Tai-Hao APC switches

abrahamstechnology · 26 Jul 2018, 15:49

Hi, I got a AT101 chassis off of Ebay and want to sell the black Alps and replace the switches. I am thinking of using Blue Tai-Hao APC Alps clones, but can't find much information on them. Who has used them, and are they any good? Is the sound better than Matias, as far as I can tell Matias doesn't sound very clicky.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/taihao- ... 37943.html

Blaise170 · 26 Jul 2018, 17:13

They are quite nice - I ordered some from TaoBao awhile ago. They aren't as good as SKCM Blues but they might be nicer than SKCM Whites. I'd say a big improvement over Matias Click.

abrahamstechnology · 26 Jul 2018, 17:19

Blaise170 wrote: ↑They are quite nice - I ordered some from TaoBao awhile ago. They aren't as good as SKCM Blues but they might be nicer than SKCM Whites. I'd say a big improvement over Matias Click.

Thanks! I think I've decided.

Chyros · 26 Jul 2018, 20:35

Blaise170 wrote: ↑They are quite nice - I ordered some from TaoBao awhile ago. They aren't as good as SKCM Blues but they might be nicer than SKCM Whites. I'd say a big improvement over Matias Click.

Really? Which ones? Oo

daneb · 26 Jul 2018, 23:13

I have recently bought KBParadise with these switches and I am very pleasantly surprised with them (keyboardco.com has them). They are quite light (definitely more than what I would expect from 55g), with rather sharp (but not strong) tactile point and with soft run/soft "damp" before bottoming out (I do not know hot to tell it better - with MX blues, I have problem that I bottom out heavily and I dislike the feeling as I feel that quite a lot of my force is at the moment meeting the bottom - that is not the problem with taihao - partly because they are generally lighter, so I do not push them so hard, but I would say that it is also partly due to their characteristics).

Generally, I am very satisfied and would compare them with SKCM White Alps (Alps are more clicky, maybe more tactile and very slightly more heavy I would say). They are lighter than Matias Tactile with not so much pronounced click/tactility. They are definitely not for somebody requiring heavy switch, from MX Blue above.

But I do not have many experience with other Alps as I am quite new in mechanical keyboards, so I cannot elaborate more.

abrahamstechnology · 28 Jul 2018, 04:19

Chyros wrote: ↑
Blaise170 wrote: ↑They are quite nice - I ordered some from TaoBao awhile ago. They aren't as good as SKCM Blues but they might be nicer than SKCM Whites. I'd say a big improvement over Matias Click.
Really? Which ones? Oo

I think the blue 55G ones, as it seems the only others still in production are a 65g linear and 280G clicky which isn't even meant for keyboards.

Elrick · 28 Jul 2018, 05:27

daneb wrote: ↑Generally, I am very satisfied and would compare them with SKCM White Alps (Alps are more clicky, maybe more tactile and very slightly more heavy I would say). They are lighter than Matias Tactile with not so much pronounced click/tactility. They are definitely not for somebody requiring heavy switch, from MX Blue above.

But I do not have many experience with other Alps as I am quite new in mechanical keyboards, so I cannot elaborate more.

Since you are new to the World of Alps switches, did know that you can buy varying springs of hardness (springiness) to use inside every single Alps switch, even the Matias ones. I buy from this guy https://spritdesign.wixsite.com/sprit.

The springs will give you that perfect feeling you're looking for, once they're installed but it is tedious work replacing all existing Alps springs with the new ones bought.

The advantage here is that ALL Alps switches can be modified to achieve what you want without needing to re-solder new switches. That is the ONLY design edge that Alps switches have which can provide near endless modifications with a variety of springs, click leafs (none in linear Alps) and lubing (if need be).

daneb · 28 Jul 2018, 09:34

Elrick wrote: ↑
daneb wrote: ↑Generally, I am very satisfied and would compare them with SKCM White Alps (Alps are more clicky, maybe more tactile and very slightly more heavy I would say). They are lighter than Matias Tactile with not so much pronounced click/tactility. They are definitely not for somebody requiring heavy switch, from MX Blue above.

But I do not have many experience with other Alps as I am quite new in mechanical keyboards, so I cannot elaborate more.
Since you are new to the World of Alps switches, did know that you can buy varying springs of hardness (springiness) to use inside every single Alps switch, even the Matias ones.

Thanks a lot for great tip. I will definitely try it as I gain more experience.

Chyros · 28 Jul 2018, 17:39

One I'm still looking for is some red-and-black Alps clones that were on Aliexpress a few years ago. They appeared to be a derivative of old Tai-Hao APC switches and felt CRAZY. Very much looking forward to making a build with them in, but they disappeared without a trace and we know virtually nothing about them.

abrahamstechnology · 28 Jul 2018, 18:09

I found these, someone on Reddit said they were very tactile, but I'm not sure.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100PCS- ... 42800.html

Also there are SMK Cherry-compatible switches, does anyone know if they are pin-compatible with MX?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-gen ... 02294.html

Chyros · 28 Jul 2018, 22:55

abrahamstechnology wrote: ↑I found these, someone on Reddit said they were very tactile, but I'm not sure.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100PCS- ... 42800.html

They're not lying; they're definitely very tactile. Also very stiff, I suspect >100 gf.

mark201200 · 29 Jul 2018, 00:28

Chyros wrote: ↑ felt CRAZY.

what do you mean by that? crazy good or crazy bad?

Elrick · 29 Jul 2018, 03:30

Chyros wrote: ↑
abrahamstechnology wrote: ↑I found these, someone on Reddit said they were very tactile, but I'm not sure.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100PCS- ... 42800.html
They're not lying; they're definitely very tactile. Also very stiff, I suspect >100 gf.

Why not swap out the spring to something with lower strength or that you can handle easily?

Moosewing · 29 Jul 2018, 05:44

Elrick wrote: ↑
Chyros wrote: ↑
abrahamstechnology wrote: ↑I found these, someone on Reddit said they were very tactile, but I'm not sure.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100PCS- ... 42800.html
They're not lying; they're definitely very tactile. Also very stiff, I suspect >100 gf.
Why not swap out the spring to something with lower strength or that you can handle easily?

I actually swapped some 30g springs into some of these recently. The ridiculous contrast between the ultra light spring weight and ultra tactile click leaf was fun for the novelty but by God did they feel horrible.

Elrick · 29 Jul 2018, 07:16

Moosewing wrote: ↑I actually swapped some 30g springs into some of these recently. The ridiculous contrast between the ultra light spring weight and ultra tactile click leaf was fun for the novelty but by God did they feel horrible.

30g springs are awful for EVERYONE.

Why didn't you try 55 or 65g springs instead?

Moosewing · 29 Jul 2018, 07:56

Elrick wrote: ↑ 30g springs are awful for EVERYONE.

Why didn't you try 55 or 65g springs instead?

I did originally. I just swapped the 30g springs into the home row for a few minutes to see how they felt. I swapped them back to the 65g springs immediately after.

Chyros · 29 Jul 2018, 12:04

mark201200 wrote: ↑
Chyros wrote: ↑ felt CRAZY.
what do you mean by that? crazy good or crazy bad?

No way to tell off just a loose switch. But I'd definitely want to try them out in a board.

abrahamstechnology · 01 Aug 2018, 03:14

I got the AT101 today. I tried the click and linear mods on a couple of the original SKCM black switches, they both felt okay. Not extremely impressed, but okay. The original switches do feel a lot better when lubricated and the tactile leaf bent farther, making them more tactile.

daneb · 01 Aug 2018, 07:25

abrahamstechnology wrote: ↑I got the AT101 today. I tried the click and linear mods on a couple of the original SKCM black switches, they both felt okay. Not extremely impressed, but okay. The original switches do feel a lot better when lubricated and the tactile leaf bent farther, making them more tactile.

I would suggest to try blue APC tai-hao into your DELL AT101, as you wrote above. I am more and more satisfied with them at the moment (currently writing on them). The only thing is that I may try another (little more stiff) spring later. I also want to order white linear APC tai-hao to test them or to use their spring into blue APC - linear whites should have 65g, blue soft click 55g - but I am not sure if this is starting, actuation or bottoming-out force as I think generally blue APC feel softer than MX blue (which also have 55g act. force).

Elrick · 02 Aug 2018, 13:04

abrahamstechnology wrote: ↑The original switches do feel a lot better when lubricated and the tactile leaf bent farther, making them more tactile.

That's the beauty of Alps switches. The modifications never stop until you reach that level of 'perfection' for your own usage.

abrahamstechnology · 30 Aug 2018, 01:07

Update: I got some Tai-Haos. They feel great, but the click is very inconsistent on some of them. Some will only click around 75% of the time.

Primuds · 04 Dec 2020, 13:04

Hi, kinda reviving a dead thread here, but I recenty got a z-150 with the scratchiest green alps I have every tried and was wondering if taihao stems fit into the green's housing?

hellothere · 04 Dec 2020, 18:31

While I'm not sufficiently versed in Alps key switches, I'm pretty sure you're going to get an answer like, "Then you won't have green Alps."

I'm getting some extremely good results lubing switches with Nyogel 760G. IIRC, it's around $18. Takes about a week after application to start working properly.