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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: dgreekstallion on Fri, 06 June 2014, 06:34:09

Title: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: dgreekstallion on Fri, 06 June 2014, 06:34:09
If all goes well I will get a job very very soon and I'd like to bring my own keyboard- preferably something quiet.

I have searched and I can't find many topics regarding the Matias Quiet Pro boards... Are they decent/worth the value? Or are there other, better quiet boards? Perhaps a floss modded IBM Model M/F? Topre?
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: SpAmRaY on Fri, 06 June 2014, 06:36:06
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48736.0 (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48736.0)

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38891.0 (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38891.0)

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=41986.0 (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=41986.0)

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52440.0
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: mougrim on Fri, 06 June 2014, 06:45:23
I can't say dental floss modded F is quiet. It just... quieter and without that metallic "twang".
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: qwack on Fri, 06 June 2014, 06:54:45
If all goes well I will get a job very very soon and I'd like to bring my own keyboard- preferably something quiet.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd say that provided you don't bottom out, pretty much any keyboard with non-clicky switch should fit the bill.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: dorkvader on Fri, 06 June 2014, 07:02:52
My co-worker was very specific about this. He said my WASD V1 (cherry brown) was too loud. I don't even bottom out, and he's louder on his RD, especially when he mashes the enter key. Still I wanted to avoid office tension.

I am currently using a 30G topre and he doesn't even notice it's there. It's not even dental band modded.

You can also change your typing habits to affect sound greatly. I don't bottom out, but I "release" the key too quick, and the top out noise is very noticeable. I plan to dental band mod eventually.

If all goes well I will get a job very very soon and I'd like to bring my own keyboard- preferably something quiet.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd say that provided you don't bottom out, pretty much any keyboard with non-clicky switch should fit the bill.
Unfortunately, this is not the case, As I said, "top out" noise can be significant, especially with certain switches.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: qwack on Fri, 06 June 2014, 07:06:34
Oh, right, the sound of my Reds topping out doesn't bother me, but it's true that they can be problematic for co-workers.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: Frenir on Fri, 06 June 2014, 07:07:57
Get reds and learn not to bottom out.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: dgreekstallion on Fri, 06 June 2014, 07:11:43
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48736.0 (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=48736.0)

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38891.0 (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38891.0)

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=41986.0 (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=41986.0)

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52440.0

I stand corrected. Thanks man.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: dgreekstallion on Fri, 06 June 2014, 07:12:15
My co-worker was very specific about this. He said my WASD V1 (cherry brown) was too loud. I don't even bottom out, and he's louder on his RD, especially when he mashes the enter key. Still I wanted to avoid office tension.

I am currently using a 30G topre and he doesn't even notice it's there. It's not even dental band modded.

You can also change your typing habits to affect sound greatly. I don't bottom out, but I "release" the key too quick, and the top out noise is very noticeable. I plan to dental band mod eventually.

If all goes well I will get a job very very soon and I'd like to bring my own keyboard- preferably something quiet.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd say that provided you don't bottom out, pretty much any keyboard with non-clicky switch should fit the bill.
Unfortunately, this is not the case, As I said, "top out" noise can be significant, especially with certain switches.
This is interesting; I wonder if I bottom out on my Model F. I have no idea to be perfectly honest.

Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: dgreekstallion on Fri, 06 June 2014, 07:20:20
Based on the reviews, it's apparently not that quiet- a decent cherry with o-rings is also quiet. I know nothing about cherry switches as I've always used B.S.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: fohat.digs on Fri, 06 June 2014, 07:25:12
You should consider brown or clear Cherry. You will have quite a "culture shock" going from full tactile to straight linear.

Stuff some padding in the case, if you can, and set it on a mat. And O-rings will help considerably.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: dgreekstallion on Fri, 06 June 2014, 07:56:20
You should consider brown or clear Cherry. You will have quite a "culture shock" going from full tactile to straight linear.

Stuff some padding in the case, if you can, and set it on a mat. And O-rings will help considerably.
Thanks. It's going to be tough not being able to use my Model F! This thing really has spoiled me.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: ideus on Fri, 06 June 2014, 08:33:17
Reds with red o-rings (40) and low profile caps, DSA or Cherry are OK, also ABS tends to produce lower pitch, that contributes to lower sound. Also the construction of the board is important, plate mount tend to be more rigid, thus it produces less sound in general.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: mougrim on Fri, 06 June 2014, 08:36:00
You should consider brown or clear Cherry. You will have quite a "culture shock" going from full tactile to straight linear.

Stuff some padding in the case, if you can, and set it on a mat. And O-rings will help considerably.
Thanks. It's going to be tough not being able to use my Model F! This thing really has spoiled me.

It has that tendency ;) By the way - it really far more quieter without bottoming out - especially with dental floss mod. Ask your collegues if that sound bother them before buying new board ;)
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: Defect on Fri, 06 June 2014, 08:36:48
Here to throw love at lubed ghost blacks (Black stem, clear spring), an MX spring mod switch.

Buttery smooth, cushioned bottom out (I pretty much never bottom out on Ghost blacks), heavy but lighter than stock black up to actuation point.  No noise as a result.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: dgreekstallion on Fri, 06 June 2014, 09:53:09
Here to throw love at lubed ghost blacks (Black stem, clear spring), an MX spring mod switch.

Buttery smooth, cushioned bottom out (I pretty much never bottom out on Ghost blacks), heavy but lighter than stock black up to actuation point.  No noise as a result.
Those do sound good. If they allow me to bring my own board I'll take that into consideration.

Oh yeah. I got the job!
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: exitfire401 on Fri, 06 June 2014, 09:59:10
reds or clears with o-rings if you want cherry. If you want Topre, any board is quiet enough from my experience, but if you require further silencing, it's not expensive at all to mod them.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: dgreekstallion on Fri, 06 June 2014, 10:13:47
reds or clears with o-rings if you want cherry. If you want Topre, any board is quiet enough from my experience, but if you require further silencing, it's not expensive at all to mod them.
Excellent. Thanks for this information.

Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: Oobly on Fri, 06 June 2014, 10:41:39
Buckling springs are louder than all other mechanical types, Cherry MX, Alps (incl. Matias) or Topre.

I don't have experience with Alps clicky switches, but the Matias Quiet Click switches are actually very quiet, around the same as a Cherry MX non-clicky board (linear or tactile) with orings.

MX come in 3 main types, clicky (blues, greens and whites), linear (red, black) and tactile (brown, clear).

There are three places the switches make noise: any inherent click mechanism the switch has, bottoming out and release. The Matias has a click, but the bottom out and release are dampened by a rubber piece on the slider. MX linear and tactile have no click, but relatively loud bottom out and release noise. Orings dampen the bottom out noise.

I don't like the click sound of MX clicky switches, but I like the tactile feedback of the tactile switches (especially Clears). Linears have no tactile feedback when the switch actuates, which can be nice for some types of games, but I find I don't like typing on them.

Different keycaps can also change the pitch of the bottom out and release noise, I find thick, heavy caps to sound better (lower pitch) than thin, light caps.

My favourite switches are Clears with 62g springs, trampoline and latex modded for quietness (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=50632.0), but stock Clears or Browns with orings are "good enough" :)
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: jacobolus on Fri, 06 June 2014, 10:58:39
If you’re used to buckling spring keyboards, then Matias quiet switches are about the closest you’re going to get while staying pretty quiet. They’re still quite tactile (more than any Cherry MX switch for instance), and if you want any less sound, you’d have to get a rubber dome. With that said, be warned that it’s still a mechanical keyboard with lots of moving plastic as you type: It’s not completely silent.

The biggest novelty, coming from buckling spring switches, might be the location of the actuation/tactile point, which in Alps-like switches (including Matias quiet switches) is much nearer to the top of the keystroke than for buckling spring switches. Personally, I prefer that, but I know some folks don’t.

Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: SonOfSonOfSpock on Fri, 06 June 2014, 19:17:14
The Matias quiet boards are quieter than all the MX boards I've tried, but it is louder than scissor switch or rubber dome boards. Not much louder, but it's noticeable. I can't comment on Topre boards, but I've heard they are a good option for quietness.
Title: Re: Quiet Keyboard... Can't find much feedback here.
Post by: tp4tissue on Fri, 06 June 2014, 19:20:17
Buy the Cheapest (NEW) rubber dome keyboard you can find..

it will be the MOST quiet board EVAR..

Why?    they use very thin material for the keycaps..  so the kinetic energy of the rebound stroke is greatly reduced.

They also use very thin silicone dome sheets under the keys, which means even LESS kinetic energy on rebound..


AND.... AND... because the cheaper boards usually have low tolerance manufacturing, that means they use a very wide margin for the key sockets...
---------- This means the switch stem does not touch the sockets on all sides.. FURTHER reducing friction, and any potential noise it may generate..