Cherry MX Silent Red: Is it Really Quiet?

Ready for a quiet typing experience? Replacing the factory-installed Gateron Blue to Cherry MX Silent Red linear switches on my Keychron C2 keyboard and the results are remarkable.
Hear the difference for yourself with my typing sound demo and get my honest thoughts on the Silent Reds.
This video was not sponsored, all parts were purchased by myself.
Keychron C2 Wired Mechanical Keyboard
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Cherry MX Silent Red Switch
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0:00 Gateron Blue vs Cherry MX Silent Red - typing sound demo
0:14 Intro - Why switch
0:37 Logo - The silent treatment
0:40 Tutorial - changing the switch over
1:30 Don't do this when removing the switch
1:47 Installing new "Switch"
2:19 New Cherry MX Silent Red - Typing sound demo
2:30 Initial thoughts
3:10 Issues #1 - RGB lights
3:55 Issue #2 - Pinging noise
4:01 Pinging noise typing sound example
4:49 Final thoughts
5:42 Outro
#cherrymxsilentred #keychronc2 #mechanicalkeyboard #fullsize #gateronblue #switchmod #typingsound #review #cherrymx #silentred #keychronkeyboards

[@JoeLamOfficial]

It’s an improvement over the Gateron Blue’s, but definitely needs more work for a smoother typing and quieter sound. NEED MORE THOCK!! On to the next mod! 😄

[@1fareast14]

If you're OK with the cost, ttc frozen have dampers that don't feel squishy, and are fully transparent for sodacaps and the like. Lighter than reds.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thanks for the tip. Are they lubed or require lube? I notice these reds are quieter but they are quite scratchy and pingy. 🤔

[@RexNathanChan]

Thank you for making this video! I am thinking of getting a C2 (RGB hot swap, MX red), after having tried Gateron brown on my K3.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Hi Rex. How are you finding the Brown? Any particular reason for the Red switch?

[@RexNathanChan]

@@JoeLamOfficial I think the Gateron browns are ok, but am still finding I'm making typos on my cheap AE ZiYouLang K3. I guess it could be the keycaps as well, or just getting used to the mech kb. I had a Ducky One with MX Black switches briefly, which (from memory) were harder to press. I also just wanted to try something different haha

[@JoeLamOfficial]

The rabbit hole of mech keyboards. Too many options and combinations to try out.

[@RexNathanChan]

@@JoeLamOfficial haha, I did get the Keychron C2 (red switch) and love it! Typing on it now :) And I got a set of cheap keycaps off AE (PBT, XVX profile, in a beautiful pale baby blue and white) for my K3, which is at home now. C2 is for work. I think I'm done with mech kb for now.... lucky haha

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Haha nice! I have yet to change or mod mine, except for the silent reds. Just takes a while to do the mods. But very addicting!

[@user-jdr93q8yer9g]

Maybe some o-rings would fix the pinging. I use the g710+, which has mx browns with o-rings and there is no pinging.

[@jetjazz05]

I bought a K10 but hated how tall it was, so I ended up going with a V6 instead. It's wired only, but I game with it so I was using wired anyways... the K10 has north facing LEDs which I heard was bad, but on the V6 the south facing ones shine right into my eyes through the gaps as well as barely dimly lighting my double shot shine through keys... I think it's funny how much importance people put on the south facing. I want the shine through so I can see it in the room when it's dimly lit, and even if I didn't seeing the LED shine through the slot for the LED on the switches themselves feels like a huge flaw to me :(

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Keychron K10 and V6 keyboards. I have to agree that it's a bit annoying on my C2 too. Thanks for pointing this out so people are aware of it.

[@djejpro]

i think the ringing may be helped by dampening the case with foam or silicone...isn't that sound the sound of the case resonating?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Hi Eric, thanks for your feedback. I'm guessing, I haven't tried it out yet. But I think it's the spring inside the switch that's causing the pinging/ringing sound. Of course a hollow chassis doesn't help either. But right now, I think the root cause comes with the switch springs. 🤔

[@bartstorm380]

LUBE! PLEASE!

[@JoeLamOfficial]

I definitely want to. The scratchy sound and pinging sound is quite annoying. Just need to find some time. Have you done this before?

[@HelderP1337]

Tkx man

[@JoeLamOfficial]

😉

[@reviewyup592]

Cherry MX Silent Red is not super quiet. But I bought it is the OG. If quietness is important maybe go for WS Silent Linear.

[@brandynnew]

Hey there, what are you thinking after a few months?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

The only thing I would like to change or improve on is the scratchy sound these switches makes. My Keychron C2 does exhibit some pinging sound, but that's more to do with the stabs I reckon. The switch itself are quieter and the feel isn't too compromised. Still fun to type - not too mushy. Of course not as fun as other tactile click style switch but acceptable. Except for the scratch sound/feel as mentioned. Hoping to lube them at some point but don't have the time to tackle this full size keyboard yet with so many keys...

[@wilsentwins]

Do you use north facing with silent red?

[@JoeLamOfficial]

They only go in one way? But what I found with the Red is that they are not clear cased, meaning it affects the RGB affect compared to the see through original Gaterons.

[@jetjazz05]

You can also buy silent lubed switches fairly cheap, not actual cherry switches, but to me the competitors are fairly good anyways. Probably a hot garbage take, but even something like the gateron g red pro 2 pre lubed switches are great; 30 bucks for 70 of them, no pinging, and have a clear top to allow rgb to do it's thing. There are better switches, more prestigious, of course, but there's something to be said for availability and price I think.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thank you for your comment and the recommendation! I'll definitely have to give those silent lubed switches a try if I can find them here.

[@MultiNakir]

you needed to use the rgb version of the switches, which are transparent :)

[@JoeLamOfficial]

They are super hard to find though? :( I think Cherry MX makes a Silent Pink one that is the red with clear casing. But I can’t seem to find them anywhere. Plus, now that I’ve tried the Silent Reds. To be honest, I’d prefer some pre-lubed clear case blacks from Gateron or Kailh perhaps. Less work and better lighting!

[@jetjazz05]

I don't love the sound of clicky switches, but I feel like they get a bad rap. The mushy bump of so many tactile switches just feels awful to me, but that crisp actuation of a clicky is the perfect feedback, I think. I know there are some silent clicky switches out there, I hope they can make a really good one that'll become mainstream so others can see the joys of that tactile click.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on clicky switches! It's great to hear different perspectives on keyboard switches. While I personally enjoy the sound and feel of clicky switches, I can understand how it may be annoying for others in the same room. Silent clicky switches do exist, but it can be challenging to find one that offers the same crisp actuation as regular clicky switches.

[@hongning2007]

oetamu silent white is as quiet as cherry silent red.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

Thanks for the information, I've not tried those myself.

[@bepibopo5512]

Silent my ass, still so noisy

[@Markste-in]

way too loud

[@JoeLamOfficial]

The Silent Red is too loud?