Author Topic: Is there any switch which is more silent than the Cherry MX Silent Red (Pink)?  (Read 8584 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Linkblade

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 10
Hey there,

back in 2018 I researched the market of keyboards for myself to find the best options to make my gaming on keyboard silent.
(I wrote it down here https://www.reddit.com/r/keyboards/comments/84oazs/the_most_silent_gaming_keyboard_ninja_stealth_mode/)
So I have a Fnatic Rush with MX Silent Reds (Pink), dampened with QMX clips, dampened with one o-ring each, not lubed, and a towel underneath the board. It's heavenly silent.
Though I hunt for the most silent keyboard. The GMMK Pro got my interest since it has a dampening layer inside, so it may be even more silent. It also has fancy rgb lights and is shorter than the rush which I think should be more ergonomical.
So I wanna build my new most silent keyboard of 2021 and wondered if you could give me a few advices.

My plan is as follows:
board: GMMK Pro
switches: Cherry MX Silent Reds (Pink)
mods: QMX clips + dampening o-rings
lube: maybe I will try this, but I hesitate because it shall be so time consuming. I thought I'd use Krytox 205g0
stabilizers: keep them as supplied, but maybe exchange them for better ones.
keycaps: dunno, any fancy ones will serve I guess? I wanna buy a fancy esc, wasd, space bar custom keycap set.

A friend of mine said, that there are switches which are more silent than the Cherry MX Silent Reds. I can hardly believe this. Have you any suggestions?
Have you any experience with Zeal Healios V2 (linear silent)? Are they more silent than the silent red? Which switch can compete in noise emission with MX Silent Red?

Which stabilizers would you recommend if you want it silent?

Could you please give an advice on the keycaps? Which manufacturer/supplier has the best / as little tolerances as possible to make them not wiggle?
I heard PBT keycaps shall be better, is that true? What does "double-shot" mean? Is that of any concern with noise?
Is there any issue with custom made keycaps for noise emission? I really like those resin custom keys and would like esc and space bar to have it.

Any feedback would be highly appreciated!
THANKS!

Offline Riverman

  • Posts: 430
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Have you considered a silenced Topre keyboard?  The market for custom keycaps for those is just about non-existent, but they're extremely quiet.  I have a Cherry G80-3494 with silent blacks in the office that I love, but it's not nearly as quiet as the silenced Topre I have at home.

Offline Volny

  • Posts: 235
I own just a single Cherry MX Pink (it came in a switch tester) so I can only compare to that single switch. But I just did some tapping side by side with Kaihl Box Silent Pinks and Silent Alpacas, all with the same type of keycaps (signature plastics DSA) and plugged into the same keyboard.

The Kaihl Box Silent Pinks were louder than the other two, while the Silent Alpacas were the quietest. The differences weren't massive, but the Cherry Pink definitely had a slightly harsher bottom-out sound compared to the Alpacas. And, as is often the case with Cherries, the Cherry Pink was a little scratchier on the way down - this is primarily a 'feel' thing, but is also audible if you listen for it, especially at slow pressing speeds. The Silent Alpacas are a really nice-feeling switch too - they feel more uniformly smooth to me than the Cherry Pink. So it might be worth giving them a try.

I think your personal typing style is going to be a big factor though. For example, when I hit one of my Alpacas hard on the edge of the keycap, it took on a surprisingly loud sound that the Cherry didn't have. But when hitting in the centre of the keycap, this loud sound was absent, and the Alpaca was quietest. Depending on your typing style, different weight springs may help. A heavier spring may be quieter if it reduces the bottom-out impact....or a lighter spring may be quieter if it encourages you to press more delicately.

Sadly, lubing does make a difference. I say sadly, because it's a tedious pain in the butt. It can reduce some of the sharper trebly sounds, reduce the above-mentioned scratchiness, and quieten the friction or ping noises on the springs (which Cherry switches can be particularly guilty of).

I haven't tried the Zeal Healios V2, but I have the Zilents (silent tactile) and they are gravelly and quite a lot noisier than any of the above-mentioned switches.

A Double-shot keycap is one where the legend is made out of a different color plastic to the body, rather than just painted on with dye. Most double-shot keycaps are ABS rather than PBT. I don't know how relevant this is to sound.

I suspect that in general, poorer quality keycaps will be quieter, especially when it comes to the topping-out sound (this is significant - if you're using silenced switches then the topping-out sound will probably be the loudest thing left). The Signature Plastics DSA keycaps I use are fairly thick and solid, which makes them feel good. But this also makes them louder when they come crashing back upwards after releasing the key. I have some cheaper DSA keycaps which I've noticed are a little quieter on the top-out.

Keycap profile will be important too. Taller and/or bulkier keycaps (eg. OEM, GMK, SA) will probably tend to be louder. DSA is a pretty short profile - perhaps try a DSA from KPrepublic; their DSA keycaps are cheaper and thinner than Signature Plastics, and so probably a little quieter, but the quality isn't too bad.

I don't know the GMMK Pro, but I personally wouldn't choose a keyboard based on dampening material that comes with it. In my experience, the dampening material that comes with keyboards isn't as effective as what you can do yourself, because it's usually very thin and lightweight. Better to go to the hardware store and get some dense neoprene or butyl rubber sheets, and cut it to size yourself, fitting in as many layers as the keyboard can comfortably handle. While you're at it, buy an adhesive layer of neoprene that you can attach to the underside of the keyboard - sort of like a neater and more permanent version of resting it on a towel. Also, if you want the quietest keyboard possible, then you probably don't want to get one with a metal case. Metal cases are nicer, but surely they're going to be louder.
« Last Edit: Wed, 11 August 2021, 21:39:59 by Volny »

Offline Leslieann

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 4519
Volny covered a lot, Riverman is also right that Topre is more quiet.

One thing I will say is in a silent board I'm not sure my choice would be anything Cherry or Kailh, they both have terrible springs that ping like crazy (spring noise). If you aren't interested in a spring change, consider Gateron. Cherry is a bit hit or miss and it's more subtle but still far more common than Gateron or boutique switches. Kailh are ping monsters, I wasn't really bothered by Cherry ping but Kailh was enough for me to take notice and make a change. It can still be subtle, but once you hear it, and if it's constant like Kailh was for me, you won't be able to not hear it. You may not even notice in a clicky switch but in a silent switch it can seem like a scream.

Let;s talk sound.
Type of sound and how it's generated and reverberated is extremely important, higher pitch will not travel as far but sounds louder and is less liked, odds are your keyboard won't be 100% silent so you want any noise that is left to be on the lower end. Some of this takes some experimentation to get the best combination which is why you see people doing elaborate o-rings, foam, desk pads, lubes, etc... A minor acceptable bit of sound is better than a quiet yet extremely annoying sound. Would you rather hear a quiet but smooth low-fi beat or a mosquito or fly buzzing around the room?

Keycap plastic type matters, and thickness matters even more. Thick PBT tends to be lower pitch but thin PBT is high pitched, ABS falls in between.
Shape can also make a difference with smaller caps being higher pitched. If you can, fit thin o-rings under to add mass and lower the pitch, you may bet a bit more sound on top out but it can be more pleasing to the ear.
Different material cases, feet, foam inner liners, deskpads all can help lower the pitch but some can also push sound into your desk.
Which means what your keyboard sits on matters, a hollow wooden desk can drum and be loud, a solid wood or glass on can send thock through your desk and into the floor. If you have a basement, the solid desk may not be so good.
Novelkeys NK65AE w/62g Zilents/39g springs
More
62g Zilents/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, pic
| Filco MJ2 L.E. Vortex Case, Jailhouse Blues, heavily customized
More
Vortex case squared up/blasted finish removed/custom feet/paint/winkey blockoff plate, HID Liberator, stainless steel universal plate, 3d printed adapters, Type C, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, foam sound dampened, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps (o-ringed), Cherry Jailhouse Blues w/lubed/clipped Cherry light springs, 40g actuation
| GMMK TKL
More
w/ Kailh Purple Pros/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 Magnetic cable
| PF65 3d printed 65% w/LCD and hot swap
More
Box Jades, Interchangeable trim, mini lcd, QMK, underglow, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, O-rings, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, in progress link
| Magicforce 68
More
MF68 pcb, Outemu Blues, in progress
| YMDK75 Jail Housed Gateron Blues
More
J-spacers, YMDK Thick PBT, O-rings, SIP sockets
| KBT Race S L.E.
More
Ergo Clears, custom WASD caps
| Das Pro
More
Costar model with browns
| GH60
More
Cherry Blacks, custom 3d printed case
| Logitech Illumininated | IBM Model M (x2)
Definitive Omron Guide. | 3d printed Keyboard FAQ/Discussion

Offline Linkblade

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 10
Thank you all so much for your replies!
There is much knowledge here in this forum.
I will try to adjust my plan to your recommendations.


Offline Sup

  • * Exquisite Elder
  • Posts: 1338
  • Doing university was a mistake
I managed to make my Cherry silent switches super silent 0 sound once but, i think i had a lucky batch that didn't even have the scratch sound stock and with lube it sounded dead silent damn. Lubed Cherry mx silents is as silent it can get even quiter then Topre.

Source: I own a HHKB Bluetooth Type-s and a used to own a lubed Cherry MX silent red lubed with 3204.
current
Filco Zero -  NOS Yellow Alps | Canoe R1 Gateron Red | AEK II JP Cream dampend |Filco Majestouch 2 Tex case Gateron Yellow | HHKB Pro 1 2003 Rev AO Serial 000171 | HHKB Pro 1 2003 Rev A1s|DZ60 OG Panda's with Fei spring and stem. | Sentraq S65_Plus OG Invyr Panda's | A17 Gateron Black TX 65G 3204 | Lubrigrante Wildcard Cherry MX silent blacks 3204 58.5G Springs | Rukia Everglide Tourmaline Blue 58.5G Springs | MGA Standard Greetech brown |
Coming soon
Rest in peace Billy Herrington(William Glen Harold Herrington) 1969-2018
Rest in peace Byron Daniel 1989-2020

Offline Linkblade

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 10
Lubed Cherry mx silents is as silent it can get even quiter then Topre.
This brought me to keep my faith in them. So this and the fact that there are no silent alpacas which can shine through rgb lights brought me to order a batch of MX Silent Reds.

And I will invest the time to lube them all. My current board with unlubed MX silents indeed has creaky springs, which I'm used to overhear.

Yesterday I learned that filming is a thing, putting thin 0.1-0.3mm films of material between the housing halves to get rid of manufacturing tolerances and therefore stem wobble and therefore noise. What is your experience with filming, is it any good in terms of getting the key quiet?

Offline Volny

  • Posts: 235
Lubed Cherry mx silents is as silent it can get even quiter then Topre.
This brought me to keep my faith in them. So this and the fact that there are no silent alpacas which can shine through rgb lights brought me to order a batch of MX Silent Reds.

Sure they can. They have a slit to let the let through just like most other switches do. And the ones I have have a translucent housing too, unlike the cherry pink which has an opaque black housing. Though the Cherry pink has a slightly larger slit which probably allows for one of those LEDs that gets soldered right into the the switch, but your keyboard probably won't have those.

Offline Leslieann

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 4519
Yesterday I learned that filming is a thing, putting thin 0.1-0.3mm films of material between the housing halves to get rid of manufacturing tolerances and therefore stem wobble and therefore noise. What is your experience with filming, is it any good in terms of getting the key quiet?
Filming was popular with Cherry, keyword being was.

Manufacturers have tightened up tolerances and filming some switches will actually distort them and cause bind. Even on switches you can use them it doesn't always help much. They have largely fallen out of use as a result.
Novelkeys NK65AE w/62g Zilents/39g springs
More
62g Zilents/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, pic
| Filco MJ2 L.E. Vortex Case, Jailhouse Blues, heavily customized
More
Vortex case squared up/blasted finish removed/custom feet/paint/winkey blockoff plate, HID Liberator, stainless steel universal plate, 3d printed adapters, Type C, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, foam sound dampened, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps (o-ringed), Cherry Jailhouse Blues w/lubed/clipped Cherry light springs, 40g actuation
| GMMK TKL
More
w/ Kailh Purple Pros/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 Magnetic cable
| PF65 3d printed 65% w/LCD and hot swap
More
Box Jades, Interchangeable trim, mini lcd, QMK, underglow, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, O-rings, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, in progress link
| Magicforce 68
More
MF68 pcb, Outemu Blues, in progress
| YMDK75 Jail Housed Gateron Blues
More
J-spacers, YMDK Thick PBT, O-rings, SIP sockets
| KBT Race S L.E.
More
Ergo Clears, custom WASD caps
| Das Pro
More
Costar model with browns
| GH60
More
Cherry Blacks, custom 3d printed case
| Logitech Illumininated | IBM Model M (x2)
Definitive Omron Guide. | 3d printed Keyboard FAQ/Discussion

Offline Linkblade

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 10
Lubed Cherry mx silents is as silent it can get even quiter then Topre.
This brought me to keep my faith in them. So this and the fact that there are no silent alpacas which can shine through rgb lights brought me to order a batch of MX Silent Reds.

Sure they can. They have a slit to let the let through just like most other switches do. And the ones I have have a translucent housing too, unlike the cherry pink which has an opaque black housing. Though the Cherry pink has a slightly larger slit which probably allows for one of those LEDs that gets soldered right into the the switch, but your keyboard probably won't have those.

Hmm, I didn't find any Silent Alpacas with transluscent housing and found a statement that there were none. Do you have a link where to get them?
I now ordered these Cherry MX Pink RGB with transluscent housings: https://drop.com/buy/cherry-mx-silent-red-rgb-switches so these do exist.

Offline Linkblade

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 10
Yesterday I learned that filming is a thing, putting thin 0.1-0.3mm films of material between the housing halves to get rid of manufacturing tolerances and therefore stem wobble and therefore noise. What is your experience with filming, is it any good in terms of getting the key quiet?
Filming was popular with Cherry, keyword being was.

Manufacturers have tightened up tolerances and filming some switches will actually distort them and cause bind. Even on switches you can use them it doesn't always help much. They have largely fallen out of use as a result.
Thanks for the info! Would it be a good idea to order a set of films just in case any switches need adjustments or is that total nonsense?

Offline Leslieann

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 4519
Depends on the switches but I wouldn't bother.
Novelkeys NK65AE w/62g Zilents/39g springs
More
62g Zilents/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, pic
| Filco MJ2 L.E. Vortex Case, Jailhouse Blues, heavily customized
More
Vortex case squared up/blasted finish removed/custom feet/paint/winkey blockoff plate, HID Liberator, stainless steel universal plate, 3d printed adapters, Type C, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, foam sound dampened, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps (o-ringed), Cherry Jailhouse Blues w/lubed/clipped Cherry light springs, 40g actuation
| GMMK TKL
More
w/ Kailh Purple Pros/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 Magnetic cable
| PF65 3d printed 65% w/LCD and hot swap
More
Box Jades, Interchangeable trim, mini lcd, QMK, underglow, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, O-rings, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, in progress link
| Magicforce 68
More
MF68 pcb, Outemu Blues, in progress
| YMDK75 Jail Housed Gateron Blues
More
J-spacers, YMDK Thick PBT, O-rings, SIP sockets
| KBT Race S L.E.
More
Ergo Clears, custom WASD caps
| Das Pro
More
Costar model with browns
| GH60
More
Cherry Blacks, custom 3d printed case
| Logitech Illumininated | IBM Model M (x2)
Definitive Omron Guide. | 3d printed Keyboard FAQ/Discussion

Offline Volny

  • Posts: 235
I got mine from here. The pic shows opaque housings, but they came translucent. The page mentions that they now sell V2 versions, so maybe that's what I got. Either way it wouldn't make much of a difference though. The main thing with RGB is whether or not the switch has an unobstructed slit to let the light shine through, which most switches do.

Filming isn't total nonsense, but it's fiddly, and as LeslieAnn says it's usually not worth the hassle. Trying different keycaps, O-rings and dampening materials will likely give you more impressive results than filming would.

BTW, I saw a maglev keyboard on the Interest Check forum yesterday (the plate levitates between magnets and thus doesn't directly transfer any sound to neighbouring materials.......though I guess it also isn't fully sealed, so perhaps that leaks more sound?). It might just be a gimmick, but might be worth taking a look if you're interested.

Also, are you aware that you can get rubber keycaps? I can't imagine them feeling great, but they're probably quiet!
« Last Edit: Fri, 13 August 2021, 06:57:58 by Volny »

Offline Linkblade

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 10
I got mine from here. The pic shows opaque housings, but they came translucent. The page mentions that they now sell V2 versions, so maybe that's what I got. Either way it wouldn't make much of a difference though. The main thing with RGB is whether or not the switch has an unobstructed slit to let the light shine through, which most switches do.
Nice! Those look good too! And they hear good too! I watched many videos now with Silent Alpacas and they seem to be awesome too!
Also I came across Gazzew Bobagum Silent (linear) and Gazzew Boba U4 Silent [fasten your seatbelts] which are tactile! Those leave a very good impression on me as well! They seem to be very new on the market as far as I can tell (I cannot tell very much ;D ) and get very positive feedback. They are even told to be as silent in the unlubed stock state as lubed. Silent, tactile, no lubing required... that's pretty awesome!

Still I found that many youtubers still prefer Cherry MX pink when it comes to noise, but only lubed, unlubed their springs are too creaky.
I could order some other switches to compare them all, but I'm just building my first custom keyboard and don't want to invest too much from the beginning on. That's why I stay with what I know...for the time being.

Quote
Filming isn't total nonsense, but it's fiddly, and as LeslieAnn says it's usually not worth the hassle. Trying different keycaps, O-rings and dampening materials will likely give you more impressive results than filming would.
Thanks!

Quote
BTW, I saw a maglev keyboard on the Interest Check forum yesterday (the plate levitates between magnets and thus doesn't directly transfer any sound to neighbouring materials.......though I guess it also isn't fully sealed, so perhaps that leaks more sound?). It might just be a gimmick, but might be worth taking a look if you're interested.
That really sounds pretty cool, but isn't the maglev technology only used for thin keyboards like in laptops?

Quote
Also, are you aware that you can get rubber keycaps? I can't imagine them feeling great, but they're probably quiet!
No, I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for the tip! But seeing a video and a picture from below the keycaps it turns out, they're not made fully out of rubber, but they are just coated with rubber and the area with the stem is still plastic, so I guess that won't do much for noise. this sentence/picture at 2:51:

If the rubber would have been also for the stem, I guess that would have done much, but it probably would be too difficult to assemble them since rubber has much friction when shearing
Since the stem stays plastic I think the material of the keycaps ABS or PBT doesn't matter much for the noise. Rather the manufacturing tolerances and the left over wobble will influence noise. That being said, is there any mod to fix the tolerance between keycap and the switch stem? Has anyone tried glueing the keycaps onto the stems yet? Or applying a glob of lube onto the cross of the stem so the keycap may wobble less?

Offline Volny

  • Posts: 235
You can try putting a very small amount of blutak into the keycaps' stem socket. I do that occasionally for artisans that are too loose.

Offline Leopard223

  • Posts: 228
I have couple of silent switch samples I wanted to compare one day so I took the time today to test them for you. 
I've put them in some spare board to see what is the most quiet, keep in mind they're completely stock, only 1 switch sample rather than a full board, I've layed them on a top mounted plate in a row rather than trying them in the same spot, and they're differently spring weighted, which can also contribute to the pitch.

In terms of sound I'd rate them in the foillowing way (first one is the most quiet):
Boba Gum > Durock Dolphins > [Silent] Ink Black > Boba U4 > Cherry MX [Silent] Black > Cherry MX [Silent] Red RGB > Gateron [Silent] Yellow > Kailh BOX [Silent] Pink > Kailh BOX [Silent] Brown.

In terms of smoothness:
Boba Gum > Durock Dolphins > [Silent] Ink Black > Kailh BOX [Silent] Pink > Gateron [Silent] Yellow > Cherry MX [Silent] Black > Cherry MX [Silent] Red RGB > Boba U4 > Kailh BOX [Silent] Brown.

In terms of dampened feel (how soft the bottom out), first is the firmest: 
Kailh BOX [Silent] Pink > Kailh BOX [Silent] Brown > [Silent] Ink Black > Gateron [Silent] Yellow > Cherry MX [Silent] Red RGB > Cherry MX [Silent] Black > Durock Dolphins > Boba Gum > Boba U4.

Bonus - Stem Wobble (first is the least wobble):
Boba U4 > Cherry MX [Silent] Black > Gateron [Silent] Yellow > Boba Gum > [Silent] Ink Black > Cherry MX [Silent] Red RGB > Durock Dolphins > Kailh BOX [Silent] Brown > Kailh BOX [Silent] Pink

Gazzew switches takes the crown once again, the Boba Gum excels in almost every category, it's very quiet quiet noticeably than the rest and very smooth, while it doesn't have the best stem wobble it's quiet good, though the only downside the bottom out is not the firmest and ranks quite a bit low, it's not bad but it's not the best, the switch doesn't have any spring crunch and you can basically use them stock right out of box/
Durock Dolphins are pretty nice too, they come pretty close to the Boba Gum, my sample have a slight spring crunch though.
Ink Blacks are pretty good too, very expensive though.
The U4 is great too but notice it's tactile, that's why it and the Kailh Brown ranked lower on the smoothness scale, it's smooth but it's not an important feature for tactile IMO, the Kailh BOX [Silent] Brown is not good, aside for it's lacking tactility, the tactile mechanism in Kailh BOX switches tends to develop a click sound after a while,  my sample came with the click right away. 
If you're gonna get one of the Cherry MX silent switches I'd recommend getting the Black housing version, the RGB one is significantly scratchier and have crazy spring crunch.

As for your other wonderings: 
1. I'm unsure if you need to go all out for the GMMK Pro because it has dampening foam, a good keyboard with proper sound dampening can be pretty quiet too, the NK65EE has a pretty great sound dampening sillicone and you can purchase a 3rd party plate foam, alternatively you can get a cheap kit, sillicone made for molds and pour it into the case, basically minimizing echo from the case. 
2. I'd recommend lubing the switches, it will obviously make them smoother, since for some reason the silent counterparts of popular switches tends to be less smooth, and it will also make the pitch lower, especially when using 205g0.
3. I'd highly recommended getting proper stabs, you don't have to get some fancy V2 stabs of popular brands, Everglide/Durock V1 are just as good, just mod them properly and don't stick some tape under the stabilizer housing (it causes it to bend) and you won't have any wire popping.
4. I'm not too knowledgeable about keycaps but from what I gathered, thicker is lower pithced, and ABS is bassier than PBT. 
5. Double shot is not a concern for sound, you can read about the difference in various places that will explain better than me.
6. Do you even need O-rings and QMX clips? seems like a waste of money and alteringthe switch characteristics if you're getting a silenct switch already.
« Last Edit: Sat, 14 August 2021, 07:16:46 by Leopard223 »

Offline Linkblade

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 10
I have couple of silent switch samples I wanted to compare one day so I took the time today to test them for you...

VERY BIG THANKS FOR THIS! This is super helpful!  :) :thumb:
Well, I might order an additional batch of Gazzew Boba Gums and see how they compare to the MX Red Silent stock and modded. Damn, this will be so much work...haha

1. This is my first custom build and I appreciate having less work and complexity with it. When the manufacturer already made many good decisions on the stock board, that means less hassle for me, that's why I would like to go with the GMMK Pro. And I really fancy the knob for volume or whatever I like to bind it to. But the NovelKeys NK65EE looks nice too!

2. I will lube the switches and compare unlubed and lubed.

3. Hmm, custom stabilizers as well huh? What makes you highly recommend it? Are the GMMK Pro stabs so bad? Why are the other stabs so superior? Is it much work?

4. Yesterday I ordered HyperX Pudding ABS Keycaps https://www.mediamarkt.de/de/product/_hyperx-pudding-2672871.html
because these are THE ONLY keycaps I found which have a german layout, are available and let light pass for RGB. They look good to me, so they will do. There was no PBT option. But since ABS seems to be better for less noise anyway this is good!  :)

5. Thanks!

6. Well, I maybe won't need them, may I will. In my current modded stock board Fnatic Rush with MX Pink I have QMX clips and orings installed and both individually made the sound better. It actually made me have a better force feedback before getting to bottom out like if some reversed sort of tactility was created. I still have enough clips and orings for the next board, so that's why I plan to use them. I will try the mods and test what sounds and feels best.

Thanks again! Much appreciated!  :) :thumb:

Offline Linkblade

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 10
I'm just about to order those Bobagums, but they come in three different spring variants: 52g, 62g, 68g. I read that the Cherry MX Silent Red I use do have 60g actuating mass and I think I would like them to be lighter to press. So that would tend to go with 52g, but will that influence the noise for the better or for the worse? Is a harder spring (62g) quieter or a light spring (52g)?

EDIT: This video at 3:12
shows that the higher the spring force, the lower the noise emittance (...or rather the bassier and therefore less audible?). So it comes down to how high a spring force I am ok with.
« Last Edit: Sat, 14 August 2021, 17:30:16 by Linkblade »

Offline HungerMechanic

  • Posts: 1379
I only have experience with the 52 G Bobagum. I can't tell if the spring is particularly noisy or not. The switch in general makes a kind of scritchy / swishy shuffling noise when I use it, which I find a little annoying, but it is definitely quiet.

I enjoyed the 52 G weight. It's just enough that you know you're feeling resistance, but you can easily go from one key to the next with it. Bottom-out isn't harsh, since the spring weight is low and the stem is padded.

As a typing experience, the 52 G Bobagum was good. Although that faint swish was there. U4 Boba (tactile) is about as loud, maybe a bit louder, but it was a different (more complex) kind of sound. The lightness of the 52 G spring may have elevated the noise level a bit, but we aren't talking much here.

You'll enjoy the Boba range of silent switches, they are the best on the market.

Offline Leopard223

  • Posts: 228
I have couple of silent switch samples I wanted to compare one day so I took the time today to test them for you...

VERY BIG THANKS FOR THIS! This is super helpful!  :) :thumb:
Well, I might order an additional batch of Gazzew Boba Gums and see how they compare to the MX Red Silent stock and modded. Damn, this will be so much work...haha

1. This is my first custom build and I appreciate having less work and complexity with it. When the manufacturer already made many good decisions on the stock board, that means less hassle for me, that's why I would like to go with the GMMK Pro. And I really fancy the knob for volume or whatever I like to bind it to. But the NovelKeys NK65EE looks nice too!

2. I will lube the switches and compare unlubed and lubed.

3. Hmm, custom stabilizers as well huh? What makes you highly recommend it? Are the GMMK Pro stabs so bad? Why are the other stabs so superior? Is it much work?

4. Yesterday I ordered HyperX Pudding ABS Keycaps https://www.mediamarkt.de/de/product/_hyperx-pudding-2672871.html
because these are THE ONLY keycaps I found which have a german layout, are available and let light pass for RGB. They look good to me, so they will do. There was no PBT option. But since ABS seems to be better for less noise anyway this is good!  :)

5. Thanks!

6. Well, I maybe won't need them, may I will. In my current modded stock board Fnatic Rush with MX Pink I have QMX clips and orings installed and both individually made the sound better. It actually made me have a better force feedback before getting to bottom out like if some reversed sort of tactility was created. I still have enough clips and orings for the next board, so that's why I plan to use them. I will try the mods and test what sounds and feels best.

Thanks again! Much appreciated!  :) :thumb:
3. it's always recommended to get proper stabs from known brand, nothing is bad as rattling/sticking stabs, especially in a silent build, about the GMMK Pro stabs, while I havn't got the GMMK Pro to actually compare, I've read they're not the best, though it doesn't really matter since you could always change them.

4. Honestly when I come to think about it, you're going to use silent switches, I don't think keycaps choice will matter that much, as long as you like them that's whats important.

By the way, IIRC Cherry MX reds are around 60g-65g bottom out force, so you'll want to get the 52g Boba gums, worst case scenario you can always change the springs.

Offline HungerMechanic

  • Posts: 1379
Yes, do not cheap out on the stabs. Many stabilizers in pre-built store-built keyboards are sub-par.

One of the major benefits of building a custom is that you can use stabilizers that are built properly, and lubed.

This is especially important with silent switches. Cheap out on the keycaps [buy clones], buy an AmazonBasics cable, whatever, but do not cheap out on the stabilizers.

Offline Volny

  • Posts: 235
One thing about O-rings that I've found is that there's surprising variability between different brands and types, depending not just on thickness but on diameter and material. How they interact with different switches differs greatly too. I've got some thick ones that feel great with Pandas but feel like porridge on the already-silenced Boba U4s. I've also got two different brands of thin ones that claimed to be the same thickness, yet my results with them have been very different. They both do next to nothing in a single layer, but with a double layer, one brand makes the key feel awful (blocked/inhibited) while the other brand makes it feel terrific (padded but crisp...even on already silenced switches). Luckily for me the two brands are different colors, because it'd be next to impossible to visually tell them apart without very close scrutinisation otherwise.

So if your O-rings aren't giving you any love, it may be worth trying a different brand, and experimenting with combinations.
« Last Edit: Mon, 16 August 2021, 00:50:26 by Volny »

Offline Linkblade

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 10
Alright, thanks guys! I now ordered proper stabs then, Durock V2 and those Bobagums with 62g. I will test both switches, Bobagums and MX pink, compare and decide for one. The left over switches I could sell. Do you know where to offer unused switches? I got them MX pink from a Drop batch which ended yesterday, so maybe someone will want to have them? Is there a platform for that?

I'm still waiting to order the board, because the silent polycarbonate plate in ISO is not in stock. But support states it will be in stock in about 2 weeks. Is it ok if I post my progress here or should I make a different thread for that?

Offline HungerMechanic

  • Posts: 1379
You can sell excess switches and parts on Reddit mechmarket, and there's a BST forum here as well. There are also various keyboard Discords that have buy/sell/trade subforums. So there should be no problem there.

I'm about to do the same myself - sell excess parts after builds. The Durock V2 stabilizers should work well enough, sounds like you have picked the right components there.

It should be fine to continue posting in this thread, but a new thread about your build may attract new people.

Offline Frank430

  • Posts: 1
I think the best silent switch is ttc silent red V3,I am using now but now you cant get it because I bring it here from China and in US you can only buy the V2 from kbd, so maybe I can get some from China to you if you want but the shipping will be expensive. Also you can try v2 selling from kbd, it also good but not the same color.

Offline HungerMechanic

  • Posts: 1379
I think you can get the TTC Silent Red V3 from AliExpress, but I have no experience with that switch type.

Offline chadrezzar

  • Posts: 16
If you want the quietest you can get I'd highly recommend considering frankenswitches.

Here's a comparison from reddit: https://imgur.com/gallery/2tBO4gq

Keep in mind that the positioning on the keyboard impacts the sound aswell but from my experience this is a fairly accurate representation.
If you're already lubing/filming it isn't much extra effort, the cost does up quite a bit obviously but you can always try to sell the leftovers.

One last thing: the video doesn't show switch feel; other than the sound there might be some differences in feel due to traveldistance or actuation point being slightly different with different leaf/housing/stem combinations. 


« Last Edit: Tue, 17 August 2021, 22:44:05 by chadrezzar »