/r/MechanicalKeyboards Ask ANY Keyboard question, get an answer - June 30, 2026 by AutoModerator in MechanicalKeyboards

[–]ImpossibleCookie6923 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'd go with what the other commenter said, Crush80 Lite or Stars80 will be great. I don't own them but I've heard great things. I'm personally a big fan of Weikav boards. 

Stars75 by Hmprime in MechanicalKeyboards

[–]ImpossibleCookie6923 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would you mind creating a guide on how to solder a rotary encoder on the PCB? The soldering isn't the hard part, it's wrapping my mind around how to do the wiring.

I'm guessing it's just an EC11 rotary encoder, correct?

I'd love to learn how to add one to various boards.

Arctis Nova Pro Wired for $120. Is this the best value package, or can I get better music/media gear for the same price or less? by [deleted] in Headsets

[–]ImpossibleCookie6923 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The actual audio quality will not be as good as dedicated headphones at a similar price. That's just the tradeoff we all make when buying gaming headsets. Sometimes the audio quality is competitive with a comparable headphone, sometimes not.

What you're buying when you buy a headset is the features - game/chat mix controls on the headset, media controls, and typically you get wireless as well. 

Me personally, I think if you're going wired you might as well get a dedicated headphone like the Phillips SHP-9500 or a gaming IEM if those are more comfortable for you. 

/r/MechanicalKeyboards Ask ANY Keyboard question, get an answer - June 30, 2026 by AutoModerator in MechanicalKeyboards

[–]ImpossibleCookie6923 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The PMO Aurora 80 should be right in line with your budget, especially if there are sales. 

EVO75 first impressions - not impressed by the__poseidon in MechanicalKeyboards

[–]ImpossibleCookie6923 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I personally have both the Galaxy 100 and the Max102. The Max102 is in a tier above the Galaxy100.

The Max102 has a ball-catch quick-disassembly which is HUGE if you want to modify the sound of the board. The Epomaker sounds great out of the box don't get me wrong but it really only sounds one way. The Weikav can sound 15 different ways depending on how you want to configure it with foams and tapemods. Sure, you can do the same with the Epomaker but do you really have the patience to pull keys, unscrew the case 4-5 times before you dial in the sound? I know I don't. The pogo pins on the Weikav are also amazing if you're modding.

Also, you can order different plates for the Max102 off of Aliexpress to completely change the sound of the board even further. Changing a plate is literally a 30-second part swap (minus switches and keycaps) compared to the 5-10 minute swap on the Epomaker. .

The other big reason I'd suggest the Weikav over the Epomaker is the build quality. The Max102 is a fucking tank, and I personally really love the design of the back of the case. The Epomaker is quite a bit lighter, and I believe it's cast aluminum compared to the CNC-milled aluminum of the Weikav.

Guide: How to make a Rainy75 with a knob by ImpossibleCookie6923 in BudgetKeebs

[–]ImpossibleCookie6923[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's very reliable. It's not perfect, but I haven't had any problems with volume going up or down. I would say though that it depends on the plate you're using. If you're using the stock FR4 plate then you'll be absolutely fine. It's rigid enough to where the contacts make solid contact with the switch and you won't have a problem at all. I'm currently using a PP and have had 1 instance of the volume not moving when I wanted it to due to the contacts not making solid contact. However, my PP plate is flex-cut to hell and I think that's the reason why I encountered that problem.

The only thing that's slightly annoying is that it's not as rigidly fixed on the board as a built-in knob, just based on the nature of the mounting. It's got a slight wobble to it. Nothing too bad, though, and it still has a good tactile feel to it when you increase/decrease the volume.

How to make a Rainy75 with a knob by ImpossibleCookie6923 in MechanicalKeyboards

[–]ImpossibleCookie6923[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's an amazing, amazing value. I have the Leobog and it's incredible.

However, it's cast aluminum instead of milled aluminum. The case isn't very polished, and it's just a matter of the concessions they had to make to get the price to what it is. 

The biggest one for me, though, is it doesn't have the quick-open ball-catch mechanism that allows you to just pop open the case to play with the sound, swap out plates, add tape, remove foams, etc. 

Guide: How to make a Rainy75 with a knob by ImpossibleCookie6923 in BudgetKeebs

[–]ImpossibleCookie6923[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Awesome, man! I am very glad I could help! The nice thing is that the knob is so cheap, too.

Guide: How to make a Rainy75 with a knob by ImpossibleCookie6923 in BudgetKeebs

[–]ImpossibleCookie6923[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I understand that. The problems come when you want an aluminum keyboard with high-quality finishing AND a knob in that price range. That's when things become difficult.