Mechanical Keyboard Sound Isn't That Simple
Figure 1: I couldn't think of a more literal way to represent this article if I tried... Looking back just a few years ago, there’s no doubt that the huge influx of people that joined the hobby at the peak of the COVID pandemic were drawn to keyboards by way of YouTube, TikTok, and other audio-visual content platforms. Even as the output from these content creators has waned in recent months, their collective impact and legacy on the keyboard hobby is rather firmly etched in the history books. As a result of all of their sound tests, build logs, and opinion videos, the message is clear to any new person joining the hobby: mechanical keyboards are all about the sound. Thock this, clack that. Whether it’s keyboards, keycaps, or even singular switches, seemingly everyone new to the hobby meticulously pores over each component of their keyboard not in an attempt to figure out how it will feel in hand, but how it will sound as they’re furiously grinding their way out from...
Mar 27, 2024
If you don't know me, I'm Andy aka livingspeedbump (long story) aka LSB. I've run KeyChatter.com for years and been actively designing and creating within the mech keys community for years. My first set, Jukebox SA, was the very first SA keycap set to ever run on Massdrop, and recently my GMK Honeywell set won Keycap Set of the Year in the 2017 Deskthority awards. I've also helped design keyboards, like the UNIQEY C70 that recently sold on Massdrop.
One of my favorite parts of this community is watching is grow, and helping out new folks along the way. I know this can be a very intimidating hobby to get into with all the new lingo, available options, customization, mods, etc. My contact info is at the end of this post, so if you are new and have questions please don't hesitate to reach out to me! KEYCAPS Keycaps are just that - the plastic pieces that cover your keyboard. Keycaps themselves are generally interchangeable across keyboards (so long as they have the same, plus-sign stem known as a “Cherry Stem”). They’re easy to put on and take-off of a keyboard. Custom keycap sets are a staple of the mech keys community, and are far more than just a visual overhaul. They often provide an entirely new typing experience to a keyboard. The Scrabble keycaps are high quality PBT with dye sub legends. These legends will never wear off!
KEYBOARD The WASD keyboard included in this bundle is a very high quality tenkeyless board (no numpad). I have a comprehensive review on the fullsize, but otherwise identical WASD V2 here: https://www.keychatter.com/2015/08/07/review-wasd-v2/
WASD makes some of the finest production boards on the market. I love the understated design and exceptional build quality!
INSTALLATION You may be wondering how you install the caps on your keyboard, and how difficult the process may be. Fear not, it’s VERY easy!
In this case, because you’re getting a separate keyboard and keycaps, you’ll simply have to place the keycap over the proper key, press down, and boom - keycap attached! The larger keys like the spacebar and enter keys can take a little more fidgeting, but they’re just as easy to put on. The only additional thing you’ll need to know for them is that there are additional stabilizers that you’ll need to attach to line-up with the keycap when you put it on. Hopefully this was of some help for everyone! Again, if you have ANY questions at all please don’t hesitate to reply to me here or send me a message to me at Reddit, GeekHack, or Deskthority (my username is livingspeedbump there as well.)
For those that want to dive into the hobby a bit more, here are a few more resources I've written to help you find your way even deeper down the rabbit hole:
Mech Keys 101: https://www.massdrop.com/talk/2784/mechanical-keyboards-101-an-introduction-to-the-hobbyPhysical Layouts Explained: https://www.massdrop.com/talk/947/keyboard-layouts-explained-in-detail-many-pics Happy Scrabbling! -LSB