What is the best feeling and sounding keyboard you've ever typed on?

[_BMW_M3_]

For me, it's got to be my TX-CP (lubed vintage browns tuned by Leeku), although a modded HHKB at the Cleveland meetup is a close second. I've got a Dolphin 1 in the mail and it's rumored that it will change my life. What's your favorite?

[phoible]

Right now I'm kind of enamored with my WhiteFox with Gateron Tactile Clears (essentially knock-off Zealios).

[zslane]

Silenced Topre RealForce.

[loud_asian]

Gateron black with gateron yellow springs + zealencios are quite nice

I've got some MX silents with gateron bottoms + 65g springs. Just pressing a single switch feels heavenly, I can't imagine how great it'll feel on a board

In both cases, they are exceptionally smooth with some good lubing. The dampened feeling also gives a nice landing for every keypress

[Flyersfan1]

Without a doubt 360c with tuned vintage blacks with thick insulation underneath the PCB.

I'm currently really enjoying the FC980C.

It sounded very similar to this:

[1391406]

So far, it's the Topre Realforce 104U Silent, which is variable weighted. However, I like the (unsilenced) Topre Realforce 87U (uniform 45g) just as much.

[ghostjuggernaut]

Best I have ever used was an OTD 356CL DGE with tuned vintage blacks, rubber band, and drawer liner for sound dampening.

That thing was a dream to use.

More

[dante]

nm

[menuhin]

No one talks able BS or Alps here... xD

[chyros]

Best feeling: beam spring.

Best sound: blue Alps. Anyone who answers this question with anything other than blue Alps is just plain wrong.

[dante]

nm

[Slash Emperor]

So far, the Leeku 1800 I picked up on mechmarket. Lubed Gat Black alphas (62g, IIRC) and 65g Zeal for the mods. Feels like a dream.

Sent from my LG-V20

[_BMW_M3_]

So far, the Leeku 1800 I picked up on mechmarket. Lubed Gat Black alphas (62g, IIRC) and 65g Zeal for the mods. Feels like a dream.

Sent from my LG-V20

My TX-CP was actually Leeku's board! Lubed Vintage browns!

[fublamchu]

Dental banded Topre 45G... I love clicky alps and I love lubed Gateron Blacks but I find myself using my 660C more often than anything

[Dyaems]

Stock Topre (HHKB/Realforce) with its stock keycaps for me.

[DRAZAH]

HHKB with Hyperspheres and Lubed. Nothing comes close to it for me.

[KetchyKech]

67g Zealiostotles on my LZ Iron -- clean n' crisp loud clicks

[Elrick]

Best feeling: beam spring.

Best sound: blue Alps. Anyone who answers this question with anything other than blue Alps is just plain wrong.

Beamspring to me is like Unicorn Poo, heard of it but in my lifetime will never actually get to lay hands on one  .

Blue Alps is indeed nice, lucky to have picked up a new older stock keyboard which the seller never knew what he had at the time.  I only knew of it when by chance I lifted the key cap and low and behold, beautiful luscious blue stem.  Blue Alps will excite the most jaded fingers when it comes to typing.

Have no REAL fave keyboards because it's like picking your own best child, can't do it and never will.  Love them all unconditionally despite some being real selfish A-holes.

[jerue]

For me, it's got to be my TX-CP (lubed vintage browns tuned by Leeku), although a modded HHKB at the Cleveland meetup is a close second. I've got a Dolphin 1 in the mail and it's rumored that it will change my life. What's your favorite?

yes it will 

my pick for best sounding and feeling is a tie between 55g purple slider HHKB, and 360 corsa with vintage blacks.

The honor mention would have to go to vintage MX greens. They are sublime...so much so I've debated buying dolch PAC's just to harvest them. Probably just easier to fit vintage blues with heavier springs though

No one talks able BS or Alps here... xD

I won't, beacuse the alps and buckling springs boards I've used don't light a candle to Topre and MX, in my opinion, and that's after having used virtually every type of switch.

[tp4tissue]

ERGODOX..

It's the Only keyboard that doesn't Hurt your wrist after 12 Hours of Use..

[Altis]

Without a doubt 360c with tuned vintage blacks with thick insulation underneath the PCB.

I'm currently really enjoying the FC980C.

It sounded very similar to this:

I've never tried vintage black switches but they sound absolutely smooth as silk.

As of now, my favorite sounding switches are Blue Alps and certain Topre keyboards (non-silenced).

Overall best feeling IMO goes to 45g Topre, particularly HHKB or FC660C.

[ShawnMeg]

IBM Model F122, which is my favorite board.  A close second are my 3 Apple boards.  They each have their own unique charm with regard to sound and feel.  I've never experienced Topre or Beam Springs.

[klennkellon]

My favorite switches so far are 68g ergo-clears.

Best sounding? Any complicated Alps switches really. Topre sounds great too, especially the HHKB. Also, with certain keycaps and case combos, Cherries can sound pretty nice too, but not as good as the others.

On the same topic, MX Blues sound awful, one of the worst. A shame cause they feel good.

[happylacquer]

IBM Model F122, which is my favorite board.  A close second are my 3 Apple boards.  They each have their own unique charm with regard to sound and feel.  I've never experienced Topre or Beam Springs.

ADB Apple boards? I was gonna say those are some of the best ever. 2nd place for me personally is a classic Thinkpad, like 760 era. The #1 scissors ever IMO

i installed a TT Touch kit in my Atari ST and it not a nightmare to type on anymore, but far from ideal either.

I have yet to try a Topre either...

On the same topic, MX Blues sound awful, one of the worst.

Yup.

A shame cause they feel good.

Can't agree here though.

[ShawnMeg]

IBM Model F122, which is my favorite board.  A close second are my 3 Apple boards.  They each have their own unique charm with regard to sound and feel.  I've never experienced Topre or Beam Springs.

ADB Apple boards? I was gonna say those are some of the best ever. 2nd place for me personally is a classic Thinkpad, like 760 era. The #1 scissors ever IMO

i installed a TT Touch kit in my Atari ST and it not a nightmare to type on anymore, but far from ideal either.

I have yet to try a Topre either...

AEK and 2 AEK II's.  I like these better than a Northgate Omnikey with white ALPs that I previously owned.

[loud_asian]

My favorite switches so far are 68g ergo-clears.

Best sounding? Any complicated Alps switches really. Topre sounds great too, especially the HHKB. Also, with certain keycaps and case combos, Cherries can sound pretty nice too, but not as good as the others.

On the same topic, MX Blues sound awful, one of the worst. A shame cause they feel good.

you're so right, I can't stand the high pitched click of blues. Best sounding clicky switch would probably be buckling spring for me

[klennkellon]

My favorite switches so far are 68g ergo-clears.

Best sounding? Any complicated Alps switches really. Topre sounds great too, especially the HHKB. Also, with certain keycaps and case combos, Cherries can sound pretty nice too, but not as good as the others.

On the same topic, MX Blues sound awful, one of the worst. A shame cause they feel good.

you're so right, I can't stand the high pitched click of blues. Best sounding clicky switch would probably be buckling spring for me

I actually like the sound of the Gateron and Outemus more even though just because they take MX Blues to the extreme. Even louder and higher pitched. Not to mention they're a bit smoother and the tactility feels a little nicer.

MX Blues are just so booooooooooring. They're the Coldplay of clicky switches.

[SpAmRaY]

Lubed and silenced (punched rubber) realforce tkl.

[need]

Gateron Yellow in an acrylic case, it's smooth and produces a nice deep knocking sound.

[menuhin]

My favorite switches so far are 68g ergo-clears.

Best sounding? Any complicated Alps switches really. Topre sounds great too, especially the HHKB. Also, with certain keycaps and case combos, Cherries can sound pretty nice too, but not as good as the others.

On the same topic, MX Blues sound awful, one of the worst. A shame cause they feel good.

you're so right, I can't stand the high pitched click of blues. Best sounding clicky switch would probably be buckling spring for me

I actually like the sound of the Gateron and Outemus more even though just because they take MX Blues to the extreme. Even louder and higher pitched. Not to mention they're a bit smoother and the tactility feels a little nicer.[/spoiler]

MX Blues are just so booooooooooring. They're the Coldplay of clicky switches.

Well, Coldplay is not that bad. I'm not a millennial. What is "interesting" than?

But MX Blues are definitely not good, just not as super-mega-bad as the MX Browns.

[alh84001]

Best sounding? Probably SKCM Oranges in an Omnikey 101. Does a solenoid count?

[losing_ctrl]

Best feeling +sounding keyboard I've ever typed on is probably the HHKB Pro JP Type-S. What I would pay for a 104-key ANSI version of that board!

Best feeling KB for me is 101-key Model M, but the noise it makes is rather unfortunate.

[fohat.digs]

Best sounding? Probably SKCM Oranges in an Omnikey 101.

I might be inclined to agree with this. Sound is generally a negative to me, although feel is everything.

Silent, light, "clicky" (click feel but no click sound, that is) switches would be my awesome unobtainium combination of attributes.

[terrpn]

Space Invader tactile blacks are pretty snappy........

[zombimuncha]

Ortek MCK-84

[need]

Gateron black with gateron yellow springs + zealencios are quite nice

I've got some MX silents with gateron bottoms + 65g springs. Just pressing a single switch feels heavenly, I can't imagine how great it'll feel on a board

In both cases, they are exceptionally smooth with some good lubing. The dampened feeling also gives a nice landing for every keypress

Why don't you just use gateron yellow switches? What's the point of having the blacks?

[menuhin]

Gateron black with gateron yellow springs + zealencios are quite nice

I've got some MX silents with gateron bottoms + 65g springs. Just pressing a single switch feels heavenly, I can't imagine how great it'll feel on a board

In both cases, they are exceptionally smooth with some good lubing. The dampened feeling also gives a nice landing for every keypress

Why don't you just use gateron yellow switches? What's the point of having the blacks?

+1

The difference between blacks and yellows is in their springs.

[falkentyne]

Ducky Fire 69

[loud_asian]

Gateron black with gateron yellow springs + zealencios are quite nice

I've got some MX silents with gateron bottoms + 65g springs. Just pressing a single switch feels heavenly, I can't imagine how great it'll feel on a board

In both cases, they are exceptionally smooth with some good lubing. The dampened feeling also gives a nice landing for every keypress

Why don't you just use gateron yellow switches? What's the point of having the blacks?

+1

The difference between blacks and yellows is in their springs.

Yeah you guys are right should have just said gateron yellows. One of my boards is gateron yellow springs with black stem so I said that instead 

[PollandAkuma]

I agree with Chyros. Blue Alps sound amazing. Another one would be the video of 27 typing on his custom. It sounded like chopping soft butter with a knife on ceramic plate, which I loved.

[Photekq]

Best sounding? Brass koala w/ tuned vintage blacks without a doubt. Thing sounds like butter. I'll have to record myself typing on it some day.

Best feel is a close tie between the brass koala and a tuned HHKB w/ Realforce silenced sliders.

[menuhin]

Best sounding? Brass koala w/ tuned vintage blacks without a doubt. Thing sounds like butter. I'll have to record myself typing on it some day.

Best feel is a close tie between the brass koala and a tuned HHKB w/ Realforce silenced sliders.

Can't see the maker of Koala around again, is that a "top-mount" (case mounting to plate, not to PCB) construction? Tuned vintage blacks but not the nixies?
What other tuning did you do on the HHKB besides swapping to RealForce's original silenced sliders?

[Photekq]

Can't see the maker of Koala around again, is that a "top-mount" (case mounting to plate, not to PCB) construction? Tuned vintage blacks but not the nixies?
What other tuning did you do on the HHKB besides swapping to RealForce's original silenced sliders?

I bought mine assembled (good luck finding one unassembled ) ) - it came with those already installed. I have 2 other PCBs/plates, so maybe I'll put Nixdorfs in one of those. The vintage blacks are tuned absurdly well though; I think they might be as nice as my Nixdorfs if not a little nicer.

You can screw the plate to the top if you want, but it's optional. You can have the plate clamped with no screws. That's how mine arrived, but it was a pain in the ass to reassemble that was so I put two screws in.

I just lubricated the HHKB well. GPL 103/205 50/50 mix on the sliders, stabilisers, and where the sliders meet the casing.

[menuhin]

Listening as if the existence of these are just legends.

I can for sure still lube my switches or even swap springs.
But just the Realforce silenced sliders part is already out of my imagination.

[Photekq]

Listening as if the existence of these are just legends.

I can for sure still lube my switches or even swap springs.
But just the Realforce silenced sliders part is already out of my imagination.

) There's 6 of them I think.

The 108 key JIS silenced Realforce was cheap from Japan when I bought it. If it's still cheap it'd be worth looking into - almost fills 2 HHKBs!

[davkol]

When it comes to switches, Oki Gourd Spring stands out. It's similar to space invaders, but softer and less tight.

[_BMW_M3_]

So many switches I haven't even heard of...

[Otesanek]

This HHKB BT I have. It's lubed and silenced with RF purple sliders. It just feels and sounds so good now.

[iamtootallforthis]

Skcheng's LZ-GH with Vintage Blacks tuned by PhotoE.

[_BMW_M3_]

Skcheng's LZ-GH with Vintage Blacks tuned by PhotoE.

This sounds utterly amazing.