Author Topic: Best dampeners/O-rings with MX Reds for gaming (Read 13337 times)

SpiderWaffle · « **on:** Wed, 08 February 2012, 22:30:05 »

I was wondering what people thought were the best dampeners to use with MX reds for gaming. I really want to shorten the travel distance as much possible without hurting anything. I've heard a couple people say the like soft for noise and such, but I'm not sure what would be best for gaming.

CaiSter21 · « **Reply #1 on:** Wed, 08 February 2012, 23:59:32 »

I use 50A o rings on my mx red. dampens the sound, but very little reduction to travel distance. there is no absolute best for gaming, just what you prefer. People generally buy o-rings to dampen sound, so i don't know why you would want to reduce travel distance.

SpiderWaffle · « **Reply #2 on:** Thu, 09 February 2012, 03:07:31 »

I've heard it helps people type faster with a bit less distance, also makes sense for gaming, where you'll want to press, release, and press again the same key very rapidly. So instead of going down 3-4mm each time you will just have to down 2.5 or so. I've heard MX switches toggle at 2mm and travel another 2mm before bottoming out. This extra 2mm can slow you down when your hitting same keys repeatedly very fast. I think could game better on my old fata1ty keyboard with rubber domes because it had such short travel distance.

Mainly I'm not sure if hard or soft would be better, or maybe a happy middle ground.

I do want to minimize travel distance though, and I'm not sure about the exact specs.

WhiteFireDragon · « **Reply #3 on:** Thu, 09 February 2012, 06:23:13 »

I'm personally using 40A really thick O-rings for normal typing and gaming on SC2. For gaming, I always have to bottom out, and when double tapping the number hot keys, I can double tap a little faster with the shortened travel.

Most people like 40A softness, but some don't because it doesn't feel exactly the same as without O-rings. This is where the harder rubbers come in. It'll dampen the noise, but won't change the key feel too much, especially on PCB mounted boards.

F u r u y á · « **Reply #4 on:** Thu, 09 February 2012, 06:37:01 »

Yes, I use fat O'Rings too. MX Red + 40A fat O'Rings. Really nice setting for fast typing and gaming. ^ Props to the gentlemen above.

SpiderWaffle · « **Reply #5 on:** Thu, 09 February 2012, 20:54:58 »

Can you post a link to the O-rings you ordered? Do you know exactly how thick they are? I'm thinking something like 1.8mm would be ideal for me. Also does anyone know how these dampeners compare to o-rings?

http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,slpads

SpiderWaffle · « **Reply #6 on:** Thu, 09 February 2012, 23:06:12 »

Anyone know what the best dimensions would be to minimize travel distance? I was thinking something like 1.8mm think so you get about 2.2mm travel, but I'm not sure if the MX specs are exactly 4mm travel and 2mm activation. Then I was thinking maybe square O-rings would be better, I'm sure you'd get a harder feel with that at least.

Does anyone has an idea have dampeners such as these would compare to o-rings? pretty similar?

http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,slpads

kikkobots · « **Reply #7 on:** Sun, 12 February 2012, 13:14:33 »

what are the dimensions of o'rings. what is the dimensions of these so called fat ones

SpiderWaffle · « **Reply #8 on:** Wed, 21 March 2012, 18:35:06 »

I've gone with M4.8x1.9 They're 1.9mm thick with tolerance of .06mm so this the best ring I could find to minimize of 2.00mm extra travel distance. Also I think the 4.8mm diameter is just about perfect. I couldn't find anything in English sizes that was this close to ideal dimensions. You should be able to get them from large range of softness as well.

sordna · « **Reply #9 on:** Wed, 21 March 2012, 18:49:55 »

Dude, the o-ring thickness does not equal the reduction in travel. There is at least 1mm of space between the switch housing top and the keycap bottom when the key is bottomed out. A 1mm o-ring has no-effect because it's not enough to fill that space. A 1.5mm o-ring reduces travel by about .5mm or less. To reduce travel by 2mm you would need something close to 3mm thickness! However note that the key actuates at 2mm of travel (total travel is 4mm btw) so you might prevent the actuation (unless you really squish the key down) if the o-ring is a bit too thick.

Inf3rn0_44 · « **Reply #10 on:** Wed, 21 March 2012, 20:08:33 »

I use 50a o-rings, i'd like to try the 40a ones w/ my reds. too bad the last GB I was in I never got an invoice...

SpiderWaffle · « **Reply #11 on:** Thu, 22 March 2012, 01:24:50 »

Quote from: SpiderWaffle;552950

I've gone with M4.8x1.9 They're 1.9mm thick with tolerance of .06mm so this the best ring I could find to minimize of 2.00mm extra travel distance. Also I think the 4.8mm diameter is just about perfect. I couldn't find anything in English sizes that was this close to ideal dimensions. You should be able to get them from large range of softness as well.

So you're saying when the key bottoms out there's still about 1mm of clearance between the underneath top of keycap and switch where the o-ring would reside?

sordna · « **Reply #12 on:** Thu, 22 March 2012, 01:31:06 »

Exactly! What normally bottoms out is the stem inside the bottom of the switch housing, and there's more than 1mm of clearance between the top of the switch housing and the keycap underside struts.

SpiderWaffle · « **Reply #13 on:** Thu, 22 March 2012, 01:34:31 »

Quote from: SpiderWaffle;553237

So you're saying when the key bottoms out there's still about 1mm of clearance between the underneath top of keycap and switch where the o-ring would reside?

Ah damn, it's probably different for each keycap too, no? I'll try and get some calipers and measure mine, then order the new o-rings like around M4.8x3

sordna · « **Reply #14 on:** Thu, 22 March 2012, 01:39:36 »

Quote from: SpiderWaffle;553251

Ah damn, it's probably different for each keycap too, no? I'll try and get some calipers and measure mine, then order the new o-rings like around M4.8x3

Surprisingly, at least on keyboards I've tried o-rings on (a Poker and various Kinesis) keycaps are remarkably consistent!
Notable exception being Signature Plastics doubleshots! With SP keycaps, you better have different o-ring sizes to accommodate different keycaps.
What I do is install a set of o-rings, and then test and identify the keys that either have too much keytravel reduction, or keys that still clack, and change o-rings to thinner or thicker ones respectively.

SpiderWaffle · « **Reply #15 on:** Thu, 22 March 2012, 01:59:53 »

So what distance have found? You think 3.0mm would be the maximum size o-ring to reduce all extra travel distance?

sordna · « **Reply #16 on:** Thu, 22 March 2012, 02:06:27 »

I haven't tried, it's not my cup of tea. My goal is to soften the landing for typing, with minimal travel reduction, and the lowest I've successfully tried is 1.5mm thick. 1mm had no effect. Haven't tried 1.3 or 1.4mm o-rings, but maybe I should! Anyway, WhiteFireDragon is the expert for thick o-rings, see his relevant threads.

tp4tissue · « **Reply #17 on:** Thu, 22 March 2012, 22:17:21 »

Quote from: sordna;553257

Surprisingly, at least on keyboards I've tried o-rings on (a Poker and various Kinesis) keycaps are remarkably consistent!
Notable exception being Signature Plastics doubleshots! With SP keycaps, you better have different o-ring sizes to accommodate different keycaps.
What I do is install a set of o-rings, and then test and identify the keys that either have too much keytravel reduction, or keys that still clack, and change o-rings to thinner or thicker ones respectively.

FVCK FVCK FVCK FVCK FVCK FVCK,,,, I have a set of SP double shots coming in april... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaweifawOfjwofijaWOEfjiAWEI

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Author Topic: Best dampeners/O-rings with MX Reds for gaming (Read 13337 times)