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Lez talk mechanical keyboards

Anyone know if there are silencers that exist for an IBM Model M? Would love to start using it as my main keyboard. Just need to reduce the noise it creates.

Right, tried greasing the springs, as suggested on heekhack. Had very minimal impact on the sound. Thought, maybe I could make a makeshift dampening cushion out of electrical tape; seemed to work for a few key presses... then it'd get squished under the keys.

There's got to be a way to silence this thing.
 
Right, tried greasing the springs, as suggested on heekhack. Had very minimal impact on the sound. Thought, maybe I could make a makeshift dampening cushion out of electrical tape; seemed to work for a few key presses... then it'd get squished under the keys.

There's got to be a way to silence this thing.

It doesn't want to be silent! It wants to clack free!
 
Anyone have a wasd keyboard? Someone linked me to the site a few posts back and I've been thinking about getting the Cherry MX Brown board. I like the engraved look on the keys and the customization that it can come with.
 
Anyone have a wasd keyboard? Someone linked me to the site a few posts back and I've been thinking about getting the Cherry MX Brown board. I like the engraved look on the keys and the customization that it can come with.

I've been waiting to order one for myself until their V2 is ready (the tenkeyless), but I've heard great things about the build quality. Pretty sure Exodu5 here has one, and I've scoped a number of reviews over on Geekhack which paint those guys in a very positive light.

The V2 sounds like a really fantastic 'board and maybe worth waiting for if you're into alternative layouts; the DIP switches give the board embedded QWERTY, COLEMAK and DVORAK layouts.
 
I've been waiting to order one for myself until their V2 is ready (the tenkeyless), but I've heard great things about the build quality. Pretty sure Exodu5 here has one, and I've scoped a number of reviews over on Geekhack which paint those guys in a very positive light.

The V2 sounds like a really fantastic 'board and maybe worth waiting for if you're into alternative layouts; the DIP switches give the board embedded QWERTY, COLEMAK and DVORAK layouts.

Excellent, I won't be building a new computer until later this year/early next year but was wanting to get select parts early. Just looked up the V2 and will definitely wait it out, thanks for the heads up.
 
EDIT: Forgot to mention Quick Fire Rapid. I don't think this one is the one you're looking for.

The non-backlit version? Can you post some pictures? I'm thinking of picking it up. How's the build quality?

Build quality is impeccable. Feels solid, keys are very nice, no issues whatsoever. It has a nice matte touch to it.

H41tiHw.jpg


I1e3Eji.jpg
 
So I think I'm going to treat myself to a new keyboard and I want a mechanical this time. I don't do a ton of typing and will definitely be using it for games. I'd like to have the tactile feedback so I'm thinking something with Browns is what I want. I believe Blues may be too loud for my taste. I'm also thinking about something with LED's but that's not a deal breaker.

So I've looked at the Razer Blackwidow, maxkeyboard's Nighthawk x8, Das Pro, and a few others.

Can anybody confirm what the blackwidow has? I thought it had Blues but then there's the "Silent" version and I'm not sure what that has. I'm assuming the Das Pro Quiet has Browns or Blacks. Finally are the caps easily interchangable on the Nighthawk?

I also welcome any other suggestions. I have looked at the Steelseries and CM boards and wasn't overly impressed by them.
 
So I think I'm going to treat myself to a new keyboard and I want a mechanical this time. I don't do a ton of typing and will definitely be using it for games. I'd like to have the tactile feedback so I'm thinking something with Browns is what I want. I believe Blues may be too loud for my taste. I'm also thinking about something with LED's but that's not a deal breaker.

So I've looked at the Razer Blackwidow, maxkeyboard's Nighthawk x8, Das Pro, and a few others.

Can anybody confirm what the blackwidow has? I thought it had Blues but then there's the "Silent" version and I'm not sure what that has. I'm assuming the Das Pro Quite has Browns or Blacks. Finally are the caps easily interchangable on the Nighthawk?

I also welcome any other suggestions. I have looked at the Steelseries and CM boards and wasn't overly impressed by them.

Ducky. All day.
 
I have two Filcos one at work for writing code with MX Browns and one for gaming with Reds, great build quality, much more solid than my Das keyboard before that.

They are a bit pricier but the plastics used feel superior to the other mechanicals I tried.
000

I agree with this.
Filcos plastics feel infinitely more sturdy than the rest of the popular brands.
 
So I think I'm going to treat myself to a new keyboard and I want a mechanical this time. I don't do a ton of typing and will definitely be using it for games. I'd like to have the tactile feedback so I'm thinking something with Browns is what I want. I believe Blues may be too loud for my taste. I'm also thinking about something with LED's but that's not a deal breaker.

So I've looked at the Razer Blackwidow, maxkeyboard's Nighthawk x8, Das Pro, and a few others.

Can anybody confirm what the blackwidow has? I thought it had Blues but then there's the "Silent" version and I'm not sure what that has. I'm assuming the Das Pro Quite has Browns or Blacks. Finally are the caps easily interchangable on the Nighthawk?

I also welcome any other suggestions. I have looked at the Steelseries and CM boards and wasn't overly impressed by them.

The stealth versions of the Black Widow have brown switches, as do the "quiet" versions of the Das.

Note that the browns' version of tactile feedback is totally different from the blues' and doesn't click at all. If you really want noticeable tactility I feel like the blue switches are the only ones that offer it.
 
Ducky. All day.

Impressive! Somehow I missed those... Question now is, where can I buy one at? The Shine 2 seems perfect but its out of stock at tigerimports.

The stealth versions of the Black Widow have brown switches, as do the "quiet" versions of the Das.

Note that the browns' version of tactile feedback is totally different from the blues' and doesn't click at all. If you really want noticeable tactility I feel like the blue switches are the only ones that offer it.

Thanks for the info and thanks for "fixing" my spelling mistake. I'm fine with the no click, I just want some feedback on key presses. Depending on whether I can find a Ducky, the Black Widow looks like a nice alternative and people in this thread have seemed rather pleased with it.
 
Impressive! Somehow I missed those... Question now is, where can I buy one at? The Shine 2 seems perfect but its out of stock at tigerimports.


Yeah I know. I want the Year of the Dragon version with purple LED, no numpad and the crazy lighting effects. And brown keys.

But I have seen no Ducky in my country. I need nordic typeset, which makes importing not an option for me.
 
I just bought a CM QuickFire Stealth with mx browns. This is my first mechanical keyboard which will be replacing a Logitech G15. Will post pictures/impressions soon.
 
Damn you Walrus for mentioning the Ducky, now I really want one. Do you have any currently? I pretty much figure I have no hope at getting a Year of the Dragon one but those are sweet.

I was kinda set on getting one with the number pad but there is the blue LED version of the Shine 2 tenkeyless in stock...
 
I just bought a CM QuickFire Stealth with mx browns. This is my first mechanical keyboard which will be replacing a Logitech G15. Will post pictures/impressions soon.

Looking forward to your impressions. I'm thinking of picking one up....once it reappears online.

Or I'll wait for a WASD v2 tenkeyless, but who knows when that's happening.
 
Re: CM Quickfire Stealth --

I don't see the appeal. Maybe it's just that I'm not into the blank keys (or front listed keycaps) -- or that CM just hasn't impressed me with the selection of the their Mechanical Boards. To me there are more attractive boards -- but I cannot deny that their price points are exceptional.

I would love to see some more pics eventually. If anything -- I can concede that it's the nicest CM board that I've seen.
 
So I'm new to this whole mechanical keyboard thing and I'm looking for suggestions. Always wanted one and I think now is the time since my work keyboard is dying. Here's what I'm looking for:

  • Something relatively "quiet". I'll be using it at work and don't want to bother my co-workers too much
  • Would like to have tenkey
  • I'll be using this for more development-type work, as well as writing e-mails, wordprocessing, spreadsheets, etc.

Hope someone can steer me in the right direction!
 
So I'm new to this whole mechanical keyboard thing and I'm looking for suggestions. Always wanted one and I think now is the time since my work keyboard is dying. Here's what I'm looking for:

  • Something relatively "quiet". I'll be using it at work and don't want to bother my co-workers too much
  • Would like to have tenkey
  • I'll be using this for more development-type work, as well as writing e-mails, wordprocessing, spreadsheets, etc.

Hope someone can steer me in the right direction!

I would go with brown switches. The Leopolds are very nice, nondescript boards, and I'm partial to the otaku variant.
 
As promised, Photo and impressions on the CM Storm QuickFire Stealth - Cherry MX Brown:

Xi0NLDr.jpg

Terrible picture, but all I have is an DSLR camera that I have no idea how to operate, lol.

This is my first mechanical keyboard, replacing a Logitech G15 which served me well for years. Wow, was I missing out. I had intended to get this model with Reds, but so far I am glad I went with browns, as I think having a small amount of feedback is great. Personally, I wouldn't want to have to apply any more force to depress the keys, nor would I want it any louder.

Build Quality - For the price, I don't know how you could do any better (I'm sure someone will prove me wrong). The keyboard is quite sturdy and just feels like it is high quality. It has a great matte finish which really looks and feels great. The lack of gaudy looking branding is a welcomed change of pace for Cooler Master. As pictured, I have replaced the WASD with the included red arrow keys. I know many people ask about sound, and with the browns, the keyboards doesn't seem too loud, but may piss off some. Depending on where you work, this might not be a great keyboard (with browns at least). According to reddit, some of the keys are non-standard sizes (CTRL/ALT, etc), so keep this in mind if you plan to order custom keycaps, but I'm sure this issue is not unique to this keyboard.

Features - This model is pretty lean on features, but everything is does, it does well. The Caps lock, F9 (Windows Key Function Lockout, only feature I need), and scroll lock have red lights in them when activated. A usb to ps/2 adapter was included, but I'm just using straight usb.

Usage - I have been using the keyboard for 2 days for mainly typing (forums) and a bit of CS:GO. I will post additional impressions in a month or 2, but thus far everything I've tried seems to be an improvement. I think it will just be more of a case of my hands getting used to it.

My only regret with the keyboard is the lack of backlighting, but I'll get used to that I'm sure. I had intended on getting a Ducky DK9008 Shine 2, but couldn't find one with the right combo of keys and backlight color. Seems like any good mechanical keyboards are difficult to get at times. That being said, this is an excellent keyboard and I there is no question in my mind that it is worth the price (I paid $89.99 CAD + tax). Would buy again.
 
Tenkeyless users, do you miss it? Im thinking of going with a Ducky 9087. I guess i dont really use it often anyway but still..

What makes Ducky so special compared to a Corsair mechanical keyboard for example?
 
Screw it, i purchased the CM storm quickfire stealth cherry MX brown. Its cheaper than a ducky and i dont really need backlit. Also i'll be receiving it in the next few days, rather than weeks/months for a ducky (canada).

Will be my first mechanical keyboard. Im replacing my Razer Lycosa, which bugged and kept pressing the same key and freezed the other ones until i would unplug the usb and replug. It happened at random. Very very frustrating when you play an online game. That kind of shit kills you. Last razer product i purchase.
 
I purchased the RAZER Blackwidow Ultimate 2013 last night and then I remembered that the blues are very loud. So, how loud are these? I'm thinking about sending it back and going with reds. Any suggestions or idea about how loud this is?
 
I purchased the RAZER Blackwidow Ultimate 2013 last night and then I remembered that the blues are very loud. So, how loud are these? I'm thinking about sending it back and going with reds. Any suggestions or idea about how loud this is?

Look up a YouTube video. Quite loud, but also provide the best feedback.
 
I purchased the RAZER Blackwidow Ultimate 2013 last night and then I remembered that the blues are very loud. So, how loud are these? I'm thinking about sending it back and going with reds. Any suggestions or idea about how loud this is?

Each switch is about as loud as a mechanical pen mechanism. The bulk of the noise is in the keycap against the backplate, much like any other 'board. Most people don't realize that their membrane 'boards are not actually particularly quiet either, especially as they age and the rubber domes stiffen, which often times makes them louder than many mechanical 'boards.
 
Each switch is about as loud as a mechanical pen mechanism. The bulk of the noise is in the keycap against the backplate, much like any other 'board. Most people don't realize that their membrane 'boards are not actually particularly quiet either, especially as they age and the rubber domes stiffen, which often times makes them louder than many mechanical 'boards.

Would you say the K95 is better than the Blackwidow? Not just features, but noise?
 
Would you say the K95 is better than the Blackwidow? Not just features, but noise?

Noise-wise, sure, because red switches eliminate all of the noise of the switch mechanism itself. They're also better for most gaming purposes in my experience.

Feature- & quality-wise, that's your call. I have no use for a tenkey on my primary 'board nor would I want any kind of additional macro buttons, especially ones set to the left of the alpha island. They're not going to be comfortable keys to reach, and you're not going to use them for the majority of your 'board usage (but they'll always require that space on your desk).

I only use tenkeyless anymore, so I wouldn't wind up buying either of these 'boards. Especially at the price of the K95, which could buy pretty much any form of Filco/Leopold tenkeyless (and in the latter case with money to spare).
 
I'm going to be getting a DAS keyboard soon, which would be better, mainly for gaming (of course there will be typing when I have assignments/projects - but primarly a gaming keyboard), the Blue or Brown keyswitch?
 
Brown.

Consider Leopold or Ducky though. Das has kind of a big rep just because they were the first widely available boards. They're a bit overpriced though, especially compared to the other premiere brands.
 
I'm going to be getting a DAS keyboard soon, which would be better, mainly for gaming (of course there will be typing when I have assignments/projects - but primarly a gaming keyboard), the Blue or Brown keyswitch?

I'd say browns. I did plenty of gaming on my Das w/ blues but not many games benefit from the tactility; you don't typically need to know that a switch did or didn't fire, you just need it to fire. There are cases where it is useful, like in an RTS where you want to very quickly queue things and want accuracy in knowing you queued say 5 units instead of 6 (which is something the feedback will provide more information with) but you also can't quite re-fire a blue switch as quickly a non-clicking switch since it needs to come back up above the leaf to be able to fire again.

Mind you, these are fairly nuanced differences. Anyone could game just fine on either switch type, and generally I think the preference should be more focused on the typing experience which is where the bulk of the switch work actually happens (even on a 'board you do heavy gaming on).
 
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