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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: didjamatic on Mon, 03 May 2010, 15:07:14

Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: didjamatic on Mon, 03 May 2010, 15:07:14
So I went from domes to Buckling Springs to Cherries/ALPS/Montereys and finally Topres.  I had tested everything and ended up with 87u Topres as daily drivers at work and home.  (Variable at work, all-55g at home)  I still love Topres and they are very soothing and relaxing to type on, and if you must have a quiet board but don't want a rubber dome, they are the way to go.... but I've spent the last 2 weeks on Blue Cherries and Buckling Springs and absolutely love them.  

When I tried Blue Cherries before, it was on a Plate Mounted Filco, so the post click reverb was very loud and I couldn't do it.  But the new Blue Cherries I've been using are PCB mounted and I think that makes a world of difference.  A Dolche Pac board that I got from Ricercar (Basically a G80-1800 with Double Shots) and a G80-3000LSCRC-2 (the English-Chinese, standard layout board) are my 2 main drivers, with an '87 Mini going in rotation periodically.

These PCB mounted cherries are the sweet spot I've been wanting in a keyboard for a long time.  I LOVE the feel of Buckling Springs but don't like the ping/spring reverb.  Hopefully a floss mod will resolve that shortly.  If I can silence that reverb, I think the BS could be my main driver again.

So why am I posting this?

Because my opinion on which switch is best has continually changed.  I first liked Topres, then didn't, then I loved them so much I was going to sell everything but my Topres and be done, considering my 87u's the one keyboard to rule them all.  But over time I think you crave something a little different to inject some variety into your day.  

I think many people are looking for that one keyboard to rule them all, but discover half the fun of owning and using mechanical keyboards is swapping between them and enjoying their differences.

Thank you to all the contributors here for the info on many unique and rare boards.  My silent cube farm neighbors may hate you, but I don't.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 03 May 2010, 15:19:34
Another PCB-mounted Cherry fan.  Join us.  Join the Dark Side.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 03 May 2010, 15:28:14
I will say that the keycap is probably the largest factor in terms of sound and feel.  These double-shots feel and sound different that the Cherry lasered caps which, in turn, sound and feel different than the Filcos.  Unfortunately, I no longer have a Filco to mix and match with.  The 1863 is a little different beast in that the case seems to be a different material than the 3000 I have, and the 1863 is heavier despite its size.  The 1863 (and I would imagine the Raptor K1) are definitely made to a different standard than their other consumer products.  That's not to say one is better than the other, but they are certainly catering to a different consumer.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: bitflipper on Mon, 03 May 2010, 19:47:33
Quote from: itlnstln;178602
I will say that the keycap is probably the largest factor in terms of sound and feel.


I'm guessing you haven't yet installed dampened sliders into an Alps-like board. Big difference. Really big.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: mrbill on Mon, 03 May 2010, 21:17:04
I've got a Cherry Brown PCB-mounted board (Ricercar SPOS) and a plate-mounted board (Filco Tenkeyless), and I can definitely tell the difference and prefer the plate-mounted version.  

After spending enough time on a board with Browns, I've put my Filco 104-key with Blues on the "guest computer" in the living room.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: quadibloc on Mon, 03 May 2010, 21:32:05
Quote from: itlnstln;178600
Another PCB-mounted Cherry fan.  Join us.  Join the Dark Side.
No. Remember the Model M. Use the buckling spring.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: wellington1869 on Mon, 03 May 2010, 21:41:12
Quote from: didjamatic;178598
Because my opinion on which switch is best has continually changed.
...
 think many people are looking for that one keyboard to rule them all, but discover half the fun of owning and using mechanical keyboards is swapping between them and enjoying their differences.


join the club :) apparently what i like is the variety too (so much so that i cant throw dome boards out of the mix either).

But after a year of serial keyboardry, I did notice some patterns to my meandering, probably you will too.  I like heavy and relatively quiet (tho not totally silent) keys. (With mechs: silenced buckling springs, or alps with dampened sliders; or: heavy-ish dome boards preferably with rattly keys or a little bottom clacking).

With lighter switches/domes, in nearly every case, after initially liking it, I gravitated away back to a heavier switch.

That said, looks like i'm not picky within that 'envelope'.  If its relatively heavy and relatively quiet, I can use it fine. Even domes.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: Nonmouse on Mon, 03 May 2010, 21:45:09
Quote from: wellington1869;178682

That said, looks like i'm not picky within that 'envelope'.  If its relatively heavy and relatively quiet, I can use it fine. Even domes.


Poseur.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: wellington1869 on Mon, 03 May 2010, 22:20:27
Quote from: Nonmouse;178683
Poseur.


I've got two big dome board reviews coming up :)
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: elbowglue on Tue, 04 May 2010, 00:23:23
Bwahaha I thought itlnstln hijacked your account when I read this.

"And you, young Skywalker; we shall watch your career with great interest."
-Palpatine

Quote from: didjamatic;178598
So I went from domes to Buckling Springs to Cherries/ALPS/Montereys and finally Topres.  I had tested everything and ended up with 87u Topres as daily drivers at work and home.  (Variable at work, all-55g at home)  I still love Topres and they are very soothing and relaxing to type on, and if you must have a quiet board but don't want a rubber dome, they are the way to go.... but I've spent the last 2 weeks on Blue Cherries and Buckling Springs and absolutely love them.  

When I tried Blue Cherries before, it was on a Plate Mounted Filco, so the post click reverb was very loud and I couldn't do it.  But the new Blue Cherries I've been using are PCB mounted and I think that makes a world of difference.  A Dolche Pac board that I got from Ricercar (Basically a G80-1800 with Double Shots) and a G80-3000LSCRC-2 (the English-Chinese, standard layout board) are my 2 main drivers, with an '87 Mini going in rotation periodically.

These PCB mounted cherries are the sweet spot I've been wanting in a keyboard for a long time.  I LOVE the feel of Buckling Springs but don't like the ping/spring reverb.  Hopefully a floss mod will resolve that shortly.  If I can silence that reverb, I think the BS could be my main driver again.

So why am I posting this?

Because my opinion on which switch is best has continually changed.  I first liked Topres, then didn't, then I loved them so much I was going to sell everything but my Topres and be done, considering my 87u's the one keyboard to rule them all.  But over time I think you crave something a little different to inject some variety into your day.  

I think many people are looking for that one keyboard to rule them all, but discover half the fun of owning and using mechanical keyboards is swapping between them and enjoying their differences.

Thank you to all the contributors here for the info on many unique and rare boards.  My silent cube farm neighbors may hate you, but I don't.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 04 May 2010, 07:41:05
Quote from: bitflipper;178656
I'm guessing you haven't yet installed dampened sliders into an Alps-like board. Big difference. Really big.

I was a little vague there, but that was directed to Cherry switches.  You're right, though, in ALPS, the dampers make a huge difference.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: bhtooefr on Tue, 04 May 2010, 08:09:14
Myself, I don't care for Alps, like the lightness of Cherry blues, and the force curve and how the tactility is directly connected to transmission of the character, of buckling spring.

I bounce between my EnduraPro and my Scorpius M10, right now.

Gotta cancel the order on this beam spring board, and order from somewhere else, though. I suspect that'll be my new favorite.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: skcheng on Tue, 04 May 2010, 08:20:45
I like it all.   And I like the variety.   I'm typing right now on an HHKB2 and it feels really nice.  Soft, and comfortable which is what I would have expected from the Re^lforce 87U.   So maybe it's a matter of break-in?  

As far as pure key feel, and typing experience, my faves (in rotation) include the plate or PCB (Das II) Cherry Blue, the IBM b/s and the winner is probably the buckling/capacitive switch of the IBM PC AT 84 key Model F.   Those keys are a total JOY to type on.    A Space Saving Mini with buckling/capacitive  switches and a standard US layout would be perfect in my book.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: patrickgeekhack on Tue, 04 May 2010, 08:22:07
Quote from: didjamatic;178598

half the fun of owning and using mechanical keyboards is swapping between them and enjoying their differences.


I agree. At work I use a brown Cherry Filco. At home, I rotate through blue Cherry, brown Cherry and Topre. The Topre is nice when you need to be quiet, but I think I'm more scared than anything else. My daughter does not seem to be bothered by the noise since I don't bottom our heavily on them. My wife does when she occasionally type on my Cherry board because she's not used to it.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: ironcoder on Tue, 04 May 2010, 09:01:07
Seller's remorse? I guess it's kind of like dumping your old girlfriend.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: wellington1869 on Tue, 04 May 2010, 10:57:50
Quote from: ripster;178775
So the philosophical question of the day.

Why do many Geekhackers sell their keyboards and then later buy them back?

Just asking.


if you sell them at a fair price, then its like being able to 'rent' the keyboards for a while. cheaper than sinking a lot of money into them. the market for keyboards is fairly liquid between gh marketplace and ebay.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: kishy on Tue, 04 May 2010, 11:12:39
Quote from: ripster;178821
Nobody regrets selling their old video card.


I regretted parting ways with my old Pentium Pro system as a whole...primarily because of the gaming experience. That thing played Half-Life like a champ.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: ricercar on Wed, 05 May 2010, 18:38:39
Quote from: ripster;178775
Why do many Geekhackers sell their keyboards and then later buy them back?


A new experiment comes to light. Something changes in the fingertip that demands re-testing.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: bigpook on Wed, 05 May 2010, 20:53:38
I did that with an HHKB, Model M Mini x4, and a couple of brown cherry Filco's.
If they sit too long, or don't behave the way I expect, I sell them. A few months later, I buy them again.
I think for me its something like OCD.
Title: Mechanical Keyboards
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 06 May 2010, 03:19:44
Quote from: ripster;178826
When Bill Gates is on his deathbed instead of "Rosebud" I wonder if he'll mutter "IBM Model F".   I'm almost certain he won't mutter "Hayes Modem".
Show Image
(http://oldcomputers.net/oldads/people/bill-gates.jpg)

(Snow in Redmond?  That's pretty rare.)


Or maybe it will be that Mac in the background.