Matias quiet switch question

[fishcola]

I have an sgi granite with dampened white alps and it has reduced key travel. Do the matias quiets have the same reduced travel? or is it relatively the same as the undampened switches? I'm debating whether to swap the quiets or the clicks into an old keyboard, planning to use the clicks for everything except the spacebar, but now I'm curious. 

[chyros]

Damped Alps don't really have reduced key travel Oo . In any case, the Matiases should be pretty much the same.

[fishcola]

really? they feel noticably shorter than my simplified white board and my orange board. Don't the dampeners prevent certain parts from depressing into the switch to prevent the clicking? I thought that translated to the shorter travel I'm feeling. oh well, I guess I"ll stick with the click switches and the single quiet for my spacebar. thanks.

[chyros]

Alps' dampening design is unique because unlike Cherry O-rings and the like which just put a bumper between two colliding parts (which shortens the key travel considerably) the dampeners in Alps switches don't actually reach outside of the slider. They added a post that meets the damper instead to minimise the impact the dampening mechanism has on the key travel; a very clever design. Uniquely, it also dampens on the upstroke; again, very clever.

[macguy80]

I haven't actually used the click switches. The only difference in feel that I've heard of is that the quiet clicks (which I do have) bottom out more softly due to the dampening. If there is any fractional minute difference in travel, my fingers can't detect it.

[fishcola]

I think the perceived shorter travel is the "mushiness" that some people describe with the dampened switches. So I guess they don't go down as quickly as I'm used to with undampened switches. The dampened whites sound amazing, very serene. The pbt caps on the granite probably help that.

Eventually (ie: once I finish my Matias click swap and have the time) I'm planning to grab a v60 quiet click. That was my initial plan actually, but finding and trying out alps switches can be such a process that it's become something of an addiction for me lately.
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oh yeah, just wanted to say that I really like your youtube channel chyros--- It's been invaluable in introducing me to vintage alps boards, so thanks!

[chyros]

I think the perceived shorter travel is the "mushiness" that some people describe with the dampened switches. So I guess they don't go down as quickly as I'm used to with undampened switches. The dampened whites sound amazing, very serene. The pbt caps on the granite probably help that.

I've found that different kinds of caps definitely contribute to a change in sound (as well as the keyboard chassis - next weekend you'll see a prime example in my next review). ABS gives a much bassier sound than PBT, for example, and thin caps give a louder noise than thick caps, generally. So my personal favourite is thin ABS doubleshot keycaps, they tend to sound (and look) amazing.

oh yeah, just wanted to say that I really like your youtube channel chyros--- It's been invaluable in introducing me to vintage alps boards, so thanks!

Thanks mate, glad you enjoy the videos! I didn't think many people on GH were watching them, tbh xD . I'm planning loads more cool video reviews for the future, as long as my supply holds up .