White dampened Alps on AEKII have varying click sound

simgust

20 May 2018, 16:32

Greetings! I just bought an AEKII from a friend, and I’m loving it. Its white dampened Alps switches are great, but they vary greatly in noise/clickiness on key release. Here’s an audio clip to demonstrate the difference between a “silent” key press and a clicky key press: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hrokkuofwdf8a ... s.mp3?dl=0

Onto my question: Does anyone know how to make the switches all “silent”? I imagine that the less clicky keys are what they would sound like new, though I can’t say for sure. I’m a complete keyboard beginner, but I’ve opened the switches and can find no visual differences between a silent and a clicky switch…

Thanks!

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Myoth

20 May 2018, 16:38

I'm pretty sure this happens because of the leaf, it must be placed in some kind of weird way, you should maybe try opening one of those clicky switches and just try to put it back together until it doesn't click anymore.

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mike52787
Alps Aficionado

20 May 2018, 18:56

What you can do it put a piece of double sided tape on the back of the leaf, that should hold it in place and keep it from clicking.

simgust

20 May 2018, 20:41

Interesting suggestion! I will try with a non-sticky material first to see if it does any difference.

simgust

20 May 2018, 21:35

Update: I placed a sheet of plastic there, and indeed it worked! The clicking sound is all gone :) I hope it lasts!

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Darkshado

21 May 2018, 02:34

I've used a small piece of single sided "electrical" (thin vinyl) tape on the back of the leaf and that works quite well.

You might also be able to straighten out the retaining tabs a little (opposite of a click mod).

I recommend you do not mess with the tactile part of the leaf itself; opening the leaf much further will dramatically increase the initial resistance of the switch.

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xorian

23 May 2018, 20:51

Darkshado wrote: I recommend you do not mess with the tactile part of the leaf itself; opening the leaf much further will dramatically increase the initial resistance of the switch.
Some of us prefer greater tactile resistance.

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snufflecat

24 May 2018, 10:12

I don't get it.. what mod did he do to the switches to increase the resistance?

andrewjoy

24 May 2018, 10:51

To increase resistance and therefore tactility you can open up the leaf a bit so the angle between the 2 sides is wider.

Its hard to do consistently but its a good way to restore a switch that has been used extensively

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