REVIEW β Greetings, Human. I come from the future, and I bring the bass! The Gravastar Venus is a funky little Bluetooth speaker that looks like it came right out of the Matrix. But donβt underestimate its power, Earthling. This little guy brings some serious thump. To the review!
What is it?
Itβs a desktop Bluetooth speaker.
Whatβs in the box?
The Gravastar Venus Bluetooth Speaker comes with the speaker, a nice fabric-wrapped charging cable, and your instruction manual.
Hardware specs
- Zinc Alloy materials
- 2.8β³H x 2.4β³L x 3.2β³W
- 1.0 lbs
- Full-range subwoofer drivers
- Bluetooth v2.1+EDR/5.0
- 6RGBΒ lights
- True Wireless Stereo
- Battery life: up to 10 hours
- Output Power: 10W
- Transmission Range: 10M
- Power Supply: 5V/1A
- Charging time:Β οΌ2Hrs
Design and features
We gotta start by talking about the brilliant packaging & design.
Gravastar makes a whole series of these speakers in different robotic designs with different themes. The Mars series, for example, are more streamlined spheres with longer crablike legs. The Venus series (like I have here) are more like bulbous pods with more compact appendages. Each speaker comes in a beautifully executed package that includes a unique printed box with a felt-like cradle for the speaker and a magnetic βdoorβ that opens to a mini comic.
My test model rocks a vaguely HR Giger-esque Alien meets The Matrix package (with a little Anime vibe) that carries through the external slip cover as well. If you have a sci-fi fan on your birthday list, this thing is perfectly packaged for impressive gift giving.
Itβs a compact little fellow with a ton of personality, and surprisingly hefty for its size. Hereβs a shot next to some of my collectibles for size reference. It weighs about a pound!
Check out the articulation in the legs and little details in the paint job and controls! It looks like an action figure, dunnit? Those legs have rubber pads on the base so they donβt scratch up your desktop.
The details carry through to the back side of the unit, with rocket thrusters at the base to propel the little fellow along! (Clarification: it doesnβt actually fly.)
All of your controls are on the top of the unit. The βOβ and βXβ buttons on the front are for power and Bluetooth pairing, respectively. Those bulbous pods on the back side are to adjust the volume up and down. And see those little icons to the left and right of the βVENUSβ logo? Those are the power and Bluetooth connection indicators.
When you power up the unit, it greets you with a mechanical βrobot engagingβ sound effect, followed by a voice that indicates that it is βReady to pair.β The voice is male and British because this thing is supremely awesome.
Your little friend tells you when it is pairing as well. And if the battery is low, Mr. British Accent tells you that it is βLow On Energy.β That made me giggle.
You can also change your indicator light around the rim from blue to red (apologies for the pic, itβs really red), green, or purple.
Turn it off and the unit emits a different mechanical soundβ¦ kind of like itβs docking in a robotic clanky fashion.
The battery is estimated for 10 hours of life between charges, which are accomplished via a USB-to-USB-C cable included with the package. The cable (shown above) has a 90 degree turn in the USB-C plug that you stick in the underside of the unit. This allows you to charge while playing. Nice touch.
But how does it sound? Ridiculously good. Like βI canβt believe this little speaker is putting out this soundβ good. That rear panel is a movable diaphragm that you can see vibrate when the bass is thumping.
The volume range is really impressive in addition to the bass. A lot of these speakers have trouble holding low volume ranges or start to chatter/fuzz at higher ranges. This little guy remains super clear at both ends of the spectrum. And the high end volume is really surprising for such a small unit.
A couple of music gods hung out with the Gravastar Venus during its test period on my bookshelf and both approved, even when playing each otherβs music. Who knew Prince was a Motorhead fan?
You can visit the Gravastar web site (link below) to see all of the different models they make. They also sell a charging base thatβs equally styled with a matching LED light ring, and a carrying case if you want to bring your little friend to a party. Apparently, you can also buy two units to produce true Bluetooth stereo sound.
I also want to note that these Bluetooth speakers are not inexpensive. The model I am testing is $99.95, and some of the more elaborate models in the Mars lineup can cost up to $300. That Mars lineup also offers additional features like custom paint jobs (with things like battle damage), upgraded speakers, and 20 hours of play time between charges.
What I like
- Novel, detailed designΒ
- Excellent sound quality with surprisingly deep bass
- Beefy build
- Leans into the whole sci-fi experience with packaging and audio effects that fit the bill perfectly
What needs to be improved
- On the expensive side
Final thoughts
The Gravastar Venus Bluetooth Speaker is a whole lot of fun. Itβs a perfect accessory for the science fiction or anime fan that will fit in nicely with the rest of your toys. And itβs got seriously good audio quality to boot. It is a bit pricey, but itβs also a cool collectible if thatβs your thing.
Price: $99.95 and up, depending on the model
Where to buy: Go get it at the Gravastar web site.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Gravastar.