Creams do sound scratchy as all hell when up to your ear, even with 205g0, but feel nice a smooth when in use. I have no idea why.
So I completed the C3 Tangerine R2 with GSUS top housing build. For this build, I had to use 63.5g spring from SPRiT to make it feel bouncy. As is, stock 62g felt too flat.
- It sounds pretty good, better than Inks but not quite as good as Cream.
- It feels smooth, better than Cream and at par with
InksTealios V2.
So this hybrid is like Ink with better sound. I can’t really recommend it because it doesn’t make much sense from the cost and hassle perspective. If you’re into sound, go with lubed and filmed Cream. If you’re into both smoothness as well as sound, go with lubed and filmed C3 Tangerine or Inks. If you are purely into smooth and buttery feel, go with lubed and filmed Tealios V2.
If you really want to try the same combo, you can use GSUS, OG, or YOK tops. They all seem to fit very tightly, as tight as filmed Cream. I went with GSUS because I had some spares with damaged tops as you can see in the photo. Sound is pretty loud so, like Creams, not recommended for office keyboard.
- Outemu Sky top fits also but the sound was not as good as Panda clone tops.
- Cream top didn’t fit.
- Panda clone tops fit too tight on Ink and Tealios.
My current theory on the effect of housing material on acoustics:
POM > nylon > UHMWPE > polycarb
UPDATE: Tried using Outemu top with Aliaz/UHMWPE hybrid to test the theory but the result sounded worse and felt scratchy although wobble was reduced. Similar result with Panda top and C3 Tangerine top. So it seems synergy between components matters alot.
Top replacement test summary:
- Aliaz/UHMWPE + Outemu top = worse sound, less wobble, scrachy
- Aliaz/UHMWPE + Panda top = worse sound, less wobble
- Aliaz/UHMWPE + C3 Tangerine R2 top = worse sound
NAMING: It’s getting rather tedious to repeat the long description of the hybrid so, for now, I’m going to use the name “Tangy Panda” in subsequent posts mentioning it. More I use Tangy Panda, more I like. Too bad it’s, like Holy Panda, a hassle to put together.
As always, YMMV, particularly with sound. When simply changing what’s under the keyboard has huge impact how switch sounds, you know things are a lot more complicated than one can put into words.
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Of the linears are there certain ones that you would find acceptable for office use? These creams are indeed quite loud - are gateron inks or tealios quieter? Otherwise I guess I would just stick with a silenced switch which in the end isn’t too much of a problem for me.
IMO Tealios V2 with brass plate+aluminum case+plate foam+case foam is quiet enough for office use. It’s nearly as quiet as silent switches yet feels great. Keycap profile-wise, avoid tall keycaps like SA as they have larger cavity. Material-wise, PBT sound louder so go with ABS.
Only advantage silent switches have over the combo I described above is the lower total cost and flexibility as you can just throw in silent switches into any parts for use at the office. They don’t feel as good as non-silent switches but not everyone can feel the difference.
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I pre-ordered some Alpacas for a matte black acrylic Alice build. They are rumored to be as smooth as Inks but sound closer to retooled mx blacks. Even if they slightly miss the mark, they will be a great switch, especially when lubed (and for 55¢ a piece). Otherwise, I’m still enamored with the Tangerines R2 which both sound better and feel smoother than Tealios to me. I don’t have to spring swap them either like with Tealios as the spring feels in that 67 -70g sweet spot to match my tastes – that effectively makes the Tangies half the price (and I skip the $15 for DHL delivery from Canada).
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So I tried out some of the Outemu no slot tight fitting tops on my Gat yellows & it really did not pan out too well, would not recommend them with Gateron stems. They are just a little bit too tight on the stems & added a feeling of drag that drove me crazy. Was gonna go back to the stock tops + films, but decided to throw Cherry tops + films on them & this seems to be my favorite setup so far. You get the smoothness of Gaterons with the nice Cherry sound signature on the upstroke! Just gives the board a lot more character IMO.
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Agreed. I’m in the process of converting all my gat yellow switches over to chellows.
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Easing Into Linears current status:
My daily driver boards are all linears now. All three using Tofu case with tire weights. Top two are plate and case foamed. Acrylic is only plate foamed.
- top: Tealios V2 (205g0, filmed) + brass plate. My ‘Buttery’ board.
- mid: Cream (206g00, filmed) + POM plate. My ‘Clacky’ board.
- bottom: Tangy w/Panda top (205g0) + POM plate. My ‘Smoothy’ board.
It’s funny how these boards all feel like a cross between tactile and clicky while Holy Panda feels too tactile. I mean the way switch leaf resists against key press and solid bottom out offers the full tactile experience and the loud clacky bottom out sound entertains your ears like clicky. YMMV because I’m a sensitive guy. ;-p
UPDATE: Added emojis to indicate how long I use each board out of 8 working hours per day.
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Quite the conversion!! Awesome looking boards too - I don’t recall reading about the tangy/Panda combo. How would you describe those in feel and sound? I guess with it being your “smoothy” board it’s ultra smooth. And what was your go to switch before this linear saga began?
I don’t recall reading about the tangy/Panda combo.
I posted about the Tangy Panda in this thread just above.
It feels the same ultra-smooth as regular C3 Tangerine switch but sounds different in a way more to my liking.
Before my linear saga began, Holy Panda was my go-to switch. And before that, Ergo Clear using BSUN housing.
Oh shoot - I must have totally glossed over that post! I’ll check it out!
Well it looks like I’m falling further down the linear rabbit hole. Just swapped out all the stems & springs from the 78g V2 Zealios in my Clueboard for Retooled black stems & 65g TX springs (both lubed with GPL105). So far I’m really liking them, they are basically Tealios for all intents & purposes. They are just as smooth, but have a very slightly lower pitched top out sound thanks to the Cherry stems. Definitely a decent combo if you have the parts laying around, although if you have to buy switches I’d say just go with regular V2 Tealios.
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I just built a board with a bunch of 67g V2 Zealios I had laying around since last year sometime. I find them unique and fun (like popping thick bubble wrap with each press), but you have to be quite forceful and deliberate with each press to get over the bump to actuate the switch which slows me down a bunch and introduces fatigue that I don’t get when using linears. Overall they are a switch I enjoy the novelty of, but I’ll be turning elsewhere when I need to get shit done at work.
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Agreed, and that’s why I really liked V1 zealios better, they were a lot less tactile and a much more pleasant long term typing experience
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I’m gonna order some TTC Golds for my Rakk Am-Lang Pro because argeebee and I’m too lazy to order from anywhere but Novelkeys. I lubed a spare Cherry Silent that I didn’t drown in 3204 (any advice for freeing switches from 3204 en masse?) with some TX keyboards Krytox 105, and wow. That’s so smooth, so soft, and so quiet. @Rob27shred, you’re right - oils may just be the way to go. We’ll see how the TTC Reds take them, and if it goes well, I may just start using that for my next build. (That’s not with Creams, that is.)
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I would think an ultrasonic cleaner would be the easiest and best solution. They come in various sizes and price points.
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I’m more likely to get a desoldering equipment before a ultrasonic cleaner because I can get sloppy with lube but desoldering is a pain in the ass.
Yep, that’s what I would suggest too. A decent ultrasonic cleaner with a touch of dish soap, then a quick rinse after should take care of them @Lesbian. Also I agree with you on V2 Zealios, definitely a fun switch to use but they do get fatiguing in long typing sessions. I can roll with 67g on them, but the 78g I had in my Clueboard is a bit much with the more aggressive bump. I was barely using it lately so I figured it was time for a change.
I use 62g Zelios v2 on my board.
They are very light and not fatiguing at all, find them even lighter than MX browns.
As I found them too tactile stock I slightly lubed the legs and the tactility is now perfect to me(still significantly more than Browns).
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Linear (non-silent) alpacas with very light 3204 everywhere (stem, lower, upper, leaf, spring) is my new favorite linear of all time. 205g0 alpaca was a close second, but I prefer the sound signature with 3204. Pretty damn good switch.
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