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jcatstuffs t1_jdaf0f9 wrote

I have 8 keyboards and none of them are quiet enough for work... my next build needs to be specifically focused on being quiet lmao

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stormythecatxoxo t1_jdbidhn wrote

Boba Silent U4 tactile switches. They have a silicone stub on their stem so even when you bottom them out they're very quiet

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samwelltanly t1_jdc92vo wrote

Seconded, I have been using this at work!

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kingler225 t1_jdcodg4 wrote

Same, no one ever complains about my U4's. Meanwhile everyone hates my colleague who uses Gateron Reds in the same board.

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conternecticus t1_jdd15mc wrote

If you want something less mushy, check out the silent switches manufactured by Haimu: Heartbeat, Whisper, WS Silent Linear/Tactile. They have a flex cut on the stem and the housing has holes to kill sound.

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muritai_ t1_jddcj94 wrote

Good sir, I would also like to add a skyloong glacier switches that utilizes same deaign

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stormythecatxoxo t1_jdfa87f wrote

> Haimu: Heartbeat, Whisper, WS Silent Linear/Tactile

thanks for the recommendation. Are they more quiet than the Bobas? Less mushiness would be nice, although my main concern is still the noise

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conternecticus t1_jdpqqht wrote

I'd say they have the same volume, they may feel smoother than the bobas. I do have a few bobagums in hand to compare.

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thebestyoucan t1_jdd2yln wrote

Something I like to do to make those silent (i.e., boba u4, zilents, etc., PBT keycaps, and a ton of foam) keyboards a little more satisfying to type on: if you replace your stabilized keys with gateron black inks (or another of the quieter but not silenced linear switches) you’ll get a little bit of that poppy “rain hitting the roof above you” sound, but not often enough for the keyboard to be noticeably louder to those around you (unless you’re spamming backspace/enter/spacebar a lot). Also sometimes spacebars can get loud on the upstroke with tactile switches even if the switch itself is silent (idk why that happens, maybe I’m doing something wrong), so the black inks can even be quieter there while adding a deeper thockier sound.

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fmtech_ t1_jddfppr wrote

I felt like I was using a membrane keeb and decided making my co workers suffer was acceptable

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TinoessS t1_jdezv80 wrote

I got my none silent u4t switches. Still more silent than the cheap plastic crap my work provides

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superman1995 t1_jdbwixz wrote

Try the Durock silent shrimps, it’s turned every keyboard that I’ve stuck it into to one that is quieter than most rubber domes. It still gives off a very nice sound but it’s soft and very office appropriate.

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jadenthesatanist t1_jdc1avw wrote

+1, Shrimp gang

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superman1995 t1_jdc1noo wrote

Ayyy. Nice to see another lover of the shrimps. The tactility given the almost dead silent sound profile never ceases to amaze me. The feel almost makes up for the lack of auditory feedback

The cushioned bottom out also helps to reduce the fatigue from long typing sessions..

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jadenthesatanist t1_jddoo4i wrote

Yeah dude, when I first got them I was surprised at how truly silent they are, and I’m a big fan of how heavily tactile they are. I recently picked up some Designer Studio White Jades since everyone I saw mention them said they were possibly the heaviest tactiles on the market, but honestly now that I have them I’d say the Shrimps almost beat them out for how strong/heavy they feel (although that could partially be due to the Shrimps having a long bump across the whole keystroke compared to the short/sharp bump of the White Jades). I thoroughly enjoy the White Jades for their sharp snappiness which is what I was really looking for this time around, but I’m glad I have the Shrimps around for a different kind of heavy tactile stroke.

If only Clickiez weren’t so stupid fuckin expensive, because I’ve also seen those mentioned as a possible candidate for being the heaviest tactile on the market when set up as tactiles. I’m just not willing to pay $1.50/switch, and even less so when I’d have to crack them open myself to actually set up the tactile configuration. Too much to ask for for keyboard switches lol.

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JuvenileDelinquent t1_jdb1un5 wrote

Give the WS silent tactile switches a try!

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bikebeardcat t1_jdb29pl wrote

The problem I have is I always bottom out. Bless people who can touch type. Specially when I am in flow mode, I need to hear the caps hitting the plate its like a trance.

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trashem349 t1_jdb30tz wrote

as someone who bottoms out on every single keypress: it did take me a day or two to get used to silent switches, but soon enough you get used to going by the feeling instead of the sound! I have a mix of Haimu Whispers (~65g actuation, no silicone in the design) and TTC Silent Bluish Whites (~45g, silicone dampeners on the stem) on the same keyboard and they’re both tactile enough that it’s not too different from using a board of regular tactiles.

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stormythecatxoxo t1_jdbii68 wrote

> TTC Silent Bluish Whites

Would you happen to know how they compare to the U4 silent Bobas?

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tms t1_jdc3lr9 wrote

Boba U4's have softer cushioning on the bottom and a quieter slide over the tactile bump, making it noticeably quieter overall. Silent Bluish White are less mushy, so when you bottom out a stronger shock will be transferred to the plate and the keyboard build and materials will have a lot to say about volume and how that shock sounds.

In my quest to try out most sound-dampened switches on the market, what I'm really looking for is a switch with low-volume (quiet, not necessarily silent) that still sounds good. In this regard Boba U4 doesn't score well because I think the sound it makes is a bit thin and flimsy. Put them in a well dampened keyboard however and you have a very silent and enjoyable feel which no other high-tactile switch I have can match so far, including TTC Bluish White, Haimu Whisper, Durock Blue Macaw and Kailh Deep Sea Brown.

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trashem349 t1_jdc1emi wrote

unfortunately I don’t, I’ve never tried the Bobas :/ sorry!

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vvodbow t1_jdbqjbz wrote

Oooh a fellow Haimu user! Got Haimu Heartbeat (silent linear) switches and they've been fantastic out of the box! The upstrokes are still a tad noisy when I accidentally press a key on the side, but maybe I need better keycaps.

So far, how do you feel about the Haimu Whispers vs. the TTC? Does one feel better the other for you?

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trashem349 t1_jdc2nn3 wrote

yeah Haimu crew! :D

the Whispers have overall been great! I brought that keyboard to the office and when it’s quiet the people nearest to me (like 10 feet away) can hear them, but it’s absolutely no louder than the membrane keyboard I was using before. during the busy times of day we have multiple people on the phone & the printer going nonstop and that noise drowns the Whispers out completely! they do have a kind of raspy sound/feel to them that bugs me a bit, I’m hoping it’ll go away as they get broken in over time (I hate lubing switches more than anything) but it’s not bad enough to stop me from using them completely.

the TTCs took a LOT more getting used to because I absolutely hated the feeling of the silicone dampeners at first lmao, but after that adjustment period I ended up loving how the silicone makes them feel so bouncy! they don’t have the same rasp as the Whispers and I think that makes them a tad quieter, but the lighter spring means my heavy-handed typing almost becomes a damage risk. I didn’t buy as many of them so I have them just on the keys my pinky & ring fingers press.

if I was going to pick just one to fill a whole board with I’d probably go with the TTCs, but it would be a very narrow win!

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vvodbow t1_jddj11p wrote

Thanks for the detailed answer! I actually made the switch from membrane keyboards cuz I'm too a violent typist that my colleagues felt disturbed even when I was on a membrane keyboard. After switching to the Haimus I've been so amused to see every membrane keyboard user nearby (mostly Mac laptop users) being way louder than me ;)

I'm looking to try more silent keycaps and switches, both tactile and linear. Interesting to see how the dampeners made such a difference to your TTCs. I should try those when I have the chance!

For now, besides switching to PBT keycaps, I'm thinking of putting O-rings on the Heartbeats when I can get my hands on some. They are already really quiet and probably won't benefit from the extra dampening on the downstroke, but I'm just curious how much quieter they can be without lubing them (I hate lubing).

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mamamarty21 t1_jddwm26 wrote

I feel like touch typing doesn’t make you not bottom out. I feel like I’ve bottomed out every keyboard since i’ve ever typed on

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Silvus314 t1_jdbc260 wrote

Silent tactiles are awesome! still get that feel, but my coworker was considering killing me when the clickers was there.

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SonicHeli t1_jdcy72i wrote

I rock Durock Silent Shrimps at work and Haimu Silent Whispers at home. The whispers are less silent but use a unique silent mechanism that doesn’t use silicone and has a more traditional feel

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ChidiiAnagonye t1_jdbpfsj wrote

Do you think your coworkers would complain? As long as you don’t bring clicky switches, I think you should be fine. I also have 8+ keyboards and I bring a different one each week lol and I’ve never gotten a complaint. If anything some of my coworkers membrane keyboards are louder than mine.

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monkeyofficeboy t1_jdc094h wrote

I built a Tester68 with some lubed Aliaz Silents, did a few mods (Tape and foam mods) and tuned the stabs, and honestly it is easliy quiet enough to use for work... Unlike my other 7 :D

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jordan24c t1_jdcturf wrote

I've been using Aliaz Silents for the last couple months. Stupid quiet, no complaints

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tehfrawg t1_jdczcol wrote

Branch out. Get a NiZ or Topre (silenced) board

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MikeBert97 t1_jddktkv wrote

Silent Alpacas, Boba U4s, or Bobagums are all ya need to look at!

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Devilsgospel1 t1_jdgcld0 wrote

Akko’s new-ish haze pinks are a silent linear switch. Sounds pretty good lubed. With some foam and tape my board is quieter than all the membranes tapping away. Still need to work on dampening the stabs but it’ll do.

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jcatstuffs t1_jdo39kz wrote

now that suggestion seems a bit more my price range, hehe... thank you for the suggestion!

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