Easing Into Linears

Argand Partners bought it from GENUI Partners on Oct. 2020. GENUI bought Cherry from ZF Electronics in 2016.

Argand Partners Acquires Cherry

Retooled blacks simply because I’m still waiting for NovelKeys to stock Hyperglides. As to why, I enjoy being stingy and lazy. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Hey mate, I’m unsure if you are aware or not, but there is no structural differences between Hyperglides and some version of retooled MX Blacks. Somewhere someone has sent me an email response from Cherry themselves regarding Hyperglides in which they state that the only way you can physically tell them apart is by lot number, as the only differences between them is supposedly lubing. If you use them stock, I think they may be worth the purchase, but if you’re going to gut and relube them yourselves you should probably save the few extra cents per switch.

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No way am I using stock MX blacks!

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This may very well be. Some folks are saying retooled has more pop but both sounds alike in all the typing videos I watched. Which means I’ll love them. Funny thing is that I could get 5 black suits exactly alike yet still manage to find a favorite among them. :slight_smile:

It’s also true I’ll save money by just getting more retooled. But I’m stingy out of unremovable stain-like principle and lazy out of need to protect myself after having made too many foolish mistakes rushing into things. So I’m going to make my mistakes at a slower pace and at more reasonable price. Bring on the Hyperglides!

BTW, I enjoy reading your review posts. Keep it up.

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Looks like Hyperglides will be available in US mid-May. The screenshot is from a US distributor’s website for 5-pin retooled blacks (spec say 50M press instead of 100M). Cherry confusingly uses the same part number for both retooled and hyperglide.

Not sure if the pricing will change from retooled blacks (~45 cents) but, given that Hyperglides are priced around that range in Asia, I doubt it’ll change much. I did see them selling at 28 cents per switch in Chinese markets but I’m not sure if they are fakes or not.

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This is a general reply to the thread to say that my use of linears is almost absolute, at this point.

Almost all the boards I’ve been using recently have had linears in them, save one with silent U4 franken-switches. This is probably due to having an old cache of about 250 Gat milky yellows around that I’ve used in rebuilds.

My favorite in terms of sound profile at the moment has to be a polycarbonate UT47.2 with some second-hand NK Creams in it. It’s funny because on a Lily58 the Creams tired out my fingers, but on a smaller board I haven’t experienced that at all.

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I’ve observed this between same sized boards as well. Another headscratcher.

So I’ve now tried polished Hyperglides and can say with confidence that it’s same as retooled blacks in all aspects except that the batch I got is a lot smoother than retooled blacks I bought before. That’s it. Cool name though.

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Trying lubed/filmed retooled blacks today for the first time on my modded Planck with an alu plate. I’ve mostly been a tactile or silent switch kind of guy, so this experience of just in between the two as far as sound goes is really quite nice.

I may prefer this harder plate material to bring up the volume a bit. Will have to try them out in my minivan with a brass plate (I’m imagining the tray mount will bring out the “clack” even more). Any more muted might feel a little pointless. Noice.

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Right. Bottom out sound is a huge part of linear experience so taking that away with left it feeling dull. I think tactile is the way to go when silent switch is needed.

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Sacrificed 4 polished Cherry MX Black Hyperglides to revisit lube differences:

  1. 3203
  2. 3204
  3. 205g0
  4. 106

From 3203 to 205g0, I noted differences in drag and pitch. 3203 had the least drag and highest pitch. 205g0 had the most drag and lowest pitch. 3204 was between the two. I think the drag is what creates the buttery feel.

Difference in drag was enough to make perceived spring weight of switches with same springs (TX 60g long) feel different.

GPL 106 was interesting. It’s drag was comparable to 3204 but pitch was very similar to 205g0 despite being higher like same note in different octaves. Quality of sound was flat and dampened. If I run out of 205g0, order of alternate lube preference would be 3204, 106, then 3203.

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Do you ever mix your lubes? Do you think a 1:1 between 3203 and 205g0 (or something) would be worth trying?

No because I’m happy with 205g0 as is. Wouldn’t mixing 3203 with 205g0 result in something like 3204?

Cool cool. Happiness is king. I usually cut 205g2 with 105 due to its cost and Amazon Prime availability. I wasn’t sure if mixing Krytox with Tribosys made for a magical recipe I wasn’t aware of. No worries.

Tribosys is just a brand of Krytox created by the manufacturer, Miller-Stephenson. Hmm. I may check out mixing 205g2 w/105 as cheaper path to 205g0. I’ve been suspecting that may be what my Malaysian source for cheap 205g0 is doing.

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My 25ml jar of 205g0 was nearly empty so ordered another, from a vendor named Heebie Keebies in the US instead of Malaysia. The later sells 205g0 at ~$1/ml but shipping cost at ~$20 voided price advantage and shipping delay is still there so went with local vendor which was cheapest I could find, at $1.70/ml.

It’s a big bottle but just love how the stuff feels.

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Would love to get some thoughts from the community about which linear to try out as a “fun” linear switch for a non-daily driver keyboard

I don’t have much experience with linears - my main work board uses silent tactiles, and I only had a brief stint with lubed Gateron milky yellows. They were nice and smooth, but didn’t blow me away

I’m thinking of trying out another linear switch, but given my experience with yellows as the “ultimate budget linear”, is this still a worthwhile venture?

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The Durock POM’s might be worth trying. They have a very premium construction and are a bit punchy on the upstroke. Definitely more clack than thock.

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Try an uber-smooth switch, like Tangerine. It’s feels very different from Gateron Yellows. Durock POM maybe just as smooth. I haven’t tried it so can’t say.

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Really appreciate the inputs @ajoflo @donpark! I suppose this means that premium linears do have a justification for their price? Will check out their availability in my local market/aftermarket :slight_smile:

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