Sound is an essential part of the mechanical keyboard experience. Sure, typing is the most important aspect of any mechanical keyboard, but the sound of that typing is a core consideration, too.
But how do you know what mechanical keyboard sound profile you want? Do you want a mechanical keyboard that clicks and clacks or one with a steady thock? And moreover, what combination of switches and other materials are required to reach these sounds?
Why Is Mechanical Keyboard Sound Important?
The sound profile of your mechanical keyboard doesn’t affect performance, but it is the sound you’ll hear day in, day out as you tap away at work, for play, or otherwise.
You’ll want a keyboard with a sound you find appealing, be that a higher-pitched clack or the more muted sound of a thock.
But more than that, the sound profile you desire also relates to the type of mechanical keyboard switches you use and the materials used for construction, the specifics of which are detailed in the next section.
Mechanical Keyboard Thocking vs. Clacking: What’s the Difference?
When it comes to mechanical keyboard sound profiles, there are two main styles: clacking and thocking. There are other profiles, but for the most part, you’ll hear about and judge your mechanical keyboard sound based on these. But clack and thock don’t reveal a great deal about what they actually mean. They’re vague, ill-defined terms that cover an enormous range of styles under which numerous different hardware combinations exist.
Boiling mechanical keyboard sound profiles down is difficult. Every material has a natural frequency at which it vibrates. The keyboard’s case, plate, and even the keycaps influence this frequency. Metals like aluminum or brass have a higher natural frequency, leading to a more “pingy” sound. Plastic materials like polycarbonate resonate at lower frequencies, producing deeper, thocky notes.
Here’s what most folks mean when they talk about thocky or clacky keyboards.
What Is Mechanical Keyboard Thocking?
Thocking is generally described as a deeper, low-profile sound. Some may describe the thock as a flatter sound, while others might refer to the thock as hollower, but the general sound profile of a thocky mechanical keyboard is deeper.
What Is Mechanical Keyboard Clacking?
As you might guess, a clacky mechanical keyboard is the opposite of a thocky, with a notably sharper, pronounced sound. Clacky mechanical keyboard sound profiles are often higher-pitched than a thocky keyboard and is the sound many people associate with mechanical keyboards of all types.
The 5 Factors That Affect Mechanical Keyboard Sound Profiles
Several different factors directly affect the sound profile of a mechanical keyboard. These include the construction materials (the case, the plates inside the keyboard, etc.), the keyboard switches, the keycaps, and more.
1. Switches
The type of mechanical keyboard switch you choose will directly affect the sound profile of your mechanical keyboard.
Each mechanical keyboard switch comprises different sound-affecting hardware: the type of switch, length of the switch spring, the switch housing material, andswitch lubrication all affect the sound. That said, for most folks, the switch type will revolve aroundusing a clicky, tactile, or linear switch.
A set of clicky switches, like Cherry MX Blues or Kailh Box Jades, will deliver a sharper, higher-pitched sound. A set of linear switches, like Cherry MX Red or Gateron Yellow, will produce a deeper, more thocky sound.
2. Plate Materials and Plate Mounting
After the switches, the plate materials and mounting are critical to the mechanical keyboard sound profile.
With each of these, the thickness of the plate will also affect the sound; generally, the thicker the plate material, the more sound will be absorbed. But it’s not just the plate material that affects the sound profile; the plate mounting within the keyboard case is another consideration.
There are several considerations between the plate and plate mounting, and much of the time, figuring out the exact sound profile is only possible once the keyboard is home and on your desk.
3. Case Material
Case materials also play a significant role in how your keyboard sounds. Mechanical keyboard cases are typing built using plastic or metal, though you do find wooden cases from time to time.
Here’s how each type of case will affect the sound profile:
Dense materials like metals offer brightness and amplification, while plastics and woods provide dampening to create deeper, richer tones. Remember, if your mechanical keyboard is too loud, there areseveral ways you can quiet it down.
4. Stabilizers
Mechanical keyboard stabilizers, commonly referred to as “stabs,” are components used to keep larger keys, such as the spacebar and enter key, level and steady during keypresses.
They play a crucial role in the overall sound and feel of these keys. There are primarily two types: clip-in and screw-in, with plate-mounted and PCB-mounted variants. The material and build quality of stabilizers and any modifications like lubing can drastically affect the sound.
Well-made and properly lubed stabilizers provide a smooth and muted keypress, eliminating the “rattle” often heard in stock or lower-quality stabs. Conversely, cheap or unlubed stabilizers can produce a noisy, inconsistent sound, detracting from the typing experience.
5. Keycaps
Keycaps play a significant role in the sound and feel of a mechanical keyboard. Their material, thickness, and profile can all influence the acoustic properties of each keystroke.
Like each sound profile factor, you’ll have toexperiment with picking keycapsto find the sound you want. We have a fewmechanical keyboard keycap suggestionsto get you started.
Find the Perfect Sounding Mechanical Keyboard
Of course, experimenting with heaps of different mechanical keyboard configurations is an impossible cost for most people. Reading reviews and listening to YouTube typing and sound profile examples is the best option for most folks, but even then, take what you read and hear with a pinch of salt.
Remember, sound is subjective, and what someone else describes might not be the right clack or thock you’re looking for. As for video or audio recordings, while they go some way to reproduce sound faithfully, most mechanical keyboard users and enthusiasts don’t own high-quality audio recording gear.
Still, what you hear, watch, or read will serve to give you at least some insight into the mechanical keyboard sound profile you want.
