deskthority

What, it's even HEAVIER than the Taran? Oo

seebart wrote: Necropost, I got this clean 4th gen. NMB RT-102 IT the other day with black two-eyed tactile Hi-Tek 725 series switches like klikkyklik's example. The tactility is wild with short keytravel and very imminent tactile feedback combined with a rather heavy keyweight that I have not measured. This is a completely different experience to the clicky Taran RT-101 I got from Chyros. According to the markings inside the case this one dates April 1989.
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The keytravel of all Series 725 switches should be identical at about 3.6mm. Activation on Linear and Clickies is about 1.8mm. I am not sure about tactile versions. I have not noticed that any versions of the Black Clicky switches used different springs (other than the space bar), but the clicky switches can have huge variation in click volume and tactility from switch to switch and are very sensitive to dust and dirt.
The small eye black clickies are the early versions, while the larger, stepped eyes are the later. There are even boards that use both versions on the same board, so I don't think the sliders or housings are different, although the springs could be. (then again we are talking about Hi-Tek so in general all bets are off)

Could you take a picture comparing the springs from the Taran to those from the RT-102?

Chyros wrote: What, it's even HEAVIER than the Taran? Oo

I think it's important to emphasize that it feels heavier to me than the Taran due to the 100% completely different keyfeel altogether. Now remember that the Taran had seen some action, this appears to be less used so that may play a role. What Engicoder says makes sense;

Engicoder wrote: The keytravel of all Series 725 switches should be identical at about 3.6mm. Activation on Linear and Clickies is about 1.8mm. I am not sure about tactile versions. I have not noticed that any versions of the Black Clicky switches used different springs (other than the space bar), but the clicky switches can have huge variation in click volume and tactility from switch to switch and are very sensitive to dust and dirt.
The small eye black clickies are the early versions, while the larger, stepped eyes are the later. There are even boards that use both versions on the same board, so I don't think the sliders or housings are different, although the springs could be. (then again we are talking about Hi-Tek so in general all bets are off)

Could you take a picture comparing the springs from the Taran to those from the RT-102?

I agree with you I doubt NMB manufactured actual physical variations of Series 725 switches which makes this even more incredible; In fact I'd go further and argue I have never to this day used one switch of the same series by the same manufacturer in the same basic keyboard model that was so strikingly different. All my other series 725 are linears that feel closer to this tactile switch in terms of keytravel. I'll have a look at the springs I'm a little cautious with these switches after I almost killed a few in the Taran.

I have a newish NMB clicky RT-101 keyboard on hold for me by a fellow DT member; when I get that a full test is in order!

I haven't received my RT8255CWE+ with clicky black switches in the mail yet, but I do have experience with the tactile switches as I've been using the tactile grey board (from the CDN group buy) at work for a few months and can confirm the switches are quite stiff, but they feel less so when you adjust to type only just past the tactile point - if you bottom out, that last 20% of key travel becomes much stiffer.

I have an older RT101+ at home that I thought had black clickies when I ordered it, but turned out to have small eye black tactile switches (didn't check the year, but I think it's around 88-89) and those feel pretty much the same, but perhaps a bit smoother. I think the difference in smoothness could perhaps be due to that one being worn in, as the greys I have at work are in a board I got brand new. Nice board btw Seebart - I like those ones with the thicker legends and double dye-sub numpad legends

Thanks, I really need to have a look at those springs in mine and see if they're the same as the ones in my Taran clicky NMB. NMB boards don't show up too often here so I was lucky to trade that for some new Cherry doubleshots.