Why are Cherry brand keyboards so beloved on DT?

[codemonkeymike]

I have my theories, but I would like to know from the people who love their Cherry brand boards.

[seebart]

There's one person in particular you need to ask.

http://deskthority.net/photekq-u3660/

Although I like my Cherry keyboards I do not considder myself a true Cherry hardcore fan. In other words they do not make up my favorites in my collection. So I can't really answer your question, sorry.

One crucial reason will be the sheer endless possibilities of keycap modding possible matched by no other keyboard, Cherry MX that is. And I'm assuming you specifically mean Cherry MX?

[Chyros]

They're popular because they're practically the only ones that are still being made, and they are marketed as being the only mechanical switches in existence .

[seebart]

They're popular because they're practically the only ones that are still being made, and they are marketed as being the only mechanical switches in existence .

Many of the loved / collected ones we see here are not made anymore.

IMGP8258.JPG (963.9 KiB) Viewed 5530 times

[jerue]

To have nostalgia for a time that once was...

IBM is great, but Cherry just seems special to me. Not to mention the pursuit of all of those different boards that can keep this hobby going for such a long time. You try one or two IBM boards (save for the M15 and F62), you pretty much have tried them all...

[andrewjoy]

I have my theories, but I would like to know from the people who love their Cherry brand boards.

because they have not discovered IBM or ALPS or NMB yet

[shreebles]

IBM is great, but Cherry is easily moddable. You can get a Cherry keyboard in any form factor. If it doesn't exist, you can even build it yourself! With IBM there are mostly three different kinds of switches in a handful of form factors. People like idollar and Ellipse are working hard to get the IBM typing technology they want in the form factor they prefer.

I have enjoyed black, brown, red, blue, clear MX switches with different spring weights. I love TKLs and can mod them to any combination of switch, stem and spring with MX switches. Then not only do I have a variety of keycap sets but also affordable ones to choose from, in my preferred language layout (ISO-DE). This is a lot more difficult with IBM or even Alps.

because they have not discovered IBM or ALPS or NMB yet

This is not true for all. I have yet to find one Alps board that I like. So far, I've only tried black, and old whites which I both found terrible. Waiting on the white Alps board from greece...

I have several IBMs, but until the FSSK is finished none of them have been practical enough for me in day-to-day typing and gaming use. They can also seem tiring due to their noise and heavy keystroke.

My Ergo-Clears have never let me down, though they seemed a bit rough and bumpy, and slightly too heavy for excessive gaming. Now I have combined Zealio stems with MX red springs in a QFR and it is a winning combination for me. A perfect daily driver. I just returned from work where I use a silenced Novatouch (which is very nice in its own right), but I can still come home to this Cherry board and enjoy it immensely.

[andrewjoy]

You have options with cherry for caps and the likes, but the switch feel leaves allot to be desired .

Thankfully Coolermaster have this sorted with the novatouch.

[seebart]

Of course both you are right, if only IBM, ALPS or NMB were as extensively available and moddable. And then there's Topre...

[shreebles]

Wow andrew, you are quick! I have added a few words above but you keep replying faster than I can finish my post

[Stabilized]

I guess the reason why Cherry branded keyboards are popular is the keycaps are considered aesthetically pleasing, as well as the fact that they are hard to find in certain layouts and with certain legends.
Cherry also have a great back catalogue of different keyboards that all use Cherry MX switches, like other people mentioned, are easy to mod and reuse in modern keyboards.
This all leads to a large amount of collecting to be done as well as the use of the keycaps or switches in newer boards.

I personally love playing around with variables to find what I like and dislike and I think Cherry MX switches really allows you do that more then any other key switch.

[seebart]

One thing that makes Cherry awesome is that it's even possible to swap cases and PCB's. The picture above is G81-1000 HBD case with a G80 PCB MX Blacks and APL keycaps. Awesome FRANKENboard, only possible with Cherry AFAIK.

[zslane]

Are there any Cherry boards with the build quality of a WASD V2 or a Filco Majestouch-2 or a Topre RealForce?

[seebart]

Are there any Cherry boards with the build quality of a WASD V2 or a Filco Majestouch-2 or a Topre RealForce?

I have never used or tired "new" Cherry boards like the MX 3.0 but I can tell you that older G80/81 1000 series are pretty good build quality, not quite Filco or Topre quality though.

[codemonkeymike]

I was under the impression that the reason that people love there old cherry boards is because they came with high quality caps in every european layout. Something which is hard to get with other brands.

[Findecanor]

Also, used Cherry keyboards can sometimes be acquired on German eBay for very little money.

[davkol]

• High-quality localized keycaps.
• Various color schemes of keycaps and cases.
• The 1800 layout.
• Some sort of brand status.
• Easy entry, thanks to availability of some models.

It's kind of similar to my reasons for collecting and actually using Sennheiser headphones made around 1990. They're in my sweet spot in regards to comfort and sound signature, while being quite easily available and often reasonably cheap around here, and it comes with some sort of history—although there are alternatives, that are technically superior in one way or another.

[Muirium]

• Vastly inflated prices for good versions of the caps.

When people are asking prices like that, it must be great. Right?

[SL89]

Inflated how, things like clickclacks are inflated but most caps, esp cherry sets seem to go for little to nothing besides very rare / unique versions. esp with the multitude of compatible after market capsets.

[Muirium]

When you find some thick vintage ANSI Cherry dyesubs for $50, tell me all about it, Sleighty!

[zslane]

I could sorta use something like a G80-100HAU but with a full ANSI 104 layout and MX reds. AFAIK, no such beast exists. Therefore Cherry is dead to me (as a keyboard manufacturer, that is).

[Muirium]

Their caps are quite good, depending on vintage. Photekq certainly does a nice job on making the [WALLET SCREAMING SOUND] rather costly dyesubs look dee-lish. I have some vintage Cherry doubleshots, which are good if not stellar. But the damn things don't work on modern boards so you wind up with more expense looking for bottom rows.

I'm not much into the boards themselves. Mostly because of the switches. MX has some strengths but the fundamental feel of it just doesn't compare well to Topre and IBM to me. Or Alps or Space Invaders, for that matter. My panicking wallet is soothed by this fact. Topre is top dollar, but snagging a Cherry board is just the beginning of the expense.

[codemonkeymike]

...snagging a Cherry board is just the beginning of the expense.

Seems to be the case with Alps as well. One does not simply buy an Alps board.

[zslane]

Their caps are quite good, depending on vintage.

Agreed, as long as we're talking about their spherical vintage...

MX has some strengths but the fundamental feel of it just doesn't compare well to Topre and IBM to me.

The most important strength of MX is its ability to take DSA and SA keycaps. All other considerations are secondary.

[photekq]

Cherry keyboards are my favourite because :

• I think the keyboards themselves (G80 and G81 anyway) are the prettiest of all the vintage keyboards
• I find the G80 series the best to type on (in particular the MX5000), so long as the switches are just right! (I haven't tried all the switches yet though! Blue alps or 55g/silenced Topre may change my mind!) ((Beamspring does beat any switch in my book, but the form factor/layouts rule it out for regular use))
• The keycaps are the only ones which I would call truly perfect when it comes to aesthetics - the profile, the font, the colours. Just perfect! The dyesub ones are also the only ones I would call perfect when it comes to typing/touch.
• So many unique variants, all just as good as one another, which means more fun trying to collect them all..
• I can easily use switches or keycaps from the vintage keyboards on newer/custom ones.

Are there any Cherry boards with the build quality of a WASD V2 or a Filco Majestouch-2 or a Topre RealForce?

It depends what you mean by build quality. When most people say build quality in regards to keyboards what they really mean is rigidity. Personally, I don't think rigidity is necessarily a good thing. I certainly prefer certain switches on a wobbly PCB-mounted Cherry keyboard.

Cherry keyboards have excellent build quality. They just do not have a metal plate, so they aren't rigid or heavy. Their PCBs are durable and their cases are excellently designed (no screws on most models!). In particular, the MX5000 is very well made.

• Vastly inflated prices for good versions of the caps.

When people are asking prices like that, it must be great. Right?

I will hold that the prices aren't inflated. It's just that the items in question are rare as hell (really, when's the last time you saw someone finding an ANSI dyesub set at an e-cycler? They're not as common as IBMs you know!) and the demand is high!

I could sorta use something like a G80-100HAU but with a full ANSI 104 layout and MX reds. AFAIK, no such beast exists. Therefore Cherry is dead to me (as a keyboard manufacturer, that is).

So.. a G80-3000HAMUS or G80-3000HRMUS modded to MX reds?

I'm not much into the boards themselves. Mostly because of the switches.

That reminds me.. I need to send you a 5000, don't I? Remind me around Easter!

[zslane]

I could sorta use something like a G80-100HAU but with a full ANSI 104 layout and MX reds. AFAIK, no such beast exists. Therefore Cherry is dead to me (as a keyboard manufacturer, that is).

So.. a G80-3000HAMUS or G80-3000HRMUS modded to MX reds?

The G80-3000 case style isn't quite what I'm looking for. I want this:



...but full ANSI 104, not winkeyless, and with MX reds stock (I don't mod boards).

[webwit]

*sacrilege mode on*
All I see is IBM Model M clones from an IBM keyboard clone maker.

[zslane]

Well, yeah, true. Except that at least Cherry boards can conceivably come with MX reds rather than the clicky, pingy, monstrosities that come in IBM boards.

[webwit]

Pah!

[Parjánya]

IBM monstruosities? Heresy

So far I've tested MX browns, reds, blacks, and blues, and they felt all boring to me, except the blues, which have a good clicky sound but no respectable weight. I'll try MX greens next, or the white ones... but I'm starting to lose my hopes on Cherry switches :'(