Considering Blue Alps...

[Hypersphere]

Although I prefer blue and white Alps to Matias switches, I much prefer Matias (Click or Quiet) over any Cherry or Cherry clone. Moreover, you can get a new keyboard with Matias switches, but to get genuine Alps, you need to find a vintage board.

[mike52787]

From my experience, matias QC is mushy but not too bad, and matias click is a bit rough but has a nice tactility and nice sound. Better than most mx, but its pretty much a toss up between mx clear and matias click for me, just my opinion, these switches couldnt be more different. Of course, they dont have anything on genuine alps.Alps just dont compare to anything )

[Hypersphere]

From my experience, matias QC is mushy but not too bad, and matias click is a bit rough but has a nice tactility and nice sound. Better than most mx, but its pretty much a toss up between mx clear and matias click for me, just my opinion, these switches couldnt be more different. Of course, they dont have anything on genuine alps.Alps just dont compare to anything )

Yes, genuine Alps are great switches, although the typing experience with them depends not only upon the particular Alps variety, but also on the construction of the keyboard and the degree of cleanliness of the insides of the switches. I wish that Matias had faithfully reproduced SKCM blue Alps or even SKCM white Alps.

I had high hopes for mx clears when they first came out, but upon trying them, I found them too fatiguing. My typing style is to bottom out every keystroke, and the force-displacement curve of clears increases sharply after the actuation point and bottoms out near 95 grams. I prefer switches that actuate fairly early and then release.

An Alps switch that reminds me somewhat of mx clears is the SKCM brown. These have pronounced tactility and feel fairly heavy.

[mike52787]

From my experience, matias QC is mushy but not too bad, and matias click is a bit rough but has a nice tactility and nice sound. Better than most mx, but its pretty much a toss up between mx clear and matias click for me, just my opinion, these switches couldnt be more different. Of course, they dont have anything on genuine alps.Alps just dont compare to anything )

Yes, genuine Alps are great switches, although the typing experience with them depends not only upon the particular Alps variety, but also on the construction of the keyboard and the degree of cleanliness of the insides of the switches. I wish that Matias had faithfully reproduced SKCM blue Alps or even SKCM white Alps.

I had high hopes for mx clears when they first came out, but upon trying them, I found them too fatiguing. My typing style is to bottom out every keystroke, and the force-displacement curve of clears increases sharply after the actuation point and bottoms out near 95 grams. I prefer switches that actuate fairly early and then release.

An Alps switch that reminds me somewhat of mx clears is the SKCM brown. These have pronounced tactility and feel fairly heavy.

Agreed, But i believe the reasoning behind matias going with the SKBM/SKBL style of switches is that the rights for SKCM switches were sold to silitek (talking out of my ass here, but it makes sense because there were at101ws made well into the year 2000) and matias was only able to acquire the designs for the SKBM/SKBL series. Anoter potential reason is the cost factor. with so many extra parts in the switchplate assembly, SKCM/SKCL switches had to cost a fair bit more to make, especially in small quantities.

As for your opinions on mx clear, bottoming them out is the worst way to use them. From just a few days of typing on a mx clear board I have adopted a much lighter typing style. I dont really bottom out most boards I use. It has also helped my typing speed out a bit. I dont really enjoy using them as much as I enjoy a vintage alps board (Such as the omnikey 101 on my desk right now) but It seems to be a good tool to learn to stop bottoming out.

[Hypersphere]

Yes, I have often seen positive comments about mx clears serving as a good switch to prevent bottoming out. However, during my longstanding involvement with mechanical keyboards, I still do not understand why bottoming out is regarded as a bad thing to do. One reason I use mechanical keyboards is that I enjoy the full key travel. If I have 3.5 to 4.0 mm or so, I see no reason not to "go the distance". Probably the reason I operate this way is that I learned to type on a manual typewriter.


http://mytypewriter.com/royalruggedquietdeluxeportableof1950s.aspx

I remember cutting stencils and making carbon copies on my trusty Royal "Quiet Deluxe" -- each keystroke was like trying to win the "high striker" game at a carnival.


http://lovelandcappys.com/great-lakes-official-high-striker-release-party/

[klennkellon]

I don't see why the Simplified Alps feel so much worse, why would the switch plate affect the feel so much? Wouldn't having a well designed click or tactile leaf be more important to the keyfeel?

I have tested this and SKCM/Matias sliders and springs are indeed interchangeable (though the springs in particular are finnicky to keep upright)

[emdude]

I don't see why the Simplified Alps feel so much worse, why would the switch plate affect the feel so much? Wouldn't having a well designed click or tactile leaf be more important to the keyfeel?

I have tested this and SKCM/Matias sliders and springs are indeed interchangeable (though the springs in particular are finnicky to keep upright)

I think it is at least partly due to the design of the switch plate.  Matias' switchplate leaves are asymmetrical and have a single prong like other clones as opposed to two with SKCM switches.

I saw this being noted in a reddit post about alps.tw's new i-Rocks switches, which have a more symmetric switchplate like old SKCMs.  Hopefully this means they will feel better to use.