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Yeah, "programmable" makes it seem like you'd be better off with one of the QMK compatible options
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Jul 22, 2021 17:46
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Kbdfans67 R2 extras are going on sale in the next week.
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Jul 22, 2021 17:47
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If you want a cheap decent hotswap board 60/65 there's the gamakay/womier k61 and k66 which are stacked acrylic boards that emphasize rgb. They are like $60 to $70 cad on aliexpress/Banggood. Shipping took 1 to 2 weeks to deliver to Canada.
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Jul 22, 2021 17:56
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mariooncrack posted:Kbdfans67 R2 extras are going on sale in the next week. This is the best option by far. The KBD67Lite blows every other board out of the water at its price point.
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Jul 22, 2021 18:06
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Also Ramaworks are doing the Kara SEQ 2 right now which is a nice looking polycarb 60%.
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Jul 22, 2021 18:09
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interrodactyl posted:This is the best option by far. The KBD67Lite blows every other board out of the water at its price point. this is the best choice.
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Jul 22, 2021 18:37
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Scythe posted:Is there a thread standard recommendation for a hotswappable (and ideally programmable) 60/65%? Or I'd be willing to go 40% too if there's something really fun there. *RUSHES INTO THREAD PANTING* "DID SOMEONE SAY FORTY PERCENT?!?!?" Um yeah I have a lot of recommendations actually... but nothing that's like, cheap off the shelf and ready to go. Like you're gonna have to piece together plates, pcb's and cases etc... but that's kind of the fun of it. If you want to ping me in the discord I would love to talk your ear off and help you settle on something that's right for you. It's a lot easier to help you pick something if we have a conversation about it because this hobby is 100% preference and there's no "one size fits all" board for everyone. I mean, I could tell you "yeah hey just go buy this and you're done. That's all you'd need." But I would be lying. There's a lot of considerations to make with regards to what it is you're trying to achieve, what your preferences are, how patient you are, how much effort you want to put into this, what your budget looks like, etc... But I will take this opportunity to reference a couple projects that I like: BT60 is a bluetooth hotswap 60% pcb that is currently available in the UK and will be available in the US very soon. Minisub is a hotswap 12.75u pcb that ran in the 40% discord, I think extras will be available soon. ORB / WORB is a Charue Designs board that will be released very soon and will be available with Dededecline's SST or S3T pcb. I've got my proto on the way so I'll be sure and post up some pics once it's in. I don't think there's a "standard" recommendation though. Maybe something like a DZ60 and Tofu case from KBD fans just because it's easy to get but I personally wouldn't recommend that with the other options that are available. Again, join the discord. Ask questions. Prepare to get bombarded with information. Ping me if you want. https://discord.gg/GT4vAK9tbh ijyt posted:Also Ramaworks are doing the Kara SEQ 2 right now which is a nice looking polycarb 60%. mariooncrack posted:Kbdfans67 R2 extras are going on sale in the next week. GnarlyCharlie4u fucked around with this message at 19:10 on Jul 22, 2021 |
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Jul 22, 2021 19:07
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https://divinikey.com/collections/kbd67-lite/products/kbdfans-kbd67-lite-mechanical-keyboard-diy-kit Kbdfans kbd67 is available here. Kbdfans will be selling the extras for $120 but this has free shipping and might arrive faster.
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Jul 22, 2021 21:40
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Wow, thanks for the recommendations, all. There are a ton of options so I've joined the Discord; going to lurk a bit before I ask more questions but this was super helpful. I will say that the KBDfans67 R2 and/or Lite (I can't quite tell yet, are those the same or different?) look cool but I'm a little wary of a polycarbonate plate after getting so used to the stiff feel of my FC660C. I might go that route anyway, though, it does seem like a great deal to get a basic setup to try different switches/keycaps. (I also don't care about RGB or BT, my priority is the nicest feels possible for as little noise as possible in a small, programmable layout.) Thanks again for the help, I'll poke around the Discord a bit!
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Jul 23, 2021 21:35
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Built my first keeb Tofu65 + dz65 + boba u4t + durock v2 stabs I lubed the stabs but avoided the switches on recommendation. Had a little trouble with overtightening the stabilizers and the enter key is still a little sticky but overall it was a nice experience. Still have to buy a nicer cable and figure out QMK and all the fun stuff there.
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Jul 23, 2021 21:40
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Blinkz0rz posted:Built my first keeb Wow I really like the look of that keyboard. Nice work.
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Jul 23, 2021 22:32
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I took apart a few of my new durock lavenders, lubed them and filmed them and swapped out the springs for some 45g ones, and man, next time I am going to have to be waaaaay more careful with applying it, these are clearly far more sensitive to that than any other switches I've done it to so far - I was being extra conservative too because I had seen a comment about them being sensitive to it before buying. Might have to try taking these apart later and doing some more careful testing. Right now they are heavy, sticky, and generally not nice to type on. I'll report back once I get in the mood to take apart a bunch of switches again, but for now I gotta say I vastly prefer the feel of my previous gateron reds, even if they don't sound quite as nice.
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Jul 24, 2021 03:10
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It took me far longer than I'd care to admit to realize that the Bobas everyone is raving about in this thread are not in fact the silent ones but the thoccy ones. Hence the T. Do most people go for the 62g or 68g? Guessing 62g?
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Jul 24, 2021 05:02
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Huh. The defcon badge this year has four Gateron sockets with Gateron Blues and some translucent blank keycaps on the front face.
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Jul 24, 2021 05:04
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Taffer posted:I took apart a few of my new durock lavenders, lubed them and filmed them and swapped out the springs for some 45g ones, and man, next time I am going to have to be waaaaay more careful with applying it, these are clearly far more sensitive to that than any other switches I've done it to so far - I was being extra conservative too because I had seen a comment about them being sensitive to it before buying. Might have to try taking these apart later and doing some more careful testing. Right now they are heavy, sticky, and generally not nice to type on. Yeah if you're gonna lube lavenders I would recommend cleaning off the factory lube first.
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Jul 24, 2021 05:17
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runawayturtles posted:It took me far longer than I'd care to admit to realize that the Bobas everyone is raving about in this thread are not in fact the silent ones but the thoccy ones. Hence the T. I got myself 68g Boba U4s before the U4Ts were a thing, but I have a preference towards silent tactiles. But even these silent tactiles still have a substantial tactile bump to them. I definitely found them heavier than I expected since I was coming from 70g Aliaz switches, which have an incredibly subtle, Cherry Brown-like bump. But I got used to them out of necessity, and I don't really mind their weight now. It's likely that the higher spring weight helps contribute to their nice, poppy feel, but I suspect things would be slightly more comfortable with the 62g springs.
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Jul 24, 2021 07:43
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I haven't been paying much attention to the keyboard world for close to a decade and had no idea there were so many brands and keyswitch options in this space now. I recently got to type on someone's GMMK Pro which really impressed me with its fit and finish. Does there exist a modular, similarly built (metal, heavy as hell), full size keyboard out there? Preferably one without... ehhh... "gaming race" in its brand name?
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Jul 24, 2021 18:02
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The upcoming Keychron Q1 is quite similar to the GMMK Pro, if you can wait a little while
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Jul 24, 2021 18:07
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And at $139 for early birds, that’s quite a deal. I’m planning on getting it because I have no self control and I’ve been saving my fun money. Also I got some Akko Matcha Greens coming Monday for my Keychron C1. Ultimately the Ocean Blues were too tactile where I would hardly use it because of how loud it’d get.
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Jul 24, 2021 18:17
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Are there any 104 key options out there? I went tenkeyless for a few years and never really got to a point where I didn't miss the numpad.
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Jul 24, 2021 18:27
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Traditional full-size seems very hard to come by in the enthusiast space, but there are some compressed layouts that keep the numpad Maybe this? https://drop.com/buy/drop-shift-mechanical-keyboard
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Jul 24, 2021 18:54
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Fleedar posted:Are there any 104 key options out there? I went tenkeyless for a few years and never really got to a point where I didn't miss the numpad. Those of us who prefer a bog standard ANSI 104 layout have been left high and dry by the high end custom boards. As far as I know the closest things are like the one above where it's sort of a cherry 1800 style layout with the arrow keys crammed between main section+numpad. Another is the kbdfans odin that says they will be starting a group buy in August: https://kbdfans.com/collections/odin/products/ic-kbdfans-d1000-mechaincal-keyboard I've taken to replacing the switches in well built full size boards. The redragon surara is really nice for the price point. The tecware phantom 104 is probably really good as well, the TKL received good reviews. I have a ducky one 2 full size that I'm going to be putting durock T1s into but desoldering an entire keyboard is a pain. None of the options in the last paragraph are metal chassis/gasket mount like the current crop of high end customs.
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Jul 24, 2021 19:24
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Keychron may actually fill that gap, they've mentioned amongst the Q1 stuff they plan to make a bunch of size variants including full size The next release after the Q1 is an even smaller 65% version though, the bigger versions will come later
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Jul 24, 2021 19:35
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Fleedar posted:Are there any 104 key options out there? I went tenkeyless for a few years and never really got to a point where I didn't miss the numpad. The Zambumon Sar looks interesting, I think it's what I'll go for. Unlimited Group Buy when it launches. https://zambumon.com/sar/ repiv posted:Keychron may actually fill that gap, they've mentioned amongst the Q1 stuff they plan to make a bunch of size variants including full size Oh good to know, might wait to see what Keychron announces then for 96%. Would love one tbh.
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Jul 24, 2021 19:36
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WASD code is hobby-space adjacent in that it comes with a choice of cherry reds, greens, clears, blues, browns, or zealios and you could desolder and put in other switches if you want. I'll say, in its favor, that it's probably the most bulletproof board I've ever owned but it's definitely not exciting in any way.
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Jul 24, 2021 23:38
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Blinkz0rz posted:WASD code is hobby-space adjacent in that it comes with a choice of cherry reds, greens, clears, blues, browns, or zealios and you could desolder and put in other switches if you want. I've got the 104 key Code keyboard, and I actually decided to try this route. I ordered some new switches to solder in, and they sell a $160 aluminum case I'm considering if that works out well. Why do enthusiasts hate the ANSI layout? I'm not in love with it but all of these new layouts seem to omit keys I actually do use frequently. That Zambumon Sar above doesn't have a Windows/Command key. I couldn't handle it!
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Jul 25, 2021 01:38
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Fleedar posted:Why do enthusiasts hate the ANSI layout? I'm not in love with it but all of these new layouts seem to omit keys I actually do use frequently. That Zambumon Sar above doesn't have a Windows/Command key. I couldn't handle it! We're purely in the realm of speculation and this will sound like boasting but I'm a really strong touch typist and even a TKL screws with my muscle memory when I reach for the numpad and it isn't there - I even end up missing the extra enter key on the bottom right. Many people don't have the muscle memory as ingrained or are much faster to adapt then I am. The other thing is people like the desk space they regain from reducing the keyboard. Even just going to a TKL gives a lot more mouse room for stuff like shooters. A lot of programmers will adopt 60% boards and do everything through layers, it gives them the ability to not move their hands from home row as often.
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Jul 25, 2021 01:48
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ijyt posted:The Zambumon Sar looks interesting, I think it's what I'll go for. Unlimited Group Buy when it launches. This would be perfect if it wasn't winkeyless. Dropping the winkey is a no-deal for me, though.
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Jul 25, 2021 05:16
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I got a GMMK TKL to play around with hotswapping and a smaller layout. Am I missing out on anything substantial compared to a GMMK Pro aside from a rotary knob and trying to figure out which keys to bind to Delete and Print Screen? I've got some Bobas boating over from China and I'd like to know before I start clipping plastic pins.
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Jul 25, 2021 09:08
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Eej posted:I got a GMMK TKL to play around with hotswapping and a smaller layout. Am I missing out on anything substantial compared to a GMMK Pro aside from a rotary knob and trying to figure out which keys to bind to Delete and Print Screen? I've got some Bobas boating over from China and I'd like to know before I start clipping plastic pins. The biggest differences are: - Pro has higher quality case materials. The pro is all aluminum and is much heavier. - Pro is moddable. You can change plates, add or remove foam, and fundamentally change the typing feel and sound of the board. - Pro is gasket mount. Makes key presses feel a bit more consistent, and can allow for a more flexible typing experience with some modding. - Pro has PCB mount stabs and switches. No clipping of the legs for switches needed, and the stabilizers nare PCB mount which gives you many more options for aftermarket stabilizers. I think the Pro is a pretty nice board for the price and, with a little bit of work, sounds and feels pretty great. I am a little biased though because I sell a custom FR4 plate for it. I also have a standing offer that I'll include fully lubed and Holee modded stabs (cherry clip-in) in any plate order for Goons if they want them.
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Jul 25, 2021 11:28
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Jelly Epoch just arrived today. I knew the brass weight was hefty but this is heavier than I thought. Even if you take out the brass, the build is no joke. Sadly, I can't build just yet because I only have one Torx screwdriver and it's not the size for this    
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Jul 25, 2021 15:23
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Eej posted:I got a GMMK TKL to play around with hotswapping and a smaller layout. Am I missing out on anything substantial compared to a GMMK Pro aside from a rotary knob and trying to figure out which keys to bind to Delete and Print Screen? I've got some Bobas boating over from China and I'd like to know before I start clipping plastic pins. In addition to what's already been said, if you want to try different keycaps, the normal GMMKs have north facing Leads, so switches are inserted south-facing. This causes interference with some keycap profiles where they'll grind against the switch - notably cherry profile caps. Disharmony posted:Jelly Epoch just arrived today. I knew the brass weight was hefty but this is heavier than I thought. Even if you take out the brass, the build is no joke. Nice! Mine weighs 6 pounds fully built, and it is my favorite typing experience of any keyboard I own. Make sure to build it with the PE foam on top of the PCB for the best sound, the other foam is all preference. Re: screws, if you plan to tinker with keyboards a lot it's totally worth getting an ifixit kit, or even an electric screwdriver kit because it will save you a ton of pain and time. interrodactyl fucked around with this message at 16:49 on Jul 25, 2021 |
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Jul 25, 2021 16:45
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Gearman posted:The biggest differences are: I recently went from a Keychron K8, which is pretty similar to a GMMK TKL, right to a GMMK Pro and it’s a huge step up. Well worth it if you want to do more then just hotswap switches in the future. I thankfully haven’t had any of the QC issues people have reported other then the stock plate not fitting 3rd party stabilizer. It’s the first board I’ve owned that really felt like I can tune and tweak into what I want. I’m actually considering selling my Pok3r and CODE to fund another, higher quality custom board. I ordered an FR4 plate last week specifically to fit my Durock v2s and really looking forward to installing it when it arrives. Any plans on doing one for the KBD67 Lite (which I coincidentally have arriving later this week)?
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Jul 25, 2021 20:13
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Thanks for the info. I'm not particularly interested in diving that deep into the rabbit hole at the moment and hotswapping switches is about as far as I want to go because things like plate swapping and gasket mounts don't really mean anything to me if I can't feel them before hand before dropping north of $200 plus cross border shipping for a KB and associated parts. If anything I'm interested in minimizing sound rather than getting a particular satisfying quality. I'll just order another set of U4s if I ever do grab a 5 pin hotswap board like the GMMK Pro.
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Jul 25, 2021 21:36
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Sacred Cow posted:
If you ordered one of my plates, thanks! I'm trying to get orders shipped within two weeks. If it hasn't shipped within two weeks of your order, feel free to publicly shame me. Also, I've been hesitant to work on too many other plates as the GMMK Pro plates have kept me very busy, but you're like the third person this week to ask me about them, so I guess I should do it. I'll put them on the list and drop a post in here when they're ready.
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Jul 25, 2021 21:57
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Gearman posted:If you ordered one of my plates, thanks! I'm trying to get orders shipped within two weeks. If it hasn't shipped within two weeks of your order, feel free to publicly shame me. In the world of keyboards, two weeks is nothing. It’ll give me time to mess around with the KBD before I have to take the dozen or so screws out on my GMMK Pro for your plate. I can see the hesitation making custom parts for a “budget” custom kit. Are the people going budget the same people that would drop $20-30 for a 3rd party plate? Then again, KBD did just release a loving $160 aluminum case for it. Either way I’ll buy one if you ever sell it.
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Jul 26, 2021 01:04
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interrodactyl posted:Nice! Mine weighs 6 pounds fully built, and it is my favorite typing experience of any keyboard I own. Make sure to build it with the PE foam on top of the PCB for the best sound, the other foam is all preference. So this one except I don't put the poron foam on top of the PE foam? How about the poron case foam at the bottom?
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Jul 26, 2021 01:45
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Disharmony posted:So this one except I don't put the poron foam on top of the PE foam? How about the poron case foam at the bottom? My preferred setup is with all of the foam except the spacebar foam. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6if3WeiqXdo and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elU3xzY2uO4 Any of the foam is fine to include, but without the PE foam it will definitely sound very muted.
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Jul 26, 2021 05:11
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Thanks, got my tester in today... people weren't kidding about MX Browns having almost no tactility compared to just about anything else today  noob takes - drat zealios are insanely loud for a tactile switch - drat zilents are underwhelming compared to U4s at half the price I think the U4 will be my first choice if/when I build something, currently waiting to see how the Q1 turns out repiv fucked around with this message at 19:09 on Jul 28, 2021 |
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Jul 28, 2021 13:30
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Got my Matcha Green switches on my Keychron C1 - much better than the Ocean Blues, especially for gaming. I even got tiny o-rings to try as a small hack I saw online to help deepen the sound since the C1 is all plastic. Also debating doing a silicone pour to add more sound dampening.
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Jul 28, 2021 19:29
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