Alps Keyboards -- Theme and Variations

[Hypersphere]

Recently, I was fortunate in being able to find two Leading Edge DC-3014 blue Alps keyboards in rapid succession.

For the time being at least, I have decided to keep one of them (I'll call it DC-3014A) in a nearly stock state -- the only modifications I've made is to install an internal converter and micro-USB panel-mount connector. I also quieted the spacebar by swapping out the slider and click leaf on the spacebar switch with the corresponding components from a Matias Quiet switch.


The other one (dubbed DC-3014B) also has the internal converter and micro-USB connector along with a painted case and new keycaps (SGI Granite alphas; others from Matias and Tai-Hao). Its spacebar also has a transplanted slider and tactile leaf from a Matias Quiet switch, and the Matias spacebar has 0.5 mm urethane foam pads on the plate where contact is made with the stabilizer inserts.


Even before making these relatively minor modifications, I noticed that I had a preference for the sound and feel of DC-3014B. The differences were subtle, but noticeable. Now with the replaced keycaps, the differences are more apparent, and I definitely prefer typing on DC-3014B.

I've noticed differences in typing characteristics on other Alps boards of the same make and model as well. For example, I have two Northgate Omnikey 101 white Alps boards. Even with the same stock keycaps on each, the two boards have a noticeable difference in sound and a just-perceptible difference in feel.

One difference between the two Northgates that is readily apparent is in the sound from brushing fingertips horizontally along a row of keys -- one of the boards makes much more of a racket than the other. I thought that this difference might be due to the relative degree of wobble, but as far as I can tell, the wobble in the switches is the same between the two boards.

[chyros]

The difference between your omnikeys is probably due to the switches used. There were a great many variations of white Alps, some older makes being distinctly more high-quality than others. My own white Alps omnikey Ultra uses a quite early type of white Alps that is much closer to blue Alps than my other white Alps boards.

[Hypersphere]

@Chyros: Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge about the variations within types of Alps switches.

The "brushing fingertips" test is highly effective at picking up differences. Using this maneuver, the noisier of my two white Alps Northgate boards sounds very much like my KBP V60 with Matias Click switches.

[chyros]

Yes, I've used this test in several of my videos as well. It's indicative of quite a few factors at the same time though, and shouldn't be taken as gospel. But it can certainly give so.e information. 

All switches are often rigorously categorised by slider colour alone, but the truth is MUCH more complex. Age and condition are far more important than the colour of the switch. A good white Alps board will outperform a bad blue Alps board, and a very early white Alps board and a blue Alps board in similar condition will not differ hugely, for example. Even pine blacks are not that far off from salmon and orange Alps, and miles ahead of the later bamboo version.

That said, in my experience, the first-gen Alps switches are near-unbeatable when in pristine condition.

[Hypersphere]

Are there any indicators associated with the generation of Alps switch in a given keyboard such as serial number, FCC code, and country of manufacture that could guide the buyer? I suppose if the listing has excellent photos of the switches, it would be possible to look for the slits to differentiate pine from bamboo, but it would be handy to have other identifiers as well.

I am very glad to see your opinion about the overlapping quality of white and blue Alps switches, depending on a number of factors, including generation of manufacture and overall condition. When I first noticed that one of my Northgate Omnikey 101 white Alps boards sounded and felt better to me than my first blue Alps board, I thought I would be branded a heretic and shunned for heresy, but now I certainly agree with your statement that "a good white Alps board will outperform a bad blue Alps board.

In addition to the fingertip brush test, another functional indicator that I use is the off-center key press -- in particular, pressing the larger keys in the upper right-hand corner. Using this test, I found that some of my white Alps boards would exhibit binding -- the key refuses to be pressed down all the way or it exerts considerable resistance. I found that this condition can often be eliminated or alleviated by cleaning and lubing the switches.

[fublamchu]

Yes, I've used this test in several of my videos as well. It's indicative of quite a few factors at the same time though, and shouldn't be taken as gospel. But it can certainly give so.e information. 

All switches are often rigorously categorised by slider colour alone, but the truth is MUCH more complex. Age and condition are far more important than the colour of the switch. A good white Alps board will outperform a bad blue Alps board, and a very early white Alps board and a blue Alps board in similar condition will not differ hugely, for example. Even pine blacks are not that far off from salmon and orange Alps, and miles ahead of the later bamboo version.

That said, in my experience, the first-gen Alps switches are near-unbeatable when in pristine condition.

Is there any label or method (other than the actual of the board) that tells the generation of Alps?

[E3E]

Generally speaking, the factors that go into determining what generation Alps switch you have in aboard comes down to a few things:

• Knowing what switches come in the keyboard
• Knowing the range of mfg dates for the particular keyboard
• Knowing the supposed timeline for the switch families

And from this information you can hypothesize whether or not the switches will have long switch plates (a first generation aspect) or short, what color the switch plates will be (black, grey, white, in order of earliest to latest), or if you'll have pine (slits) or bamboo (no slits) tops on some models. Only the very last generation of complicated Alps had bamboo tops, and I believe all simplified Alps had bamboo.

There's also second generation linears that do not retain the symmetrical sliders (notches on both sides) like those found on first gen switches. I don't think this really effects feel or stability much, but I can't say for sure.

White Alps has one of the largest production spans of any of the switches, and so it's somewhat tricky to know if you've got an early white Alps board or not. Mfg date and checking the internals of the switch is the best way to figure it out. I haven't seen them myself, but I've heard that early whites have long switch plates.
 




That said, I don't exactly get what running one's fingers across the keyboard could determine aside from keycap quality or how the housing resonates.

[chyros]

Yes, I've used this test in several of my videos as well. It's indicative of quite a few factors at the same time though, and shouldn't be taken as gospel. But it can certainly give so.e information. 

All switches are often rigorously categorised by slider colour alone, but the truth is MUCH more complex. Age and condition are far more important than the colour of the switch. A good white Alps board will outperform a bad blue Alps board, and a very early white Alps board and a blue Alps board in similar condition will not differ hugely, for example. Even pine blacks are not that far off from salmon and orange Alps, and miles ahead of the later bamboo version.

That said, in my experience, the first-gen Alps switches are near-unbeatable when in pristine condition.

Is there any label or method (other than the actual of the board) that tells the generation of Alps?

Nothing short of fully opening them up and closely examining the contents will do. Over time you get a certain instinct, and you can make really good guesses, but still, you need to open it up to make fully certain.

[Hypersphere]

@Chyros: Sounds like a line from a murder mystery film of the pathologist explaining to the detectives about determining the cause of death of the victim.

"Nothing short of fully opening them up and closely examining the contents will do. Over time you get a certain instinct, and you can make really good guesses, but still, you need to open it up to make fully certain."

[Hypersphere]

Generally speaking, the factors that go into determining what generation Alps switch you have in aboard comes down to a few things:

• Knowing what switches come in the keyboard
• Knowing the range of mfg dates for the particular keyboard
• Knowing the supposed timeline for the switch families

And from this information you can hypothesize whether or not the switches will have long switch plates (a first generation aspect) or short, what color the switch plates will be (black, grey, white, in order of earliest to latest), or if you'll have pine (slits) or bamboo (no slits) tops on some models. Only the very last generation of complicated Alps had bamboo tops, and I believe all simplified Alps had bamboo.

There's also second generation linears that do not retain the symmetrical sliders (notches on both sides) like those found on first gen switches. I don't think this really effects feel or stability much, but I can't say for sure.

White Alps has one of the largest production spans of any of the switches, and so it's somewhat tricky to know if you've got an early white Alps board or not. Mfg date and checking the internals of the switch is the best way to figure it out. I haven't seen them myself, but I've heard that early whites have long switch plates.
 




That said, I don't exactly get what running one's fingers across the keyboard could determine aside from keycap quality or how the housing resonates.

My apologies for the double-post, but I just had to update this thread with my latest findings. Today I went back to my Northgate Omnikey 101 ANSI boards with SKCM white Alps. It turns out that the noisier one has "bamboo" switches (no slits in the top switch housings), whereas the quieter one has "pine" switches (with slits in the top switch housings). The overall sound and feel of the pine switch version is superior to the bamboo version. They are each very fine keyboards, but the pine version occupies a higher level.