Monterey K9AX keyboard review (Mitsumi miniature mechanical, white)
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- Опубликовано: 25 июл 2024
- Skip to 11:36 for a typing demonstration.
Today we revisit Mitsumi miniature mechanical switches in this mint Monterey K9AX keyboard. sent to me by a viewer who wanted to change my mind about these switches, will it hold up? Hope you enjoy the video! :)
My keyboard reviews: bit.ly/1TbOtft
My switch teardowns: bit.ly/2C1QGHz
My TOP X videos: bit.ly/2FmpZfd
My XL typing demos: bit.ly/2OoAW3w
My tutorials and featurettes: bit.ly/2OrkLUh
My unboxing videos: bit.ly/2TSrr0m
I'm Thomas and I do videos and reviews on mechanical keyboards ranging from the most sickening modern RGB gaming keyboards to vintage hardware relics, or sometimes keycaps or keyswitches ranging from Cherry MX to Alps SKCM to IBM buckling springs and anything in between.
Follow me on Twitter for updates on my keyboard videos! / chyrosran22
The practice sentence was: "Hello my name is Thomas and I'm typing on a Monterey K9AX right now. This was a rather unpleasant trip back on memory lane; although it's not as bad as I remembered, it still sucks!" 
Наука
9:41 you tell me - we got them from you
regards,
Yankee Doodle
Got em
Nice to see you here :)
You Here?
Who's "you"?
Blame the Brits.
I get the feeling you had to make up for the last video with the imperial bashing in this one lol.
5:04 Up until about the mid-1980s, if you bought a peripheral, then you got a wonderfully detailed user's manual with it. Computer platforms weren't standardized around WinTel PCs yet, so you really did need to know this stuff. As a hobbyist, big, fat manuals were a feature, not a bug.
I miss the time video games came with a nice manual D: .
Imperial rant is my fav type of rant, and Thomas always delivers. Well said mate
1:44 Your humor and reviewing style still shine through in your older videos. You don't need to be too critical of them.
Your imperial measurement unit rants... 😂🤣
Keep them coming LOL
At least he gave real units this time. Sometimes he just makes stuff up, which is highly annoying.
@@MatthewHill Hahaha for some, especially those who have imperial units as the standard, I can totally see why, and I feel for you, though to be fair to Thomas, it is funny in a goofy way haha.
As an American, I agree. I HATE the Empirical system. SO disgusting, and we constantly just switch to Metric all the time anyway. Ugh. So annoying.
The Germans had Pfund and the Dutch had Pond. In Scandinavia we say Pund when we speak of the British monetary unit.
What a crock of doodoo butt.
- A True Poet
For being so bad, he doesn't even grunt, moan, or vomit while typing on such terrible switches. Chyros, you are a champ!
Just another day at the office xD .
Youre the hero we truly needed. Where else am I going to get my quality videos for obscure keyboards with a brave lad that objects themselves to such torture? You are a true mad lad good sir.
Do you have any plans to review EPOS keyboards? There is a world of wacky design and probably very variable usability levels there, possibly dipping into the hatefully poor (and I have to say that in many ways, the videos about the keyboards you really hate, are some of your best work!)
It is nice to see you reviewing a keyboard with Ö and Ä keys. :) I am from Finland and here Ü is replaced with Å because Swedish people need it but we who speak Finnish never use that key. :)
Ah, I can say some things in Finnish! Heikko Haulikohiisi! Happonuljaska! Muodonmuutosmestari!
I recently got a IBM PC5150 with a rebranded version of this keyboard. It is labelled "STAFF-K9AX". The only difference is that it does not has the hole in the back with the AT/XT switch. It is setup in XT mode.
I had a good laugh when I saw how the keyboard registers the arrow keys. Also, have you considered making a Discord server for talking about vintage and modern keyboards?
I'm already in five or so keyboard discords xD .
I saw the shift keys were registered as being pressed and exclaimed to my monitor "What in the fuck?"
9:53 the lb for "pound(s)" stems from the Latin "libra", which simply means "pound". See also the baroque-style £ for the pound as a currency unit.
Talking of Black Alps modding, I find that using a Matias leaf spring improves the keyfeel greatly.
"In German BTW for those who are wondering why the -Z and Y keys appear to be swapped- *top row says KVERTZ* "
Amazing video!
every time you go on one of those imperial system rants it makes me laugh. it's good to see someone who hates it as much as i do
A rather attractive beast.. if not for the ass-switches.
On a completely unrelated note, did you see the Alps lube discovery? u/jacobalbertus1 found the original lube Alps used, and u/BroHawk69 found the lube on a website (then promptly lost the sample RIP).
Yes, although it's not 100% confirmed.
Looks like some sort of LK201 clone, though seems to be missing the compose key
@@jonathanbuzzard6648 , care to link the thread? Thanks.
When we are meant to listen to subtle key pressing noises it helps if you don't have a stonking grandfather clock in the background.
It's a €10 piece of plastic xD .
Do you think differences in size with keycap stems may have something to do with the binding or lack thereof? IIRC, you did suggest last time that the stems catch on the switch housing on the way down.
I'd wondered about the lb for pounds thing, and decided to go look it up. It's from the Roman measurement LiBra for some reason, which is 0.735 pounds or 328.9g 🤷♀
The libra is just the Roman pound, it's different from 'modern' (lol) pounds in the same way Roman miles and Imperial miles are different.
It also ties in to currency cause at some point the currency in Rome was based on a pound (Lb) of silver, from which you could strike 240 coins (the denarius) and in between was the solidus, worth 12 denarii, and 20 solidi was one libra. Course, over time they debased their currency so much that by the 3rd C. there was almost no silver left in the coins. This nonsense got picked up by the British, who kept it as their currency until 1971, with Pounds, Shillings and Pence in the same 1:20:12 and 1:240 ratios when everyone else had realized how dumb that was. They even kept using the letters Lsd (or in fancy writing £sd - that's why the pound symbol is kind of an L with a line through it).
@@s33k100 i love random and unexpected history lessons in youtube comments. thanks man
Smooth as you like voice. Did you do the narrative on “The Ones - Flawless” tune?
Pounds are written lb because the latin root for pound is the same as the word used to describe the scales: libra, so lb makes more sense in Spanish than in English.
Try reviewing Silo Beam Switches keyboard. It’s an IBM Beam Spring revival.
@Chyrosran22 Considering that you have experience using the original beamsprings, a comparison video from you would be very useful. A lot of mechanical keyboard users are on the fence about the new Silo Beam switch keyboard. The force curve does not look anything like the original, but only a week of testing will tell for sure.
The reason pounds are abbreviated "lbs" is the Latin phrase "libra pondo" - weight of a pound. The word "pound" in English derives from "pondo", but for whatever crazy reason the written abbreviation comes from the "libra" part.
Your voice keeps reminding me of Postal Dude from Postal 2...
Love the hate towards the imperial measurement system, it add a bit of a laugh in these reviews.
You have your "Top X" series where you talk about switches. And we all know your affinity towards vintage keyboards. But what I'm interested in is what modern available keyboards would you recommend? Also, what keyboard do you personally use? Sorry if you answered this before, I'm new here.
I happened to find a laptop with these switches in it shortly after watching this video and rather like them, the binding issue is less existent than on the Chicony but in that video you said something along the lines of if each individual key had its own stabilizer it might not be terrible. Today while taking a shit I had an idea to 3D print a cap with integrated stabilizer slots that sit flush with the bottom of the cap, with the stabilizer wires bending towards the edge of the cap instead of inwards like Costar wires and design a switch film like insert that sits between the switch and the plate that has mounting snaps for a wire.
I might make one to see if it's any good. Thank you for planting this seed
How did it go
Hi Chyrosran22, WHERE STEELSERIES APEX PRO WITH SA KEYCAPS?
I want to hear the sound of that keyboard
Best thing of the keyboard? The manual XD
I have a question. Some earlier Gaterons have this "binding" issue where if you press them off centre, they catch onto something and "bind". I put quotes on it because I know it's not really binding. Instead the mount on the keycap was slightly too thick, and paired with the extra wobble of earlier gaterons, the keycap stem itself can protrude beyond the top housing cutout, causing it to catch on the sides. This is different from regular binding, which is usually caused by excessive friction caused by tortion from off-centre keypresses.
Do these bind when you press on the stems of the switches themselves? I know loose switches feel fine, but I am wondering if the binding is caused due to the keycaps. If you mount a keycap on a loose switch and press it off centre, do they bind? If you pull out a keycap from a mounted switch and press on the stem off-centre, does it bind?
I think Thomas actually suggested that the keycap stems were catching on the housing with the Mitsumi Yellows from last time. It could be because of differences in keycaps between this and the old Chicony, but the ones on this board seem to avoid the binding at least.
please do a review on HHKB Hybrid new model
These switches apparently also come in linear versions, I wonder if they're any better
37 and a half unit spacebar?
Longboiii
@@betz8733 Longer than a Buster Sword dangling in between anyone's legs
That shit was fucking cursed. I don't even wanna know what that stabilizer looks like. Imagine the absolute beast of a wire that damn thing has.
@@derkaiser9881 I wonder where that image came from
At least it makes for a good weapon. Unlike other keyboards like the Model M, you could bash someone to death freely without worrying about breaking the keyboard because you wouldn't want to type on it, and it's sturdy enough for using it multiple times or repeated bashings. Perfect for when you encounter someone who thinks the imperial system makes sense.
EDIT: also they actually do kinda have a good sound. Decent thock IMO
The LK201 layout is the mother of the modern layout that the Model M then popularised.
To be honest, the M's layout is just as different from the LK201, if not more, as the LK201's is from most contemporary layouts. The T-nav was definitely popularised by DEC, though.
Have you seen ZealPC is working on an alps-style clicky switch? He teased it in his Instagram. What are your thoughts?
I shall check it out!
I love the jokes with imperial units. Amazing
8:43 What... what the heck is that thing?
That's what I was trying to figure out. Hopefully someone else will know.
it's a physical emoji keyboard for sure, but who built it and why?
I also want to know. A 37.5u spacebar! Jeeeeeeeeeeeeezus!
Holy hoot! The length of the "space bar" on that board blew me away!
@@kimslawson It's HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDEOUS!
for your next video you should review a keyboard
I know you're not a fan of lubing switches that don't come originally prelubed, but perhaps you could try it with the Mitsumis? I've read several testimonies confirming that lubing them helps a ton.
@George Florinescu Apparently yes.
Please review the razer huntsman!
Already did! :)
oh, he just did the linears, now he's waiting for the clickies
what did imperial units ever do to you?
Nothing :p . I just find them completely asinine, and worthy of ridicule ;) .
First of all, it wasn't until like 2 years ago at the cgpm where members agreed on redefining how the kilogramis measured using energy, making it a universal measurement. Per my memory, it still hasn't been officially decided on in school textbooks so at the moment, the kilogram is still based on a cylindrical weight behind some glass in France based on the mass produced by 1 litre of water which is a non-SI unit of volume, making the kilogram an arbitrary weight defined by a specific rock we earth monkeys made
Second, we prefer 0.0055 football fields, Thank you
I guess i don’t need sleep lol
Out of curiosity, what language do you speak most regularly these days?
Almost only English at the moment.
Came here for the imperial bashing, was not disappointed.
The most relatable imperial rant ever: Why the fuck is pound abbreviated as lb?!?! Been buggin' me since I was a tiny little kid.
The fuck is the monster at 8:42 and where can i find it?
This is how I feel about white alps
As in how the condition can change the feel or do you just think they're always scratchy no matter what
No backtick key, either!
You still seem to be able to type fast on it, which is more than what can be said during your Cherry MY typing demonstration, or your previous Mitsumi Miniature typing demonstration.
Like I said, it doesn't bind, so there's no physical impediment to presing a switch, unlike the MY and previous MMM boards. It just feels awful.
@@Chyrosran22 So basically like Cherry MX Sand or a shitty rubber dome?
@@JackOfHarts96 Eh, I guess, but awful in a very different way. The switches are quite tactile.
@@Chyrosran22 you don't say that it is "quite" tactile, it is *too* tactile for your taste
Just a question, what do you think is the most overrated and underrated switches of all time?
overrated; MX brown, underrated; possibly Montereys?
That's a lotta lahbuh.
Wow, these past two videos actually have proper imperial measurements, what the fuck is happening?
I would like five lubs and two aussies of keyboard please
8:44 That's what she said
That means a bad key feel genuinely comes from the switch design itself. Even though it is intended or not, and if so, seriously, who in the world prefer the scratchiness in the keyboard? One who loves scratching their nails on the chalkboard? Well, whatever.
That keyboard looking sexy m8 ;)
LIBRA REEEEEEEEEEEEEE
/s
terraria 1.4 letsplay when
Well I'm definitely playing it first thing in the morning! :D
If your switches don't feel like a typewriter, you're not a true keyboard hipster.
I demand gaming keyboards
LIBRA
soo aperently he doesn't like "fettish" and lb or whatever xD
you do not deserve such good keyboards!
"lb" is Pound in Latin
Apostrophe is feet
Quotations are inches
Trust me, you should REALLY use Imperial Units as an everyday measurement when using a VERY sweary keyboard.
I think he has the right to an opinion, like anyone else.
However, a particularly sweary keyboard is a GREAT opportunity to use imperial units. Probably as swears.
I'd LOVE to hear "[insert number here] miles of FUCKNESS" or "[number] inches of ASS" or "[number] pounds of HHHHHHHHHHHIDEOUSness" or even "[number] feet of [long ass swear]"
oh man klingen die scheisse
daddy?
Us Americans may be the idiots still primarily using imperial, but you Brits gave us the LB
I'm not British :p .
@@Chyrosran22 what accent is that then?
@@jriver226 I repeat, I'm not British :p .
@@jriver226 he is *dutch,* he just speaks *proper* English, like how the *focking* Queen speaks
Just that sound made my skin crawl 🤮
shame the switches are such crap as they actually sound pretty good in the demo.
Very sadly, you still haven't understood what the problem with these switches is and how easy it is to restore them to their former greatness (literally!), even though I tried to impress this on you before / posted it on DT. Unfortunately, you've probably gone and ruined their reputation forever now. It all comes down to the metal tops of the switches having been corroded. Your loose switch doesn't bind because its metal top isn't corroded (as much) for some reason. Maybe someone cleaned it or the skin grease from your fingers pressing was enough to lube over the corrosion. It doesn't have anything to do with mounting them... Here's how to get these switches into great shape in around 15-20 minutes:
Anyone notice these are about the only switches ever that have a metal cover on the top? And what happens to metal over prolonged periods of time when there is some degree of air humidity? It corrodes! And that is the only reason they are scratchy - the plastic of the sliders grinding against the roughened surface of the corroded metal. Hence, it doesn't matter whether the keyboard is mint or not. What matters is that the metal switch tops will have corroded to a certain degree after all those years, even if never used and kept in a box. Clearly, using metal in that location was a very stupid idea in hindsight, but it's so easy to fix and they really are very good, extremely tactile switches after that - some of the fastest I've ever typed on. I'm also sure they have quite a unique force curve.
So here's what you do: Take off the keycaps and take out your can of WD-40. If you don't care about your Mitsumi Miniature mechanical keyboard long-term, just spray a bit onto each metal top and slider. Now wiggle all the sliders around a little bit. The whole process shouldn't take much longer than 15 minutes. If you don't want to douse the board in WD-40 as much, spray it into some kind of container and use a small painting brush or ear cleaner to apply the WD-40 to the metal and sliders instead. Put the caps back on and you're ready to roll.
As for the different types of these switches, I prefer whites and greens over yellows, but they're all pretty similar. Apparently, there are other (clicky?) variants, but I've never seen them unfortunately.
Please do give this a shot, it really makes a world of a difference and there is no binding or scratchiness to speak of afterwards, except for larger unstabilized keys, but that varies from board to board.
You can see the tops of the switches, they're all in pristine condition. There's no corrosion at all. Last board wasn't corroded either as far as I remember. I strongly avoid lubricating switches (only done it a very small number of times), so this was really not an option, especially on a NOS board.
@@Chyrosran22 I can see that you don't want to soil the nice keyboard, but then again, these aren't worth much as everyone hates the switches. Just try it on one little-used key and see if it doesn't make a great difference.
As for considering this 'lubing', let me quote this:
"WD-40 isn't actually a true lubricant. WD stands for "water displacing" and its main use is as a solvent or rust dissolver. The lubricant-like properties of WD-40 come not from the substance itself, but from dissolving components."
Even if you don't see any corrosion of the metal, I'm sure there is some oxidation-induced reaction going on between the metal and the plastic of the slider causing friction. The WD-40 instantly dissolves this and the improvement is long-term: My MMM switches haven't worsened in over a year since I performed the procedure.
Oh, and thanks for not being too annoyed. I usually don't troll or anything but it's just somewhat frustrating that hardly anyone realizes the potential of these unique-feeling and sounding tactile switches. As an amusing anecdote, here is my inital reaction to these switches three years back when I was quite new to the hobby and the WD-40 experiment hadn't happened: geekhack.org/index.php?topic=88566.0
@@vRe6V5NW I sort of agree with you. Many of switches, even though there are statements someone have said "good mechanical keyboards don't need lubricants", do require some of lube and proper installation. Glorious Pandas is also a great example of such switch that demands lubing or it will feel like ass. But still, there are still such people who disagree the existence of lubed switches.
Terrible keyboard doesn't have f12 even in layer. Unusable!
Men I love how you hate imperial units
We should all agree imperial units is bullshit. Like keyboard standartization like ansi and iso are both nice (even though I use ansi). But imperial units are not