Masturbation hasn’t changed all that much over the last few hundred years. Things like TENGA and Fleshlight have certainly given your more choice when it comes to indulging in your favourite past time. However, most of them offer a similar sensation – and even then, things can still get a little bit stale.
However, technology is forever changing, and VR (virtual reality) has certainly started to make it’s presence known, and it’s here to change the way you consume online pornography. Or is it? Step in Kiiroo.
Kiiroo was originally conceived as a way for long distance couples to experience the sensation of intimacy without ever being in the same room. The PEARL was a g-spot vibration which (originally) transmitted signals to the ONYX – a masturbator. As the PEARL was touched, the ONYX would expand and contract in time and motion and thus created this simulated experience. But with the rise of the aforementioned VR, you now no longer need to be using the toys in conjunction with each other. And this is where I step in. Kiiroo recently sent me one of their ONYX devices to test out with their latest interactive video content.
The Kiiroo ONYX was sent to me free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I was also given a 1 month membership to FeelXVideos, and $100 of free video content from youmecams.com in order to test out the ONYX fully.
First Impressions
As we don’t have access to a PEARL or a second ONYX, the focus of this review will be purely based on using the device solo, or with the interactive video content. If you would like to know more about using the ONYX and PEARL together, you can check out this review by Emmeline Peaches.
On to the ONYX – it’s packaged pretty simply for an expensive, luxury device. Inside the white outer box is a much nicer looking black keepsake box with a magnetic clasp lid. Inside, you’ll find the ONYX nestled in a big foam bed, along with the USB charging cable and authenticity/warranty card. The ONYX is a beast in size. I had seen pictures and videos online, but I still felt slightly underprepared for how big the device is. Weighing in at 895g it’s pretty hefty in the hands. It stands at about 9.5 inches tall (so about the same size as a standard Fleshlight) and has a circumference of 11.25 inches all the way around.
The external body of the ONYX is made from sturdy ABS plastic, whilst the internal sleeve is made from the same material as a Fleshlight. The ONYX is not waterproof, but the sleeve is removable, making it really easy to clean. The outside can be wiped over with basic sex toy wipes or a mildly damp cloth. You need to charge the ONYX before use. You need to remove the cap, and there is a clip around the entrance of the sleeve which needs to be removed. Underneath this is the micro-USB port. A 3 hour charge will give around about an hours worth of play time.
There is no denying that the ONYX is an incredibly stylish device – it feels incredibly sturdy and well made and is quite discreet in design, so if you accidentally left this on your bedside table, I don’t think ‘sex toy’ would be on top of anyones list of what it could be. In fact, when lying on it’s side, it kind of looks like a fancy alarm clock – just without the numbers.
How to set-up your ONYX
In the spirit of full disclosure, the first ONYX that was sent to me was faulty – however the team were very quick to arrange a replacement. When the new one arrived, I hurriedly tore it from the packaging, plugged it in and got it charging. When it was ready, I unplugged it, fired up the laptop and begun the connection process. At first, I couldn’t get my device to connect – it kept talking about a pairing code that I couldn’t find anywhere in the box or in the online manual. However, after a quick search, I found the FAQs which provided me with the info I needed. For the sake of brevity, however – this is something I feel that could have been included on the little card inside the box which states all the manuals are available online (or at least put it in the manual!).
When you switch the ONYX on, it automatically goes into bluetooth pairing mode. Simply open up your computers bluetooth options and hopefully your device can see it – once paired, you are good to go. Alternatively, you can use the ONYX on it’s own, without it being connected to the laptop. Pressing the button again puts it into the first of 2 automatic pump modes (fast and slow) and then the 4th option is the manual control – where if you slide your finger over the shiny side of the ONYX, the device will react to the speed of your touch).
The ONYX stimulates through a series of contracting rings place throughout the length of the device. They contract based on where on slider you place your finger. Sliding up and down the panel creates a ‘wave’ like sensation as the rings contract and release along the entire length of your shaft. When used with interactive videos, they’ve been coded to work with the ONYX, so the rings contract and move in time with the action on the screen. So let’s get on with the good stuff.
Using the ONYX with videos
Once you’ve got your device all set up and ready, you’ll need to register on a website that provides Kiiroo compatible videos. As I mentioned earlier, Kiiroo set me up with a months membership to FeelXVideos (NSFW). A one month (recurring) membership starts at €34 (around £27 a month). Based on the current content available to gay audiences – this is vastly overpriced – however I have been informed Kiiroo are working on a dedicated gay platform (so I will update when I have more information).
Once you have registered and your are all set – you can browse to find the video you want to watch. As I mentioned, the offerings for gay men is very sparse. There are just 10 videos in total. 9 featuring regular M/M action, and a final video offering a M/M/F scenario. Pickings were slim. The same goes for YouMeCams which I joined to grab hold of my $100’s worth of free videos. This turned out to be all the gay videos they had. In fact, I am pretty certain the videos on both these sites are pretty much the same.
After choosing the video, there is an option to either just watch the video, or feel the video (with Kiiroo). When you press this option, before the video plays, it will search for the ONYX to make sure it’s connected. Once it’s found it, the video will start the play, and the ONYX will move in time with the action on the screen. As I got myself ready (and aroused) I splashed a bit of lube into the sleeve and on myself and slipped inside. The internal sleeve is incredibly stretchy, so this device should be suitable for almost any size. The inside of the sleeve is dotted with little pleasure bumps for extra stimulation.
As the video progressed, the ONYX was softly massaging my penis as it was sat inside the device. It was particularly effective during a blow job scene – the ONYX would contract at different points – so based on how deep the onscreen cock was being devoured, the ONYX would respond with contractions in the same places. Unfortunately, the sensation is not the same as an actual blow job – but there was something oddly fun (and a little arousing) about the sensations the ONYX was producing, and the psychological effect of ‘feeling’ what I was seeing.
When things progressed to intercourse, the ONYX just contracted up and down at a much more frantic rate, yet was still in time with the ‘thrusts’ on screen. Unfortunately, the quality of the porn left a lot to be desired. It was all very amateurish, and all of the ‘stars’ looked like they would have rather have been anywhere else, but there. It kind of takes you out of the moment. With that in mind, the ONYX kind of loses its novelty after a couple of uses.
Using the ONYX alone
The ONYX on it’s own is a simple experience. You can either just let it do it’s thing on one of the 2 automated modes, or you can take control and control the action yourself. The sensations the the ONYX produces take a little getting used too. Unlike regular masturbators where you can thrust in and out, the ONYX is supposed to be held in place, and the contracting rings are supposed to massage you all the way to orgasm.
Unfortunately, this particular sensation is not something that really does anything for me. Don’t get me wrong, it does feel sorta… nice… but the sensation is just not intense enough for me, and the only way I can bring myself to orgasm is by physically moving the onyx up and down whilst the rings contract – which kind of defeats the whole point of it.
Aside from that, the device is quite loud – the robotic sound of the device is a little off putting at first – i’m grateful that discretion is not something I need to worry about in this house – but I can imagine the noise could put some people off. Secondly, it is quite heavy to be holding for an extended period – and it does take a long time for me to reach an orgasm using the ONYX. In some respects, this is a good thing – it’s good to take your time over something and really enjoy the orgasms. It’s not something I can use for just a quickie.
Clean-up and Maintenance
The ONYX is really simple to look after. As I mentioned earlier, the actual device itself is not waterproof so you must not submerge the device in water. To clean the outside, just use a lightly damp cloth or a wet wipe to remove any excess lube or dirt. For the sleeve itself, this can be removed from the ONYX and rinsed under the tap with some water and toy cleaner.
Make sure it’s thoroughly dry before putting it back into the ONYX and I would thoroughly recommend dusting the sleeve with renewal powder (cornflour), as the sleeve takes on a tacky quality after being washed. It also attracts dust and hair as well, so make sure that once it’s back in the ONYX, put the lid on to keep it nice and clean.
Summary
Whilst this is not a glowing review, I definitely think that there is potential here. I almost wish that there was a secondary element to the actual ONYX – like, if it vibrated as well as ‘contracted’ – I certainly think that this would actually lead me to an orgasm, without the need to stroke. Imagine if the vibration intensity increased in time with the action as well… yeah… that would definitely be on my wishlist for the ONYX 2.0.
I would also love to see some more time and effort spent on procuring good quality (and plentiful) content to be used with the device. In order to make the device truly inclusive, there needs to be lots of content catering to EVERY taste and whim. As it currently stands, it’s an expensive device to drop cash on when there’s little content (for my personal taste) to back it up. I wonder how I would feel if I was able to use the ONYX with another device – would the actual sensations be heightened – knowing that someone I know and trust is controlling the device themselves? Who knows. Perhaps this is something to look into in the future.
Where To Buy
If you want to try the ONYX, you can get one direct from Kiiroo. RRP $199.00 (around £139.50). You can also buy ONYX bundles with subscriptions to FeelXVideos as well.
I would like to thank Kiiroo for sending me the ONYX in exchange for my honest review. All experiences indicated here are 100% my own, genuine experiences – this does not sway or affect my opinion on this or any other product that I review. Some affiliate links have not been used within this post.
