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
I’ve already addressed this at https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/5cen7o/buying_xmit_hall_effect_keyboard_on_md/d9w0bv4/. Copy-pasting from there:
[The difference between my boards and any other version you might find is] about six months' worth of refinement.
Yes, I'm working with a manufacturing partner for these (since it's more work to design it from scratch than I could do in any reasonable amount of time). Yes, the manufacturer builds boards for other people. Yes, others are similar.
Someone on [another forum] asked the same question. Here's the list of updates just in the past two months :
Upstroke dampened sliders using a modified mold. Updated ping-resistant 50g springs. Updated translucent slider housings for more even backlighting. Cherry style stabilizers standard across all models. Updated tool path for better Cherry stabilizer compatibility across all models. Discontinuation of ABS keyboard case. Mini USB connectors for detachable cables. XMIT Keyboards branding front and rear. Low odor treatment for bamboo boards (no more Tung Oil). New microcontroller (and correspondingly, new PCB) for future customization options. Vastly improved key map on 60% boards. Updated packaging: more substantial box with magnetic closures and XMIT Keyboards branding. Printed manual.
So buy my boards, they're better!
This new discussion functionality is killing me, want to add a break inbetween later, i get a break at the end of the post and other shit. Please MD fix this joke!
AliBaba moves huge quantities hence quality isn't an issue for them because they simply don't care.....