Overview
The Wuque WS Morandi Switches and Durock Black Lotus are the latest linear switches that feature long pole bottom-out stem. Some say that they are one of the smoothest linear switches with the least stem wobble. Let's see how they perform!
Product Details
Wuque WS Morandi
The Wuque WS Morandi linear switch is made with a complete POM housing and UPE stem. It features a long pole that is longer than standard switches. The long pole shortens the total travel to 3.5mm, meaning it bottoms out about 0.5mm earlier than standard switches that have 4mm travel. The 5pin switch has a 60g bottom-out force. It is pre-factory lubed.
Figure 1: Wuque WS Morandi Linear Switch
Durock Black Lotus
Freshly released in 2023, the Black Lotus linear switch uses brand-new molds and features a pole bottom-out stem, and is still able to maintain a standard 4mm total travel. The switch is made with modified PC & UPE blend material on the top housing, nylon on the bottom, and a modified POM stem. The 5pin switch has a 63.5g bottom-out force. It is pre-factory lubed.
Figure 2: Durock Black Lotus Linear Switch
What Does Long Pole Stem Do?
Both WS Morandi and Black Lotus feature long pole stem. We compared them to the standard stem switches such as Gateron Oil King and C3 Banana Split. The stem of the WS Morandi is the longest, followed by the Black Lotus.
Figure 3: Stem Comparison
Some people have the misconception that long pole switches by default, bottom out earlier, but that is not necessarily true because the actuation point could be based on the feet of the stem and the leaf, depending on the housing design. Just because it is a long pole does not necessarily mean it has an earlier actuation. It could, but not always. For WS Morandi and Durock Black Lotus, they both bottom out earlier because of the long pole on a standard housing design.
The long pole bottom-out stem, in theory, could create a different pitch in sound. It also impacts the switch's travel distance, usually resulting in a shorter travel because of early bottom out.
The feeling is also different when a switch is bottoming out on the long pole versus on a standard stem pole because the contact area for the long pole is smaller. Additionally, because it is long pole bottom out, the only thing that touches the bottom housing is the pole instead of the sides of the stem, there tends to have a little bit more movement when the switch is bottoming out.
Removable Light Diffuser
Both switches offer a removable light diffuser that helps evenly distribute the light source, making the RGB look more spread out. The diffuser can be removed by pushing upward on the bottom of the switch, where the diffuser is located. The diffuser should pop out without resistance.
Figure 4: WS Morandi Removable Light Diffuser VS WS Morandi Without Removable Light Diffuser
Switch Sound
In the video below, we compared the WS Morandi and Durock Black Lotus against the standard stem pole of Gateron Oil King and C3 Banana Split switches.
We tested the switches in stock, hand-lubed, and hand-lubed + filmed versions to see if it makes a difference when lubing and filming them.
In stock form, WS Morandi is slightly more muted compared to Black Lotus. They both have a similar sound profile.
In the hand-lubed version, the pitch of both WS Morandi and Black Lotus alters. There is more clarity for both, and the Black Lotus sounds clackier and higher pitched compared to the WS Morandi.
In hand-lubed + filmed form, the sound of the WS Morandi is similar to that of the hand-lubed version. For Black Lotus, the L+F version deepens the sound slightly.
Figure 5: Video Sound Test
Switch Feel
In terms of feel, the bottoming out on the pole of WS Morandi and Black Lotus feels a little bit sharper compared to the Gateron Oil King and C3 Banana Split, which feel more like a thud.
In terms of stem wobble, filming the switches help reduce the stem wobble, especially for the WS Morandi. The Black Lotus has a very tight housing and has much less stem wobble compared to the WS Morandi.Other Reading
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