The ULTIMATE Rumbly vs. Buzzy dispute

Here goes. I noticed a lot of people on the forum care deeply if a toy has rumbly or buzzy vibrations. Pardon the ignorance, might only be a language barrier with English not being my mother tongue, but I do not get the difference. I’m not sure I care knowing as much for myself, as much as I’d like to be able to include this important information in my reviews, especially if they are testers. I take tester reviews seriously, and not for granted, so I’d like to be able to include this piece of information everybody seems to care about on here.

Having already tried to get what people mean by rumbly vs. buzzy referring to various toys on the forums, unsuccessfully, I came up with an accelerated course of my own: I will list my vibrating toys here and ask you kind folks to state for each and every one of them if you think that toy is rumbly or buzzy.

Clitoral:

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=24807 (Bluebella bullet now discontinued, but I suspect it is identical to this one: http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=14042 branded Tracey Cox)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=30215 (LH Silencer bullet)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=26627 (LH Flash bullet)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=35174 (Rocks Off rechargeable bullet)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=32674 (Happy Rabbit ears)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=24042 (Sqweel 2)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=27037 (Sqweel Go)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=34811 (Womanizer W500 – technically not a vibrator, but I perceive it as such)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=22201 (Lipstick bullet)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=32450 (Mascara bullet)

Penetrative:

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=23015 (LH G-whizz now discontinued, but I suspect it is identical to this one: http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=26067 branded FSOG)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=2448 (Clone-a-Willy)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=29520 (Sweet Dreams Impress)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=31469 (Supreme Black)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=28728 (dr. Joel Kaplan Beaded)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=29887 (Pure Aluminium)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=29894 (Ceramix no. 8)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=33663 (Toy Joy Tulips)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=26068 (FSOG Charlie Tango 1)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=30889 (FSOG rechargeable)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=28781 (Love Rider)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=32607 (Drops of Sweden H2O)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=35126 (Kiiroo set, so in this case the Pearl)

Wands, couple’s toys, cock rings:

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=25284 (Lelo Wand Large)

Lelo Tiani 2 (along the lines of this: http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=22514)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=32206 (Lelo Luna Smart Beads)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=18700 (Vampire cock ring)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=31172 (Tracey Cox rechargeable cock ring)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=34842 (together with http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=34273 - Je Joue Ohh set)

I have these, but not tried them out (mostly they were freebies) so if they are useful to my accelerated course, I can get them out from their boxes:

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=22191 (LH Dream Rabbit Slimline)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=29339 (FSOG Pure Pleasure bullet)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=30890 (FSOG Wickedly Tempting bullet – I suspect it’s identical to the LH Silencer)

http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=29578 (FSOG Holy Cow wand)

Fun Fact: having gone down memory lane in my order history to come up with all the vibes’ links, I actually realised lingerie dominates the list over toys… I would have thought the contrary if asked!

Thank you in advance for helping me understand once and for all the rumbly vs. buzzy dispute!

As much as I would love to go through that list and try to clarify the vibrations, I neither have the time nor proclivity to do so.

However, I would like to try and help you understand 'Buzzy' vs 'Rumbly' better, if I can.

So, when I refer to a toy as being 'Buzzy', imagine a cigar tube filled with bees or wasps. The vibrations are usually more high pitched, shallow and tickly.

Rumbly vibrations tend to be deeper, firmer and can be felt more internally, therefore they feel stronger and more powerful. Buzzy vibrations tend to only be felt 'on the surface' and generally feel weaker.

As for the whole 'Buzzy Vs Rumbly' - it really is down to personal preference. It's not really a dispute.

The Sqweels and the Womanizer can't really be categorised in this way, because they don't vibrate as such. You've a lot of what I'd consider to be mid-range vibrators there, that for me are somewhere between the two opposing ends.

Generally, buzzy vibrations are surface level sensations. I find them annoying, and they desensitize my clit very quickly. They're higher in frequency and don't penetrate through tissue well, if at all.

Rumbly vibrations have much more depth to them, and aren't restricted to surface level. They resonate well and can penetrate into your tissue much further. I don't find rumbly vibrations annoying and they don't cause me to go numb.

Different people have different thresholds as to where one stops and the other starts. For me, Lelo Smart wand - rumbly. Drop of Sweden - buzzy. Holy cow - fairly rumbly Charlie Tango - fairly buzzy

Foxxy wrote:

The Sqweels and the Womanizer can't really be categorised in this way, because they don't vibrate as such. You've a lot of what I'd consider to be mid-range vibrators there, that for me are somewhere between the two opposing ends.

Generally, buzzy vibrations are surface level sensations. I find them annoying, and they desensitize my clit very quickly. They're higher in frequency and don't penetrate through tissue well, if at all.

Rumbly vibrations have much more depth to them, and aren't restricted to surface level. They resonate well and can penetrate into your tissue much further. I don't find rumbly vibrations annoying and they don't cause me to go numb.

Different people have different thresholds as to where one stops and the other starts. For me, Lelo Smart wand - rumbly. Drop of Sweden - buzzy. Holy cow - fairly rumbly Charlie Tango - fairly buzzy

Thank you, this is helpful.

But here's what confused me also from other threads: the Lelo Wand is mostly said to be rumbly. But then, describing the buzzy vs. rumbly sensations, to me it does exactly what a supposedly buzzy toy would do, numbing my clit quite fast and not feeling the vibes travel inside... ![](upload://rWunPW3zYHdA0ypr4dRQnAP8JTy.gif)

Sometimes the sheer power of wands like that can numb people too 😐 Also, some toys that are considered rumbly, can have a buzzy element to them on higher settings - so for me, the Doxy Skittle is rumbly, but gets buzzier, the higher up the speeds you go. I'd still categorise it as rumbly though. A lot of it is subjective, and I can see why it confuses people

DavidB1986 wrote:

As much as I would love to go through that list and try to clarify the vibrations, I neither have the time nor proclivity to do so.

However, I would like to try and help you understand 'Buzzy' vs 'Rumbly' better, if I can.

So, when I refer to a toy as being 'Buzzy', imagine a cigar tube filled with bees or wasps. The vibrations are usually more high pitched, shallow and tickly.

Rumbly vibrations tend to be deeper, firmer and can be felt more internally, therefore they feel stronger and more powerful. Buzzy vibrations tend to only be felt 'on the surface' and generally feel weaker.

As for the whole 'Buzzy Vs Rumbly' - it really is down to personal preference. It's not really a dispute.

So is it just a matter of strenght? Stronger vibes that penetrate the tissue are rumbly and the ones that tickle on the surface are buzzy? Or is it a type of vibration?

It's more a type, because you can certainly get strong buzzy vibrators. It's a lot to do with the frequency. High pitch = buzz

Both of us prefer rumbly toys .Some can do both functions depending on the setting its placed on .

Ok so you seem to have a lot of bullets. I have this http://www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=32321

its Rechargable as are most of my vibrating toys. Now this is very powerful, even on the lowest setting. All the settings are rumbly and powerful, but I find the lowest constant speed can be quite numbing. I find patterns are the best for me, on/off patterns powerful and deep rumbly vibrations.

So what I'm trying to get to is it might be as much the pattern and speed of vibration rather than the buzz or rumble. The same toy can be both great and dissapointing depending on setting used and personal preferences.

I tried a bullet vibrator recently where I found it uncomfortable to hold because it was buzzing so much in my hand. I felt like that was a turning point and I understood rumbly vs. buzzy, but reading the comments above perhaps it was just really powerful... I wouldn't say it was buzzing so much that it was numbing but definitely not comfortable to hold.

I don't think the rumble of a toy is to do with strength of vibrations. For instance my Tango I find is slightly rumbly but my bodywand is more powerful and just buzzy. The denia is crazy rumbly, so much so it was slightly painful. Most of the toys I have on your list I find are buzzy. Perhaps you can't tell the difference because you haven't used a rumbly toy before?

Someone needs to make a toy with two motors, one rumbly and one buzzy with a dial to smoothly transition between the two so you could get it just how you wanted.

Dali256 wrote:

Someone needs to make a toy with two motors, one rumbly and one buzzy with a dial to smoothly transition between the two so you could get it just how you wanted.

Design a sex toy competition ;) why not go for it x

The only one from your list that I'd class as rumbling is the Lelo Smart Wand Large.

I think a lot of your problem understanding the difference is because mostly the toys you have (IMO) are buzzy vibrations. If you had a toy like the Tango, and held it in one hand and the silence bullet (since they're similar in shape) in the other you'd instantly be able to tell the difference between the two.

1 Like

FrozenAngel wrote:

The only one from your list that I'd class as rumbling is the Lelo Smart Wand Large.

I think a lot of your problem understanding the difference is because mostly the toys you have (IMO) are buzzy vibrations. If you had a toy like the Tango, and held it in one hand and the silence bullet (since they're similar in shape) in the other you'd instantly be able to tell the difference between the two.

I've not tried either - which is which?

Dali256 wrote:

Someone needs to make a toy with two motors, one rumbly and one buzzy with a dial to smoothly transition between the two so you could get it just how you wanted.

That is exactly what I need!!! :)))

FrozenAngel wrote:

The only one from your list that I'd class as rumbling is the Lelo Smart Wand Large.

I think a lot of your problem understanding the difference is because mostly the toys you have (IMO) are buzzy vibrations. If you had a toy like the Tango, and held it in one hand and the silence bullet (since they're similar in shape) in the other you'd instantly be able to tell the difference between the two.

I have had briefly a Tango and used it too. I bought the Passionate Play Collection because I wanted the app controlled couple's toy, but the 4 Plus did not work properly and was pretty uncomfortable to wear so it got returned. I did try the Tango while I had it, more than once, but it was just way too powerful for me and did not enjoy using it at all. So, if the discursus is not only about strength of power, but type of vibes transmitting through bodytissue, I dare say that amongst my toys the Rocks Off bullet would qualify as "rumbly". I know it's a relatively new item sold here, but can anyone confirm?

Vanilla_Kink wrote:

.... but my bodywand is more powerful and just buzzy. The denia is crazy rumbly, ...

I agree with Vanilla_Kink's opinion of those two toys and that it's not just about power. I believe, scientifically speaking, it has to do with amplitude and frequency of the vibrations. Rumbly makes me think of a bass string (like on a double bass, or the lowest string on any other instrument with strings): It's comparatively loose and vibrates slowly but with a lot of movement. Whereas buzzy is more like the e-string on a violin - small amplitude, high frequency.

Like Foxxy said, toys that feel rumbly at lower settings may be perceived as buzzy on higer ones - probably because in all the toys I know a higher setting equals more speed, not bigger movement. That's very noticeable in the Stronic Eins - as long as it moves slowly, it offers sensations like no other toy (well, apart the other Stronics, presumably) - but at top speed it feels almost like a vibrator. Not bad, but no longer so special.

era, I'm sorry I can't help you a lot with your list as I only have a single item from it, and that's the FSOG rechargeable bullet. And that one is the most useless buzzy toy that's my misfortune to own (I got it for free as well but I might send it back just to be rid of it). It creates a mosquito-like whine and I don't feel a thing. The rumbliest toy I have is the L'Amourose Denia, second place is probably for the Happy Rabbit 2 - the Lelo Mona 2 is in a different league (local level when the Denia plays National).

You might also be interested in Dangerouslillys latest blog post http://dangerouslilly.com/2016/01/powerful-g-spot-vibrator/ - it's a list of the most powerful G-spot vibes she knows, but she also explains how she only likes rumbly toys.

Thank you all, I think I'm getting the theory now. So I just need to get the practical demonstrations... It seems to be a consensus amongst you that the Lelo Wand is my only rumbly toy. I will have a comparative study later with that and something else for science's sake... ;)

I still kind of think that the Rocks Off bullet would qualify as rumbly - can anyone more enlightened confirm?

I might get a Happy Rabbit 2 in the near future given all the positives heard about it lately... I'm just not sure about rabbits working for me, my first attempt years ago did not go very well and I have just ruled them out since. But if it's rumbly, one more reason to fall into temptation.

Which FSOG bullet do you refer to, Talia? Both on my list are rechargeable (I have not tried any of the two).

Thanks again you all, although it did not go exactly as planned, it was a very useful accelerated course nonetheless! ![](upload://lJMrTcqgi5lI1FOpb07OYOcv2YF.gif)

susan50 wrote:

FrozenAngel wrote:

The only one from your list that I'd class as rumbling is the Lelo Smart Wand Large.

I think a lot of your problem understanding the difference is because mostly the toys you have (IMO) are buzzy vibrations. If you had a toy like the Tango, and held it in one hand and the silence bullet (since they're similar in shape) in the other you'd instantly be able to tell the difference between the two.

I've not tried either - which is which?

Tango is rumbly and silencer is buzzy.