A lot of the Open Life sites have been making these offers. For Hard X I suspect there is some necessity given the site is new, small and only add one scene per week. That's one scene, not one DVD.
Thanks for the comment. I think that Mason, who has a reputation as a great porn director, left Elegant Angel and started both Erotica X and Hard X. It is some great porn. The TBP listing says that they offer a two day trial. My advice is to try that first. With a few spare hours you could download a lot.
Current Member for less than 1 month (at the time of review).
Pros:
- New studio site
- Affiliated with Open Life and Erotica X
- All scenes directed by Mason
- Supports download managers
- Many choices for viewing scenes
- TBP / PU discount
- Several ‘firsts’
Cons:
- Small site for now
- Videos aren’t associated with the DVDs they appear in
Bottom Line:
Hard X is both a new studio and new website that features videos from the studio. The studio (and site) feature scenes directed by Mason, formerly from the Elegant Angel studio. It’s also a sister site to Mason’s other studio/site Erotica X. Obviously the scenes at Hard X have a much harder edge than those at Erotica X. In my opinion, Mason is one of the best directors in the business. She brings a unique feel to her scenes and brings out the best in her performers.
One of the reasons I’ve been waiting impatiently for this site to go live was that Mason has brought a number of ‘firsts’ here. I’m a big fan of anal scenes and Hard X made a (justifiably) big deal over the first anal scenes for Maddy O’Reilly and Annika Albrite. The site promises more in the future too.
I’ll deal with the major negative element first, since it will likely be a deal-breaker for some potential members. Because the studio is new they don’t have a big catalogue yet, so the site is small too. There are currently only 30 scenes available. Since the site only launched last week I can’t verify an update schedule, though the site itself has an ‘upcoming’ tab and that shows a new scene being added per week. Yes, I know that seems slow, but this is a new studio and they don’t have a lot to offer yet. A potential member will have to make his or her own decision on value, but with the TBP / PU discount I think this is a great value. I think that this isn’t ‘commodity porn’ but is unique and uses A-list models in scenes with high production values. I like to think of sites like this (and Erotica X too) as high-end steakhouses in a world of greasy buffets. (And yes, I realize that my analogy is unflattering.) TBP reports that the site also offers a full 2-day trial. This would be an incredible value for someone who just wanted to check out what the site has to offer.
The other negative is probably more subjective, but when I’m on a studio site I prefer that the videos be grouped by DVD title or capable of being sorted that way. For some reason, Hard X doesn’t do that. I hope as the site grows they add a “DVD” tab.
The site is well laid out with four scene per page, each with one large screenshot and two smaller ones. The scenes are titled with the model’s name in the title. There are tags for specific niches and the model’s name is a tag too. Each scene opens into its own page where you have all of the same information and brief description of the scene too.
As with all Open Life sites, there are a range of options for viewing and downloading the scenes. Streaming is available in seven resolutions ranging from 160p to 1080p. Downloads are available in WMV format (160p, 240p, 360p and 480p) and MP4 format (160p, 240p, 360p, 480p, 540p, 720p and 1080p). I downloaded the 720p and those are 1080x720 at 4800kb/s and 29fps. They look crisp and show no pixilation. Those files are, on average, about 1.3GB in size.
I had no problems using a download manager to queue up the scenes I wanted. There were no unreasonable time-outs on the links and my downloads hit and sustained the maximum speed that my manager allows (11mb/s).
The bottom line is that I highly recommend that you check this site out of you like hardcore porn with a slightly rough edge. This contrasts well with its sister site where the hardcore is softer and more couples-oriented. The site offers some excellent porn with some of the biggest names in adult these days. The site is well organized and logical. There are lots of options for viewing or downloading the scene too. When you add it up and apply the TBP discount I think this is a great value. As the site grows, it will become an even better value.
I agree that their reputation probably works against them. While several A-list models did work for them (like Amber Rayne) she wasn't subjected to the abuse that the amateurs were. I suspect that a new girl starting out in the business would be scared straight after working with these guys.
The same thing happened with Max Hardcore I suspect. He worked with several girls who did nothing after working with him. One that comes to mind is Missy Misfit who did a few titles with Max and disappeared. That was a tragedy since she could have been the new Gauge with her petite body, stunning face and willingness to do almost everything. If I hold one grudge against Max, possibly driving Missy Misfit from the business is it.
Current Member for less than 1 month (at the time of review).
Pros:
- Small network with a couple of unique sites
- Some HD scenes
- Photos offered in some scenes
- Photos offered as singles and zips
- Streaming available
- Options available for downloads
- Good mix of known and amateur models
- TBP / PU discount
Cons:
- Three of the ‘sites’ can’t really be considered as such
- Only one (or maybe two) sites MAY be updating
- Some scenes don’t support download managers
- Older scenes are sub-par quality
- May be a bit too misogynistic for some
Bottom Line:
Hardcore Doorway is a small network of ten sites. Most of those sites are relatively small and three of them don’t really deserve to be called sites. Most of the sites haven’t updated in years and the most recent updates cause me to question whether the entire network is dead. The good news, however, is that some of the material is pretty good if it happens to be the kind of thing you’re into.
This network is the one of two affiliated networks, the other being Adult Doorway. AD may be better known since it happens to be home to one of the most abusive, misogynistic sites on the ‘net”: Facial Abuse. The sites on Hardcore Doorway use the same male talent, the same sets and many of the same models, so it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that much of the material here is pretty extreme. This is definitely NOT porn for everyone.
The site is made up of ten sites, but I’d only apply that label to seven of those. These are (including some current details):
• Sperm Suckers: 258 scenes, last updated three weeks ago
• Latina Abuse: 135 scenes, last updated almost three months ago
• Amateur Throats: 26 scenes, last updated almost two years ago
• Anal Recruiters: 33 scenes, last updated about two and a half years ago
• Huge Rubber Dicks: 20 scenes, last updated about three and a half years ago
• Lesbians Love Sex: 46 scenes, last updated almost four years ago
• Sexy Suck Jobs: 26 scenes, last updated almost four years ago
So it appears that only Sperm Suckers may be updating. The earlier updates were posted about once a week so I can’t be sure if they’ve stopped given that the latest scene is now three weeks old. It is also possible that Latina Abuse is updating. The update schedule there is sporadic with past updates being posted as frequently as one every three weeks and sometimes just once every five weeks or so. I think it’s fair to say that the others are now dead.
The last update for each of these ‘sites’ was four and half years ago. The reason I don’t think these should be considered sites is because they offer limited scenes, those scenes are not exclusive, there is no scene information available, the scenes are only available as a series of small (20MB +/-) clips and they’ve obviously been abandoned.
I think given the fact that only two sites MAY be updating it is fair to say that no one should join this network expecting to stick around for a while to get more updates. So the question then becomes is this network worth a membership at all? Obviously the answer to this question will be different depending on what you look for in a site, but given that the material on the seven main sites is fairly rare (rough, hardcore anal with lots of genuine creampies and oral cum-play, for examples) and appears to be unique a membership here can be pretty good value, especially if you factor in the $20 price offered to TBP / PU members.
All of the sites (excluding the three non-sites as noted above) use the same simple but effective layout. There are 20 scene links per page in each of the sites and those links open into a separate page where you can stream or download the video. Streaming is in one resolution only, but the latest scenes do offer a lot of choice for downloads. WMV files are offered in 720x480, 640x480 and 320x240. There is usually an option for low-ish quality MPEG and MOV files too. In many of the newer scenes there is at least 720p offered and in a lot of scenes there is 720 and 1080p on offer. The 1080p comes in at 1080x720 at 5000kb/s and 30fps. Each scene is also broken down into smaller clips if that happens to be your preference.
Photos are available as singles and zips and they are pretty good at 1440x960.
Other minor issues are that some of the files wouldn’t queue up for downloading with a manager. But others would queue up. I have no explanation for this and can’t say exactly how many files fall into either camp. The other problem I had was that I fairly frequently got kicked off the site and had to log in again. Both of these are minor, but still frustrating. (Additionally, I always had to log in through the site I joined even though the network join in page was identical AND the network provided me with a link to sign in through the network. That was frustrating until I figured it out.)
So is this site worth the membership? My answer is a tentative yes. Tentative because there are few updates and much of the older material is low resolution, but on the plus side this is porn you won’t find elsewhere, and it is definitely some of the hardest stuff available. Add in the discounted price and I think this network is worth a look even if only for a one-time membership.
This site is included with a membership to Gag Factor, which means that it has all the flaws of that site. With the full price of the membership at $30 it isn’t a great value even considering that you get access to Gag Factor, Hardcore Fuck Machines, American Bukkake, Over Stuffed Holes and Ghetto Swarm. The problem is partly quantity, but mostly quality – the quality of the videos is much lower than the industry standard.
This is a small site that offers scenes from the JM Productions series “Fuck Machines.” JM Productions is pretty extreme and this series focuses on porn stars getting fucked by dildos attached to fucking machines.
The site started in November 2010 and has 36 scenes up now. They update at a rate of one scene per week.
All files are uploaded at 720x480 @ 21kbps, which isn’t a great resolution. It’s the only resolution available. Streaming is available too.
Pics are available (with and average of 50 per scene) but there is no option for zips.
Please see my review of Gag Factor if you’re looking for more specific details as a lot of that is applicable here too.
I'm a big fan of this site and of most of what Kink puts out and I agree that their site designs are looking a bit dated. But as you note, they really do offer some of the best BDSM porn available at any price.
Wow! Thanks for the advice and offer. I was last a member eight months ago and when I looked at the site this morning I only had maybe a dozen scenes that were 'must haves.'
Thanks for this LPee. I had heard that some changes were coming (reputedly due to credit card companies wanting to be squeaky clean for the soccer mom crowd). I'm rejoining as soon as I hit 'add reply' on this.
Edit - Fuck! It looks like the site might be dead. The link from TBP and PU leads to nothing. Going into any other Kink site and selecting Hardcore Gang Bang brings a dead link and searching on Google gives the same dead link. Damn, there were some scenes I wanted to see there...
Thanks for this great information. I didn't know all of this detail. Also, thanks for mentioning that site. I looked at the tour pages and it looks interesting. As with many of the Kink sites I'm surprised to see so many non-fetish, A-list models there.
Thanks for your comments, TheSquirrel. I appreciate that you took the time to write such a detailed response.
One of the biggest reasons I watch porn is to see the female model's pleasurable reactions to what's going on. I'm not so naïve as to think that most or even many models experience pleasure, but I'm sure that some do. One advantage to the post-scene interviews here and on other Kink sites is that the models are usually asked to describe what they liked best about the scene. It's a bit of a quirk I have but I like to go back and watch that now knowing that the woman is enjoying herself. Kink.com, maybe more than most porn, is in the business of selling fantasy. Yes, one could criticize me as having the fantasy to r@pe women, but that isn't the case. I first got hooked on BDSM several years ago through another Kink site and even though it pushed my limits I found it compelling to watch because the women were pretty adamant that they enjoyed what happened. And while I have nothing to base this on, I think it's a safe assumption that if Kink ever ignored a model's use of the safe word then that would spread and Kink would be done. Besides, Kink comes out of the lively and established San Francisco BDSM culture. I suspect that they'd be run out of town if they were abusing women.
And although I mentioned this before, I really do think that the fact that Kink attracts so many A-list models has to say something about Kink and about how they operate. I know the porn business isn't like it was even ten years ago, but an A-list model must still have many more options other than doing BDSM work if she didn't want to do it. I'm sure some A-list models were talked into anal using money. Like Lexi Belle and the upcoming Maddy O'Reilly anal scene (and both Lexi and Maddy, industry stars, have worked for Kink), but I highly doubt that a model could be talked into a shoot for this site with just money. There would have to be some interest, and a lot of trust in the staff and male talent. I simply can't accept that model like Chastity Lynn, for example, would agree to work for Kink even at double the going rate if she was truly afraid or unwilling to do it. She could shoot two 'heartcore' scenes in a day and make the same money.
Anyway, thanks for your comments. I knew this would be a controversial review of a site that even many PU members wouldn't like but since the purpose of this site is sharing information and I've taken a lot of benefit from that information over the past years, I'm compelled to give back.
Thanks for the comments, graymane. I wrote a reply to parsnip who also left a comment about the extreme nature of these scenes. In that I address some of your concerns.
I realized that there would be some negative feedback with this review given the nature of the site. I've been a member of other Kink sites in the past and I'll admit that these scenes push my limits.
I don't agree with you that the interviews are insignificant. Both the pre- and post-scene interviews are lengthy, detailed and seem genuine and I suspect that a model would have a hard time hiding her displeasure if those were her true feelings. I've also read some independent accounts of Kink and they seem to be held in high regard by most in the industry. It's also worth noting that many of the producers (and I think that's the case here) are female.
Another factor to consider is that Kink is well known so any A-list model would know what she was getting into. Add to that the fact that several A-list models work repeatedly for Kink. Amy Brooke, Amber Rayne and Chastity Lynn all have multiple scenes. These women can get work with any studio so it makes sense that they're okay with Kink if they continue to work with them. I agree that there is an argument to be made that Kink sweetens the deal by paying more, and that's probably true. But consider that if an A-list model had no interest in working with Kink even if they paid double, she could find two more mainstream scenes which would probably still be easier.
Kink also features fetish models who appear in a lot of BDSM material and who do a lot of work for Kink. Most of these models are every bit as attractive as an A-lister so there has to be a reason why those models don't go to mainstream porn. They could make the same money (though may have to shoot more, but easier scenes) but they choose to shoot for Kink over and over. That has to say something, especially when those models are interviewed and continually refer to past shoots as enjoyable.
While this is rough sex, and I think the r@pe thing is too far over the top, it isn't anything like what Max Hardcore or JM Productions used to shoot. In those shoots there was, it seems, a genuine attempt to degrade the model. (Consider that JM Productions actually released a commercial video of Tanner Mayes having a meltdown on the set over her missing cell phone. Jim Powers egged her on the whole time knowing he would be able to exploit her.)
I'll admit that I'm basing most of my opinions on this and other Kink sites on the interviews. But those interviews don't look scripted. The post-scene interview is shot immediately after the scene and the model would have a hard time hiding any discomfort. The models all report that they enjoyed the scene.
I respect your opinion, but given the evidence, coupled with edits (which are likely shooting breaks), I don't agree with your take that this is "violence, brutality and shattering pain." Kink has a good reputation in the business and I think it's more likely that this is part of the atmosphere that the director wants to create.
Current Member for less than 1 month (at the time of review).
Pros:
- Rare niche
- Coupled with Bound Gang Bangs
- Membership gives you discounts to other Kink sites
- Many A-list models
- 59 scenes
- Updates weekly
- Usual well-done Kink.com site
- Supports download managers
- Streaming and downloads
- Choices for file type and resolution
Cons:
- Not for the faint of heart, probably among the most extreme sites on the internet
- Female model name should be more prominent
Bottom Line:
Let me start with a few of caveats:
• This is probably one of the most extreme hardcore sites on the internet. Consider this a “may not be suitable for all audiences” warning.
• Many of the scenes use a r@ape fantasy as the scenario. I say this for two reasons, first to warn potential members of this fact, and second to tell people that I had an email chat with Khan and while he okayed describing the scenes in this way he said that using the actual word could cause problems for this site so if you’re commenting DO NOT USE THE WORD lest you incur the wrath of Khan.
• Each scene, regardless of the scene set-up, has an interview with the model both before and after the scene. The initial interview CLEARLY shows that the model will be shooting the scene fully informed of what the scene will entail and fully consents to it and that there is a safe word in use. The concluding interview makes it clear that the model had nothing occur that she did not fully consent to. In all the interviews I watched the models reported that they enjoyed the scene.
In all my years of buying porn online this is possibly the most extreme hardcore site I’ve ever joined. Other Kink sites come close, but the use of a particular scenario in many of the scenes is what put this over the top. A membership here is definitely not for everybody.
Unlike a lot of other Kink sites, this one does use a scene setup. There is a storyline that plays out at the beginning. What I mean that is with sites like Device Bondage and The Training of O, which can be quite intense, there is really no scene setup. A model does a shoot and that’s it. Here, there is a story and much more often than not that story involves some sort of force by a group of men against a woman. No matter how you slice it, most of the scenes here involve simulated r@pe. If you think you’d be offended by that, and I’m sure a lot of people would be, then don’t subscribe. Apart from the setup, the entire scene tends to follow the script with lots of slapping, spitting and generally rough sex.
If done wrong, these scenes could likely cause some problems for Kink, but each scene has an interview with the model both before and after the scene where it is made clear that model knows what she’s getting into and then the post-scene interview confirms that. There is no mistaking that this is pure fantasy.
Speaking of the models, one thing that struck me about the site, and it likely speaks to Kink’s good reputation in the business, are the number of A-list porn models who appear here. With material this extreme you’d think that only the hardest of the hardcore or fetish models would be here, but that isn’t the case. Models like Chastity Lynn, Casey Calvert and Tara Lynn Foxx are here. Sure, they aren’t exactly wallflowers but I am still pleasantly surprised to see them here.
There are currently 59 scenes uploaded with a new one being added each week. Most of the scenes last about an hour, with some exceeding that.
As with all other Kink sites, they get the technical stuff right. The site is well laid out and the user can change how the site looks by selecting how much information will be displayed on the main page.
One minor quibble is that with each scene the entire cast is credited. I have no problem with that, but the female should be given top billing in all cases. Sometimes you have to read through several names before you get to the female model. I buy porn to see the women. The men are just props.
Streaming and downloads are both available, and Kink offers a broad range of choices. There are four streaming resolution options available. Downloads are available in WMV or MP4 with each format being available in five resolutions. I downloaded the MP4 HD option which is 1280x720, 5000kb/s and 29fps. (For comparison, “large” comes in at 960x540 at 1500kb/s and “medium” is 640x480 at 825 kb/s.) If you can spare the space it is definitely worth it to download the HD files. They are large though, with the average being 2GB.
Videos are also available as clips if you have a slow connection or only want one specific part of a scene.
The site supports download managers and I had no issues with links timing out with five or more scenes in the queue.
To add more value to this membership, it includes a membership to Bound Gangbangs. BGB stopped updating in August 2012. A member explained here explained that this was due to billers being uncomfortable with the content so in order to save it the models were no longer to be bound. There are 93 scenes that are pretty much like what you’ll find on HCG but with the models in bondage while it happens.
Obviously the audience for this material is limited, but if you like this extreme porn (with full consent from the model) this is an excellent choice in a rare niche. I’m not aware of any other sites like this, but if there are some, I’m betting that this is better than the others.
Thanks for reviewing this pat. I didn't know that this had been spun off as a separate studio site. I like Harmony's stuff and have a lot of it, but I'd like to get it in higher resolution. The TBP stats say that the files are 1920x1080 but the other reviewers say that 1080 is the highest and most are 720 even if they're labelled as 1080. I'm particularly interested in the early titles in the [i]Slam It series and the [/i]Young Harlots series. Any advice will be appreciated.
You are lucky about one thing - at least when you clicked the join page you found out that it lacked encryption. I had an email about a new site called XXX Pawn a few weeks back that looked interesting so I clicked the join button to see what the price was. What I didn't know was that it was a Bang Bros site and they had retained my credit card information so I didn't get any price information - I was signed up. At $20 for a site with six or seven scenes. And true to Bang Bros form with all of their add-on sites, cancelling was not easy. Since Haze Her and Dancing Bear are Bang Bros sites, if you join make sure to start the cancellation process well in advance of a rebill because you may need that time to get the membership cancelled.
Bang Bros has some great porn but the have the business ethics of the mob.
Can anyone verify that this site no longer allows downloads?
I was a member here twice in the past and am thinking about joining again. I noticed on the TBP review page they say there are no downloads available but then the review goes on to talk about downloads. The reported errors seem to be the source for this new information but the claims of streaming-only haven't been verified yet. Can anyone shed some light on this? This was a site I liked but I won't be back for just streaming.
Was a member approx. 1 month prior to this review.
Pros:
- 472 scenes
- 215 HD scenes (exclusive)
- 257 SD (non-exclusive)
- Photos and screenshots available
- Pics in zips
- Screenshots not available in hi-res or as zips
- SD scenes have photos only in 683x1024
- Supports download managers
- $4.95 2-day trial
- Bills through DHD
Cons:
- Limited (and inaccurate) navigation
- Many non-exclusive, non-HD scenes
Bottom Line:
This is my second review of this site, the first being about a year ago. The site continues to grow, having added approximately one scene per week for the last year now giving them a total of 472 scenes. That number is a bit misleading since they continue to add some SD video as well. The good news is that in the past year the number of HD scenes has grown a lot faster than the number of SD scenes. If there is a serious drawback, it isn’t the resolution but the fact that the SD scenes (and some of the HD scenes) aren’t exclusive so if you already have a large collection you’re bound to see some repeats.
Navigation is simple, but on a site this size there isn’t any real need for complex navigation. You can sort the exclusive/mostly HD stuff from the non-exclusive SD scenes. The search function is limited too, which may not be bad in a site this size, but it is also inaccurate. I used the ‘category’ function to sort for anal scenes and discovered that a number of them weren’t sorted in to the category search.
Video quality is very good on the HD scenes. The HD scenes are 1280x720 while the SD scenes are in either 720x480 or 640x480 depending on when they were added, the older ones being the lower resolution. This site made me an HD convert last time and there’s been no turning back.
I don’t normally collect photos but I did download a lot from this site. There are photos and screenshots available for most scenes. The photos are available in ‘hi-res’ (683x1024) and ‘ultra-high-res’ (1366x2048) for the HD scenes and just the ‘hi-res’ for the SD scenes. Only the photos (not the screenshots) are available as a zip, and a quirk is that when you download the zip the folder of photos is buried about 10 folders deep. And once you click through all the folders you’ll see that you have both resolutions of photos with only a minor name difference, so you’ll need to do a bit of editing.
The last time I had a membership here I complained that the download speed was slow. I don’t remember what I was getting then, but using Free Download Manager now and a 15MB/s fiberop connection the speeds are much better. I get 2MB/s, but I may have that capped in FDM.
One advantage to this site is that they do offer a 2-day full trial for $4.95 and they do offer the ability to see what they have to offer without a membership, so you can browse the site and may decide that you can get everything you want for the trial membership. And with the biller being DHD you can have confidence that you’ll be able to cancel your membership easily. That makes the site an exceptional value. If you’re new to the site, it might be better to go for the full membership as it does have a lot more to offer than you can get in 2 days.
HD Porn continues to grow and offer some great exclusive HD scenes for a fair monthly price. I’d recommend it for anyone looking for HD video.
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