I wonder if it would look any good if PBTFans No Signal had a base kit where the keycaps are randomly colored ranging from black to white like TV static. Kinda similar to that shift row in your picture except randomized.
I do like mixing up colors lately. That sounds similar to what MV did with ePBT camo. Looks pretty cool.
Ahh yea forgot about that set existing. The gradient they got on No Signal is pretty nice and feels like it has enough color depth range to simulate static.
Thanks for the recommendation, these seem nice. Btw I see results about a ‘v2’ and ‘v4’, which appear to share the same list of improvements (switch to PC for top housing and addition of LED diffuser).
Sorry for the digression but does anyone happen to know if these are actually the same version or were there indeed four updates to these?
They are indeed different versions. I own v1, v3 (black with white stem), and v4 (modified light diffuser).
They’re all nice and not drastically different from the original switch (other than the lighter spring weight on the v3). I feel like the original switch has the least amount of wobble and extraneous noise. But the difference is marginal.
Copper on Aluminum Cthulhu Edition
- Ajazz AC100
- Kailh Box Butter Ice Cream linear switches
- Copper Dye Sub Cherry PBT
Mounting first MTNU set on my CPE, but really unsure if I should go with 2 Accents or only red.
I lean more towards pure red. Any opinions from you guys?
Only red. Less is more. First Alice board that I see with sufficient keys for my needs.
I’d say only red or only blue. That board is lovely, but it makes a statement all its own and I don’t think mix & match is necessary.
Agree with the others on less is more - only red or no accents and probably only blue would look good too if you’re up for it!
Thanks! Only red it is
- CSTM80 with Skiidata Decorative Case + PC Plate
- Gateron x Orange tactile switches (Lubed)
- MT3 Skiidata ABS
Between some coupons, a credit for a dead Bridge75, and DKC, I was able to snag a CSTM80 and case for just under $25. Ever since I noticed they had a matching orange for my MT3 Skiidata set, I just could not say no! I installed plate mounted stabilizers, some light lubrication, lubed Gateron x Akko tactile switches, apparently rare switches, though I can’t for the life of me recall when I got them
Stock this build was much deeper than I expected. I will be doing a sound test in the next day or so and then come back to it to add some mods, but so far loving my orange beast.
- Play Keyboard Iced Cora 60% case
- GMK MTNU Modern Dolch Light keycaps
- Lichicx Lucy v2 switches
Impressions of the Lucy switches is mixed. Posts and reviews I read said they don’t feel rubbery/mushy but tbh they feel like a strange linear/rubber dome hybrid. If one presses slowly on a single key it feels like a linear but when actually typing fast there’s a ‘lump’ feeling at the end of each depress (a handful of the switches have less of this feeling than others). Jarring coming from like 13 years of using regular linears (the last switches I used were KTT Mint).
However they’re so much quieter that I’m seeing how much I like them over a longer period. I feel all mechanical switches should be this low noise, it’s lovely.
The MTNU profile is curious. On the first day I was randomly hitting certain wrong keys since was used to fingers catching the sharper edges of Cherry caps. I think the R2 angle is less unusual than I was anticipating. I use WASD for arrow keys so wasn’t sure how much of an issue it’d be but so far it’s been okay.
One disappointing aspect of the keycaps is it seems to use a softer PBT plastic than a cheap set I bought like a decade ago, which caused some dents/marring of the corners of one of the grey keycaps when pulled with a wire keycap puller, which I’ve never experienced before.
Looking around here I read someone use dental floss to avoid this, which I’ll have to try.
Rebuilt my Graveyard TKL (9.5lbs!) in preparation to sell it.
CannonKeys early keycap sets used a font that’s a little too thick for my taste but the set complimented the board nicely.
Almost opened a new package of GMK Retrocast for it, but since I’m letting this one go I decided not to.
That’s some chonky bezels here !
I always wanted a Jer 80. This will have to keep me content until one comes up for sale.
Oh wow, that’s just another nail in the coffin for me then. That really would be just a joke for something expensive as GMK sells their stuff.
Hey you got a little extra bezel on your bezel there
Here is my built F1-8X V2, typing on it at the moment
The side view of this board is gorgeous!
I may switch keycaps later, GMK Lunar will do for the moment.
It sounds quite a lot deeper than I thought it would originally, surprising but nice!
I guess it will depend on switches you’ll select for the build (mine are Gateron Inks 8008).
Another surprise the bounce due to the leaf springs is there but is contained, I mean by that is that it is not a trampoline but still you feel a tiny bit vibration and then feedback each time you press a key: the feel is solid and soft at the same time, a very nice balance !
As for the comparision with my Aquanaut (behind on the first shot):
The Aquanaut is higher pitched and a tad bouncier (still not a trampoline).
Also as they have more or less the same viton oring isolation type I was curious to see if there was similarities in term of unwanted case resonance, and they do !
This is a very intereresting property that the F1-8X and the Aquanaut share: not only the orings isolate the plate/PCB assembly to the case, it also deaden any resonance that usually come from the top case (and that you commonly eliminate by doing a force break).
Just tap with your fingernails everywhere on the top case (with the keyboard fully assembled) and you will hear absolutely no metallic resonance, it is just like you are tapping on hard wood !
This is THE reason the F1-8X is known to sound so good in my opinion; for people that will have their own board I beg you to do this simple test yourself, this is shoking!
This board is a banger !