Author Topic: Topre?  (Read 10675 times)

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Offline Polymer

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #50 on: Thu, 05 November 2020, 09:24:33 »
The best way to improve Topre with an ABS spacebar is to buy a PBT one..

For sure, there is a lot of rattle that develops w/ the stabilizer for some reason..which is sometimes (temporarily) improved with resetting it...but for me the PBT spacebar has a bit of warp that tightens the connection and probably adds some tension which gets rid of that rattle...At least on multiple Topres I've done it for...

I've read that it doesn't work for some people though..

Offline Riverman

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #51 on: Thu, 05 November 2020, 11:00:06 »
I've put PBT space bars on several different R1 Realforce keyboards and a couple of Type Heavens, and the space bar has introduced a pretty loud downstroke clack on all of them.  Luckily, the clack was eliminated on every one of them by putting a piece of something thin in between the stabilizers and the space bar.  I read about someone here doing it with a landing pad for an MX keyboard, which is where I got the idea, but a couple of pieces of paper towel work fine, too.  You cut a piece about 1/2" square, cut a slit in it so it will go over the stabilizer peg, and then press the keycap on.  Some space bars have needed a few pieces in between the stabilizer and space bar, but some have worked with just one.

I'm fairly impressed with the stabilized keys on regular Topre keyboards.  They did a good job, but they're still not as consistent feeling as a clipped Cherry G80-3000.  Every key feels exactly the same on that one.  Topre did a lousy job on the stabilizers on the RGB, though.  They have a noticeable click when you tap the edge of a stabilized key, I think because there's so much slop in the mechanism.  Filling them with grease seems to help a lot.  I don't understand why they thought they needed to create their own version of a Cherry stabilizer when there are plenty of good off-the-shelf options.

Offline diazel

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #52 on: Thu, 05 November 2020, 14:09:49 »
I have two high quality boards, both Leopold, but both with very different switches: Topre and MX Black. Once you get used to Topre it no longer feels awesome, like the first time you try it. However, if I spend some days using my keyboard with MX blacks, when I go back to Topre I feel again how special it is. That is why I like having and using two different boards. This does not mean that the MX blacks are not interesting. After a long time using Topres I also miss typing on Blacks, which are very smooth on the Leopold boards, and sound great too because of the thick PBT keycaps. My only complaint with Topres is the spacebar and also some long keys, which sound different (especially the backspace). The spacebar, apart from getting shiny very easily (ABS plastic), rattles when you touch it and sounds bad when you press it, which is a bit annoying. On the other hand my board with MX Blacks is consistent and I have no rattle at all.
^nailed it. I love it but definitely not my every day.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk


Offline Polymer

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #53 on: Thu, 05 November 2020, 14:38:46 »
I've put PBT space bars on several different R1 Realforce keyboards and a couple of Type Heavens, and the space bar has introduced a pretty loud downstroke clack on all of them.  Luckily, the clack was eliminated on every one of them by putting a piece of something thin in between the stabilizers and the space bar.  I read about someone here doing it with a landing pad for an MX keyboard, which is where I got the idea, but a couple of pieces of paper towel work fine, too.  You cut a piece about 1/2" square, cut a slit in it so it will go over the stabilizer peg, and then press the keycap on.  Some space bars have needed a few pieces in between the stabilizer and space bar, but some have worked with just one.

I'm fairly impressed with the stabilized keys on regular Topre keyboards.  They did a good job, but they're still not as consistent feeling as a clipped Cherry G80-3000.  Every key feels exactly the same on that one.  Topre did a lousy job on the stabilizers on the RGB, though.  They have a noticeable click when you tap the edge of a stabilized key, I think because there's so much slop in the mechanism.  Filling them with grease seems to help a lot.  I don't understand why they thought they needed to create their own version of a Cherry stabilizer when there are plenty of good off-the-shelf options.

That's strange...maybe your spacebar was warped in a funny way then...Having done mine on RFs and HHKBs, they all had the same result which was to quiet down the clinking of the spacebar stabilizer....All of my spacebars were Gen1 Groupbuys....I'm sure there are tons of different ones now...

Offline cringenormie

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #54 on: Thu, 05 November 2020, 17:59:44 »
It's not much, but I got an HHKB Pro 2 then lubed it with 205g0 and silenced it with some DesKeys silencing rings. I've been using it ever since. I like mx switches, but I find Topre so much more fulfilling. However, I do feel like using linears sometimes so I just switch to another board.

Offline stimuz

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #55 on: Fri, 06 November 2020, 05:29:42 »
I still don't think MX has anything as good as topre or tactile alps, but has linears on lock. The advantage MX has is customization in aesthetics, switches, springs and so on. From what I've seen MX compat topre sliders come at a slight to large quality degradation to typing feel, depending if you're using novatouch or other clones, so not quite the same thing.

Offline Riverman

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #56 on: Fri, 06 November 2020, 11:40:31 »
I still don't think MX has anything as good as topre or tactile alps, but has linears on lock. The advantage MX has is customization in aesthetics, switches, springs and so on. From what I've seen MX compat topre sliders come at a slight to large quality degradation to typing feel, depending if you're using novatouch or other clones, so not quite the same thing.
The RGB's sliders don't impact the feel much at all, but you do have to silence an RGB to get rid of the unpleasant upstroke clack that otherwise ruins the keyboard.

Offline absyrd

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #57 on: Fri, 06 November 2020, 11:43:57 »
I prefer 55g on the rf. I need some sort of mx board, but the 45g on the RGB and the ****ty reviews makes me shy away from it.
My wife I a also push her button . But now she have her button push by a different men. So I buy a keyboard a mechanicale, she a reliable like a Fiat.

Offline Entropia

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #58 on: Mon, 09 November 2020, 05:11:56 »
I have found a blue PBT spacebar I had stored in a box. After installed my FC980C feels much better to type on. Why didn't I do this before? Honestly I don't remember. Maybe for aesthetics? I like it. It gives the board a touch of color and blue goes well with grey. The rattle is gone and it sounds better too. Let's see how long it lasts to start shining. The black PBT spacebar on my FC980M I have at my office is cleary shiny on the place where I always press it with my left thumb. I have all my sparbars inverted, so maybe in that case there's more contact with my finger. Also it seems that black plastic tends to shine more easily or at least it's more visible. I think it also depends on the amount of texture or grain of the plastic.

Offline Polymer

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #59 on: Wed, 11 November 2020, 11:11:18 »
I have found a blue PBT spacebar I had stored in a box. After installed my FC980C feels much better to type on. Why didn't I do this before? Honestly I don't remember. Maybe for aesthetics? I like it. It gives the board a touch of color and blue goes well with grey. The rattle is gone and it sounds better too. Let's see how long it lasts to start shining. The black PBT spacebar on my FC980M I have at my office is cleary shiny on the place where I always press it with my left thumb. I have all my sparbars inverted, so maybe in that case there's more contact with my finger. Also it seems that black plastic tends to shine more easily or at least it's more visible. I think it also depends on the amount of texture or grain of the plastic.

It takes a long time...my ABS Topre spacebars are all shined up....my PBT ones haven't shined except for the one I've used the most and even then, it is barely shined up...just a tiny spot and it is barely noticeable. 

I don't have the 660c so I can't say how the spacebar compares....

Offline livewirerc

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #60 on: Thu, 12 November 2020, 21:33:40 »
For you? Who knows.

For me? Yes. I've spent several thousand dollars on Topre keyboards, and have tuned/modded them with control boards, silencing rings, BKE redux domes (ultra light, light, heavy), other realforce dome swaps, lube, keycaps, etc. Topre, and HHKB in particular, are my ideal keyboard, and what I use at home, work, and keep in my packs when travelling. Nothing else feels like it. I have a few various mechanical boards in the HHKB layout (3x Tokyo60, RAMA), but I always go back to a Topre board within a week.

Offline tacomn

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #61 on: Fri, 13 November 2020, 10:48:07 »
Lube or not to lube with topre?

Offline hpetrovski

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #62 on: Sat, 21 November 2020, 20:47:49 »
Lube or not to lube with topre?
Lube. It's always reversible if you happen not to like it, but I doubt that will happen.

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #63 on: Sun, 22 November 2020, 13:20:03 »
You guys are overthinking it,  It's made in Jpn, it's weeb+15, people who identify as thus, require topre to fuel their persona.

Offline exime

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #64 on: Mon, 23 November 2020, 17:11:42 »
The topre community is pretty sus but I still want to try one out.   Lacking real reviews and still very unpopular relatively speaking. Some might say price is the underlying issue but I disagree as there are plenty of custom MX board buyers going well over $200+.  That and I haven't heard good things about the build quality of realforce. If it was really that great, it would have picked up a lot more market share by now.
« Last Edit: Mon, 23 November 2020, 18:47:36 by exime »

Offline HungerMechanic

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #65 on: Mon, 23 November 2020, 17:23:19 »
I can understand what people are saying about 'linear' Topre. To someone recently using MX switches, some EC switches, like Niz domes, don't have the expected 'tactility.'

As in, there may not be a definite 'bump' or tactile event, since the entire keypress is the tactile collapse of the rubber-dome. So if you are pressing down slowly, you may feel a fairly consistent tactility the whole way, giving a kind of 'linear' vibe.

At least, that's the way it is with my ABKO board.

I started typing on that EC board after I already had some MX boards. I was impressed by the sound, and it's pillowy nature, but it does feel less precise than MX switches. As MX mechanical switches are going to be much more consistent, and therefore predicatable, in operation.

When I reviewed the ABKO here, I typed the rough draft on the ABKO, but edited it on a keyboard with Pro Purples. I found them to be more precise, and therefore helpful when creating a final copy. Maybe it's just because I was used to MX switches at the time.

I liked one comment where a person said about Topre, "it's like typing on mud. The most exquisite mud in the world, but it's still mud." In terms of tactile sensation, it can be interesting, but I'm not sure it's actually a superior mechanism for typing over conventional mechanical.

Personally, I like to utilize Topre's more subtle characteristics. Since it is so tactile to begin with, a lubed, silenced Topre can be made about as tactile as a conventional office rubber-dome, but much smoother and quieter. And with better keycaps and overall build. So for a luxury office rubber-dome, I would want to go for a heavily-customized, silenced Topre.

Offline jamster

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #66 on: Mon, 23 November 2020, 20:32:01 »
I can understand what people are saying about 'linear' Topre. To someone recently using MX switches, some EC switches, like Niz domes, don't have the expected 'tactility.'

I liked one comment where a person said about Topre, "it's like typing on mud. The most exquisite mud in the world, but it's still mud." In terms of tactile sensation, it can be interesting, but I'm not sure it's actually a superior mechanism for typing over conventional mechanical.

This is how I feel about some Topre-like boards. My factory silenced (clone) RC930 is too linear for me to really enjoy. And 'mud' is a great description of my Novatouch experience. On the other hand, both feel very different from unmodded 55g Realforce. I do want to try a factory silenced Realforce board sometime.


The topre community is pretty sus but I still want to try one out.   Lacking real reviews and still very unpopular relatively speaking. Some might say price is the underlying issue but I disagree as there are plenty of custom MX board buyers going well over $200+.  That and I haven't heard good things about the build quality of realforce. If it was really that great, it would have picked up a lot more market share by now.


There are... plenty of reviews on Topre. As well as very well put together explanations of build quality. Worst I have read is that people criticise the way the plastic case snaps together and can move a bit, but this is a deliberate design decision. I certainly prefer it to what I view as the slightly pretentious and in some distinct ways anti-functional CNC aluminium cases that are currently in fashion with the Instagram/reddit crowd.

I am not sure the logic here really holds up regarding market share. The 'best' products in any class hobby not to be the most common- an example would be that Beats and Bose have always been more popular than Sennheiser audiophile headphones (to draw from another hobby that is high in tech and nerd factor). I would say that the reason that MX boards appeal has less to do with the typing experience, and more to do with the aesthetics of case options and the ability to mix and match parts, many of which I think are inherently compromised to begin with.
« Last Edit: Mon, 23 November 2020, 20:34:32 by jamster »

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #67 on: Mon, 23 November 2020, 21:24:30 »
The topre community is pretty sus but I still want to try one out.   Lacking real reviews and still very unpopular relatively speaking. Some might say price is the underlying issue but I disagree as there are plenty of custom MX board buyers going well over $200+.  That and I haven't heard good things about the build quality of realforce. If it was really that great, it would have picked up a lot more market share by now.

The Topre CULT isn't sus.  They're long and old.

The reviews are real but so is the zealotry,  I agree they're good products but not as magical as the Cult ordains.

The truth is, THEY are ALL INFIDELS.  There is only 1 True God-Board, /ERGODOX

Offline HungerMechanic

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #68 on: Mon, 23 November 2020, 22:08:21 »
When you think about it, it's staggering how much has to go right for a typing experience that would be fully acceptable to some people.

Wobble-free, no ping, no scratching against the housing, loud/thocky or super-quiet, smooth stabilizers, bouncy/rigid plate. It's hard for any affordable out-of-box keyboard to achieve this. All the mechanisms have some drawback or another.

Offline Error213

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #69 on: Tue, 24 November 2020, 00:12:32 »
Holy crap this thread really blew up :D. Thank you all for the responses but I don’t think I will get topre, it’s too pricey for something idk if it will be good.

Offline jamster

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #70 on: Tue, 24 November 2020, 01:27:51 »
Holy crap this thread really blew up :D. Thank you all for the responses but I don’t think I will get topre, it’s too pricey for something idk if it will be good.

I seriously think that buying a Realforce board without previously demoing one is a too risky to bother with.

Offline Riverman

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #71 on: Tue, 24 November 2020, 11:27:44 »
I don't think that demoing a Topre keyboard, or really any high-end keyboard, is an option for most people in the US, but at least if you buy one used on eBay, you can usually resell it for the same price, and only end up taking a hit on their fees.

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #72 on: Tue, 24 November 2020, 14:29:35 »
I don't think that demoing a Topre keyboard, or really any high-end keyboard, is an option for most people in the US, but at least if you buy one used on eBay, you can usually resell it for the same price, and only end up taking a hit on their fees.

We have the highest Covid-Stats,  touch one of our garden rocks and you could die.

Offline jamster

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Re: Topre?
« Reply #73 on: Tue, 24 November 2020, 19:43:17 »
I don't think that demoing a Topre keyboard, or really any high-end keyboard, is an option for most people in the US, but at least if you buy one used on eBay, you can usually resell it for the same price, and only end up taking a hit on their fees.

It's a better country than any other on Earth for demoing keyboards! Well, possibly short of Japan when it comes to Realforce.