottoming out actually.

Oobly I agree with your statement that: "The bottom out sound with thick PBT is NOT louder, just lower pitch."
That's my experience with the PBTs as well.

[Razor88]

Thanks guys, a lower pitched would probably be desirable I'm seriously considering buying a yellow 37 key set from Qtan and getting a bumblebee theme going on(waiting will be a pain though).  If I like it, I'll probably by the rest of the keys in black. Btw, does any place sell just the other keys? ( Ie. all keys on the tenkeyless expect for the 37 numbers/symbols)

[Linkbane]

Thanks guys, a lower pitched would probably be desirable I'm seriously considering buying a yellow 37 key set from Qtan and getting a bumblebee theme going on(waiting will be a pain though).  If I like it, I'll probably by the rest of the keys in black. Btw, does any place sell just the other keys? ( Ie. all keys on the tenkeyless expect for the 37 numbers/symbols)

Signature Plastics does have them; they sell the mod (outer keys) and base (37-keys) sets separately.

[Razor88]

Thanks guys, a lower pitched would probably be desirable I'm seriously considering buying a yellow 37 key set from Qtan and getting a bumblebee theme going on(waiting will be a pain though).  If I like it, I'll probably by the rest of the keys in black. Btw, does any place sell just the other keys? ( Ie. all keys on the tenkeyless expect for the 37 numbers/symbols)

Signature Plastics does have them; they sell the mod (outer keys) and base (37-keys) sets separately.

Thanks Might just pull the trigger soon.

[Linkbane]

Thanks guys, a lower pitched would probably be desirable I'm seriously considering buying a yellow 37 key set from Qtan and getting a bumblebee theme going on(waiting will be a pain though).  If I like it, I'll probably by the rest of the keys in black. Btw, does any place sell just the other keys? ( Ie. all keys on the tenkeyless expect for the 37 numbers/symbols)

Signature Plastics does have them; they sell the mod (outer keys) and base (37-keys) sets separately.

Thanks Might just pull the trigger soon.

If you do, hope you enjoy!

[Txduck]

Thanks guys, a lower pitched would probably be desirable I'm seriously considering buying a yellow 37 key set from Qtan and getting a bumblebee theme going on(waiting will be a pain though).  If I like it, I'll probably by the rest of the keys in black. Btw, does any place sell just the other keys? ( Ie. all keys on the tenkeyless expect for the 37 numbers/symbols)

Black and yellow bumblebee theme huh? Cool idea! 

 

[rowdy]

Thanks guys, a lower pitched would probably be desirable I'm seriously considering buying a yellow 37 key set from Qtan and getting a bumblebee theme going on(waiting will be a pain though).  If I like it, I'll probably by the rest of the keys in black. Btw, does any place sell just the other keys? ( Ie. all keys on the tenkeyless expect for the 37 numbers/symbols)

Black and yellow bumblebee theme huh? Cool idea! 

Bumblebee?

http://www.keypop.net/product/bumblebee-set

[mrelectric]

I like ABS and how slippery (soft?) they feel, should I get POM keycaps or PBT?

[Pacifist]

I like ABS and how slippery (soft?) they feel, should I get POM keycaps or PBT?

Get some thick cherry ABS

[Txduck]

I'm seriously considering buying a yellow 37 key set from Qtan and getting a bumblebee theme going on

 
 
   
         
   

[Oobly]

I like ABS and how slippery (soft?) they feel, should I get POM keycaps or PBT?

Definitely POM. It's denser than PBT and has almost teflon-like feeling.

[tbc]

^ that

can't stand slippery feeling, but if that's your thing, POM is the way to go.

thick abs is $$$$$$$$$$ and gets gross and shiny.  although apparently that helps with slipperyness.

[mapple]

Hey guys

I have a Cooler Master Quickfire Rapid with mx blues, and I'm wondering how thick (or non-thick) pbt caps will effect the sound it makes? Does anyone want to shed some light on this? I heard it makes the clicks less sharp? If this is the case it would definitely pique my interest.

dsa pbt i think they are thin - i do very much appreciate effect from switching from std abs. Althought using blues with thick PBT (ducky ones) isn't best idea. I mean sound - can't hear that good anymore and yeah i'm already sold to dsa so profile is to damn high:).