I'm just one user, and my comparative experience with 3-alpha is that within ~ 48 hours of first use, I get a nice hardening/drying effect with a moderate strength increase, and no really discernable difference in my mental/emotional state. Good thing, I'm combative and hyper on nothing.
I get some mental/emotional stimulation fom M5, but it feels to me, even on 5X day dosing, to spike and clear the system, I can't sustain the physical effects I get from a 3-alpha dermal. For stimulation, I can do better with Chocamine or Yohimbine. I have a fair bit of Custom's M5 powder, someday I might, but probably won't , try DS tabs for comparison.