Moderate-weight smoother tactiles with a louder and deeper sound profile?

Learning and discussion
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I’m looking to replace my old Akko CS Lavender Purples with something better.

They feel kind of light in tactility, I think they have 36g operating and ~50g actuation, although they don’t really list that on their website. I’m mainly trying to find something that has a more tactile feel and is also maybe a bit on the louder side, but isn’t clicky/higher pitched or scratchy. My lavender purples are pretty smooth, but it’s been a while since I lubed them and the sound has definitely gotten more on the high-pitched and scratchy side, and I don’t have the time to re-lube my switches too frequently.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I’ve seen a lot about the Gateron Quinns, MMD Princess, WS Browns, and Boba U4T, but I can’t quite figure out what might have what I’m looking for.

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From how you described the Akkos and what you’re thinking of buying, the Gateron Quinn sound like a good fit.

I’ve never tried the Akkos so I don’t know for sure. But the Quinns are fairly deep with a decent volume and aren’t too harshly tactile

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Gateron Quinn are highly-rated. I think that they’re a different-sounding variant of the Gateron Baby Kangaroo, but I can’t be certain.

Likewise, the Durock Anubis seems to have a following.

I was never a fan of CS Lavender Purple. But I enjoyed the Creamy Purple Pro, which is now on V3 or V5.

The Creamy Purple Pro are only light or light-medium tactiles, but they thock. They have a memorable tactility, classic-feeling and authoritative, and are loud. I have some in a Neo80, and they are great. You might have to ditch a few bad switches in a batch.*

The MMD Princess, and sometimes the WS Browns, are so cheap to try as samples that you might as well. The MMD Princess are very loud and clacky, with significant but simple tactility. I think they rely a lot on their long-pole for the sound. Their pitch might be higher and most-plasticy than you might like.

Everfree Grayish are cheap enough to justify trying a few samples. I think they are a budget, sort-of-factory-lubed variant of Gateron Root Beer Float, which is more expensive and requires hand-lubing.

Gateron Green Apple are okay, as well.

U4T Boba should definitely be both loud-thocky, and tactile. Then there’s the new Akko Bittersweet, but they are actually a kind of restrained light-medium tactile, so maybe not what you are looking for.

Anyway, you may wish to start with Creamy Purple Pro, as they are thocky, factory-lubed, and kind of loud.

*The Creamy Purple Pro usually come well-lubed from the factory. So you don’t even need to lube them.

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Also, here is HMX Frog:

Never tried it myself. But it’s said to be snappy or poppy. The pitch might be higher than you want, though. Factory pre-lubed.

EDIT:

You might find this video helpful:

I can attest that Gateron Mini i is a good tactile switch. At least the ones I’ve tried. A crisp, top-actuated fast tactile. They aren’t that heavy, but they are certainly tactile. And loud. The only problem is that they aren’t the lowest-pitch.

[Then again, even high-pitched tactiles will sound low-pitched if lubed and placed in a foam-sandwitch build.]

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You might have liked the Hillstone tactile switch when it was available:

But it wasn’t that tactile, and only 3.2mm of travel. Decent factory-lube and smoothness.

Perhaps the Gateron Azure Dragon would be an available substitute:

This video is helpful, even though the sound tests are way too short:

There have been a few people saying that the Durock Ice King has a deep and loud sound profile. However, it may be more of a heavy-tactile, instead of medium.

So far, I would say: Try the MMD Princess V4 [if cheap], the AKKO Creamy Purple Pro, maybe Everfree Grayish [if cheap], the Durock Anubis [if available], Azure Dragon V4, and the Durock Ice King.

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Hojicha Reserves are really good. Has a POM housing and the original V1 used LY stems, the new V2 uses a POK stem so it should be even louder if anything now.

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The Hojicha Reserve also came to my mind instantly, Im getting some in the mail this week and can compare them directly to the CS Lavender. Will report back :slight_smile:

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Sorry mixed up Hojicha with the Goji Reserve, which I got yesterday. I put them in my 3DP Sweep with MT3 keycaps. In direct comparison to the other half with the Akko CS Lavender (V1, nothing pro etc. but slightly lubed) the Goji are actually a bit higher in pitch. Overall I think its what would be described as more “marbly”.

First are the Akko, then the Gojis SndUp | akko vs hojicha

Sweep MX with 3D printed tray case, PETG-Plate, printed TPU “Plate foam” and tape mod.

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I was going to suggest Hojicha Reserve. I don’t have experience with them, and am not sure if they are still available, so they weren’t my first suggestion.

The original post was looking for something lower-pitched, and I wasn’t sure about the Hojicha sound-tests. But it’s definitely one of the higher-rated switches, and one of the first that comes to mind.

[Goji was supposed to be more of a light-tactile, which I am not sure is being requested here. But it’s a well-regarded switch I’d like to try.]

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Hojicha Reserve V1 has stayed in my Sonnet for the past year since I first got them in October 2024 and I’ve really liked them. I find the stock spring is definitely on the medium/moderate weight and can be a little bit too bouncy for some, so I’m not surprised Invokeys went to a 53g spring (which I think is too much in the opposite direction).

The switches have that frictionless glassy feel that I really like and the bump is nicely moderate for a top aligned bump without pre-travel. I’d be curious to see what the V2’s feel like with the change to the POK stem.

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