Vendor: MyStim
The MyStim Tension Lover
When I introduced the Tension Lover as a desiderate in the e-stim special a lot of you were interested to know more about this inexpensive box. So I got in touch with MyStim and they luckily provided me with a review sample. If you are interested in what you get when you buy this toy please take a look at the unboxing of the Tension Lover I posted earlier this year.
Construction
The Tension Lover is made out of sturdy black plastic. It measures 127mm x 70mm x 27mm. On the back of the box there is a convenient belt clip.
On top of the bock there are two magenta colored dials through which you control the individual intensity of the two channels. Next to the dials the 2.65mm jacks of the channels are located. The upper third of the front is taken up by the display. On the left is shows which program is selected. In The middle you see from top to bottom which channel is active, the timer time, the width of the waves and the frequency. Below the display is a sliding hatch which covers the buttons. With the upper left you can switch between the seven different programs by going through them. The one below sets the timer in 10 minutes steps up to 60 minutes. The other two buttons are there to control the width and the frequency of the waves.
Detail of the Battery Compartment
The Tension Lover runs on 9v block batteries. You can easily exchange it but pulling the sliding hatch down.
The toy comes along with two leads comes in a nice box with storage space for a battery and some additional toys. You can choose if you want it with self adhesive pad electrodes or silicones ones which I reviewed here. It even comes with a battery so you can start playing right away.
Playing with it
Playing with this box is like any other box: You choose a pair of electrodes, connect both poles onto one channel. Then you select one of the seven possible programs and see when your sub starts feeling the sensation. From there you can start playing and taking him further into the great sensation has to offer. During the test my testees and I agreed that generally speaking the sensations coming out of this box are a bit more on the stingy side. That is not a bad thing, just to something to keep in mind when planning a scene.
| Program Name |
Induced Sensation |
| Burst |
Creates bursts of 7 to 10 short impulses. |
| Normal |
Continuous impulses that you can freely manipulate. |
| Modulated |
Continuous changing of intensity in a corridor around your selected intensity so that the nerves don’t stop recognizing the stimulation. |
| Modulated Impulse Frequency |
The frequency continuously drops until 50% of the selected one and then rises again creating a wavelike pattern. |
| Modulated Impulse Frequency and Width |
The frequency and width of the impulse changes reverse. So when the frequency falls the width rises and vice versa. |
| Intensity and Frequency Changes |
In a 6 second long cycle the intensity falls by 20% while the frequency rises by 45% and then returns to normal. |
| Intensity and Width Changes |
In a 6 second cycle the intensity falls to 20% and the width rises by 54%. |
Detail of the Info on the Display and the Control Buttons
From a beginner’s perspecitve my view on this box is a bit ambivalent. It offers great value for money so it is a good starting point in the entire e-stim cosmos. The 7 programs offer enough presets for most situations even though they are not so sophisticated as the programs on Erostek boxes. Of cause you can compensate that a bit when you start to manipulate the programs by adjusting the width and frequency of the waves. But this takes a bit of trying out and really getting to know your box and electrodes (which you should do in any case before you expose someone to the stimulation!). Since this is a start box the same program and the manipulations run on both channels. However you can control the intensity individually. Especially when trying to milk someone getting the same stimulation at both areas in my experience has been helpful. Another good thing for beginners is the manual. It explains the general way and especially this box works very well. With a bit of reading and practice you soon be able to master this box.
From a more elaborate player’s perspective I can unconditionally recommend getting this box. It costs less than most electrodes so it has a place in every estim play chest. What sets it apart and above every other even more sophisticated box I have played with so far is the ability to provide continuous stimulations without any fuzz. This is extremely useful when playing with electrodes like a pin wheel or a whisker which intention is not to create a changing sensation at one place but a continuous sensation when travelling over the body. Another great feature is the timer. Once set it will automatically stop the stimulation once the time runs out. I have found that a very useful feature in tunnel scenes where the sub agrees to a time of stimulation and then you leave him well bound and rendered blind alone (but still in hearing range!). I have gotten some priceless reactions from subs when the stimulation without any action of the top. Of cause the timer in combination with the through the belt clip implicated mobility offers countless possibilities of deviant play. The sliding hatch closes very firmly so it doesn’t accidently opens up when walking around which makes accidently chances of the program impossible. It is also a good way of keeping the in mitts fettered hands of a sub from changing anything.
Detail of the Dials for Intensity Control and the Jacks for the two Channels
There is also a third perspective that should not be forgotten: MyStim is the erotic department of a company making TENS units for medical purposes the box can also be used for TENS purposes. With a bit of exercise you learn how to place pad electrodes and which stimulation you need to create pain and tension relief. Especially after suspension bondage and impact play scene the box became quite popular with subs and tops of mine.
A thing you have to take into consideration when planning on buying this box is a design decisions that I could not quite understand: As already written MyStim is a department of a company that makes TENS units for medical purposes and maybe in that field 2.65mm jacks onto 2mm pin are common. But due to being the professional laboratory standard I personally consider 3.5mm audio plug onto 4mm banana plug the gold standard in estim. This isn’t a big problem when you use surface electrode because you can easily use adapters. However when you start using insertables that rely on 4mm banana plugs (like great ones from E-Stim System) you need to build your own connectors because there are not 4mm angle plugs onto 2mm pin jack out there. If you are getting a MyStim Tension lover I would strongly recommend getting yourself two MyStim plug onto 3.5mm audio jack adapters and use 3.5mm audio plug onto 4mm banana plug cables.
| Conslusion: Inexpensive and powerful multiple adjustable box with a few design problems. |
|
| Pro |
Cons |
Where to get |
Price |
|
| 7 programs that cover most usage situations |
Takes a bit of learning to release full potential |
MyStim |
139,95€ |
|
| Many sensation manipulations possibilities |
|
| Battery compartment has to be opend by screw |
|
| Sturdy built |
|
| Can provide pain relieve after stressful scene |
|
| Using uncommon connection standard |
|
| Big Display |
|
| Belt Clip |
|
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