What every term actually means
E-Stim has its own vocabulary. Some of it comes from medical electrostimulation, some from twenty-plus years of community shorthand, and some from the names manufacturers have chosen for their kit. If you've landed somewhere mid-conversation and don't quite know what's going on, this is the page to come back to.
We have tried to keep the definitions short and practical. Where a term is one of ours, we've said so. Where there's a longer guide on it, we've linked through.
A
ABox
One of our pure audio power boxes. Single-channel, audio-driven, meaning the sensation is generated from sound input rather than from preset modes. Different feel entirely from a standard E-Stim box.
AC (Alternating Current)
Current that reverses direction many times a second. The signal that comes out of any E-Stim Systems power box is AC, varying rapidly between positive and negative. The sensation you feel is the result of those changes, not a steady push of current in one direction.
Adaptor
A small connector that converts one type of plug into another. The most common ones in E-Stim sit between 3.5mm jacks, 4mm banana plugs, 2mm pin connectors and proprietary plugs from older boxes. We offer a full range.
B
Below the waist
The simple rule that keeps E-Stim safe for new players. Keep all electrodes, current paths, and contacts on the lower half of the body. The reason matters more than the rule: the heart is an electrical organ that doesn't appreciate outside interference, and any current path that could cross the chest is one to avoid. Below the waist keeps you well clear of that. Experienced players learn where the edges are; everyone starts here.
Bobble
An insertable bipolar electrode designed by Caz, our co-founder. Her own design, made because she wanted one. Now in regular production.
C
Channel
A controllable output on a power box. A single-channel box runs one circuit. A dual-channel box runs two circuits at once, either independently or coordinated. Our 2B and ElectroPebble are dual-channel; our ElectroHelix and ABox are single-channel.
Common (shared)
In a TriPhase setup, the third electrode that acts as the shared return for both channels. Two channels, three contacts, one common reference. See TriPhase.
D
Deviants
One of our insertable ranges. Includes the Ripplehead profile, which has a textured surface that gives a sense of movement before the electricity gets involved.
S
Skin Play
See Surface play. Same concept, different term. We use "Skin Play" as the name of the relevant collection in our store; "surface play" is the term you'll see more often in articles and guides.
Stacker
An insulator that lets you stack the ElectroRings, hence the name. Part of the ElectroRing System.
Stereostim
A style of E-Stim play built around dedicated stereo "stim tracks", purpose-made audio files where the left and right channels are designed to drive each output independently. The 2B can absolutely play these, but our kit is designed for richer audio sources like music. StereoStim tracks tend to sound, frankly, like a 1980s modem. Audio-driven play through the ABox or the 2B opens the door to using whatever you actually want to listen to as the source. Worth knowing the term so you can spot when someone means stim tracks specifically rather than audio-driven play in general.
Surface play
E-Stim using electrodes that sit on the skin rather than going inside the body. Sticky pads, conductive rubber loops, pinwheels, E-Clips and Bobbles all count. Often the entry point for new players because there's nothing to insert and the setup is straightforward. Doesn't mean lower intensity, just a different kind of sensation. Worth knowing the term covers a lot of ground, from gentle pad work on the thighs through to a pinwheel rolling across more sensitive areas.
T
TriPhase
A three-contact insertable that needs a dual-channel box. Each channel feeds one of the outer contacts; the third acts as a shared common. Creates dynamic, shifting sensations a standard bipolar can't.
Terms we use that nobody else does
Worth knowing if you're reading content from elsewhere and getting confused.
Made in Watford
What we mean by Made in the UK. Not "designed in UK, made elsewhere." Not "assembled in UK from imported parts." Designed, machined, tested and packed at a specific address in Watford.
Found a term we haven't covered? Drop us a line. The glossary grows as the conversation does.
Written by the people who design, machine, and use this kit every day.
