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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: nilogram on Wed, 07 May 2014, 15:45:58

Title: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: nilogram on Wed, 07 May 2014, 15:45:58
Has anyone noticed how much smoother the typing feels in comparison to the non silenced version?  I don't think I can use the original anymore, its not even the sound dampening that is nice it just feels smoother overall.  Anyone have experience with both boards and came out with this conclusion?
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: Latin00032 on Wed, 07 May 2014, 15:57:47
I'd like to know, too.

I couldn't imagine it having that much of an effect.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: Flyersfan1 on Wed, 07 May 2014, 15:59:18
From my understanding, the only difference between the type-s and non type-s variant is foam in the sliders to dampen the sound of the upstroke of each key.  There's a popular dental band mod that's very easy to do that can really help dampen the typing sound, but will slightly alter the travel of the bottom row of keys. If you want a "smoother" typing experience, I would highly recommend picking up a thick lube kit once mechanicalkeyboards.com gets more in stock and try lubing the sliders.  That should definitely help eliminate any friction you might be feeling while typing.

Here's the guide should you be interested in trying it: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34972.0 (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34972.0)
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: AKIMbO on Wed, 07 May 2014, 16:15:59
Type-S feels grittier compared to the non-silenced HHKB. 
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: iLLucionist on Thu, 08 May 2014, 06:39:17
Has anyone noticed how much smoother the typing feels in comparison to the non silenced version?  I don't think I can use the original anymore, its not even the sound dampening that is nice it just feels smoother overall.  Anyone have experience with both boards and came out with this conclusion?

Damn, first I bought a Filco MJT2 TKL knowingly that I would want to buy a HHKB Pro 2.. One week ago I received my HHKB Pro 2, knowingly that I already wanted to upgrade to the Type S. You only make me want the Type S more!
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: daerid on Thu, 08 May 2014, 10:58:08
Dental banding both my Topres as soon as possible.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: avtar on Thu, 08 May 2014, 12:28:39
Type-S feels grittier compared to the non-silenced HHKB.

I had a black HHKB Pro 2 and the keycaps it shipped with felt gritty at times. I ordered the white/grey keycaps from EK and they felt smoother. The Type-S that I'm using now feels the smoothest.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: jwaz on Thu, 08 May 2014, 12:33:00
Type-S feels grittier compared to the non-silenced HHKB. 

Type-S does not feel grittier at all (maybe you just need to re-lube), in fact, I would say it's smoother (and better stabilized) than my Pro 2.

Dental bands suck, they reduce the travel way too much. I used them for quite a long time to try and get used to 'em and much prefer the Type-S.

blah blah blah subjective.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: Rafen on Thu, 08 May 2014, 21:23:30
Dental banding both my Topres as soon as possible.

Is there a  reference on how to do this?
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 08 May 2014, 21:44:05
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34972.0
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=51403.0
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40582.0
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: Sniping on Thu, 08 May 2014, 22:45:57
Dental banding both my Topres as soon as possible.

Just go with the real thing. The dental bands make the switches feel less like Topre, less tactile because of the reduced space for key travel.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: Rafen on Fri, 09 May 2014, 17:25:01
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34972.0
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=51403.0
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40582.0

Thanks a lot. Might have to look into this once I have my board a bit longer.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: cphead on Fri, 09 May 2014, 17:54:19
I got both and I actually like my normal topre with dental bands more than the silenced version. If you get the 1/8" dental bands they're super slim when stretched out, almost the same as the foam dampeners on the Type S. Also my Type S had that whistling sound problem so maybe that's why I didn't enjoy it as much.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: iLLucionist on Fri, 09 May 2014, 18:51:49
I got both and I actually like my normal topre with dental bands more than the silenced version. If you get the 1/8" dental bands they're super slim when stretched out, almost the same as the foam dampeners on the Type S. Also my Type S had that whistling sound problem so maybe that's why I didn't enjoy it as much.

Never heard of it... what is that... the "whistling sound"?
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: cphead on Fri, 09 May 2014, 18:58:34
I got both and I actually like my normal topre with dental bands more than the silenced version. If you get the 1/8" dental bands they're super slim when stretched out, almost the same as the foam dampeners on the Type S. Also my Type S had that whistling sound problem so maybe that's why I didn't enjoy it as much.

Never heard of it... what is that... the "whistling sound"?

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=55333.0

That thread goes into some detail. By switching domes and sliders and stuff I narrowed it down to the sliders. I think it's just a side effect of the way the Type S sliders are designed. That being said, it seems a lot of people don't get the whistling sound, so who knows  :p
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: iLLucionist on Fri, 09 May 2014, 19:00:35
I got both and I actually like my normal topre with dental bands more than the silenced version. If you get the 1/8" dental bands they're super slim when stretched out, almost the same as the foam dampeners on the Type S. Also my Type S had that whistling sound problem so maybe that's why I didn't enjoy it as much.

Never heard of it... what is that... the "whistling sound"?

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=55333.0

That thread goes into some detail. By switching domes and sliders and stuff I narrowed it down to the sliders. I think it's just a side effect of the way the Type S sliders are designed. That being said, it seems a lot of people don't get the whistling sound, so who knows  :p

Thanks! Just got the HHKB Pro 2 (two weeks in now) and already thinking about buying the Type S, so this is quite useful for me.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: Sniping on Fri, 09 May 2014, 21:42:16
I got both and I actually like my normal topre with dental bands more than the silenced version. If you get the 1/8" dental bands they're super slim when stretched out, almost the same as the foam dampeners on the Type S. Also my Type S had that whistling sound problem so maybe that's why I didn't enjoy it as much.

Never heard of it... what is that... the "whistling sound"?

I'm pretty sure this is just friction from the sliders. For some reason I felt like there was more friction on the sliders of my Type-S than my Leopold.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: mrsone on Sat, 10 May 2014, 01:10:33
Thanks for this post! I was thinking about getting the silenced HHKB for myself, but I wasn't sure if it was worth the extra price. I already have two HHKBs, and I am thinking about getting rid of both and getting the type S. I have used dampened keyboards before, with pads and o-rings, and I do not like them (the ones that I tried) because they reduced the travel of the keys. Does the dampening on the type S seem to reduce the travel any? I am still juggling the idea of buying because having a smoother feel overall is very appealing to me, but I do not want to have any weird swooshing or squeaking on my keyboard.

Decisions, decisions....
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: nilogram on Sat, 10 May 2014, 21:54:39

Thanks for this post! I was thinking about getting the silenced HHKB for myself, but I wasn't sure if it was worth the extra price. I already have two HHKBs, and I am thinking about getting rid of both and getting the type S. I have used dampened keyboards before, with pads and o-rings, and I do not like them (the ones that I tried) because they reduced the travel of the keys. Does the dampening on the type S seem to reduce the travel any? I am still juggling the idea of buying because having a smoother feel overall is very appealing to me, but I do not want to have any weird swooshing or squeaking on my keyboard.

Decisions, decisions....

I would sell one board and try the type s and if you love it then sell the other.  I don't notice any swooshing or squeaking just an overall smoother experience,  haven't tried the dental bands so I have no way to compare
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: mrsone on Fri, 16 May 2014, 11:16:13

Thanks for this post! I was thinking about getting the silenced HHKB for myself, but I wasn't sure if it was worth the extra price. I already have two HHKBs, and I am thinking about getting rid of both and getting the type S. I have used dampened keyboards before, with pads and o-rings, and I do not like them (the ones that I tried) because they reduced the travel of the keys. Does the dampening on the type S seem to reduce the travel any? I am still juggling the idea of buying because having a smoother feel overall is very appealing to me, but I do not want to have any weird swooshing or squeaking on my keyboard.

Decisions, decisions....

I would sell one board and try the type s and if you love it then sell the other.  I don't notice any swooshing or squeaking just an overall smoother experience,  haven't tried the dental bands so I have no way to compare

You are wise! That is exactly what I did, and I am NOT disappointed. I sprung for the Leopold 660C with the topre switches (cause I need arrow keys sometimes), and also the HHKB Type-S. I am thoroughly pleased with both of them. I will be getting rid of the other HHKBs as the typing really is much smoother with the type S. Like the OP mentioned, it is almost linear, and there is not much of a noticeable reduction in the key travel. Also, it is WAY quieter than the original HHKB. I am surprised at how much the difference is. I viewed videos on YouTube comparing the two and the sound difference did not seem to be that great, but in real life, it is the quietest of my keyboards, even quieter than the supposed Mini Quiet Pro from Mattias.

Also, I am happy to report that my keyboard has no swooshing or squeaking of any kind! It is smooth like butter. If you are experiencing this issue it cannot hurt to try to get a warranty repair if your keyboard is still in warranty. I am glad I made the jump! Also, I noticed that for the non-silent type topre keyboards, I like the plating on the Leopold 660C better than the PCB mount on the HHKB, as it quiets the "thock" just enough to make it pleasant.

Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: nilogram on Fri, 16 May 2014, 15:10:22

Thanks for this post! I was thinking about getting the silenced HHKB for myself, but I wasn't sure if it was worth the extra price. I already have two HHKBs, and I am thinking about getting rid of both and getting the type S. I have used dampened keyboards before, with pads and o-rings, and I do not like them (the ones that I tried) because they reduced the travel of the keys. Does the dampening on the type S seem to reduce the travel any? I am still juggling the idea of buying because having a smoother feel overall is very appealing to me, but I do not want to have any weird swooshing or squeaking on my keyboard.

Decisions, decisions....

I would sell one board and try the type s and if you love it then sell the other.  I don't notice any swooshing or squeaking just an overall smoother experience,  haven't tried the dental bands so I have no way to compare

You are wise! That is exactly what I did, and I am NOT disappointed. I sprung for the Leopold 660C with the topre switches (cause I need arrow keys sometimes), and also the HHKB Type-S. I am thoroughly pleased with both of them. I will be getting rid of the other HHKBs as the typing really is much smoother with the type S. Like the OP mentioned, it is almost linear, and there is not much of a noticeable reduction in the key travel. Also, it is WAY quieter than the original HHKB. I am surprised at how much the difference is. I viewed videos on YouTube comparing the two and the sound difference did not seem to be that great, but in real life, it is the quietest of my keyboards, even quieter than the supposed Mini Quiet Pro from Mattias.

Also, I am happy to report that my keyboard has no swooshing or squeaking of any kind! It is smooth like butter. If you are experiencing this issue it cannot hurt to try to get a warranty repair if your keyboard is still in warranty. I am glad I made the jump! Also, I noticed that for the non-silent type topre keyboards, I like the plating on the Leopold 660C better than the PCB mount on the HHKB, as it quiets the "thock" just enough to make it pleasant.

I am happy to hear it worked out for you, I actually have that same leopold and love it as well, I do find my normal HHKBP2 loud but its my only black one.  I wish they made the type S in Black, or if I wasn't too chicken **** to go and mod the case myself.   
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: daerid on Fri, 16 May 2014, 19:10:08
Dental banding both my Topres as soon as possible.

Just go with the real thing. The dental bands make the switches feel less like Topre, less tactile because of the reduced space for key travel.

I didn't want to believe it, but you're right. The problem is I can't stand the HHKB layout. It hurts my hands. So my only option really is to get like, two silenced realforces and cannibalize the sliders for my 55g RF and 660C. Unfortunately, won't have the scrilla for that in quite a while.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: iLLucionist on Sun, 18 May 2014, 07:19:43
Thanks for this post! I was thinking about getting the silenced HHKB for myself, but I wasn't sure if it was worth the extra price. I already have two HHKBs, and I am thinking about getting rid of both and getting the type S. I have used dampened keyboards before, with pads and o-rings, and I do not like them (the ones that I tried) because they reduced the travel of the keys. Does the dampening on the type S seem to reduce the travel any? I am still juggling the idea of buying because having a smoother feel overall is very appealing to me, but I do not want to have any weird swooshing or squeaking on my keyboard.

Decisions, decisions....

Money, money... if you ask me :P What's holding me back, is the price, the shipping, and the import tax  :eek:
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: epzy on Sun, 18 May 2014, 07:28:55
Thanks for this post! I was thinking about getting the silenced HHKB for myself, but I wasn't sure if it was worth the extra price. I already have two HHKBs, and I am thinking about getting rid of both and getting the type S. I have used dampened keyboards before, with pads and o-rings, and I do not like them (the ones that I tried) because they reduced the travel of the keys. Does the dampening on the type S seem to reduce the travel any? I am still juggling the idea of buying because having a smoother feel overall is very appealing to me, but I do not want to have any weird swooshing or squeaking on my keyboard.

Decisions, decisions....

Money, money... if you ask me :P What's holding me back, is the price, the shipping, and the import tax  :eek:

After overpaying an insane amount because of import taxes I've decided that I will never buy a keyboard from a retail store ever again, unless it's my only option. It's much better to buy keyboard stuff second hand and get it marked as a personal gift, that way you can regulate the value so you don't have to pay VAT. Or you could simply use a proxy and still buy from retail stores, but that'd be a little extra in shipping costs and what not, but still better than buying straight from a store.
Title: Re: HHKBP2 Type S
Post by: iLLucionist on Tue, 27 May 2014, 04:24:09
Thanks for this post! I was thinking about getting the silenced HHKB for myself, but I wasn't sure if it was worth the extra price. I already have two HHKBs, and I am thinking about getting rid of both and getting the type S. I have used dampened keyboards before, with pads and o-rings, and I do not like them (the ones that I tried) because they reduced the travel of the keys. Does the dampening on the type S seem to reduce the travel any? I am still juggling the idea of buying because having a smoother feel overall is very appealing to me, but I do not want to have any weird swooshing or squeaking on my keyboard.

Decisions, decisions....

Money, money... if you ask me :P What's holding me back, is the price, the shipping, and the import tax  :eek:

After overpaying an insane amount because of import taxes I've decided that I will never buy a keyboard from a retail store ever again, unless it's my only option. It's much better to buy keyboard stuff second hand and get it marked as a personal gift, that way you can regulate the value so you don't have to pay VAT. Or you could simply use a proxy and still buy from retail stores, but that'd be a little extra in shipping costs and what not, but still better than buying straight from a store.

That's genius. Those taxes and shipping costs feel like wasted money.