For the love of God will someone suggest an e-stim?

[psyopus]

I have been wanting to use one and it is time. That being said the threads are overwhelming that discuss everything. As fas as building one goes I don't see me keeping focused and resourceful with my time enough to pull that off. I feel like I am just missing out on all of the fun. Ha!

[phoopha]

Easiest option is probably something from E-stim Systems, ie the 2B.

[Hopper725]

I have a 2B. It’s nice but u miss so much in terms of sensations. I built a diy unit described in the hardware section. Trust me if u get a 2b then build a diy unit, most likely the 2B will collect dust. Do yourself a big favor and just build the diy with good components. You will not be sorry I assure you.

[Electro]

Building your own is the best, pretty much all of the Estim audio content needs a DIY StereoStim type of device to feel the way it should, other devices are more expensive and don't interpret the audio the way it was meant to be. The runner up for commericial devices is the Erostek ET312b but that is now out of production because the parts used are now out of date and not produced, and used ones are pretty much unobtainable. There used to be a StereoStim device made by BigTip called the BTStim, but he went through health issues and production issues and nobody is getting their deliveries. In the future, the most promising seems to be Deep by Kink, and I'm sure Erostek will make a new device at some point. Unsure how these will work with estim audio, but the Deep by Kink is supposed to have a programming language sort of thing to it which if it takes off, would be pretty cool.

[hashcloud]

I have a 2B. It’s nice but u miss so much in terms of sensations. I built a diy unit described in the hardware section. Trust me if u get a 2b then build a diy unit, most likely the 2B will collect dust. Do yourself a big favor and just build the diy with good components. You will not be sorry I assure you.

Can you recommend a diy guidance?

[BoundSquirrel]

I have a 2B. It’s nice but u miss so much in terms of sensations. I built a diy unit described in the hardware section. Trust me if u get a 2b then build a diy unit, most likely the 2B will collect dust. Do yourself a big favor and just build the diy with good components. You will not be sorry I assure you.

I'm in the same boat as Hopper725. I have a 2B that I haven't used in months.

I started with a cheap Zeus Tens unit off of Amazon, figured out that things could feel pretty good, then built a basic DavyBox, and figured out that that felt better. So, i took the plunge on a 2B and used that pretty consistently for a while for a while. Then i built my current DIY box. I've rewired and upgraded this box several times and the housing looks like a shooting gallery from all of the different screw holes in it, but it's working about as well as I can imagine I can get it now.

Building your own is a learning curve, and going from zero to building a decent box seems like a steep expectation. If you can afford the 2B, it's a safe starting point - it does a really good job making sure that you don't zap your junk too badly if you use the wrong audio file. The downside is that if there are planned pain signals, it usually smooths them out, thinking it's doing you a favor..

Once you get used to the sensations and read enough that there is so much more you can feel with a DIY box, you'll likely get the itch to put one together. The nice thing is that you'll still have the 2B to play with while you're gathering up the parts, learning to solder, assembling, etc. If you totally screw up your DIY box, you'll still have your existing store-bought box.

It's an expensive intro though, especially if it goes into obsolescence quickly. It's not like there's a big used market for estim boxes out there.

No matter which way you go, welcome to the estim community. Don't be afraid if trial and error. It takes a while to figure out what feels good and what doesn't.

[boundupone]

Right now is a bit barren, with not so many options for good power boxes that are good with audio input.

If you can find a used ET312b, that would be the way to go. But they are are not easy to get hold of, and no longer available new.

I have never used a 2b, and while it looks good for direct online driving of the unit by another, for audio input it does not get good reviews

Kink are going to release one soon, so you could pre-register for this, but i do not know when it is due to release, and if you are outside USA it may be a longer wait

Coyote is probably the best option right now. i havent used one, but it gets decent feedback, and is a sensible price from dungeon labs

Many people do DIY boxes, but I have no experience with this, but personally would struggle as I am not experienced at all with that sort of thing

Personally I love estim, so encourage you to get a box and try it for yourself.

[JakofClubs]

I have a 2B, a ET-312 and a et-232. They all collect dust in favour of a DIY unit.

You can make a very simple estim box that plugs into a small amplifier. The minimal design is two transformers and two resistors, one set for each channel.

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Edit: I'm going to add that there's nothing "wrong" with the 2B, other than you can't control it from a PC and have audio-in at the same time because it shares one jack for that; and it doesn't work that well with CH videos because it wasn't designed for that. It works well with the content that was designed for the 2B, like the Estim Chatroom webtease. I hear that some CH videos are more 2B friendly, but I don't know which ones.

I was watching one of their videos regarding the new beta firmware and the presenter said "boring sine waves" as a dis to esim audio. What misinformation! The audio files provide much more variation than any stim boxes' built-in routines.

E-stim Systems needs to come out with a box that can take audio input and can be controlled by a PC at the same time, like an ET-312 can. It needs an audio input mode that can take regular estim audio tracks or CH videos and make a better output.

I hope the new kink.com box gets this right. If they do, I'll buy one.

[masperturbator]

I looked at this problem last month, finding similar conclusions as above. All safe commercial units will try to prevent injury. Painful BDSM always prefers DIY, will accept the risks, and may be doing things like sounding one of the electrodes.

E-StimSystems has power box units available. ErosTek appears unable to keep components in stock. I can't confirm that BTStim is still producing.

Coyote is probably the best option right now. i havent used one, but it gets decent feedback, and is a sensible price from dungeon labs

Currently, Coyote can't be given user data as WAV files. It produces its signals by interpreting numeric data sent to it over bluetooth from a phone app. We could pair our own generic bluetooth device (like any USB one), but we'll need a hardware friend to do some software/driver work in DG-LAB's bluetooth protocol, to close the gap between that and our e-stim WAV files. Protocol / Translated

It may be easier for that friend to work with numeric data, like beat sequences JSON created by Beatmeter Generator, as the source of data sent to a Coyote box, because that is closer to what Dungeon Labs' waveform editor app is doing. Otherwise, and to make use of existing e-stim WAV, the friend will need to include code that translates a stereo waveform into the protocol data, in the way that DG-LABS is doing with graphically made waveforms in their app.

[zebbg69]

A couple months ago, someone posted that their new ElectraStim Axis device felt exactly like their BTStim. If true, that would be the way to go. I can't recall whether that was here on milovana or on Estim Systems' forum or on BT's SocialStim forum. I have never seen anyone else second that opinion either, but there it is fwiw.

[Hopper725]

I have a 2B. It’s nice but u miss so much in terms of sensations. I built a diy unit described in the hardware section. Trust me if u get a 2b then build a diy unit, most likely the 2B will collect dust. Do yourself a big favor and just build the diy with good components. You will not be sorry I assure you.

Can you recommend a diy guidance?

The one listed in the hardware section of the forum is the one i build with a few variations. mainly for left/ right independent volume control. if you build the one listed there you will be well on you way. It can be modified as the need requires.
Hop

[senseisan]

Bit old thread, but felt like I had some input on commercial units, don't have a DIY though (yet).

2B - Powerful, especially with the external power supply. Doesn't do audio very well, but there's an application called "AudioTranslator" over e-stim forums that is doing something pretty nice, by listening on the audio in the pc and sending actual commands over. Still, is pretty crap at audio for it's price. Built in programs are nice.

ABox and ABox2 function a lot faster, but it feels like they only send a pulse once the audio signal crosses a threshold of 1 led to 2 leds. It can feel nice, but is really picky on the audio level being just perfect. Forget about "I'm turning up the volume" teases, but quick zaps from pain files work well. Sometimes too well.

Coyote, eh, it's overrated, but not for it's price. Never successfully used it for HFO, but I guess it could give someone a taste of what it's like.

Axis (and Flux) is very responsive to amplitude, but does nothing with frequency. Some teases work mainly with amplitude and they work REALLY well. You can set the Axis on high, and you'll feel the lower signals. As the volume goes up, so does the intensity. It feels linear and it has plenty of power for me. Only box I can guarantee to have a HFO on. But, because of the frequency, it doesn't work with some teases at all, it'll just feel like random noise. It doesn't care about the two channels interacting, so most recent video teases are just constant staticy buzz. Teases like Estim Experiment 2 are godlike though.

A couple months ago, someone posted that their new ElectraStim Axis device felt exactly like their BTStim. If true, that would be the way to go. I can't recall whether that was here on milovana or on Estim Systems' forum or on BT's SocialStim forum. I have never seen anyone else second that opinion either, but there it is fwiw.

I got the axis almost because of this comment, and wasn't disappointed. Not perfect though, DIY will be next.

[Alex69]

I'm glad someone opened this thread because I've been reading about eSTIM for a long time on this forum, but I kinda feel out of the fun.

I wanted to make a question: Does the electrical pulse hurt, in any way, the genitals? Can it lead to numb the genitals? Or produce nerve damage? Before trying it I'd make sure it is 100% safe.

By the way, what do you feel, can you feel pain? Or do you feel pleasure? I'm intrigued, but I would be careful with quick "strokes" because I prefer more slower pace (I mean, some CH have absurdly quick beats, that you're not able to perform with the hand and I don't like that fast stimulation).

By the way, are this devices Windows only, or it will work with any audio output?

[senseisan]

I wanted to make a question: Does the electrical pulse hurt, in any way, the genitals? Can it lead to numb the genitals? Or produce nerve damage? Before trying it I'd make sure it is 100% safe.

By the way, what do you feel, can you feel pain? Or do you feel pleasure? I'm intrigued, but I would be careful with quick "strokes" because I prefer more slower pace (I mean, some CH have absurdly quick beats, that you're not able to perform with the hand and I don't like that fast stimulation).

By the way, are this devices Windows only, or it will work with any audio output?

It doesn't NEED to hurt, but it can, if you want. Best I can describe is that it feels bit like a vibrator, but it can also feel really different depending on where you place the electrodes and what kind of signal you're playing. Some setups feel pretty close to a blowjob or stroking, or a light touch like a lick. When there's more power, it makes your muscless clench, which can also feel really good, kinda like when you have spasms with orgasm.

Sometimes it can feel pretty nasty too, usually because there's a bad connection (like a pad coming loose). It can feel really prickly (like rubbing velcro on your skin), or if there's a sudden loud volume it can make you jump a bit.

It shouldn't be dangerous, and even when I've used them for excessive amount of time (like 3-4 hours), and with fairly large power, I didn't have long lasting numbness or pain. Follow safety instructions you get with the power boxes and you should be fine. Below waist, start slow, and never with any electronic medical implants like pacemaker or insulin pump.

[LondonGent]

I'm glad someone opened this thread because I've been reading about eSTIM for a long time on this forum, but I kinda feel out of the fun.

I wanted to make a question: Does the electrical pulse hurt, in any way, the genitals? Can it lead to numb the genitals? Or produce nerve damage? Before trying it I'd make sure it is 100% safe.

By the way, what do you feel, can you feel pain? Or do you feel pleasure? I'm intrigued, but I would be careful with quick "strokes" because I prefer more slower pace (I mean, some CH have absurdly quick beats, that you're not able to perform with the hand and I don't like that fast stimulation).

By the way, are this devices Windows only, or it will work with any audio output?

No pain at all, unless you specifically want it. Single or dual channel setups will produce a variety of vibrating or clenching sensations. Tri-phase set ups add stroking sensations into the mix, which can be as fast or slow as you like.

As for safety, it works on a similar principle to a TENS machine. Very small amounts of AC current trigger the nerves underneath the electrodes. When applied to sensory nerves, this is perceived like a touch or tap and motor nerves, it instructs the muscle to contract. Prolonged stimulation does lead to a temporary reduction in sensitivity, but this recovers within minutes. To give you an idea of how quickly, the estim audio files I create for cock heroes always reduce the power after a break section, otherwise the start of the new round feels much stronger than the end of the previous one due to sensitivity returning during the rest.

Total power output is very low. My stim box will run for hours on just 3 AA batteries. You're not putting significant amounts of electricity in to your body at any point, even if the box was cranked up way beyond a comfortable level.

Stereo-stim boxes will work with any device capable of playing an mp3 file - PC, phone, ipod or whatever. If you want to listen to the video and play the estim at the same time, you'll need two separate devices. In my case that means the estim file playing over my PC's built in sound-card (stim box plugged in to the aux port) plus a set of USB headphones playing sounds from the video. Alternatively you could play the video on a TV and the estim through your phone, or whatever else, but that does make syncing the two more tricky.

If you're going to give it a try, I'd strongly recommend building a DIY box. It's really simple even if you've got no previous experience. The most basic design involves nothing more than getting a set of speakers, cutting four wires and connecting two small transformers to the ends. It's less than 20 minutes work and the cost is minimal, but it'll give you a device that's in a similar league to the commercial boxes when it comes to sensations. Even the more advanced designs aren't much more complicated than that.

In case you can't guess, I'd highly recommend it. I've had mine a few years now and it still gets used several times per week. No other toy has kept my attention anywhere near as long.