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
LSDJ does offer up an interesting option though: use a keyboard to enter your values in in real-time. This is an interesting little project that requires literally splicing an old school gameboy link cable with a PS2 cabled PC keyboard, and then actually playing that keyboard like a piano using the designated rows of keys. It seems a little extreme, but after you've typed in values for a few days with the DMG, you're ready to try just about anything. It also lets you play 'live' using the gameboy, which is pretty cool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi4dRRKKAG8
So my question to this group is, what keyboard and switches would you recommend for this project? Off the top of my head I'm thinking Red switches so you minimize any extra clicking while you're playing music, but I don't know if there's an even better low-noise option. What are some good boards that have PS2 cables instead of USB? Most of the one's I've seen are done with old junky keyboards, but I'd love to make something truly special. Lastly, does anyone know of any LSDJ keycap sets?
Thanks for your ideas!