Groove Thing: The Bluetooth Speaker and Vibrator Combo Explored

Human sexuality is wonderfully diverse, existing on a broad spectrum of desires, preferences, and ways to experience pleasure. In recent years, the world of sex technology, or sex tech, has blossomed, offering an ever-expanding array of devices designed to cater to this diversity. From classic vibrators and dildos to sophisticated app-controlled devices and even AI-powered companions, there seems to be a sex toy for nearly every imaginable need or curiosity. This constant innovation is one of the most exciting aspects of the sex tech market, with new and interesting concepts regularly emerging.

The latest entrant to capture attention is the Groove Thing, a device launching via Kickstarter. Its creators are marketing it with a bold claim: the "world's first internal music player." This intriguing concept proposes to merge the auditory pleasure of listening to your favorite songs with the physical sensation of internal vibrations, synchronized to the music. As someone who has spent time reviewing sex toys and previously worked as a college radio DJ, the intersection of music and physical sensation immediately piqued my interest. The company provided a prototype unit for testing ahead of its Kickstarter debut.

It's crucial to understand that this is not a definitive review of the final product. The unit tested was a pre-production prototype, and as with all crowdfunding campaigns, there's an inherent risk that the final product may differ or that the company might face challenges in delivering on its promises. WIRED, like many publications, is cautious about making final judgments on crowd-funded products before they ship to customers. However, based on the prototype, the Groove Thing certainly occupies a unique space in the sex tech landscape.

Unpacking the Prototype: First Impressions

Upon receiving the package, the company's self-deprecating nickname for the prototype – the "Ugly Box" – made immediate sense. The hardware was indeed crude and lacked the polished aesthetic typically expected from modern sex toys. The sex tech industry has made significant strides not just in functionality but also in design, with consumers increasingly valuing devices that are not only effective but also visually appealing. However, acknowledging this was a prototype, I set aside aesthetic concerns, trusting the company's assurance that the final version would boast a more refined look and feel.

The prototype system consisted of a main speaker unit featuring a dial on the side, a round puck, and two smaller speakers positioned on top. The core innovation lay in the two internal attachments designed for insertion: one intended for vaginal use and the other for anal use. These attachments are designed to adhere to the puck, which then connects to the main speaker unit via a cable, before being inserted into the body.

A significant point regarding the prototype was the material of these internal pieces. They were not made of body-safe silicone, a standard and crucial material in modern sex toys due to its non-porous, hygienic, and body-compatible properties. The company stated that the final product would use body-safe silicone. To facilitate safe testing of the prototype, Groove Thing included a generous supply of condoms and lube packets, emphasizing the need to use a barrier during testing.

Given the choice of attachments, I opted to test the vaginal G-spot stimulator. The shape of the anal attachment in the prototype didn't appeal to me, whereas the bulbous head of the G-spot stimulator seemed more promising for comfort and targeted stimulation based on my personal preferences and experience with other toys.

Setup and Initial Experience

Following the provided instructions, the setup process began by plugging the Groove Thing's main speaker unit into a wall outlet. This immediately highlighted a practical consideration: unlike many modern wireless sex toys, the Groove Thing requires proximity to a power source due to its wired connection to the internal attachment. This limits mobility and placement options during use.

Next, I paired the device to my phone via Bluetooth, a standard and straightforward process for connecting audio devices. With the system powered and connected, the final step was to prepare the internal attachment. As instructed, I covered the G-spot stimulator with a condom and applied lubricant before carefully inserting it. The cable connecting the attachment to the speaker unit needed to be managed, which felt a bit cumbersome compared to the freedom offered by fully wireless toys.

The instructions recommended starting with an introductory playlist curated by Groove Thing. This playlist featured popular artists like Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Dua Lipa. While I appreciate these artists, I suspected this pop-centric selection might not fully showcase the device's potential, especially given its emphasis on feeling the music. My initial experience with this playlist confirmed this intuition. The vibrations felt somewhat generic, lacking the distinct responsiveness I anticipated.

All About That Bass: The Core Concept

The instructions for the Groove Thing repeatedly stressed a key point: this device is not primarily designed to induce orgasm or even necessarily provide intense, traditional vibrator-style stimulation. Instead, its core purpose is to offer a unique sensory experience – the sensation of *feeling* the music internally, specifically the bass and percussion elements. This focus shifts the device from a purely pleasure-maximizing tool to something more akin to a sensory exploration device.

To truly test this concept, I needed music with a strong, discernible bassline and rhythmic structure. My personal taste leans towards post-rock bands like Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, known for their dynamic shifts, crescendos, and often prominent bass and drums. These seemed like ideal candidates to explore the Groove Thing's ability to translate sound into tactile sensation.

I spent time experimenting with different tracks from these bands, adjusting the volume via the dial on the Groove Thing's speaker unit to vary the intensity of the internal vibrations. The idea was to feel the music's rhythm and depth resonating inside my body. While I could certainly feel the vibrations reacting to the music – the pulses intensifying with bass drops and following drum patterns – the sensation itself was not particularly pleasurable for me. It felt more like a novelty or a curious physical phenomenon than a source of erotic stimulation.

The experience primarily involved lying still while the internal attachment vibrated and bounced against the G-spot area in time with the music. This passive form of stimulation, tied directly to the audio input, felt fundamentally different from the directed, varied patterns and intensities offered by conventional vibrators designed specifically for sexual pleasure. Furthermore, the prototype's motor was quite noisy, which I found distracting and detracted from the immersive audio-tactile experience the device aims to create. While this is a prototype issue that could potentially be resolved in the final production model, it was a notable drawback during testing.

Placing Groove Thing in the Sex Tech Landscape

While the Groove Thing positions itself as a groundbreaking "internal music player," it's important to note that the concept of music-activated sex toys is not entirely new. Several other products on the market already incorporate this feature, allowing vibrations to respond to ambient sound or music played through a connected device. Examples include Ohmibod's Freestyle G music vibrator, Lovehoney's Juno Music-Activated Vibrating Butt Plug, and the Lovense Vulse. These devices typically use a microphone or direct audio input to translate sound frequencies into vibration patterns.

Groove Thing's potential differentiator lies in its claim of more dynamic vibrations, specifically tuned to high-fidelity audio and emphasizing the feeling of bass and percussion. While the prototype did demonstrate a responsiveness to the music, it's debatable whether this responsiveness was significantly more dynamic or pleasurable than what existing music-activated toys offer. The core experience remained feeling the rhythm rather than experiencing varied, complex vibration patterns designed for erotic pleasure.

The sex tech market is vast and caters to a wide range of preferences. Products like the Groove Thing highlight the industry's willingness to explore niche concepts and sensory experiences beyond traditional clitoral or internal stimulation focused solely on orgasm. For individuals who feel a deep, almost synesthetic connection between music and physical sensation, or those simply curious about novel forms of pleasure, the Groove Thing's concept might be genuinely appealing.

The Prototype's Limitations and the Road Ahead

Beyond the subjective experience of the music-activated vibrations, the prototype I tested had several practical limitations that the company aims to address in the final production model:

• **Aesthetics:** The "Ugly Box" appearance needs a significant overhaul to meet consumer expectations for modern sex toys.
• **Materials:** The internal attachments must be made from body-safe silicone for hygiene and comfort.
• **Wired Connection:** The cable connecting the internal attachment to the main speaker unit restricts movement and setup options. A wireless connection for the internal piece would be a significant improvement, though it might introduce challenges with latency or power.
• **Motor Noise:** The loud motor was distracting and broke the immersion. Reducing noise is crucial for a device intended for intimate, sensory experiences.

These are common challenges in the prototype phase of hardware development, especially for startups. Moving from a functional prototype to a mass-produced, refined consumer product requires significant engineering, design, and manufacturing effort. The success of the Kickstarter campaign will be critical in funding these steps.

The Price of Feeling the Music

One of the most significant factors influencing consumer adoption will be the price. The expected final MSRP for the Groove Thing is projected to be between $250 and $330. This places it at the higher end of the sex toy market, comparable to some advanced app-controlled vibrators or couples' toys.

Considering that the device's primary function, according to the company, is not necessarily to achieve orgasm but to provide a specific sensory experience tied to music, this price point feels substantial. For many consumers, a sex toy's value is directly linked to its ability to provide intense pleasure or facilitate orgasm. The Groove Thing offers a different value proposition, one focused on a unique, perhaps more cerebral or ambient, connection between sound and sensation.

While I have a deep passion for music, the experience of feeling bass inside me, as delivered by the prototype, wasn't compelling enough to justify such a high cost. It's a novel idea, but the execution in the prototype didn't translate into a sensation I would actively seek out or pay a premium for. However, pleasure is deeply personal, and what doesn't resonate with one person might be exactly what another is looking for.

Who is the Groove Thing For?

Despite my personal lukewarm reaction to the prototype's sensation, I can see a potential audience for the Groove Thing. This device might appeal to:

• **Music Enthusiasts:** Individuals who have a profound connection with music and are curious about exploring new ways to experience it physically.
• **Sensory Explorers:** People interested in novel sensory experiences and expanding their understanding of pleasure beyond conventional methods.
• **Couples:** The device could potentially be used during partnered activities, adding a unique dimension to intimacy by sharing the audio-tactile experience.
• **Art and Performance:** Perhaps the technology could find applications in performance art or interactive installations exploring the relationship between sound and body.

It's less likely to appeal to someone primarily seeking a powerful, versatile vibrator for quick or guaranteed orgasms, especially given the price point and the prototype's current limitations regarding noise and wired connection.

Conclusion: A Novel Concept with Prototype Hurdles

The Groove Thing is undoubtedly a novel concept, pushing the boundaries of what a sex toy can be by explicitly linking internal physical sensation to the dynamics of music. The idea of feeling the bass and rhythm of your favorite songs inside your body is unique and aligns with the broader trend in sex tech towards exploring diverse forms of pleasure and sensory experiences.

However, the prototype I tested highlighted significant challenges that need to be addressed in the final production version. The crude design, non-body-safe materials (in the prototype), wired connection, and noisy motor were notable drawbacks. More importantly, the subjective experience of feeling the music internally, while interesting as a concept, did not translate into a particularly pleasurable or exciting sensation for me personally. It felt more like a physical curiosity than a powerful source of erotic stimulation.

The high expected price tag further complicates the value proposition. For a device that doesn't aim to be a traditional orgasm-focused toy, the cost is substantial. Its success will likely depend on whether there is a significant market segment that finds the specific experience of feeling music internally compelling enough to justify the investment.

As a Kickstarter project, the Groove Thing faces the inherent risks of crowdfunding. Delivering a refined, high-quality product that overcomes the prototype's limitations requires successful funding and execution. While the concept is intriguing and represents an interesting direction for sex tech, the prototype experience suggests it has a way to go before it hits the right notes for a broad audience. It's a fascinating experiment at the intersection of music, technology, and pleasure, and its journey from prototype to production will be worth watching.