Author Topic: U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)  (Read 8615 times)

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Offline The Solutor

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« on: Tue, 19 April 2011, 15:53:41 »
Finally I have the KB I dreamed for long time, after a day spent in testing various switches and combinations I decided that clears with brown's springs is (by far) the best combination.

Then I had to swap the stems which, on a plate mounted and backlit KB, means 103 switches + 103 LEDs to desolder, 200+ switches to open, 400+ soldering islands to clean, 103 switches to reassemble, 103 LEDs to put in place, 400+ soldering points.

I haven't counted the hours, but likely are 5 o 6, for the whole process.

But the result is really worth.

The keys are soft but with a definite tactile point, the hysteresis is almost non existent, the keyboard has a nice sound, but w/o the high pitched click of the blue switches.

You can think to  beige switch (this is the way I like call it ) as a blue switch, w/o the click and w/o the hysteresis, or if you prefer, as a brown switch with a more definite tactile feedback.

Although the images cannot show anything about the tactile feedback, I've uploaded a couple of them.







Edit: I used a gray stem (that looks almost identical to the white one)  with the spring taken from a white switch, to give more consistence to the keys feedback, the original switch was just a plain brown, also the Black widow has a plain blue on the spacebar.
« Last Edit: Tue, 26 April 2011, 10:55:23 by The Solutor »
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Offline DeltaGunner

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 19 April 2011, 16:13:01 »
I think this one isn't yet in the Wiki, better add it. What combination was your second and third best?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Keyboards:
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate
Wishlist:
DAS Ultimate Model S Ultimate Silent, or atleast some other Cherry Brown
Mice:
Logitech Trackball
Logitech Trackman Wheel
CM Storm Sentinel Advance 5.600 DPI
Switches:
Blue
Want to try:
Black, Brown, Red and BS

Offline The Solutor

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 19 April 2011, 16:41:59 »
The combination of clears with a weaker spring is mentioned on the wiki, although not specifically referred to the brown springs.

ATM my revised Cherry rating is:

#1 Cherry beige. Almost perfect

#2 Cherry blue, still pleasurable, but affected by the hysteresis, the not so pleasant click, and the 2 stroke activation is somewhat perceptible.

#2 (ex aequo) Cherry Clear, the tactile feedback is a bit minimized by the stiffer springs, but they are overall a good choice

#3 Cherry Brown: a compromise between tactile and linear, more linear than tactile in my opinion, you can't go wrong with browns, but hardly you will get the best choice for you, whatever are your likings.

#4 Dark Browns (white spring + brown stems) I don't like the result, but is still better than a plain black, they feel like a black with a sliiiight tactile feedback, could be an interesting option for the stiffer keyboards lovers.

I left out blacks and reds: i don't like the linears at all
« Last Edit: Tue, 19 April 2011, 17:03:37 by The Solutor »
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Offline Curetia

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 19 April 2011, 17:00:07 »
Very nice work :)

Offline .XL

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 19 April 2011, 17:08:22 »
Quote from: The Solutor;333634
The combination of clears with a weaker spring is mentioned on the wiki, although not specifically referred to the brown springs.

ATM my revised Cherry rating is:

#1 Cherry beige. Almost perfect

#2 Cherry blue, still pleasurable, but affected by the hysteresis, the not so pleasant click, and the 2 stroke activation is somewhat perceptible.

#2 (ex aequo) Cherry Clear, the tactile feedback is a bit minimized by the stiffer springs, but they are overall a good choice

#3 Cherry Brown: a compromise between tactile and linear, more linear than tactile in my opinion, you can't go wrong with browns, but hardly you will get the best choice for you, whatever are your likings.

#4 Dark Browns (white spring + brown stems) I don't like the result, but is still better than a plain black, they feel like a black with a sliiiight tactile feedback, could be an interesting option for the stiffer keyboards lovers.

I left out blacks and reds: i don't like the linears at all

Wouldn't the Dark Browns be almost the same as Black Spring - Brown stem?
Keyboards: Filco Majestouch-2 87key Browns - Realforce 103UB 55g - Compaq MX11800 (ghetto clears + doubleshots)

Offline The Solutor

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 19 April 2011, 17:14:17 »
Quote from: .XL;333653
Wouldn't the Dark Browns be almost the same as Black Spring - Brown stem?

 
I presume very close, I haven't dismantled a black switch because the black KB I tried is from a friend's keyboard, so I haven't compared side by side the black's spring with the clear's one, but the modded donor board feels very similar with a black one, just a bit of tactile feeling added.
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Offline mtl

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 19 April 2011, 17:35:01 »
We need some kind of spring by stem matrix to track the different combinations, known keyboard mods and personal impressions from those who've used them.
MX13 SpaceSaver | Phantom | Tactoblack Filco -10 | Realforce 103U-UW | Variable Clicky Deck 82 | Deck Legend

Offline keyboardlover

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 19 April 2011, 17:40:23 »
Great mod + great switch choice! =)

Offline The Solutor

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 19 April 2011, 18:15:40 »
Quote from: keyboardlover;333676
Great mod + great switch choice! =)

 
Thanks, mate !
« Last Edit: Tue, 19 April 2011, 18:42:56 by The Solutor »
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Offline The Solutor

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 20 April 2011, 08:54:21 »
BTW I like more the beige definition, because even if the mod can be made with the blue or red springs, beige tells something about the feeling, something in the middle between clears and brown.
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Offline XArmor

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 24 April 2011, 19:41:44 »
Very nice mod you got here.

Offline The Solutor

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #11 on: Sun, 24 April 2011, 20:23:08 »
Glad to have some  official Xarmor approval... :yo:
The problem with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are true  (Abraham Lincoln)

Offline Tallon

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U9BL Beige edition (clear switches, brown springs)
« Reply #12 on: Sun, 24 April 2011, 21:11:40 »
LoL @ Ripster - that's a great point :).

One of these days I need to buy/purchase the tools to do this mod. I think it'll end up being the switch for me, too...

-Tallon