Are filmed Black Inks lubed with 205g0 still the “standard” for the lowest pitched linear right now? I haven’t exactly kept up but plan to install some linear or another into an acrylic, gasket mounted case. I thought the low pitch might go well with the kinda of dead sound characteristic acrylic tends to have.
Opinions?
I was just mentioning in another thread that Gateron Caps are pretty deep sounding.
Full disclosure: as many switches as I’ve collected, I don’t have any proper Cherry blacks outside of one on a tester - but as far as MX-compatible linears go, I don’t remember hearing any deeper than the Caps. They are factory lubed and reasonably buttery stock, but there’s an occasional bit of spring chatter or gentle plastic scrape on an off-center press; I bet treating them with some 205g0 would smooth that right out and make them even deeper.
To be frank, I didn’t really enjoy my Black Inks. Not sure why but they just felt flat-footed.
I would say that a lubed and filmed vintage mx black probably has the bassiest sound profile.
Thanks for all the details, Dead (and everyone else). I had been wanting to look into cap switches, and now I have more reason to!
Vint blacks are definitely on the menu. That’s interesting about the inks, Don. Any particular reason? I know they’re generally considered very smooth feeling and sounding.
I do have both Black Inks and Cherry MX Blacks and can say the later sounds bassier. But I think Gateron Cap may match or beat Cherry MX Blacks.
Legs on NK Dry switch housing seems to break off easily. Found that two out of 62 installed switches had a leg broken off.
HP and Cream legs are brittle too but you can tell when they’re about to break off they don’t return back to position after opening them up frequently. I couldn’t tell with NK Dry until I found the broken off legs while removing the switches.
UPDATE: I had removed switches from only two rows when I posted this. While removing the remaining three rows, I found 11 more broken legs. That’s 13 broken legs total. Almost felt like a horror movie.
I threw away the first two but here is the photo of the 11 I found later.
Yikes, that’s a lot of broken legs just for one keyboard…
I have never seen that many broken legs from one keeb wtf…
What type of plate were you using these with? I had a similar issue with Dorp HPs in the brass plate for my E6.5. Although that was an ultra tight fitting plate.
I had POM plate without gaps on the side. Never had broken leg problem with other switches but now I’m wondering if pulling out the switch very slightly angled to the side could exert enough force on the legs to break them. A few switches had both legs on a side break off.
Hmmm, that could have contributed to them breaking. Although TBH on a POM plate, tight fitting or not, pulling the switches out at an angle or straight, I really do not think this should happen. I’ll check some of my NK dry yellows in a little bit to see how brittle the legs on the top housing on mine are.
So I just got my holy pandas built and lubed and I was wondering if there is a linear switch out there with the long stem pole that would give a similar sound to the HP but without being tactile. If it isn’t available someone should get on it. I would buy the hell out of some nice smooth linears with a similar sound signature.
AFAIK Kailh Pro Burgundy and Cream have extra long stem tip.
Gateron Ink Yellows, too, if I’m remembering correctly?
Not exactly; they do have shorter travel, but for a different reason; they have lower “feet”. Their center pole is slightly longer, but closer to normal than to a Pro Burgundy.
Oh, weird, thanks!
And be aware!
Ink Yellow stem won’t work well in most housings!
You can also place a 1.5mm ball bearing into the hole for the pole in the bottom housing to turn a bottom-out on leg into a bottom-out on pole though does alter sound and travel. For instance, I am currently using a planck with everglide oreos that have been ball bearing modded and have cherry tops. I’ve been enjoying them so far but it’s definitely not for everyone.
Had a H87A and 90 Marshmallows around so built a case-less PCB-mount TKL and set up VIA on it. For lube, I went with 3204. Feels fantastic. Bottom-out is not harsh. Sound is wonderfully rounded.
Classic TKL layout was chosen because I have quite a few legacy keysets incompatible with Tsangan (aka HHKB) boards, like Filco’s brown R3-only SA profile set that is likely the cheapest SP-made set readily available.
