To Type S or not to Type S?

[chive_]

I'm fortunate enough to have an internship this summer as a software engineer, and with a bit of cash coming my way I want to invest on a HHKB I can bring back and forth with me to work.

The question I have is concerning the noise of Topre switches. Is the sound of a Topre switch quiet enough for an office environment, or do I need to get a Type S?

Also, is the feeling of the two any different? I've never used a Topre switch before, so any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks!

[lookitdisnub]

Non type-s is quiet enough for an office environment. Both are louder than a membrane board but aren't obnoxious.

[Lurch]

Non type-s is quiet enough for an office environment. Both are louder than a membrane board but aren't obnoxious.

YMMV. I've seen a few posts around saying that standard HHKB's are too loud for an office environment. Depends on where you work, and how sensitive your co-workers are.

[absyrd]

I never had a single bit of desire for a type s. Regular hhkb is so damn quiet as it is.

[rsadek]

I just faced the same choice; I chose not to Type-S for the following reasons:


• the Type-S I played with was very quiet but somewhat squeaky
• the sound of the standard HHKB is somewhat louder but more pleasing
• standard HHKB is not that loud, esp if you don't pound...(which you shouldn't for your wrist health)
• standard HHKB can be dampened or silenced later w/ various mods you can find on geek hack. Like placing the HHKB on a rubber mat or a bit of dish shelf-liner, etc. These mods are often reversible as well.

Given all that it just didn't seem worth an extra $100 for the type-S; at least not for a first HHKB.

-R

[Khers]

.

[absyrd]

There are TONS of office people with long fingernails, weird crappy keyboards, rough touch, etc that make WAY more noise than even mx blues. Even on a quality rubber dome they can be much louder. The solid, deeper "thock" of the HHKB is not noticeable. Just take your thumb and tap your desk with a tiny bit of force then take your fingernail and do the same... stock HHKB is more like the former than the latter.

[lookitdisnub]

I first got the standard HHKB, which I think is the sensible option given the extra investment required for a Type-S (unless you get it from Japan where the price difference is not quite as large). Although you can probably sell it off with minimal losses if you are not pleased...

Quite soon after receiving it though, I felt that it was perhaps a tad too loud to use in the office and tried my hand at dental banding it. While this silenced it somewhat, it's not as quiet as a Type-S is, moreover it changed the feel of the board for the worse. There are other methods out there though, such as ironed soft landing pads that might be better than dental bands.

Anyhow, I recently got myself a Type-S and I could not be happier. I've read a few people claiming that the Type-S whistles and whatnot, but I've not experienced anything like that - maybe there are different batches or something.

They might've solved the whistling recently but as far as I know it wasn't considered a problem worth fixing. My first Type-S had a lot of whistling and the one I exchanged it for had very little and it went away over time anyway.

[Wonko73]

Hi,

I'm very pleased with my HHKB 2 Type S. I have an additional Realforce Topre TenKeyPad ... well - the sound should be similar to an usual HHKB 2.

In my opinion the Type S is great (altough I prefer klicky blue switches on my other keyboards).

[tp4tissue]

Maximum_ERGODOX

[snoopy]

I was a bit disappointed by the type-s, cause mine makes strange noises... wasn't really worth the additional money in my opinion.

[Sygaldry]

Stock Topre is too load if you share an office with others.

[tp4tissue]

I was a bit disappointed by the type-s, cause mine makes strange noises... wasn't really worth the additional money in my opinion.

I was disappointed in my 87u.. 

It's not really a bad keyboard or anything..

But the Geekhack hype was in extreme-excess to the natural merits of the device.


The biggest downer was how people would say, This is not Rubber Dome..

Then you go and type on it..  Feels exactly like rubber dome..


I'm not against rubber dome,  but hey,  why you gotta lie to me..


There are worse ways to burn $200...


I guess it's not too much to pay for "the experience"..

In my case it was the the experience of disappointment,  but I think if I didn't buy it because of the HYPE,     I would've been less disappointed..


But as it stands..  I'm still angry...

[sorijealut]

I was a bit disappointed by the type-s, cause mine makes strange noises... wasn't really worth the additional money in my opinion.

I recommend the Type S, but I do agree, my board is probably on the "stranger" side of normality scale, as there's more spring noise on some keys than others.
I did take out the spring under the space bar to make it quieter. Difference was pretty big

Of course, I recommend the now-popular way of ordering from Tenso, something I learned from my friend Syg.

[exitfire401]

Original +O2dazone mod> Type-S any day of the week. (typed on my type-s)

[steve.v]

Annoy others and sound like you're working hard; reg.

Slam away with quietness and sound like you're doing nothing; type-S.

[Air tree]

If people get annoyed by an HHKB, start typing on clicky switches, they'll be begging for the topre...

[exitfire401]

If people get annoyed by an HHKB, start typing on clicky switches, they'll be begging for the topre...

That's how I remedied the complaints I was getting at work...Had people *****ing about my Type-S. I brought in my Kingsaver for a day, and they made me swap back to the HHKB after 45 minutes. That'll show them.

[clacktalk]

type s is definitely the way to go between the two. topre is surprisingly loud

[gravenshard]

Type-S.

[KeypressGraphics]

I say go the Type-S, I regret not saving up the extra for one. Not because the HHKB is particularly loud but because buying the Type-S means you own the holy grail of Topre boards and upgratitis can be put to rest. Buying one direct from Japan via a proxy seems to be the way to do it.

[appleonama]

type-s

non s is too loud I had to dental band my regular black hhkb

[rsadek]

So I just got my standard opened just now. It is a delight and I love it.

Verdict: it really isn't that loud. Louder than the S, yes. But no louder than my officemate's Microsoft Natural 4000. The  sound has two parts : a very nice "thock" on the way down. On the way up (sometimes, but not all) there's a bit of a "clack" as the key reaches the end of the stroke. It's not loud at all, but might be more intrusive than the thock.

Here's my reasoning: First, you'll want Hasu's mod; save the money for that. Then if you love HHKB (like me) you'll probably end up with both eventually. If it's not for you, GH is an easy place to sell it.

Second, the dark grey/black keys are gorgeous. Esp w/ the red/blue Ctrl/Esc color pack. It just makes it for me. See pix:





Finally, most offices I've worked in are loud: people talk, type, phone calls, etc. My gentle typing on this thing is within the thresholds of office politesse I've experienced; doubtless others have experienced officepsaces with lower noise thresholds, which seems like a good problem to have. YMMV.

I'm going to try my luck with the standard first; yet look forward to the inevitable day when I also buy the Type-S...just for the joy of it. Let us know what you decide and how it works out
-R