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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: repuls0r on Sun, 17 July 2016, 23:00:07
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Hi guys,
I recently silenced my novatouch with hypersphere rings, and then slapped on my set of DZ SA Keycaps.
What i realised after was that the tactile bump felt greatly reduced and I could feel the travel distance was affected by quite abit, the perfect way to describe it was the novatouch just felt sluggish. However when i swapped back to my pbt cherry set, the topre switches came back to life with that beautiful tactile bump and smooth action.
So I was wondering if anyone else has the same experience or could share any insight on this, because I have seen many posts saying how great SA keycaps are when matched with a Novatouch but apparently i just felt like SA caps are just too heavy for the 45g switch.
Many thanks in advance
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I can't say I have any experience with SA profile and Topre switches. However, I did have a similar experience with SP SA profile keycaps and MX-Clear switches which have a actuation force of 55 cN. With the SA profile the spacebar wouldn't always completely return past the tactile "bump" of the clears which was, understandably, quite annoying.
Anyway, I'm also curious if other Novatouch users have had similar experiences with SA profile caps... some of the SA profile sets look SOOOO good on Novatouches it'd be a bummer if the switch felt different.
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Yes it definitely altered the delicate feel of 45 topre switches
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Individual SA keycaps may be twice as heavy as, say, thick Cherry, but it's still around 3 g even for larger caps (e.g., 1.5u), which is something like 7 % of 45g Topre's peak force. I can imagine a spacebar might cause some weight-related issues, even though the weight is distributed across a larger area (or more points) in case of stabilized keycaps.
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I've found SA is too heavy on MX blues and reds, so I imagine Topre would be the same.
Makes the keys even more too light to press, and slows their return.
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I've found SA is too heavy on MX blues and reds, so I imagine Topre would be the same.
Makes the keys even more too light to press, and slows their return.
Welp, this is terrible news for me.
How are they on greens? Specifically gaterons.
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The spacebar issue is an interesting, if alarming one. I use SA keycaps on Filcos and Varmilos built with 45g MX reds and don't have any such, er, problems.
In general I would say that the SA profile isn't too heavy for the NovaTouch, it is simply too heavy for you (i.e., the feel you're after). I am planning to put SAs on the forthcoming RealForce MX board and anticipate having no such complaints.
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I've found SA is too heavy on MX blues and reds, so I imagine Topre would be the same.
Makes the keys even more too light to press, and slows their return.
Welp, this is terrible news for me.
How are they on greens? Specifically gaterons.
Gaterons greens are 80g, right? Like MX greens?
I've tried SA on MX green, and it's fine. Also no MX black. But MX red or blue they are just way too heavy for my liking.
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interesting!
I was just thinking about what keycaps to buy for my incoming novatouch from massdrop.
looks like it will be some thick pbt (if I can find any). don't know what else I should be looking at, want something different but subtle, for use in the office. currently using the taihao doubleshot abs dolch.
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interesting!
I was just thinking about what keycaps to buy for my incoming novatouch from massdrop.
looks like it will be some thick pbt (if I can find any). don't know what else I should be looking at, want something different but subtle, for use in the office. currently using the taihao doubleshot abs dolch.
I wish I had my Tai Hao Dolch set.
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^^^^^^^^^^^
I'm sure you can still find them for a decent price, not like they are stopping production anytime soon right?
here's a potato shot of mine, I swapped some keys out with my wife's black grey set, also from taihao.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7261/26800799873_9780365f4e_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/GQi75r)IMG_1011 (https://flic.kr/p/GQi75r) by chewyicecube (https://www.flickr.com/photos/22973052@N02/), on Flickr
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I have the SA Carbon set on my NT and I really the combination. I only wish I had the Penumbra SA set!
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Hey Hyper, you got a pic of your Carbon-dressed NT?
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Here you go -- my CM NT with Carbon SA:
[attachimg=1]
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The novatouch is the only keyboard I find SA keycaps somewhat nice to use on. Everything else just feels weird or too wobbly.
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The novatouch is the only keyboard I find SA keycaps somewhat nice to use on. Everything else just feels weird or too wobbly.
Agreed - SA height greatly magnifies stem wobble. lots. Using them on zealios felt like a rattly jalopy.
I actually found SA's smooth finish complements the buttery curve of Topre 45g quite well - fluid feel all around. Silencing my novatouch with ironed EK landing pads sort of ruined it though. Still curious to try SA w 55g domes.
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Here you go -- my CM NT with Carbon SA:
(Attachment Link)
Very nice!
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I have Novatouch with Hack'd and one with SA Retro Burgundy both silenced with Hypersphere's rings. It definitely felt different at first but I got used to it after a couple hours. IMO there isn't a better typing experience than SA + Topre.
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love the feel of SA keycaps on my NT. i only use SA on mine.
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Oh man, you guys are torturing me. I want to put SAs on Topre switches real bad, but the Realforce MX won't be out until around Christmas, at the earliest. So much waiting...
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@zslane: Has there been any updated news on the RF mx? Last I heard is that it will be full-size with variable switch weighting and RGB LEDs. It will be interesting to see how the 30g switches fare under the SA profile caps.
I recall that you favor full-size keyboards. As for me, if the RF104mx is a success, I would like to see a 60% version, although Topre might be too honorable to launch an incursion into the PFU HHKB domain. It might be easier for Topre to make an RF87mx, but I no longer like the TKL format. I also prefer Topre caps on Topre switches -- the two unite beautifully in a well-tuned functional unit. Even so, it might be fun to dress up a 60% Topre mx choosing from the incredible variety of mx-compatible caps, including SA profile, but I would want 45g or possibly 55g domes underneath.
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My understanding is that the Realforce RGB is being aimed for a November-ish release, just in time for Christmas. We'll see if they manage to hit that target.
I think the spring force will be 45cN across the board, it's just that you can adjust where along its travel it actuates. And it is a 108-key board, not 104, which actually works out well for my Space Cadet plans (though I may have to paint one white on my own to really get it the way I want). And as for the backlighting, well, I plan to just disable it and pretend it doesn't exist.
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I'd give it a try with different keys, I.E., the stock ones, and then you can get a much more definitive answer.