nearest switches to replicate Acorn Electron?

[lukenukum]

hi folks,

i've done a bit of looking around but i can't find any reference to the nearest thing i could use as a modern equivalent of an Acorn Electron switch. i've got a great set of keys from the 7bit's Round 6 on MX reds and i'm hoping to replicate the feel of an Electron (that clunky 'full' feel. bassy?! ) on a standard mechanical keyboard. would mx browns come close? it's hard to tell from my tester kit of a single black, red, brown, blue.

cheers,

Luke

[swampangel]

IMO MX Browns are a disappointing switch. Not very smooth and they don't have a "crisp" actuation like tactile Alps switches.

Depending what you're after, MX Blues might work if you want a loud clacky switch, or vintage MX Blacks (or the new retooled ones) if you want a smooth switch where the noise comes from bottoming out (it appears the Acorn Electric would be like this).

There are other options like the Kailh Box Jades that might work too.

A big part of the satisfying thunkiness of older keyboards is the thickness of the plastic in the keycaps, so it might be hard to recreate with an MX switch.

[vometia]

IMHO none of the Cherry MX switches feels like an Electron switch. I'm not sure what I would recommend out of today's offerings, but definitely not the tactile MXes. I dunno; just tapping on the BBC Micro under my desk (one of the somewhat older models, so in terms of feel rather like the Electron, but the Electron I think had a bit more "clack": I'd need to dig mine out of the garage to be certain though) and it's definitely linear, so maybe an MX black with a sufficiently heavy keycap on it?

One of the comparative oddities of those early '80s micro keyboards like the Acorns and Dragons etc is that most of the "clack" was on return to the top position rather than on the downstroke.

[lukenukum]

Hey folks, thanks so much for the detailed responses... that's given me plenty to look over and research. really appreciate the advice and suggestions.