Is the A10 Piston SA Loud? 5 Ways to Keep It Quiet
“Will my family in the next room hear it and find out?”
“It's night, so won't the sound carry?”
“Will the noise keep me from getting lost in my adult VR videos?”
I use the A10 Piston SA all the time, so let me share the different ways I deal with it when the noise gets too loud.
If the noise has you worrying about your family, the pleasure drops by half.
I also filmed videos so you can hear how loud it actually is.
Once you know how to handle the noise, you can enjoy the A10 Piston SA 100%.
I've also rounded up what reviewers most often say about the A10 Piston SA's noise.
[Video] Is the A10 Piston SA Loud? How Many Decibels?
Check the videos to hear what it actually sounds like.
I've split it into three clips.
The A10 Piston measured about 40–45 dB.
In medium-speed mode it was 30 dB.
In low-speed mode, about 20 dB.
40 dB is officially described as quiet enough not to bother anyone in a library — but in a library, I think you'd notice it (lol).
The A10 Piston SA Is Only Loud in High-Speed Mode
As long as you don't use high-speed mode, the noise isn't much of a problem.
I think you can enjoy it plenty without ever switching to high speed.
Another way is to take your time in low-speed mode and switch to high speed only when you want to finish.
If you leave it on high speed the whole time, the noise may bother you so much that you can't focus.
When it's synced to a video, you can't limit it to low speed only (as of May 2022), so not syncing it while your family is home is another option.
The A10 Piston SA Has a Movement Mode That Isn't Loud
In the mode where the light is red, the A10 Piston SA isn't loud.
In this mode, you can turn the speed up quite a bit and it's still fine.
I think it's because the stroke is shorter.
When your family is home, stick to this quiet mode and enjoy it at higher speeds.
What to Do When the A10 Piston SA's Noise Bothers You
Cover it with a blanket
Try putting a blanket over the A10 Piston SA.
That alone should make it noticeably quieter.
Wrap yourself up in your futon (bedding) as well, and the noise drops even more.
Under the covers, if someone in your family walks in, you can even pretend to be asleep.
Stop the A10 Piston SA and your VR headset right away, and you can act as if nothing was going on.
Not many family members will come as far as pulling back your covers.
Keep it from touching your desk
If you lean it against a desk while using it, the sound carries.
Just keeping it off the desk cuts the noise a lot.
For that, a stroker holder that doesn't need a desk works well.
With nothing touching the desk, the desk doesn't vibrate, so the sound doesn't carry.
Even if you do set it on a desk, putting a cloth or cushion under it makes it quieter.
Wear noise-cancelling headphones
I think a lot of people worry that their family will hear the A10 Piston SA.
On the other hand, some people may be bothered by the sound they hear themselves.
In other words, the A10 Piston SA's noise keeps them from getting absorbed in the VR video.
In that case, noise-cancelling headphones will block out almost all of it.
A popular choice is Sony's noise-cancelling headphones.
I don't want to use anything else — I own three pairs of them.
You don't need to buy the latest model.
The previous model works almost exactly the same.
But with a VR headset and headphones on, you're completely defenseless.
If someone walks into the room then, it's all over.
And once you start worrying about that, you can't get lost in it after all.
Enjoying it when your family isn't home is the only way to be truly absorbed.
They're a bit pricey, but I'd call them a must-buy, so if you can afford it, please get a pair.
Actually go to the next room and listen
“Maybe the A10 Piston SA can be heard next door” could be all in your head.
If you actually go to the next room and check how loud it is, it may turn out to be surprisingly unnoticeable.
Once you know in advance that it can't be heard next door, you can use the A10 Piston SA with peace of mind.
And if you find out which modes can't be heard next door, you can stick to those and your family will never find out.
Make a door lock with a tension rod
Even if the noise isn't the problem, some people worry about family members coming in to check on them.
In that case, locking the door gives you peace of mind.
If your door has no lock, make one with a tension rod.
For a sliding door, setting it up like in the photo above works as a lock.
For a door with a handle, placing the tension rod like this keeps the door from opening.
If you find one online that fits your door size beforehand, you won't buy the wrong one.
Knowing nobody can walk in on you at the worst moment lets you use the A10 Piston SA without worrying.
Your family may find a locked door a little suspicious, but that's many times better than being seen and both of you feeling awkward.
Use a Kaikatsu Club internet café
You can use the A10 Piston SA at Kaikatsu Club, too (a Japanese internet café chain).
Kaikatsu Club has private booths that lock (as of May 2022).
They aren't fully soundproof, but you can make some noise without bothering the booth next to you.
You can even listen to the dirty sounds as they are, without headphones.
But the A10 Piston SA is big, so carrying it there is quite a hassle — keep that in mind.
If you go by car, it's easy to carry; just put it in a large bag.
When I wrote this in May 2022, the booths also came with a FOVE VR headset, so even people without their own VR headset could enjoy syncing.
Use the A10 Piston SA in your car
I think many people find it hard to be completely alone at home.
If that's you, your car is another option.
You do have to think about where to park, but your family will never catch you.
If you can find a spot with few people around, you can relax.
Lock the doors, and nobody can suddenly walk in, so you can be completely absorbed.
You'll also need to make sure you can't be seen from the front, for example by using the back seat.
And charge it fully so the battery doesn't run out.
What Reviewers Say About the A10 Piston SA's Noise
I've listed what actual A10 Piston SA reviews said about the noise.
It seems everyone perceives it differently.
Reviews about how loud the A10 Piston SA is
- Up to about speed level 2, it's almost silent.
- From around level 5, you start to notice it
- At top speed it's a little noticeable; at low speed it hardly bothers me
- The motor is loud, and it's heavy
- But it isn't that loud, so I could use it without worrying about my neighbors
- In every mode, up to speed level 2 nobody would notice through a wall
- Syncing with videos makes a fair amount of noise, so you need something like noise-isolating headphones
- It's fairly quiet, too. It doesn't leak out of the room, so I felt safe
Summary
How you use the A10 Piston SA will probably change depending on whether your family is home.
When they are, enjoy it safely in the very quiet low-speed mode.
When nobody's home, you can get completely lost in it.
Otherwise, take some steps against the noise.
Whether you deal with the A10 Piston SA's noise properly makes a huge difference to how real your VR videos feel.
Give these ways to enjoy the A10 Piston SA without worrying about noise a try.
If you haven't bought your A10 Piston SA yet, read this article to be sure you get a genuine unit at the lowest price!
Where to Buy a Genuine A10 Piston SA for the Lowest PriceWhere to buy a genuine VORZE A10 Piston SA + PLUS in Japan: NLS vs. Amazon Japan vs. FANZA prices, stock history, must-have extras and scams to avoid.Read the article ›