O-Rings: 50A-R, 40A-R, 40A-L, or None?
Posted: 25 Nov 2014, 01:16
Although this topic might have been beaten to death on GH and/or DT, I would like some fresh input on the question, perhaps from those who have not responded to such an inquiry previously.
Therefore, for those of you who have Cherry mx keyboards, I am interested in whether or not you favor the use of O-rings, and if you use them, which type you prefer.
As I understand it, the currently most widely used O-rings are black 50A-R (the hardest on the durometer scale, and with a travel reduction of 0.4 mm), blue 40A-R (softer than 50A and also with a 0.4 mm travel reduction), and red 40A-L (same softness as 40A-R, but with a lower travel reduction of 0.2 mm).
There might be some other varieties out there, including 70A and 30A hardness and different diameters, thickness, and materials, but I am mainly interested in the "mainstream" O-rings listed first above.
In my own case, I have a WASD V2 87 mx Brown keyboard. I rather like the bottoming-out sound without O-rings, but the spacebar bottoming-out sound is rather loud. However, otherwise, the spacebar is quiet. In particular, it doesn't rattle. As a matter of fact, the spacebar in my RF 87ub 55g rattles noticeably.
On balance, I think I prefer the sound and feel of my Cherry mx board without O-rings. I've tried some of the keys with red, blue, and black varieties. With red O-rings, I still get some bottoming-out click, which disappears with blue or black O-rings. However, with any of the O-rings installed, the deadening effect seems to take the life out of the keyboard and I don't really like the result.
Therefore, for those of you who have Cherry mx keyboards, I am interested in whether or not you favor the use of O-rings, and if you use them, which type you prefer.
As I understand it, the currently most widely used O-rings are black 50A-R (the hardest on the durometer scale, and with a travel reduction of 0.4 mm), blue 40A-R (softer than 50A and also with a 0.4 mm travel reduction), and red 40A-L (same softness as 40A-R, but with a lower travel reduction of 0.2 mm).
There might be some other varieties out there, including 70A and 30A hardness and different diameters, thickness, and materials, but I am mainly interested in the "mainstream" O-rings listed first above.
In my own case, I have a WASD V2 87 mx Brown keyboard. I rather like the bottoming-out sound without O-rings, but the spacebar bottoming-out sound is rather loud. However, otherwise, the spacebar is quiet. In particular, it doesn't rattle. As a matter of fact, the spacebar in my RF 87ub 55g rattles noticeably.
On balance, I think I prefer the sound and feel of my Cherry mx board without O-rings. I've tried some of the keys with red, blue, and black varieties. With red O-rings, I still get some bottoming-out click, which disappears with blue or black O-rings. However, with any of the O-rings installed, the deadening effect seems to take the life out of the keyboard and I don't really like the result.