StereoStim device versus 2B using Stereo input

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dubguy1963
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StereoStim device versus 2B using Stereo input

Post by dubguy1963 »

This may reflect my ignorance but...

I shared a stim session this evening with a man who has a self built stereo stim device - i have a 2B and was using the Steer input

We were both using a stim file I think synched to a MyCircle video (there was a MyCircle video....)

I assume what he feels and what I feel are somehow different even allowing for the subjectivists of sensation and precise electrode placement and contact etc? Whereas if we were both using an in built programme if we both had a 2B it would be more similar. Or was I feeling something like he was feeling?

Using an audio input from my laptop to the 2B I am also always unsure as to what level you should set the laptop's output volume? Is it so that the bars on the 2B move to the full amplitude but don't fill the full amplitude? Or a step back from that. Also sometimes the two channels have very different outputs it seems - one powerful and one less so. I presume that is the point and you don't go checking the laptop output volume all the time during a session.....

John
Dublin


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zebbg69
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Re: StereoStim device versus 2B using Stereo input

Post by zebbg69 »

dubguy,

The 2B filters and shapes the input waveform, attempting to create a safe, pleasant experience, whereas DIY stereostims play the input faithfully to the output. The advantage of the 2B is that you can play a wide range of inputs, such as your favorite music, and possibly get a good feeling. The stereostim will not feel good on any old input, but its advantage is that a carefully crafted e-stim input will be transmitted in every detail, whereas the 2B will block the faster/sharper sections. These faster/sharper sections can feel very good if they were designed carefully (and you will miss them on your 2B) or VERY painful if they are from an arbitrary source, such as a person talking into a live microphone (and your 2B will protect you, at least from the worst of it).

As for how to set the levels, the only hard truth is to avoid clipping, meaning that the input is so loud that its highest peaks are flattened against the "ceiling" of the 2B's input range. The only way to know for sure you are not clipping is to play the entire file and watch those input bars the whole time, verifying that they never max out. Short of that, some rules of thumb are helpful, and these is a range of opinion on how best to do it. My preference is to try for the bars to be at 1/2 to 2/3 of full range when I first play a file, so it has some room to grow and fluctuate. I test the level about midway and close to the end and close to the beginning to see that they are not past 2/3. Once I know the file better, I will be able to pick a higher level that does not max out. Opening it in Audacity helps to identify the loudest point, and then you can be very precise by setting the level at that point, if you are playing it from a computer and want to take this extra step.
dubguy1963
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Re: StereoStim device versus 2B using Stereo input

Post by dubguy1963 »

Zebbg69 that is very clear and helpful
I did get the feeling during the shared session that I appeared to be missing the detail sometimes that the other man described as feeling with his StereoStim box

As someone who typically stays soft during solo electro - to my great frustration - there was one point during the shared session where my cock just began to harden like magic - of course interrupted by a pin adapter falling out!

Being rather concrete I typically have used built-in programmes with the 2B and tend to be unsure how to use the modulation knob. People talk excitedly about Audio files but am I to assume that most Audio files played through the 2B will have that somewhat flattened (missing some of the detail even if protecting you from shocks as you describe) subjective experience?

Thanks
John
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Re: StereoStim device versus 2B using Stereo input

Post by mrbutt89 »

Zebbg69 echoes what I've read in many other posts, so no need to repeat it here. I've found some audio files just don't register on the 2B due to the way it processes the audio. If I try a new file and it gives good results on the 2B, I add it to a special 2B playlist so I know just where to find it.

When thinking about audio input levels, another indicator that you're overloading the input is that the display starts flickering with the bars full. If that happens, back off on the source volume a bit.
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zebbg69
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Re: StereoStim device versus 2B using Stereo input

Post by zebbg69 »

dubguy,

My first audio experience on my 2B was wonderful. Fortunately, I had selected a smooth, sweet pleasure file--I think it was "Jen2" by Hedonist75--and it made me VERY happy with my 2B purchase.

My 2B and stereostim are different tools with overlapping capabilities. If I pick the right tool for the job, things go great. For the "overlapping" files with smooth elements, it is fun to compare, and I want to see whether the 2B can improve some files that I almost liked but for some painful sections. I am excited to try my 2B on music, which I would never think of doing with my stereostim--except occasional binaurals and smooth, flowing sounds which I've had some success with. I am also hoping to use the 2B's built-in modes for quick, portable sessions with a minimum of cables and accessories.
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