Vibrator Volume Guide

Vibrator Noise Level

For many people, vibrator volume level is not an issue. They have enough time alone and their living situation allows them to enjoy their vibrator in peace, without fear of being disturbed. For them, interruption is not a concern and discovery is unlikely. However, many people do not have this luxury. For them, noise level is an important consideration when choosing a vibrator. Maybe you have a roommate or two to contend with on a daily basis, or you live in an apartment complex and have nosey neighbors or thin walls, or maybe loud noses during masturbation make you feel uncomfortable and you need a peaceful setting in which to concentrate on your onanistic endeavors. Whatever the case, it's important to match your lifestyle, current situation and temperament to your vibrator choice as closely as possible. You want to enjoy your time alone, and that is, after all, why you bought your vibrator in the first place. We recommend you take a few extra minutes to consider your situation in order to assure a long and successful partnership between you and your vibrator. It may be necessary to narrow your search or remove a vibe from consideration that you would otherwise find appealing. As we mentioned, a quiet vibrator may not be necessary, and if this is the case you're free to disregard this subject entirely. If noise level is an issue we can help you avoid the vibrators that would ultimately not fit well with your circumstances.

As it has been from the very beginning, one of our primary goals at Body Vibes is to provide all the information necessary for consumers to make informed choices. We want you to walk with confidence through the door of happiness, and we believe information is the key. We created the Vibrator Volume Guide with that goal in mind. We began the process by determining a baseline for maximum and minimum noise levels, and we accomplished this by testing each and every vibrator. Once that was complete we sat down and tested all of the vibrators in our product line to figure out where their volume levels fit in in comparison with the two extremes.

At this point it is worth mentioning that our volume measurements were taken with the vibrator set to its highest possible setting. For example, if we gave a vibrator a rating of "4", then it earned that rating when it was turned all the way up to it's maximum vibration setting. This is probably fairly obvious since there would be very little value in a survey of vibrator noise levels that were sampled with the volume at a middle power setting.

What the Levels Mean:

We want you to have an idea about what our ratings mean so that you can apply them to real-world situations. Without that they're probably not much use to anyone. Each level approximates 20% of the range between the softest and loudest vibrator we tested. For example, Level 1 includes all of the vibrators with noise levels in the lowest 20% of our products. Similarly, Level 5 includes vibes in the highest 20% of the range. It follows that each level moves up or down by approximately 20%.

Level 1:

These vibrators are very, very quiet. By quiet, we mean that they could not be heard in the next room with the door closed. Some of them are so quiet that they can barely be heard a few feet away, although this level of inaudibility is not the norm. We think a noise level that is below the threshold that can be detected from outside a closed door is quiet enough for those who may have roommates or house guests, and there would be little danger that the noise would be heard by neighbors - even if you live in a place with thin walls.

This level is reserved for vibrators we still consider to be "quiet", but they are slightly louder than those in Level 1. An example would be that the noise from these products might be audible through a closed door or from 20 feet away - give or take a few feet. They are good choices for those with housemates.

Still on the quiet side, these vibrators emit a noise level that is on par with a properly functioning electric razor. The sound can be heard through a closed door and from 20 feet away, but it is unlikely that it would be heard by next-door neighbors, even if you have thin walls.

The vibrators on Level 4 are fine and properly functioning products, but they may not be the best choice for those who have concerns about privacy. While it's unlikely that they could be heard through the walls that divide apartments or condominiums, they can be heard easily through a closed door and perhaps from another room. If you aren't concerned about being discovered by someone in the next room then you should include the products in this category when shopping for sex toys.

This category includes vibrators in the top 20% of the volume range and are probably not a good choice if you have any privacy concerns or if you are easily distracted by noise during masturbation. These items tend to be powerful and they function as well as they were designed to by the manufacturer. They are, however, louder than most of their peers. If you can imagine a loud electric razor or electric hair clippers, you can imagine what these toys sound like. They may actually be a bit quieter than hair clippers, but the volume level is close.

Vibrator volume may vary substantially between different occurrences of the same product. For example, it is not uncommon that one person end up with a Temptress Leopard vibrator that has a noise level comparable to our Level 2, while another person has the same exact vibrator but it is louder - perhaps a Level 3. This is annoying, unfortunately, and is not unheard of. Noise level varies from product to product but it can also vary from item to item. Generally, the higher quality the item is the less variance there is between occurrence. It's also worth mentioning that a new vibrator with fresh batteries can be louder than the same vibrator with used batteries, or the same vibrator with fresh batteries six months down the road. Vibrator volume levels change with time as they are broken in, and they can become softer or louder depending on the material its made of and the condition its in. All of our tests were done with fresh batteries on new vibrators straight out of the box.

Volume Level 1:

Volume Level 2:

Volume Level 3:

Volume Level 4:

Volume Level 5: