[Interest Check] Silencing Rings for Topre RF or HHKB

[Muirium]

Looks like he only made a handful of sets. One of each size.

[Hypersphere]

@Caeyden: Sorry about the confusion. Please bear with us. We are still novices regarding listing things on eBay.

The first production run was 2000 rings. of which I have taken about 200 to install in HHKBs as part of my testing. However, it looks like the eBay listing was for only 1 packet each of 63, 90, or 107 rings. Apparently, the 63 and 90 already sold, leaving only the 107. We will remedy this as soon as we can by relisting or changing the listing to indicate multiple sets.

If/when all 2000 are gone, I will certainly consider producing more and making them available again on eBay.

Thanks for bearing with me as I go through this learning experience!

[Hypersphere]

Looks like he only made a handful of sets. One of each size.

Thanks for catching this error. Please see the explanation to Caeydon above. I will try to get this straightened out this evening or tomorrow.

[Muirium]

That's better! Here's the link in case anyone wonders what we're on about:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/katesattic2/m.h ... pg=&_from=

I'm seeing $15 shipping plus $20.97 import charges here on the $78 fullsize set. $114 makes them too costly for me. But you'll get a fair few takers, I bet, especially domestically. Good luck!

[Evilcamels]

Any chance of getting a 66+ ring set for my FC660C? If not, I will just order a 63 ring set and not put them on stabilized keys, so no big deal if you are too busy!

[colomb]

Phew, got the last 2 90 ring sets. This is a more limited run than I expected.

Evilcamels, it is likely that I will have 3 extra as these are for an RF board and a Novatouch.

I'll be sure to report back with how they perform on the NT.

[Hypersphere]

We are still learning about how to do things on eBay. We will be relisting packets of rings until this first run of about 1800 rings is gone. If there is still a demand for them after that, I will definitely consider another production run.

@Evilcamels: Yes, we will add a 66+3 set for the FC660C. Thanks for asking about this.

[TheNacho]

Ordered myself a set of 90. Thanks for doing this Hypersphere!

If these are nice, I might go for one of them FC660C sets aswell, once I can afford it

[Evilcamels]

Thanks colomb for the offer, I went ahead and got the 69 pack anyways. Speaking of which, thanks Hypersphere for the FC660C pack!

[Hypersphere]

You are very welcome. Please let us know how the rings work out for you on the Leopold FC660C.

[pyrelink]

The rings work fantastic. I like the sound a whole lot better. Besides the general annoyance of working on a Topre keyboard, the orings were of course, easy to install. Thanks for your work on this Hypersphere!

[reznq]

(Link deleted.)

[Muirium]

I don't use MassDrop. But is the idea to pay Hyper a bunch of money so he can become a one man production line? Or would MassDrop use his recipe and hire some place in China instead? Seems an odd prospect in either case!

[pyrelink]

I would imagine the latter. Take all of Hypers R&D, get it manufactured in China for cheap, add a markup and rerun the drop 30 times.

[reznq]

Guess I would hope that Hyper would still be involved if they brought in a different third party to manufacture them. But, they would probably want to use the same source to skip another prototyping/sample phase, right?

It seems like Matt3o's collaborations with them are good precedents, at least. Not that all of them have gone smoothly.

[Hypersphere]

I was surprised to see my silencing rings up for a vote on Massdrop. If this generates sufficient interest, I trust that someone at Massdrop would get in touch with me to discuss next steps. I am completely new to the world of commerce, and so I would welcome assistance from one or more people here at DT -- please send me a PM.

We could also discuss options other than or in addition to Massdrop.

[Muirium]

The option I'd take would be to write to MassDrop and request they delete all reference to your project. It's not like you chose to place yourself in their crosshairs. You woke up there!

I can only imagine that if they do take a shine to your project, they will keep all the profits and you'll get some compensatory swag. Leftovers from another drop perhaps. Yay. Certainly don't think that surrendering your invention to them is "for the community". MassDrop's bank account is not the community.

[macmakkara]

Yeah. IF could avoid buying from them i would do that and buy all those fantastic caps etc from elsewhere. also there is that problems that theyr located in US so we europeans have to pay pretty high shipping prices and also taxes.

[colomb]

Completed ring installation on a NovaTouch and it is glorious!! Hypersphere, I can't thank you enough for putting the time and effort into getting these made. I now need to decide whether I'm going to install the second set I purchased on my 55gm 87u or the 45gm 87u. F*ck it, maybe I'll just by another set....

[TheNacho]

Completed ring installation on a NovaTouch and it is glorious!! Hypersphere, I can't thank you enough for putting the time and effort into getting these made. I now need to decide whether I'm going to install the second set I purchased on my 55gm 87u or the 45gm 87u. F*ck it, maybe I'll just by another set....

The waiting time got even worse now. Any chance for a sound sample?

[Hypersphere]

@colomb: Thanks for your comments about the NT. Glad to know that the rings work well on it.

@TheNacho: I've posted some audio in a separate thread:

http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/aud ... 11269.html

This has comparisons of the HHKB with and without silencing rings, but thus far I have audio for the NT only without rings.

[TheNacho]

@TheNacho: I've posted some audio in a separate thread:

http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/aud ... 11269.html

This has comparisons of the HHKB with and without silencing rings, but thus far I have audio for the NT only without rings.

Yeah, I heard these. I will see if I can maybe add some sound samples here, once I receive my rings. Even though a Novatouch with thick PBT and 55g is maybe a rather unusual case

[Hypersphere]

@TheNacho: We're all about unusual cases here on DT!

[colomb]

The waiting time got even worse now. Any chance for a sound sample?

I thought about doing a recording, but only after I had taken most the board apart. Seemed useless to do a post mod recording without a pre mod recording. I've also never done a recording before.

Having said all that, I'll take a stab at it and see what I can do.

[TheNacho]

The waiting time got even worse now. Any chance for a sound sample?

I thought about doing a recording, but only after I had taken most the board apart. Seemed useless to do a post mod recording without a pre mod recording. I've also never done a recording before.

Having said all that, I'll take a stab at it and see what I can do.

I think there are quite a few recordings of an unmodded Novatouch, but I would say it would be interesting to hear what it sounds like now. But I can try that aswell, once my rings arrive in Germany, which could take another week or two.

[Evilcamels]

@Hypersphere installed the rings on my FC660C today, work like a charm! thanks a ton for setting up the 69 ring set

[colomb]

Installed my second set on an RF 87u uniform 55gm. A little frustrated with the fact that the left control key slider doesn't have a base to accommodate ring Otherwise, worked perfectly. I think I prefer the feel of the NovaTouch with the rings. Looks like I may be transferring rings from 55gm to RF EK edition....

[Muirium]

I just installed a set of these in my NovaTouch, and I must report they are magnificent! The effect they have on the NovaTouch is quite revolutionary. The rattle is gone. All I feel is the Topre smoothness, and my Round 5 caps!

IMG_0156.jpg (475.66 KiB) Viewed 18760 times

As you can see, the rings are a soft, compact material that sits between the sliders and the top housing of the switch. With these installed, plastic no longer hits plastic when the keys return to the top. What you get is something quite similar to the sound of my HHKB Type-S. Sterling upgrade!

IMG_0161.jpg (319.82 KiB) Viewed 18760 times

Everyone with a NovaTouch: you *need* these. They are essential to making this keyboard what it should have been in the first place. Epic!

[Hypersphere]

@Mu: Thanks for the report on the beneficial effect of the silencing rings on your Novatouch. I've saved a 90-ring pack for myself, and I am debating whether to put them on my RF87u or my Novatouch. The NT is the needier of the two, but I can imagine that the already more-refined RF would be exquisite with the additional polish of silencing.

[Muirium]

Definitely the NovaTouch. I'm keeping my own 55g 87U stock, besides Matteo's excellent PBT spacebar. That's because, as you might have noticed, I like a bit of contrast. My favourite boards are Topres and IBMs! With the HHKB Type-S and now this NovaTouch, I've got the damped Topre that I need. The Realforce can remind me what the original sound is like. I find it quite pleasant on the Realforce anyway. It's no rattly NovaTouch, in need of an artful fix.