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Mechanical keyboards are a popular choice among gaming enthusiasts and typists due to the satisfying click sound they produce with each key press. It’s a tactile and auditory experience that other keyboards struggle to replicate. However, sometimes users may want to adjust the volume or tone of their mechanical keyboard. Whether you need to lower the sound due to a shared workspace or love the clicky sound and wish to amplify it, here are several DIY modifications that can help you customize the sound of your mechanical keyboard.
Hereof, the article includes five main sections including: keyboard casing modification, switch modifications, keycap modifications, lubrication, landing pads fitting.
Keyboard Casing Modifications
The keyboard casing is primarily responsible for the deep reverberation produced during typing. Altering the case material and design can change the overall sound.
Acoustic Foam: Adding acoustic foam inside the keyboard case significantly absorbs sound, resulting in less noisy typing. You can often cut and fit this foam yourself for a custom fit.
Metal Cases: Aluminum or steel cases generally intensify the sound of a mechanical keyboard. They also add more weight to the keyboard, preventing it from sliding around on a desk.
Plastic Cases: If you’re looking for a quieter keyboard, plastic cases reduce the overall typing noise because they do not resonate like metal cases.
Switch Modifications
Switches are the vital component responsible for the clicky sound of mechanical keyboards. There are many kinds of switches, each with distinct sound profiles.
Linear Switches: These are the quietest option, as they don’t have a tactile bump or audible click during actuation.
Tactile Switches: These make a small noise when the key actuation point is reached. If you’re looking for a reduced but still perceptible sound, these are a good option.
Clicky Switches: These are the loudest switches available, providing an audible click at the point of actuation.
Hot-swappable keyboards allow you to change switches without soldering, making it easy for amateurs to switch between sound profiles.
Keycap Modifications
The keycap material can also affect the sound of your typing. ABS and PBT plastic are the most commonly used materials.
ABS Keycaps: These are lightweight and create a higher toned sound when typing.
PBT Keycaps: These provide a deeper, more satisfying typing sound due to their denser, more rigid construction. They are also known for being more durable than ABS keycaps.
Lubrication
Key and switch lubrication is a common sound modification in mechanical keyboards. An appropriately applied lubricant can reduce rattling and create a smoother sound.
Keyboard Lube: This includes specially designed lubricants like Krytox GPL 205 Grade-0, Tribosys 3204, and Supergoop! These options are thicker and better suited for linear switches.
Stabilizer Lube: This helps to reduce the rattling noise produced by stabilizers in larger keys like spacebar, enter, and shift.
Landing Pads Fitting
Landing pads, also known as o-rings, can be fitted around the base of your keycaps to absorb the impact noise when a key is fully depressed.
Soft Landing Pads: These provide silent typing but with reduced key travel distance.
Firm Landing Pads: These maintain more of the key travel distance but are slightly noisier than soft landing pads.
By exploring and experimenting with these sound tweaks, you can fine-tune your mechanical keyboard to create a soundscape that is truly your own. Whether you crave the loud auditory feedback of a busy typewriter or prefer near silence, the beauty of the mechanical keyboard is its adaptability.
