GOOD Cherry MX Switches

User avatar
photekq
Cherry Picker

02 Jan 2023, 01:02

Muirium wrote:
02 Jan 2023, 00:43
Right. So still a bit of a punt on any given used board, if not quite as dramatically so as Alps.
Well, sort of. But not really. My experience with Alps is fairly limited, so take this with a grain of salt, but I do have examples of used and NIB boards for a few of their SKCL/SKCM switches. That, along with what I've heard from others, makes me think that Alps switches are practically incapable of improving over time. They're only capable of getting worse over time, from the introduction of dust and other contaminants. Cherry MX on the other hand is capable of both improvement and decline depending upon the conditions.
Muirium wrote:
02 Jan 2023, 00:43
What sort of timescale do you reckon it would take for 2010s vintage nasty reds to wear smooth, assuming sympathetic environment? Should I make a rig, like those robotic bums at IKEA? :lol:
I don't think it's worth even trying to make a guess, MX reds aren't worth it :lol: Just spring swap some good blacks instead.

User avatar
hellothere

02 Jan 2023, 18:04

photekq wrote:
02 Jan 2023, 01:02
Cherry MX on the other hand is capable of both improvement ... depending upon the conditions.
I'm not really sold on the "improvement" part. It sounds closer to, "I like moderately used Cherry MX switches more than I like NOS." That'd be more of an opinion. It'd be interesting to see if a bag of NOS vintage blacks sells for more than a bag of heavily used vintage blacks.

User avatar
Wodan
ISO Advocate

02 Jan 2023, 18:09

From my own experience you can EASILY get your dick wet at any keyboard con if you have some early date code / West Germany Cherry MX switches to trade. That says a lot about these switches!

Try that with some HYPE SWITCHES that were trending on Reddit more than one zoomer attention span ago.

User avatar
photekq
Cherry Picker

02 Jan 2023, 19:14

hellothere wrote:
02 Jan 2023, 18:04
I'm not really sold on the "improvement" part. It sounds closer to, "I like moderately used Cherry MX switches more than I like NOS." That'd be more of an opinion.
What I'm describing is an objective improvement in switch smoothness, which can occur with heavy usage of MX switches under the right conditions. I'm not judging or describing any other aspect of switch-feel, only the smoothness, which is something you can quickly and easily judge if you have two keyboards next to each other. I don't agree that I'm being opinionated there, sorry :mrgreen:

And also, that's not right - I like the best NOS vintage MX switches as much as I like the best used vintage MX switches, just in different ways.

User avatar
hellothere

05 Jan 2023, 23:34

photekq wrote:
02 Jan 2023, 19:14
hellothere wrote:
02 Jan 2023, 18:04
I'm not really sold on the "improvement" part. It sounds closer to, "I like moderately used Cherry MX switches more than I like NOS." That'd be more of an opinion.
What I'm describing is an objective improvement in switch smoothness, which can occur with heavy usage of MX switches under the right conditions. I'm not judging or describing any other aspect of switch-feel, only the smoothness, which is something you can quickly and easily judge if you have two keyboards next to each other. I don't agree that I'm being opinionated there, sorry :mrgreen:

And also, that's not right - I like the best NOS vintage MX switches as much as I like the best used vintage MX switches, just in different ways.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it sounds like (using an analogy), the Mitsubishi Miniature Mechanical switches magically turned into 45g Topre switches after using them for awhile.

I'd like to know more about the topic, as I've only played with one Cherry MX vintage black keyboard.

As a side note, why don't Wyse 50s/60s sell for more? They've got vintage black switches and absolutely awesome caps. Rather rugged construction. Converter is easy to make.

User avatar
photekq
Cherry Picker

05 Jan 2023, 23:49

hellothere wrote:
05 Jan 2023, 23:34
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it sounds like (using an analogy), the Mitsubishi Miniature Mechanical switches magically turned into 45g Topre switches after using them for awhile.
Ah, gotcha. If I were talking about tactiles I think you'd be absolutely right. But to be honest, the only difference I can ever notice when comparing different batches of vintage blacks is the smoothness and sometimes a slight change in weight. It's the same feeling, just smoother or scratchier. I probably wouldn't have said the same thing if I were talking about, say, old/vintage MX clears; those vary in more than just smoothness, and it becomes a subjective thing.
hellothere wrote:
05 Jan 2023, 23:34
As a side note, why don't Wyse 50s/60s sell for more? They've got vintage black switches and absolutely awesome caps. Rather rugged construction. Converter is easy to make.
WYSEs are common as hell, for one. Especially the WY50, WY60 ASCII and the fullsize ones. The WY85 is also fairly common. When compared with (most) vintage G80 models, they dwarf them in terms of quantities out there. German layout G80s are an exception - those really are quite common in Germany, but still maybe not as common as WYSE boards in America. Secondly, G80s have PCB mount 5-pin blacks, while WYSE boards have plate mount 3-pin blacks. 5-pins have more demand behind them when it comes to using them in customs, etc. Lastly, there's the protocol - perhaps conversion puts some people off, I don't know.

WYSEs do sell for a fair amount on the aftermarket (usually dictated by the condition of their switches, since WYSE boards are probably the most commonly source for desoldered MX vintage blacks). But because they're so common, they often come up on eBay etc. for cheap, or cheap-ish.

There's one WYSE design that I do think is undervalued - the WY-30 and AT Standard, both very similar. Those really aren't so common, and I think they're a particularly nice design.

User avatar
Go-Kart

06 Jan 2023, 16:37

I rate Glorious/blag (Feker) Pandas. Bit of lube and I find it hard to distinguish between the two. I used to like MX Clears, but that was many keyboards ago! My fingers have much more experience now, so I don't think my appreciation of them would still be valid.

User avatar
TheInverseKey

07 Jan 2023, 21:47

Get some ProWorlds. They will make sure your finger gains are pro.

dellmodelm

20 Jan 2023, 22:06

I don't like Cherry MX browns, and probably wouldn't like blues, if I ever tried them... when I did have a brown board, it just felt like the switches were trying too hard to imitate the click and feel of buckling-spring switches.

My favorites are Cherry MX red and black. Two red boards in my collection are near to my heart, and I respect black for its slightly higher actuation force.

That said, I've never tried any other Cherry switches.

Post Reply

Return to “Keyboards”