Silenced Topre (FC660C) vs Zilents in terms of silence

[geeko]

So, I have been considering buying the Fc660C (silenced version) for a few weeks/months now, but I cannot take the plunge! It is still an expensive keyboard.

One of the things I wonder is: How silence is it? I have watched/heard sound-typing videos, though I wonder: Can I easily use them in an office environment?

In terms of noise levels, are zilents louder than the silenced topre in the fc660c?

God damn it, I can't make up my mind! If you do have an Fc660c, convince me that it is a great keyboard please...

[CosminOance]

My day job (before the work from home stuff with this pandemic) involved sharing a large area with other people. Large desks, open space, a programmer's dream space.
Even so, anything above chiclet switches (laptop keyboards, apple stand alone keyboards etc) would be noticeable by others. The company would buy you any keyboard, as long as it fell along those short travel, quiet, keyboards.

So take this with a grain of salt, as it is just an opinion:
From personal experience, there is NO keyboard that we call "mechanical" that doesn't produce a noticeable, distinct, sound. And also from personal experience, there will always be at least one person that's having a bad day, or is just douchy,  that will complain or find that sound irritating.
Now it depends on your work environment, your colleagues, your employer...

[geeko]

I was under the impression that a silenced topre is as silent (if not more) than a (regular) membrane keyboard. I guess I was wrong?

According to this (

) video, a Topre (Realforce R2 PFU) is as quiet as an Apple Magic Keyboard. So a silenced topre should be quieter.

[Findecanor]

According to this video, a Topre (Realforce R2 PFU) is as quiet as an Apple Magic Keyboard. So a silenced topre should be quieter.

The Realforce R2 PFU already comes with silenced Topre switches. The guy in the video even says that it is.
In my opinion, in the video the Topre is not "just as" quiet, but quieter than the Apple "Magic Keyboard" - but that might be subjective. Topre does at least have a lower pitch.

AFAIK, normal and "Silent" Topre are the same on the downstroke. The difference is that the "Silent" version is also damped on the upstroke.

[_PixelNinja]

I own a HHKB Hybrid Type-S and a RAMA M60-A with Zilents. Both are quiet, but the Zilent build is noticeably more muted than the HHKB. It takes some meticulous modding to get there though.

[Mainian]

I've got a lot of experience with both Zilents and Topre.

Zilents have gone through several iterations. R9, R10, R11, V2 Rev 1, V2 Rev 2
The R9 did not have dampening on the upstroke, the R10 and later have dampening on up and down.
I don't think the current versions are the quietists, but it doesn't matter. As the case you put these in will have a larger impact on sound.

This is also the answer to your question about noise. In my experience with these switches, the case and the stabilizers will have a larger impact on sound than these switches.

M65-A with R9
LZ CLS sxh with R10
UniGo66 with V2 and R11
Think 6.5 with V2 and R11
Realforce 87u 45g
Realforce RGB
HHKB 2 - Regular, Type-S, and several 3rd party silencing rings
FC660C

These keyboards went to multiple offices with me, with the M65-a and the Realforce being the 'loudest'. I've never had anyone complain about noise.

[jamster]

My day job (before the work from home stuff with this pandemic) involved sharing a large area with other people. Large desks, open space, a programmer's dream space.
Even so, anything above chiclet switches (laptop keyboards, apple stand alone keyboards etc) would be noticeable by others. The company would buy you any keyboard, as long as it fell along those short travel, quiet, keyboards.

A friend recently bought a silenced Realforce and sent me a video comparing it to his freebie chicklet. The chicklet was louder, in the video at least.

I haven't tried the board in person, as I am not interested in 45g Topre (too light).

[geeko]

My day job (before the work from home stuff with this pandemic) involved sharing a large area with other people. Large desks, open space, a programmer's dream space.
Even so, anything above chiclet switches (laptop keyboards, apple stand alone keyboards etc) would be noticeable by others. The company would buy you any keyboard, as long as it fell along those short travel, quiet, keyboards.

A friend recently bought a silenced Realforce and sent me a video comparing it to his freebie chicklet. The chicklet was louder, in the video at least.

I haven't tried the board in person, as I am not interested in 45g Topre (too light).

Someone used to typing on an Mx Blue would find Topre 45g (silenced Fc660c) more or less fatiguing than the blues?

[Mainian]

Someone used to typing on an Mx Blue would find Topre 45g (silenced Fc660c) more or less fatiguing than the blues?

On day one, probably the same or maybe even more.
Given a week, blues will feel more fatiguing.

[geeko]

Someone used to typing on an Mx Blue would find Topre 45g (silenced Fc660c) more or less fatiguing than the blues?

On day one, probably the same or maybe even more.
Given a week, blues will feel more fatiguing.

Interesting. Why that discrepancy between first day and a week in?

[Polymer]

There won't be much of a difference at all....

Granted, blues take 60g to overcome the tactile bump but before that, you have momentum where the startup is a bit less...and given the Leo tends to be a bit stiffer than normal 45g, there is probably a 6-8g difference in startup weight...

So will it be more tiring?  I don't think so..not when I compare them side by side...and while I don't commonly use blues, I commonly use browns which are almost the same and they generally feel a bit lighter than 45g Topre overall...

[jamster]

My day job (before the work from home stuff with this pandemic) involved sharing a large area with other people. Large desks, open space, a programmer's dream space.
Even so, anything above chiclet switches (laptop keyboards, apple stand alone keyboards etc) would be noticeable by others. The company would buy you any keyboard, as long as it fell along those short travel, quiet, keyboards.

A friend recently bought a silenced Realforce and sent me a video comparing it to his freebie chicklet. The chicklet was louder, in the video at least.

I haven't tried the board in person, as I am not interested in 45g Topre (too light).

Someone used to typing on an Mx Blue would find Topre 45g (silenced Fc660c) more or less fatiguing than the blues?

I find it hard to imagine anyone finding either MX Blues or Topre 45 fatiguing in the slightest, to me both are very light (and I don't type on heavy switches either).

Topre will come across as much smoother though, both in the tactile and sonic senses.

[_PixelNinja]

I find it hard to imagine anyone finding either MX Blues or Topre 45 fatiguing in the slightest, to me both are very light (and I don't type on heavy switches either).

Topre having it's peak force at the top of the travel can make it surprisingly fatiguing at first when not used to it — especially when coming from light switches. I remember having slight fatigue during the first week when I first moved to a Topre board from MX Reds back in the day. That was the only time that happened though.

[Polymer]

I find it hard to imagine anyone finding either MX Blues or Topre 45 fatiguing in the slightest, to me both are very light (and I don't type on heavy switches either).

Topre having it's peak force at the top of the travel can make it surprisingly fatiguing at first when not used to it — especially when coming from light switches. I remember having slight fatigue during the first week when I first moved to a Topre board from MX Reds back in the day. That was the only time that happened though.

Yeap..that's because reds have really low start up weight and by the time you reach actuation, you have momentum...

That's why Blues, while they peak at 60g, they start off lighter so you get momentum. 

The comparison is great to illustrate that it isn't just about the numbers you see..I think people severely misinterpret what the specific numbers end up meaning....

[HungerMechanic]

I've typed on user-silenced lubed 45 G Topre, and it was quieter than any Cherry mech.

As others have indicated, the board and stabilizers will be responsible for a large part of the noise of any "silenced" board, so you have to address these.

Topre can be made pretty silent. Stock Zilents are not. They're just quieter than regular MX tactiles. I have an entire 104-key Leopold full of Zilents, and it's about as loud as a regular membrane rubber-dome keyboard.

[lakeboredom]

What would be the best plate material for a Zilent build? I have a alu half plate to build and was thinking of zilents, but I've never done tactiles on pcb mount or half plate before..

[Riverman]

I have a silenced Topre RGB at work (I used DesKeys silencing rings), and it's easily the quietest keyboard in the office.  The rest of the keyboards are the cheapo Dells that came with the computers, but one guy has a Cherry scissor switch keyboard that I gave him.  It's a little noisier than the rubber domes.  I also have a silent MX black Cherry G80 that I bring in sometimes.  It's definitely noisier than the Topre, but on par with the rubber domes.  It sounds different, though.  It has a deeper sound than the high-pitched plastic on plastic rattle of a rubber dome keyboard.  I would think that a Zilent would be similar, since it uses the same method of dampening that a silent Cherry switch does.

I agree with others about Topres feeling a little more fatiguing at first.  I thought the same thing, but give them a couple of weeks, and they're great.  I had sold all of my unsilenced Cherry boards after buying a pair of Topres, and recently bought a Cherry brown Das Keyboard for Mac keyboard, just for the heck of it.  I can't believe how noisy that thing is, but I should keep it, just so I'm not tempted to buy another one because my memories are better than reality.