Just a random thought: How would placing a thin sheet of adhesive ceramic or resin on a switch (inside, outside, above or under) affect switch sound and feel? We know QMX placed on top housing silences so the idea is not way out there.
Tealios sounds surprisingly loud and lively in Polaris with distinct likable tone. I was very happy with the switch but was not happy with franken-stabilizers (still can’t believe I didn’t notice the unbearable wobble when I built it). Before desoldering the switches to replace the stab, I wanted to try a couple of polished Cherry blacks to see how they might sound in Polaris.
Conclusion: Both Hyperglide and retooled black sounded very muted and flat. I’m going to do the same test with FR4 half-plate version but Tealios will stay on the full brass plate version. Disappointing.
UPDATE: Tested Cherry blacks in FR4 half-plate build. Better result: they sounded better than Gateron black inks. Like aluminum Tofu, retooled sounded more pleasant than Hyperglide. The later was making loud inconsistent clacks. I’ve no idea why retooled blacks would sound better on aluminum case while Hyperglides sound better on acrylic, at least to me. So looks like I’m going to be desoldering two boards. Oy.
In case you’re wondering, polished blacks I tested with felt just as smooth as Gateron Black Inks and very slightly less smooth than Tealios.
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Reviving this thread to ask for some opinions/recommendations on long stemmed/pole linears. Love the sound profile, but I didn’t know if there was a consensus on what was smoothest/best value. I only know of a couple myself…
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I’ve tried only two long-stem linears: Cream, and Kailh Pro Burgundy. Of the two, I prefer Cream. Hallmark signature of long stems is the clack but it’s a bit too sharp for my taste so I’m using Tape Mod to round out the sound a bit. As to value, Cream value is moderate.
I think JWK recently made some long-stem switches. Can’t recall their names but I’m sure others on this board can help you out with that.
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Are you still feeling the same these days? The thread is too long for me find out 
but at the end, it does seem like you are using only linear switches curently?
Nope. I’m now firmly in the linear camp. I do keep a clicky board with Jade switches and a tactile board with Holy Cherry frankenswitches but rest of the boards are linears. And the linear switch I like the most is Cherry blacks because they sound the best. They’re not smooth stock so I had to come up with a solution. You can find the long thread on that below.
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Haha, I have a similar progression, getting tired of tactile. But not quite there yet with linear - I don’t like the heavier bottom out feel on linear switches. Super light tactile are my jam, my current favor are hyperglide cherry browns 
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You should give light linears a try then. Heavy tactile switches were my jam when I first got into the hobby & for awhile past that. Then I started messing around with linears & now 50g to 63.5 linears are my fav. I’ve been experimenting with even lower weightings & have liked the results also.
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Have you tried those Sprit Extreme Slow II springs yet? They’re a lot of fun. They start out heavy (+3g) so end up feeling a bit more premium than lighter springs do, but when typing, they’re still super light and responsive. I went with the 55g which feel real close to a 63.5g at the top and 55g everywhere else.
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No I have yet to try them, sounds like something I would like in lower weightings though! Gonna grab a couple packs & will let you know how I like them once I get them. 
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With my clicky and tactile boards, I’ve been trying different keycaps to revive my sense of appreciation for them. So far SA profile is kinda working on tactiles for about an hour. A fling of sort.
So I got a bag of gateron yellow and tried them for a few days, they are surprisingly easy to get used to. I am still not sure if I will switch to linear eventually, but lighter spring is certainly the right direction for me. My previous experience was with stock ink black and NK silk black(I was using heavy tactile back then), so those are relatively heavy when bottoming out.
@ajoflo If I dive deeper into linear, I may eventually try those. Heavy on the top but otherwise the force curve is horizontal? I don’t get the physic behind it, but that sounds almost like a tactile switch except they did it with a spring. Very interesting stuff I would say.
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Maybe not totally horizontal, but if I’m reading this product page correctly, its slope is one of the more gradual ones.
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Hmm yeah maybe feel is different from actual force. It probably still has a linear force curve with a positive slope. 3g heavier means that the Y-intercept is a bit higher.
This post by @Walkerstop explains that “slow curve” are just longer springs. Also found the Cannon Key’s Slow spring, coils at the center are closer to each other, not sure what that does to the force curve.
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I think Sprit Extreme Slow II springs are just long springs, like TX long springs. Heavy at top but gentler slope. Regular springs have steeper slope so feels heavier at the bottom than longs.
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I’ve gotten into longer springs lately and they’ve been a revelation for my linear switches. I was finding that heavier switches with a 67g+ bottom-out weight were just tiring to type on for long periods. My conundrum was that I didn’t like lighter linear switches because it was so easy to accidentally actuate one. Longer springs solved all of that. I swapped my Aqua Kings from 67g linear springs to 53g symmetric springs and they’ve become an absolute joy to type on. They feel heavier than the weighting would indicate because of how long they are providing such a flat force curve. For me, they’re the best of both worlds.
If you’re thinking of giving them a shot, I’d absolutely recommend it even if it’s just to try them out and tinker with.
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My absolute sentiments exactly.
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Just ordered some 53g and 58g symmetric long spring. Also waiting for some hypeglide cherry black 
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U all need to jump on the two-stage spring train to heaven!
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Is there a force graph available for two-stage springs?
UPDATE: nvm. I found it one at Flashquark site. Interest. So same linear slope on downstroke then a sudden collapse in the middle of upstroke?
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