TOP 7 WORST-SOUNDING keyboard switches of all time

[Chyros]

As requested; the worst-sounding switches of all time. Hope you enjoy the video .

[darkcruix]

As always ... very amusing.
Spoiler Alert: I knew you hate [Cherry] MX Blue with a passion, but they aren't the worst of the worst sounding switches, or are they?
I admit, they aren't great, but I think it is the pure penetration and you have to listen so often that they create a deep growling hate in you (I know you always mention it, it is a very subjective list).

[Chyros]

I would say they are. The sound is horrible, it drives me nuts. It actually makes my ears itch from the inside sometimes.

I mean the design wasn't even MEANT to be clicky originally D: .

[samuelcable]

I would say they are. The sound is horrible, it drives me nuts. It actually makes my ears itch from the inside sometimes.

I mean the design wasn't even MEANT to be clicky originally D: .

I don't think they are the worst (your number #3 spot would be the worst in general for me) but it is amplified by a ton that just about every youtuber i know uses mx blue clones so i would say they are the worst sounding commonly used switches

[darkcruix]

I would say they are. The sound is horrible, it drives me nuts. It actually makes my ears itch from the inside sometimes.

I mean the design wasn't even MEANT to be clicky originally D: .

I have a few MX Browns, which drive me nuts when I bottom out. But you are right, it isn't the switch that kills me, it is the squeaky rubbing of plastic on plastic.
When asking my gf, she will say the Model F keys are the worst, while she tries to sleep

[fohat]

Interesting and informative as usual, but I think that you are allowing the tail to wag the dog with your epic prejudice against MX blue.

I would recommend moving your numbers 1 and 2 to the back of the list, and it is hard for me to understand how #5 Amstrad was not the top (=bottom) winner (=loser) by a wide margin.

[davkol]

Amstrad is a pingy mess, but it's the whole keyboard's fault more than just the switch. There's a lot of pingy keyboards, though, and I would say creaky rubber domes are even worse… or anything with cheap enough construction, really. I've been surprised by cheap Alps clones in 90s' cheap OEM keyboards again and again, and not in a good way.

Meanwhile, the high-pitched click of MX Blue is inherent to the design. (That makes me curious why Aristotles didn't make it to the list of MX Blue clones. They're loud af.)

[depletedvespene]

If a tree falls in the forest and ... I mean, if my dead grandfather were alive but still partially deaf (he couldn't hear high picthed sounds, but bassier stuff was more or less okay) and had to use a keyboard, would he actually tolerate Cherry MX blues? Or would he prefer Gateron clones, as those would be fully outside his limited hearing range?

[digital_matthew]

I have that same Lingbao keyboard (full-sized) with Gateron Blues, and while not my best sounding keyboard I can tolerate it. If I had that Futaba vintage linear keyboard I'd have to introduce it to Mr. Baseball Bat.

[Chyros]

Interesting and informative as usual, but I think that you are allowing the tail to wag the dog with your epic prejudice against MX blue.

I would recommend moving your numbers 1 and 2 to the back of the list, and it is hard for me to understand how #5 Amstrad was not the top (=bottom) winner (=loser) by a wide margin.

Interestingly, judging from the comments, this is actually one of my most divisive lists.

I showed a bit of leniency towards the Amstrads and Futaba linears because the Amstrads sound bad in large part due to the pathetic chassis they come in, and the Futaba linears are well-known to now squeak at all when in NOS condition. It's not inherent to the design; it just happens to be a very common failure of them. Conversely, I penalised MX blue because the awful sound is inherent to the design (and, as I mentioned, originally even unintentional).

[depletedvespene]

Now you have to install Amstrad switches in a better case and try them like that. You can call that "Project F".

[depletedvespene]

And seems you're gonna have to rethink this list.

[samuelcable]

And seems you're gonna have to rethink this list.

this reminds me of the sound of my brittle bones popping

[Bass]

Granted, sound is a very subjective thing to judge but I feel the same way as many others here about the placement of MX Blue and its clones on this list. While I certainly don't think they sound particularly good compared to so many other clicky switches out there, I wouldn't rank them as the absolute worst personally. I might have a soft spot for them since they are among the very first mechanical switches I have tried and so I am therefore quite used to the sound. I actually think linear and tactile MX switches sound worse. It's one of the reasons I can never see myself getting behind Vintage MX blacks or even Zealios in spite of their high reputation around here as the dull, tack sound they make when bottoming out isn't really to my taste. I get shocked every time I see commenters strongly praising the sound of these switches in typing test videos.

Also, call me crazy but I actually kind of like the weird pingy sound of clicky Futabas. It's weird even compared to other pingy switches, but I am the type of guy that actually loves lots of ping.

I am with you on Futaba vintage linears though, I do have a board with them and immediately noticed the squeakiness. I am wondering how much of that is a function of them being dirty or in need of some lube.

[Carnivorous]

The Huntsman Elite with Razer's new switches, stabilizer bars and all, sound so abhorrent I thought their designer loved and revived the Futaba linear series.

[Sangdrax]

My Futaba MD's were pingy as all getout but I never heard them squeak, neither the NOS or the used ones. Is it a specific version like ML's that do that?

Also "Trying to summon the God of Spoons". I'm so stealing that phrase.

And seems you're gonna have to rethink this list.

Sounds like somebody chewing with their mouth open.

[Chyros]

Now you have to install Amstrad switches in a better case and try them like that. You can call that "Project F".

I already have a Project F xD . Maybe Project FFFFFFFFF-?

And seems you're gonna have to rethink this list.

All lists are based on keyboards I own; ones I don't I can't properly compare, so they are out.

That said, someone (you?) linked this in the video. It is an absolutely HORRENDOUS sound. I wonder what it's like in person, because it sounds like the camera has a very bad mic.

Also "Trying to summon the God of Spoons". I'm so stealing that phrase.

That phrase is actually an extremely obscure in-joke between me and some online buddies xD .

[andrewjoy]

It's strange with MX blue. In general they don't sound that good , but in a plate they sound much better than PCB

[depletedvespene]

Now you have to install Amstrad switches in a better case and try them like that. You can call that "Project F".

I already have a Project F xD . Maybe Project FFFFFFFFF-?

Since we're talking about Amstrad keyboards, go with "Project A", then. Or, better, Project AAAAAAAAA(rgh).

And seems you're gonna have to rethink this list. ……

All lists are based on keyboards I own; ones I don't I can't properly compare, so they are out.

That said, someone (you?) linked this in the video. It is an absolutely HORRENDOUS sound. I wonder what it's like in person, because it sounds like the camera has a very bad mic.

If you mean in a youtube comment, then it wasn't me. I've only brought it up here.

[ollir]

Don't know if I'd put MX blues to the top but they are indeed bad and surely one of the most overrated switches. Which would be another nice top X list in itself.

[green-squid]

Thomas, listen up! I have a video suggestion : Top 5 (or however many) keyboard flipout feet! There are many cool designs out there.

What do you think?

[Muirium]

Top 2 keyboard feet: HHKB and Marquardt Mini. From those I’ve come across at least. IBM Model F has a boss look but elevates too damn much for me.

[snarfbot]

lol i like the MA's! mx clones too.

[Chyros]

Interesting and informative as usual, but I think that you are allowing the tail to wag the dog with your epic prejudice against MX blue.

You know, I just realised something. Where did you get the idea that I'm so horribly prejudiced against MX blue? I'm actually really curious about this :p .

I think you're confusing "prejudiced" with me just not liking them. "Prejudiced" suggests I disliked them before I even tried them, or for some reason other than how they perform. Prejudice suggests suggests bias. Nothing could be further from the truth. Everything I have against them is based on their shortcomings as a design. In fact, (vintage) MX blue were both my first Cherry switch as well as one of the very first mechanical switches I had tried. I had no way to be prejudiced against them before I tried them.

Plus, I've stated on numerous occasions that MX blue is actually my favourite Cherry switch. The feel isn't even that bad, I just REALLY don't like the sound. And I've made it abundantly clear that keyfeel or performance is 100% beside the point in this video, it's JUST about the sound.

Of course, a fair amount of people in the YT comments didn't like me calling out their favourite switches as sounding god-awful. I have no problems with that, in fact I expected it (the same is true for anything I give a bad review). But please don't assume this is out of PREJUDICE just because it doesn't coincide with your opinion :p . Remember, I'm not basing my opinion on a keyboard collection of 3 boards or so, I have some reference material .

Prejudice is people telling me I'm wrong because MX blue should've been in my top 5 clicky switches list without them having tried any of the switches that are actually in it :p .

[Muirium]

Prejudice is a strong word. I think I know where he’s coming from, but I’d just use a different term. You have a vocal dislike of MX blue and you aren’t afraid to let its popularity put you off ranking it exactly where you place it. That’s good. These things are all personal opinion anyway. I’m not a fan of the whole MX line either.

Speaking of the specifics of this comparison: typing sound, well, oddly enough I actually don’t mind MX blue or green in that department. What bothers me about the sound of a board much more than the switch clicks is reverberation in the case. The delightful 1984 Macintosh keyboard—Apple’s Hobbit special edition!—has vintage Alps linears but sounds awful! Entirely down to echoes in the plate and case. I’d take the crinkly racket of most any MX blue keyboard over the M0110 cave reverb any day. The sound at least. I do still love the layout and the look of the overgrown wee bugger. HHKB ancestor as it so clearly was.

[Chyros]

Speaking of the specifics of this comparison: typing sound, well, oddly enough I actually don’t mind MX blue or green in that department. What bothers me about the sound of a board much more than the switch clicks is reverberation in the case. The delightful 1984 Macintosh keyboard—Apple’s Hobbit special edition!—has vintage Alps linears but sounds awful! Entirely down to echoes in the plate and case. I’d take the crinkly racket of most any MX blue keyboard over the M0110 cave reverb any day. The sound at least. I do still love the layout and the look of the overgrown wee bugger. HHKB ancestor as it so clearly was.

Yeah, this is an inherent big problem with the sound lists. Cases and caps are a very large influence, and can make all the difference in how a switch sounds. This is why I had to restrict the lists to native, unmodded boards, among others, and even then, there's a lot of difference. Moreover, something that makes one switch sound worse might make another sound better - and even then, "worse" and "better" are subjective.

The "ping" you mentioned, something that basically all early Alps boards suffer from, is an especially divisive component; a major deterrent to some, while others don't mind it as much. Likewise the ringing sound from a Model F. I got quite a few comments that people really like the intense ping sound that comes from the Futaba MA switches in the list.

Custom builds especially can get much-improved sounds out of switches, but there are so many combinations with that (let alone the prohibitive costs involved in sampling all of them) that I had to restrict myself to OEM products. Cherry boards, in my experience, tend to profit from taut, heavy chassis and strong attenuation, for example with thick, low-slung keycaps. For Alps, the exact opposite is true; they sound best in roomy, plastic cases, with high-profile, thin ABS caps. In their case, modern custom builds actually sound WORSE xD .

P.S. You might like the modern redo's of the M0110. It eliminates the ping of the old boards with different switches as well as pure heft xD .

[Dingster]

Speaking of the specifics of this comparison: typing sound, well, oddly enough I actually don’t mind MX blue or green in that department. What bothers me about the sound of a board much more than the switch clicks is reverberation in the case. The delightful 1984 Macintosh keyboard—Apple’s Hobbit special edition!—has vintage Alps linears but sounds awful! Entirely down to echoes in the plate and case. I’d take the crinkly racket of most any MX blue keyboard over the M0110 cave reverb any day. The sound at least. I do still love the layout and the look of the overgrown wee bugger. HHKB ancestor as it so clearly was.

Yeah, this is an inherent big problem with the sound lists. Cases and caps are a very large influence, and can make all the difference in how a switch sounds. This is why I had to restrict the lists to native, unmodded boards, among others, and even then, there's a lot of difference. Moreover, something that makes one switch sound worse might make another sound better - and even then, "worse" and "better" are subjective.

The "ping" you mentioned, something that basically all early Alps boards suffer from, is an especially divisive component; a major deterrent to some, while others don't mind it as much. Likewise the ringing sound from a Model F. I got quite a few comments that people really like the intense ping sound that comes from the Futaba MA switches in the list.

Custom builds especially can get much-improved sounds out of switches, but there are so many combinations with that (let alone the prohibitive costs involved in sampling all of them) that I had to restrict myself to OEM products. Cherry boards, in my experience, tend to profit from taut, heavy chassis and strong attenuation, for example with thick, low-slung keycaps. For Alps, the exact opposite is true; they sound best in roomy, plastic cases, with high-profile, thin ABS caps. In their case, modern custom builds actually sound WORSE xD .

P.S. You might like the modern redo's of the M0110. It eliminates the ping of the old boards with different switches as well as pure heft xD .

Wait you have the modern M0110?

[fohat]

Where did you get the idea that I'm so horribly prejudiced against MX blue? I'm actually really curious about this.

I was thinking of the word "prejudice" in a different way, bias may have been a better choice.

Prejudice as a verb implies that something is prejudicing someone against something, and the legal term prejudice assumes that future action may be informed as the result of some specific cause.

There is no doubt in my mind that your feelings about MX blue switches are the result of real-world experience. And I too despise that sound.

Also, jailhoused blues and greens are actually nice, one of these days I want to build one like that.

[Chyros]

Speaking of the specifics of this comparison: typing sound, well, oddly enough I actually don’t mind MX blue or green in that department. What bothers me about the sound of a board much more than the switch clicks is reverberation in the case. The delightful 1984 Macintosh keyboard—Apple’s Hobbit special edition!—has vintage Alps linears but sounds awful! Entirely down to echoes in the plate and case. I’d take the crinkly racket of most any MX blue keyboard over the M0110 cave reverb any day. The sound at least. I do still love the layout and the look of the overgrown wee bugger. HHKB ancestor as it so clearly was.

Yeah, this is an inherent big problem with the sound lists. Cases and caps are a very large influence, and can make all the difference in how a switch sounds. This is why I had to restrict the lists to native, unmodded boards, among others, and even then, there's a lot of difference. Moreover, something that makes one switch sound worse might make another sound better - and even then, "worse" and "better" are subjective.

The "ping" you mentioned, something that basically all early Alps boards suffer from, is an especially divisive component; a major deterrent to some, while others don't mind it as much. Likewise the ringing sound from a Model F. I got quite a few comments that people really like the intense ping sound that comes from the Futaba MA switches in the list.

Custom builds especially can get much-improved sounds out of switches, but there are so many combinations with that (let alone the prohibitive costs involved in sampling all of them) that I had to restrict myself to OEM products. Cherry boards, in my experience, tend to profit from taut, heavy chassis and strong attenuation, for example with thick, low-slung keycaps. For Alps, the exact opposite is true; they sound best in roomy, plastic cases, with high-profile, thin ABS caps. In their case, modern custom builds actually sound WORSE xD .

P.S. You might like the modern redo's of the M0110. It eliminates the ping of the old boards with different switches as well as pure heft xD .

Wait you have the modern M0110?

No, but I know the guy who designed it, and I've toyed with it in person .