Viben Obsession vs Calexotics Charisma Mystique Side-By-Side Comparison
Performance Ratings
Our Verdict
The Viben Obsession is a wand I haven’t continued to use after testing it because it’s extremely buzzy and has only intense power levels. Nothing soft or moderate.
Though some people may enjoy its vibrations, many will find its combination of extreme strength and buzziness overwhelming. I can only use its lowest power level without feeling overstimulated – and even then I need to use it over my clothes.
If you prefer more rumbly vibrations, the Viben Sultry and BMS PalmPower Extreme are better wands in a comparable price range. Most people will enjoy their deeper vibrations more than the Obsession’s high-pitched buzzy vibes.
The Obsession is easy to use and maneuver, and the silicone is comfortable. But I’d only consider it if you know you enjoy buzzy vibrations.
The Calexotics Charisma Mystique is a cheap, dual-ended mini wand, but it underperforms in most areas compared to other wands, including others in this price range.
The wand end’s vibrations are extremely buzzy, not rumbly, and its maximum strength is mediocre. The controls are frustrating, and the high-pitched noise makes it harder to enjoy. While the second motor in the handle offers a slightly better experience with mildly rumbly vibrations, neither end stands out in performance or comfort.
If you’re specifically looking for a dual-ended wand with two very different tips, and you know you prefer buzzy vibrations, this may be worth considering. But for most people, the Romp Presto and Orion Your New Favorite Wand are better budget-friendly wands.
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Vibrations: Power And Range
The Viben Obsession is significantly stronger than any of my non-wand vibrators, even on its softest setting.
There are three power levels. The lowest starts at 7.7 out of 10 vibration strength, and it goes up to 8.5 on high. It doesn’t provide any warm-up, which is a bummer because I typically need softer power when I’m starting out. Otherwise, the vibrations feel too overwhelming.
I can only use the Viben Obsession’s lowest power level without feeling irritated. And even then, I need to use it over my clothes.
I find the second and third levels wildly unpleasant. They’re extremely buzzy which feels overwhelming and uncomfortable combined with the immense strength. I’ll talk more about that in the next section.
Many wands have a broader power range than the Viben Obsession – packing extreme power on high, but beginning gentler on low. I prefer these wands like the Lovense Domi, BMS PalmPower Extreme, among others.
This is a dual-ended wand, and both the Calexotics Charisma Mystique’s motors have a mediocre power range with primarily moderate-feeling strengths.
The wand end’s first setting has a 1.7 out of 10 strength, but since the vibrations are buzzy, it doesn’t feel as gentle a start as other similar wands provide. The 3 power settings aren’t as gradual of steps as I’ve found with other wands either.
The Charisma Mystique’s maximum 4.92 strength is enough power for me, especially since the vibrations are so buzzy, causing the vibes to strongly affect the exact area you touch them to. However, this is less than half the power of my strongest wands. If you want more extreme strength, the Orion Your New Favorite Wand is the strongest in this price range.
The handle end has its own motor and starts a bit softer at 1.20, reaching a top strength of 4.67. It also has 3 power levels and 9 patterns, just like the wand end. The lower starting point makes it slightly better for a gentle warmup, though its top strength is no stronger than the wand end.
For a moderate experience with more gradual steps, consider the more affordable Romp Presto. Or for a more intense experience, consider the Orion Your New Favorite Wand.
Vibrations: Frequency (Rumbliness)
We rate wands with rumbly vibrations more highly than those with buzzy vibrations. Most people prefer rumbliness. But, there is definitely variation in peoples’ preferences.
For example – I really enjoy neutral or moderately buzzy vibrations when they’re moderately powerful (roughly vibration strengths between 4 and 7). But when vibrations are both extremely buzzy and immensely powerful they become unbearable to me.
And that’s the problem with the Viben Obsession – it’s extreme in both power and buzziness.
It’s one of the few wand vibrators we’ve tested that is already buzzy on its lowest setting! And on high, it’s the buzziest of all our wands. On the second or third power, I don’t even like to touch it to any part of my body. And I definitely don’t want it near my clit!
You can find comparably priced, powerful wands with better rumbliness. Whether that’s extreme rumbliness, like with the Lovense Domi, moderately rumbly like the Viben Sultry, or more neutral like the BMS PalmPower Extreme. I enjoy each of these wands, and each provides powerful stimulation with deeper, more enjoyable rumbliness.
We score rumbly vibrations higher than buzzy ones because it’s what most people prefer. However, I often enjoy neutral-feeling or moderately buzzy vibrations, so choose based on your preference.
The Charisma Mystique’s wand end is one of the buzziest wands we’ve tested. None of its settings fall into the rumbly range, and even as someone who enjoys moderate buzziness, I found the sound of its high-pitched vibrations distracting.
The handle end is slightly better. Its low setting is moderately rumbly and much more comfortable. You could use that end for a more rumbly warmup. But if you want a wand with rumbly settings throughout, the BMS Swan Era Wand is a better option in this price range.
Comfort & Ease of Use
The Viben Obsession has a comfortable handle that’s relatively narrow for a full-sized wand. People with small hands like me will find its slim, silicone handle comfortable and easy to grip. I also don’t feel any uncomfortable vibrations in my hands as I do with some wands. This surprised me since the Obsession is extremely powerful.
The head is large, which means you can’t fit it into tight areas, but it provides wider stimulation instead. Since the vibrations are so strong, you probably won’t need to position its head in a precise spot – it broadly stimulates the entire area. It’s also lighter than other full-sized wands so maneuvering it is fairly easy.
The head is firm, but the neck is extremely flexible which keeps it comfortable.
The controls are great. They’re easy to feel without looking, but I don’t accidentally press them. And you can both increase or decrease the power, which is necessary since this wand is so strong. You may need to step back down sometimes.
The Calexotics Charisma Mystique is comfortable, aside from some handle vibrations. But the controls are a big drawback, and one of the main reasons I don’t recommend it.
Each motor has a single button to control it. But the button only cycles forward through 3 power levels and 9 patterns – you can’t go backward or adjust strength independently of pattern. That means to decrease the power, you must cycle through all the remaining settings!
Worse, the toy’s memory feature restarts it where you left off, meaning you can’t reset it to the lowest strength by turning the toy off and back on.
Besides the controls, the Mystique is easy to maneuver and apply firm pressure with because of its slim handle and firm internal core. The handle is long enough to find a comfortable grip easily. And even though the head is firm, its small size makes it comfortable to limit pressure to where you want it.
Some vibrations travel into your hand, especially at higher intensities. This can feel tickly or distracting over time. For better controls and reduced hand vibrations, I recommend the Romp Presto.
Use During Sex
In this section, I try to rate how easy it is to use the wand during sex. I consider aspects like whether a wand limits how my partner and I can position our bodies and whether maneuvering the wand and keeping it in contact with my clit during sex is easy.
I try to compartmentalize how the vibrations themselves feel. But I experience such discomfort from the Viben Obsession’s extremely buzzy vibrations during sex, it’s impossible to separate that component out completely.
With all the movement happening during sex, the Viben Obsession’s wide head bumps into my legs and other areas that I don’t want to be stimulated. And since the vibrations are so powerful and buzzy it feels uncomfortable and distracting.
This is especially the case in positions like Missionary or Spooning where I can’t lean back to create more space for the wand’s head. The Viben Obsession’s firm head also bumps uncomfortably into my pubic bone in Cowgirl.
The Obsession’s vibrations seem to feel more diffuse in Doggystyle, and I’m able to enjoy the lowest power level a bit. And the Viben Obsession has a long enough handle that I can support its weight by resting the wand’s base on the bed. So my arms don’t get tired using it in this position.
The Charisma Mystique is decently usable during sex because of its small size and dual-ended design.
The small head fits into tighter spaces (like during face-to-face positions) than a full-sized wand, and if the wand end doesn’t reach comfortably, you can flip it to use the slimmer handle end, so it’s pretty versatile. The firm core also makes it easy to leverage, even for long periods, in all positions.
However, the vibrations themselves aren’t that great, so you need more direct clitoral contact with this wand than with others. And the awkward controls make mid-sex adjustments annoying. Overall, in this price range, I still prefer the Romp Presto during sex.
Noise
The Viben Obsession is my loudest wand vibrator. I find its noise distracting, and it’s certainly not discreet.
My partner can hear it from the other side of our closed bedroom door on all power levels. And it’s the only wand that was not drowned out by playing music in the bedroom. My partner could still hear it on the other side of the door!
The Viben Sultry and Magic Wand Rechargeable are comparably powerful, but much quieter (and more rumbly too!)
The Charisma Mystique has average noise levels in terms of volume, but the high-pitched tone of the vibrations is grating, which makes me not want to use it.
My partner couldn’t hear it through a closed door on low or medium, but easily heard it on high. Since you have to cycle through the loudest setting every time you adjust the intensity, this isn’t a discreet wand.
The Romp Presto is quieter across all settings and better if you live with others – it was inaudible from the other side of the door on every setting in our test.
Attachment Compatibility
The Viben Obsession has excellent compatibility with wand attachments. As a full-sized wand, the majority of attachments are designed for heads this size.
There are compatible attachments for a range of stimulation including G-spot, prostate, anal, penis, clitoral, and dual-stimulation. Below are the wand attachments we’ve tested for compatibility with the Viben Obsession.
The Calexotics Charisma Mystique has very poor compatibility with attachments.
It fits with the Lovense Domi attachments and two of my other smaller attachments. This provides some variety, but if you want many options, the Charisma Mystique is not for you.
Most attachments are designed for wands with full-sized heads, and the Mystique’s compact head just isn’t compatible with them. If you want a low-cost wand that works with a broad variety of accessories, the Orion Your New Favorite Wand is a better choice.
Mount Compatibility
I test my wands with the Liberator Wanda and Axis mounts which hold your wand so you can play hands-free. The Viben Obsession fits well with both mounts.
The Axis works best lying on your stomach while the mount holds the wand between your legs. The Viben Obsession’s head rests in a good position for clit stimulation, sticking out just past the fabric.
In the Axis, I prefer wands with an upward curve or angle like with the BMS PalmPower Extreme which put a little more pressure on my clit. But since the Viben Obsession’s power and buzziness are so intense, I’m happy to have slightly less contact with my clit.
The Wanda mount also holds the Obsession in a good position. I can comfortably straddle the mount while keeping the head in contact with my clit. The broad head provides plenty of surface area to lean against. And the flexible neck is comfortable when I press my weight back on it.
We test mount compatibility with both the Liberator Axis and Wanda mounts. The Calexotics Charisma Mystique has very poor compatibility with the Axis and does not fit at all in the Wanda.
The Wanda is designed to let you straddle the mount or sit on it for hands-free stimulation, but the Mystique is too small and falls too deep into the mount, providing no stimulation.
The Axis, which holds the wand slightly angled while you lie on top of it, does manage to hold the Mystique in place. But the small head size makes it hard to get consistent stimulation. The wand doesn’t provide enough surface area or pressure to maintain good contact during movement.
If you’re looking for a mount-compatible wand at a similar price, the Orion Your New Favorite Wand’s full-sized head makes it fit both mounts much better.
Battery Life
The Viben Obsession lasts around 65 minutes on high power, which is shorter than other comparably strong wands. You’ll have to be vigilant about charging between uses.
If you tend to forget to charge your wand like me, you might want something with a longer battery life, like the Magic Wand Rechargeable.
The Calexotics Charisma Mystique is rechargeable, but has a poor battery life, lasting only 47 minutes on high in our test.
Since this only reaches a moderate strength, this is unimpressive compared to the stronger Orion Your New Favorite Wand that lasts nearly 2x as long.
Build Quality
The Viben Obsession’s construction is decent overall. The buttons feel a little clicky. And the neck feels somewhat flimsy and makes a weird noise when I apply pressure. This makes me more cautious to press the Obsession as firmly as other wands.
Other than that, the silicone and construction quality feels good.
The Calexotics Charisma Mystique has fair build quality.
The all-over silicone has a nice texture, and the toy has a solid weight that gives it a somewhat sturdy feel in the hand. Its moderately flexible neck holds up well to firm pressure without feeling like it might snap.
That said, several aspects feel cheap. The vibrations are very buzzy and high-pitched, which gives the impression of lower quality. And the pinhole charging port requires puncturing the silicone to insert the cable, which feels outdated and makes me nervous about the waterproof aspect long-term.
Despite the pinhole charging port, it’s rated as IPX7 waterproof, and so far has held up well to cleaning and submersion during our tests – so despite some low-quality touches, it seems structurally sound.