Backup keyboard for a Topre fan

[robscomputer]

.

[nubbinator]

Nope, vintage Browns or lubed ergo Clears are closest to Topre on the MX front.  Orange Alps are still, IMO, the closest you can get to Topre.

[Mattr567]

Nope, vintage Browns or lubed ergo Clears are closest to Topre on the MX front.  Orange Alps are still, IMO, the closest you can get to Topre.

Huh, have a SGI Granite with SKCM Orange I swapped, and I do enjoy them. Wonder if I will like Topre. Will be soon though b/c I am on the US HHKB Tour list

[1391406]

Nope, vintage Browns or lubed ergo Clears are closest to Topre on the MX front.  Orange Alps are still, IMO, the closest you can get to Topre.

Huh, have a SGI Granite with SKCM Orange I swapped, and I do enjoy them. Wonder if I will like Topre.

In my opinion, the main difference is the landing. Topre has a softer bottom out, which I prefer. It's lead me to think of ways to soften the landing on my AEK.

[Mattr567]

Nope, vintage Browns or lubed ergo Clears are closest to Topre on the MX front.  Orange Alps are still, IMO, the closest you can get to Topre.

Huh, have a SGI Granite with SKCM Orange I swapped, and I do enjoy them. Wonder if I will like Topre.

In my opinion, the main difference is the landing. Topre has a softer bottom out, which I prefer. It's lead me to think of ways to soften the landing on my AEK.

I can see that. With my SKCM Orange they have a softer landing than other Alps switches I have. Maybe its because they have Grey Plates.

[iLLucionist]

Nope, vintage Browns or lubed ergo Clears are closest to Topre on the MX front.  Orange Alps are still, IMO, the closest you can get to Topre.

Huh, have a SGI Granite with SKCM Orange I swapped, and I do enjoy them. Wonder if I will like Topre.

In my opinion, the main difference is the landing. Topre has a softer bottom out, which I prefer. It's lead me to think of ways to soften the landing on my AEK.

I'm wondering.. back in the day around like.. 1995.. I was still a child and I had a Commodore 486, A Tulip 286, a Philips AT-machine, and a Mac with that keyboard (AEK or AEK2, not sure). But what kind of kb did the PC's typically come with at that time? My Tulip had a kb that I remember to sound like an IBM BS kb, but I'm not sure.

[jamster]

I'm wondering.. back in the day around like.. 1995.. I was still a child and I had a Commodore 486, A Tulip 286, a Philips AT-machine, and a Mac with that keyboard (AEK or AEK2, not sure). But what kind of kb did the PC's typically come with at that time? My Tulip had a kb that I remember to sound like an IBM BS kb, but I'm not sure.

Mid 90s, I believe that generic PCs came with membrane boards, which still felt a lot better than current membrane boards. Of course, everything was better back then

I also recall a nicer level of membrane board being available (e.g. Honeywells).

[rowdy]

i dual wield HHKBs

HHKB is small enough that you could get two and use then similar to Ergo Dox - one for each hand.

[Anastasia]

I have a Cherry MX Blue keyboard and a Topre 45G keyboard. I like how different they are from each other. It makes me appreciate each one even more.

[chipotle]

To come back to my own thread rather late, I'm going to give the KBParadise V80 with Matias Quiet Click switches a try. This isn't because I expect it to be much like Topre switches, but just because I'm a little bored with Cherry MX switches and I've wanted a TKL Matias keyboard for a while -- but I'm not a fan of Matias's "mini" layout. (Or any layout I've tried smaller than the 87-key type TKLs. Just chop the number keypad off and leave everything else as-is for me, thanks.)

Also, this means that I'll have four keyboards with four major switch types: KUL-87 with Clears, the MQC, the Realforce 87U and a Unicomp SpaceSaver M. That is, I'll have four if I sell off the other keyboards...

[inanis]

I really like the QC, and to add some perspective to that my daily driver is an HHKB. So, good choice.

[xtrafrood]

Why not just make Egro Clears? You'll have to de solder the board but it would be cheap.

Ergo Clears feel nothing like a Topre.

now this is the answers to all you guys that compare tomatoes and steak

If two switches feel nothing alike then it's comparing fruit and meat. Comparing two switches that share similar qualities is a different story. For example, Topre and Orange Alps.

Exactly, it's like comparing steak to tomatoes .

If you're referring to Orange Alps and Topre, then no. It's nothing like comparing steak to tomatoes.

It's an in-joke from DT where there was a similar discussion recently. I alluded to it in my Topre video review, too .

I immediately thought of beefsteak tomatoes for some reason.  )

[quasistellar]

To come back to my own thread rather late, I'm going to give the KBParadise V80 with Matias Quiet Click switches a try. This isn't because I expect it to be much like Topre switches, but just because I'm a little bored with Cherry MX switches and I've wanted a TKL Matias keyboard for a while -- but I'm not a fan of Matias's "mini" layout. (Or any layout I've tried smaller than the 87-key type TKLs. Just chop the number keypad off and leave everything else as-is for me, thanks.)

Also, this means that I'll have four keyboards with four major switch types: KUL-87 with Clears, the MQC, the Realforce 87U and a Unicomp SpaceSaver M. That is, I'll have four if I sell off the other keyboards...

Let us know how you like it. I joined the latest Infinity drop and chose quiet clicks for my switches. I bought some individual switches to play with beforehand and the way the leafs in the switches give way past a certain point, and the dampers on the slider work, both are vaguely "Topre-esque". I will have to wait a few months to try a full board though.

In the meantime I've tried stock MX Clears, and I hate hate hate the springs. These switches are probably the furthest thing from Topre you can get. The springs stiffen so steeply after the tactile point that you don't bottom out as much. That's fine, but it makes the switches feel inconsistent, since different fingers press different keys with slightly different pressure in my case. I promptly bought new springs and made them 45g (actuation point--very slightly lighter than the 62g Korean springs you usually read about) ergo clears. They're much better, but still not Topre.

[klennkellon]

Packard Bell 5130 or any kb that uses BTC Dome with Sliders

[chipotle]

Let us know how you like it. I joined the latest Infinity drop and chose quiet clicks for my switches. I bought some individual switches to play with beforehand and the way the leafs in the switches give way past a certain point, and the dampers on the slider work, both are vaguely "Topre-esque". I will have to wait a few months to try a full board though.

In the meantime I've tried stock MX Clears, and I hate hate hate the springs. These switches are probably the furthest thing from Topre you can get. The springs stiffen so steeply after the tactile point that you don't bottom out as much. That's fine, but it makes the switches feel inconsistent, since different fingers press different keys with slightly different pressure in my case. I promptly bought new springs and made them 45g (actuation point--very slightly lighter than the 62g Korean springs you usually read about) ergo clears. They're much better, but still not Topre.

I kind of like Clears (my work keyboard, which I'm on right now, is a CODE with Clears) but they are pretty much the anti-Topre, yeah. After getting used to the Realforce at home they just seem stupidly stiff. That's why I was originally thinking of MX Browns -- originally I was convinced I just wouldn't like switches that "light," but I have a suspicion they might end up being my favorite stock MX switches if I really gave them a fair shake. (Or I might absolutely hate them.) But at this point I need to seriously get some of my other keyboards out of my closet before any other purchases...

[xtrafrood]

I've read a few posts explaining how mx browns are a bit scratchy. Gateron Browns are supposedly a smoother and less scratchy switch.

I won't know from experience until I buy a ton of switch testers but that is what I've read from a few GH users.

[chipotle]

Verdict after a week at work with the MQC KBParadise V80: this is a really nice keyboard. I have an older Matias Tactile Pro 3 keyboard and don't particularly like it; I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but this keyboard feels like it's just far better built than Matias's own keyboards. There's nothing creaky, the keys don't have a strange amount of wobble or ringing to them (there's more wobble than Cherry switches, but that seems to be normal for Alps-style keys). I still like the Realforce more, but it's a much closer call than I'd have expected for a $129 keyboard.

I got the "Dolch" keyboard that's exclusive to MechanicalKeyboards.com, so it's using TaiHao doubleshot keycaps, which may account for some of the nice feel compared to the other Matias keyboard I tried. These feel solid and they've got a really nice texture to them. And being a retro computing nerd, I like the look a lot.