Upgrading the entry EK68 to a premium thocky keyboard

A solid new competitor in the budget space, the Epomaker EK68 surprises with a nicely finished case, south facing hotswap PCB sockets and a bunch of features for under $100. It's also currently on sale now at the time of posting this video for 10% off.
Keyboard: epomaker.com/products/epomake...
Switches: Epomaker Bluebird
epomaker.com/collections/swit...
Keycaps & Deskmat: IV Works Ashes
iv-works.com/ashes/
Special thanks to Epomaker.com for sending out this keyboard for the video.
All soundtests were recorded using a Shure MV7 dynamic microphone positioned 6" above the keyboard. No sound modification or EQ was done.
0:00 Intro
0:19 Unboxing
0:40 Keyboard features
1:56 Stock typing test
2:32 Case disassembly
3:56 Tuning stabilizers
5:08 Tape mod + polyfill mod
5:24 Case reassembly
5:44 Bluebird switches
6:13 IV Works Ashes keycaps
6:39 Modded typing test
7:34 Outro

[@TysonBuilds]

Glad you enjoyed IV Ashes! It was great to work with Joe on getting the set out to more people!

[@studio20creations]

Great work as always tysn! Looking forward to more future projects from you :)

[@rodok3836]

the goat itself, appreciated

[@chiizuu752]

Bless you guys. I really love Dark Souls and I'm hoping to get this set one day

[@highgaugedesign]

Sounded pretty good even before the mod.

[@itspemji]

me: seaches up ek68 modding *no results* my recommended: we gotchu

[@studio20creations]

Hope my video helped you :)

[@unbrokendawn757]

Sounds so good + looks so nice.

[@studio20creations]

Appreciate your comment & thanks for watching! :)

[@husainyard]

For Taobaoers, it's called GMK67.

[@pteradacktel1427]

Oh god. I love it. It's sounds so cool :o

[@studio20creations]

Thank you for watching :)

[@omnithis9214]

Very nice keycaps. Joe is amazing

[@studio20creations]

What I loved most were his weekly updates during the production phase. Amazing communication!

[@blauaube6793]

Oof the modded sound so thocc. And the board is pretty! Just realised the keycaps might be even more expensive than the keyboard

[@studio20creations]

Thanks for watching! The Ashes colorway just matches the board nicely so I thought to put them on the EK68. Glad that you enjoyed the video :)

[@nbredia]

Cool video!

[@studio20creations]

Thanks for watching!

[@nbredia]

@@studio20creations Any time! You earned a sub

[@tony-lu2kg]

those keycaps🤤🤤🤤

[@masterchiefone5111]

clean

[@Lucifer-ym9hd]

Awesome build! Really love the modded sound profile. May I also ask what's the flat surface you used to balance the stabilizer wires? Been searching for some online but couldn't find a proper one for wire balancing.

[@studio20creations]

Thanks for watching! Glad to know you enjoyed the vid :) That is a piece of aluminum U-channel commonly used in construction that I cut down to size & repurposed for this.

[@aperson9847]

I'm getting ready to mod my EK68 today. It's a nice keyboard but a couple of the stabilizers, especially for the spacebar, sound awful. SUPER loud ticking. So thanks for this guide, it'll be super helpful.

[@ulissesmuniz]

for me the only problem is the enter key

[@megaflare66]

Wow. Nubbad. This board is going some where with the number of views that there is. The video and sound effects sounds and feels big

[@studio20creations]

Thanks for tuning in! Glad you enjoyed the video ^.^

[@zacfcs]

subscribed to my fav sg youtuber

[@studio20creations]

Lol wut 🤣

[@ArofahAkbar]

What is the tools that you used for twisting the stabilizers?

[@studio20creations]

geon.works/products/stabilizer-twister

[@johanneschong7558]

So thockyyy

[@bobmcbob4399]

I like how you undid the clips from the inside edge. Haven't seen anyone do that yet. Very good on the plastic it seems. I like how easily you removed the stabs by pressing in the plastic clip - other TYers say their on there tight and its difficult to remove. I guess they ignored the depressable tabs on the stabs. lol. Nice, gentle and meticulous. Well done. Typing on this EK68 kb right now. I would value YT coverage of the downloadable VIA style interface for soft modding this. I have used it myself, and raw VIA supports 15 function layers, but this cutdown EK68 VIA only has a single Fn layer which is disappointing to me. And some keys have hardcoded Fn presets which you cannot remove/change to something else with the software. No YTer ever covers the kb software/firmware which is a big shame. Overall, this review was really great. Would be nice to see the part number on the MCU as well, all I can see from the vid is H3D .

[@studio20creations]

Appreciate your kind words and for supporting my channel ❤️ I didn't go in depth with software as that would've made the video a little too long & also because personally I'm more interested in modifications to improve the sound profile as that is the main thing we do here on the channel. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts! :)

[@-That1King-]

Help I can't put the stabilisers in right pls make tutorial lol

[@hyperBTW]

What type of PCB is this because I read a lot of reviews about the keyboard and for many a certain key barely worked or it caused them to double click, in any case I would like to know what type of PCB it is because if I have problems with it I will have to replace it *EDIT* Thank you for great review

[@studio20creations]

Thanks for watching! Usually if there's double entry or hit & miss actuation, it's due to a faulty switch. Replace the switch and see if it solves the issue :)

[@hyperBTW]

@@studio20creations thank you so much dude

[@din3832]

The value of this board for what it offers is fantastic!! but it looks kinda cheap! your keycaps definitely make it feel more premium.

[@studio20creations]

Thanks for watching & for the comment! Appreciate your kind words :)

[@bobmcbob4399]

What is the spudger tool you used there on the plastic tabs? Looks like a plastic pry bar of sorts?

[@studio20creations]

Plastic pry tools commonly used for removing car interior parts that we don't want to mar and damage

[@bobmcbob4399]

@@studio20creations Thanks. I like this kind of "buy the thing for X", then "use the thing for Y". My example is to use a cheap hand coffee grinder as your peppercorn mill. Does a fantastic job and the coffee grinder will never be broken by hard peppercorns as it is designed for coffee. Whereas any priced peppercorn mill is most definitely going to break in some way over time. Using things for unintended purposes is pretty awesome if you match the tool and the job correctly.

[@studio20creations]

Multi purpose a tool and get more mileage for your money lol

[@diderkamal1]

Can you replace the stabilisers with staebies v2?

[@studio20creations]

U sure can if u want to

[@donaldchin4070]

What distinguishes the GMK67 from the EK68? Which is preferable as I intend to build my first keyboard?

[@studio20creations]

GMK67 is a barebones kit, meaning you will need to get your own switches and keycaps to complete the build. If you would like to have something that works immediately out of the box then the EK68 will be a fully built functional keyboard that you can plug and play.

[@donaldchin4070]

@@studio20creations thanks for the reply. I would love to try out building a keyboard and my friends told me that i should get a keyboard that supports QMK. Does any of these two keyboards has the QMK function?

[@studio20creations]

From what I understand, keyboard kits with tri-mode connectivity do not support QMK/VIA. These have their own proprietary software that will also offer customization. If you require more advanced customization like macros etc u might have to look elsewhere for QMK supported keyboards

[@NavelVloeistof]

Is the poly fill not a fire hazard because of the battery?

[@studio20creations]

As far as I am aware, polyfill is not very flammable and chances for a small capacity battery to spontaneously catch fire and sustain a flame strong enough for the polyfill or other keyboard components to become an accelerant is pretty low. I may be wrong however, so if it's a safety concern to you, just skip the mod :)

[@Graphicrafters]

Hey, i unknowingly had my ek68 keyboard in Bluetooth mode, when i was removing the tape mod. Now the wireless modes are not working, except usb mode. I need help, what do i do ?

[@studio20creations]

you could try factory resetting the keyboard and see if that jumps start the bluetooth module

[@Graphicrafters]

@@studio20creations how do I reset the board? While in usb wired mode, the epomaker software keeps crashing just after I launch it.

[@studio20creations]

@@Graphicrafters Try holding FN + BACKSPACE for a couple of seconds to trigger the reset. If all else fails, you should try to email Epomaker's support to see if they can assist further.

[@Graphicrafters]

@@studio20creations didn't help 😢

[@studio20creations]

Sorry to hear that, perhaps try to seek help with [e-mail]

[@tk_yohan]

is the plate material made from pom?

[@studio20creations]

Steel plate

[@mikemiller7788]

What is the tape mod for?

[@studio20creations]

Tape mod allows for the typing sound to be fuller/louder

[@HiPickle]

im being petty but run your voice through a highpass filter 🤣 great video

[@studio20creations]

Haha thanks for watching, appreciate your comment, and I'll go figure out how to improve the voice recording 😄

[@HiPickle]

@@studio20creations its not a huge deal but it will improve you videos fs but like I said great vid keep working

[@studio20creations]

Thank you, I appreciate it!

[@dan3thegoat]

Do you think the flamingo switch sounds like bluebird? Like is it deeper sounding or clacky-er stuff like that

[@studio20creations]

Flamingo is a little higher pitched than Bluebird. Both are comparatively smooth. I did find they will improve with a relube & adding switch films. Hope this helps!

[@dan3thegoat]

@@studio20creations thanks which films are the best for flamingo?

[@studio20creations]

@@dan3thegoat I used deskeys but I suppose any films will do really

[@dan3thegoat]

@@studio20creations does the thickness matter?

[@studio20creations]

Since Deskeys is a soft poron material it will be able to be compressed if the housings were quite tight to beign with so it won't matter.

[@gamingsoups]

what's the plate material?

[@studio20creations]

it's a steel plate

[@argomedoreds]

I did the same mod as you to my EK68 and wow. It sonds so thocky and deep now. I used dielectric grease to the stabs. Opening the case was so frustrating though. You need a lot of patience to open it.

[@studio20creations]

Glad you enjoyed the mods and the keyboard! Good news is technically you don't have to open up the case anymore after this lol :)

[@law2xoliver]

mine had a slight warp on the bottom part of the case, and some minor scratches as well. hope yours didn't have any of this though. >.

[@studio20creations]

That's unfortunate. I didn't have any noticeable defects on my copy. Perhaps you can try writing to their customer service support and see if they are able to assist in any way?

[@law2xoliver]

@@studio20creations already did and support was great and responsive though, they offered me a reasonable refund for the issues faced. returning the board may too much be of a hassle for me, and besides all other features are working fine as well, except those minor aesthetics issues, which i'm hoping i can mitigate and fix from my end:). in terms of modding, i haven't opened up my board yet. i may need a prying tool similar to yours (btw, is that a car prying tool?). the case is really tight, i tried using a guitar pick prying from the outside but was afraid it may scratch up the finishing. your video shows of prying from the inside which seems to be a better solution, kudos to that. i did relube the switches just to have consistency across all switches; for the stabs, i think they're tight and decent out of the box but i did holee and lubed them, which has greatly improved aesthetics.

[@studio20creations]

@law2xoliver That's good to know! And yes, it's a set of pry tools for opening parts in car interiors. Glad to know you are enjoying the keyboard; it's pretty good :)

[@hola-ri1ue]

Which is better, epomaker th66 or epomaker ek68?

[@studio20creations]

Unfortunately I haven't built a th66 yet so I can't really comment on this. But basing just off the specs, they are pretty similar in most aspects. Perhaps someone else can chime in :)

[@hola-ri1ue]

​@@studio20creationsme compre el th66 hace tiempo ya, luego de casi un año es probarlo, es una muy buena opción de teclado, recomendado!

[@Exaclyhave2ksubs]

What's the keycaps

[@studio20creations]

IV Works Ashes

[@Exaclyhave2ksubs]

@@studio20creationsok! Thanks👍

[@user-qc4de4fq1k]

same as GMK67?

[@studio20creations]

Yes but this comes fully built

[@shhzz-yousif8313]

I bought the same Keyboard but the W is not working

[@studio20creations]

U can try replacing a switch and if that doesn't solve the problem, reach out to your vendor for assistance

[@Uglier.]

its not alloy?

[@studio20creations]

It's plastic fantastic 😁

[@psydex]

This or Keychron?

[@studio20creations]

Which keychron though?

[@swytpacks]

bro you can have the Bluebirds by default on the EK68

[@studio20creations]

Yea they probably added in more options for switch configurations by now

[@m1ntyx]

before mod is better icl

[@syaoranhuy3822]

GMK67 💀

[@sandwich-plays]

expensive af

[@studio20creations]

lol it's not that bad when there's a sale and if the buyer just wants a fully built keyboard without having to mess with installing switches and keycaps i suppose

[@BentTimeAndSpace]

Just a suggestion to turn down your music when you’re editing these vids. RIP headphones

[@studio20creations]

My bad! I did realize kinda late after uploading that the normalization of volume went a little wonky 😆

[@nihalprakash8883]

spacebar stab still has some rattle.

[@studio20creations]

Hi! Thanks for watching :) Pretty sure there was no more rattle after wire balancing. That metallic sound you are hearing is from using a pbt spacebar and the sound is amplified if there's tape mod done to the pcb. Also a main reason I prefer using ABS for a better sound. It's most noticeable for spacebars in particular.

[@nihalprakash8883]

@@studio20creations I get your point about the tape mod, but wire balancing is mostly useless. Any adjustments made to straighten the wire are undone once you actually snap the wire in to the stab housing. What really matters is something to prevent wire-housing contact such as lube or tape.

[@studio20creations]

@@nihalprakash8883 Sorry but I beg to differ. Wire balancing is the single most important part of stabilizer tuning. You can inject all the lube in the world but if the wire is bent you will get ticking noises either right away or once the lube migrates. Of course lube is required but it does not supersede balancing the wires.

[@dan3thegoat]

I tried wire balancing but both ends lift up 💀💀💀

[@albertko1]

Ah yes, the prebuilt GMK67 Epomaker is claiming as their own. If you like this keyboard, just get the "white label" GMK67 for $30 less and add your own keycaps and switches if you want to mod it anyways.

[@JSwag69]

I got mine for 68USD I can’t complain

[@rud3d871]

@malchior Okay, I can tell you are canadian or use a currency similiar, the ek68 is 100 ish and gmk68 is 70 cad, i too am canadian. The Epomaker ek68 is a prebuilt, keyword "prebuilt" its made for you that includes the switches and keycaps. All together thats bundled into 100 ish cad, okay, lets now look at the GMK67, its a kit, keyword, "kit" you have to add at least 30 dollars worth of switches (cheap as shit to be exact) then some keycaps that at LEAST you could get for 20 dollars, thats 120 so likeeeee my guy this is kinda more worth it.

[@kian6758]

Bg music ruined this vid

[@studio20creations]

sorry bout that, had messed up the sound normalization in the video. hope it didn't burst your eardrums :S