It’s what’s on the outside that counts.
- Unparalleled style and looks with RGB lighting
- Comfortable fit
- Unfatiguing sound
- Good battery life
- Low latency mode
- Basic TWS IEMs dressed up
- Earbud design is less secure in the ears than IEMs
- No app means no feature customization and no EQ
- Premium price for aesthetics
GravaStar’s Sirius P5 TWS IEMs are not your run-of-the-mill earbuds. While they offer standard features like a charging case, Bluetooth 5.2, and dynamic drivers, what sets them apart is their emphasis on aesthetics.
GravaStar takes a bold approach, prioritizing form over function – ideal for sci-fi enthusiasts and gamers like myself.
They’re the first to introduce interchangeable cases with unique sci-fi designs for personal customization. The P5 Combo includes Defense Armor, Defense Mecha, and Defense Crystal styles. GravaStar’s sci-fi and cyberpunk influence is evident.
With a gamer-friendly aesthetic and low-latency Gaming mode, they cater to a niche crowd. Personally, I’m a fan of their spider-mech Mars Pro Bluetooth speaker used as their company symbol.
They even offer handmade ‘war-damaged’ versions, meticulously painted to resemble battle scars, adding a touch of high-end customization.
However, if you believe that sound quality is all that matters, GravaStar’s offerings might not be for you. Are they worth it? Let’s delve into whether their beauty goes beyond skin deep.
Unboxing and First Impression
Case ⓘ
Battery ⓘ
- Battery Life: 40 hours
- Connector: USB Type-C
- Wireless Charging: No
The P5 offers an impressive 8 hours of battery life, and the case can extend that to around 40 hours, as claimed. In my usage, which mostly involved audiobooks and music at moderate volume, they lived up to these numbers.
However, if you crank up the volume or use the aptX codec, you can expect a noticeable reduction in battery life, sometimes losing up to half.
One neat feature is that the earphones automatically start charging when you place them in the case. The box includes a standard black plastic USB-C cable.
UX ⓘ
- Can be open easily with one hand: Yes
- Pass the shake test: Yes
- Light Indicators: Displays battery level and charging status
The P5 comes with two plastic exterior cases and one metal exoskeleton design. They’re all compact and easy to hold in one hand.
Opening the exterior cases is a breeze, thanks to a Zippo-style spring-loaded top, but the hinges feel a tad fragile and might need careful handling.
The internal case uses magnets to secure the IEMs, which slide down into the exoskeleton from the top. This interior case then fits into the exterior case, held in place by a single screw at the bottom.
During charging, a substantial 2cm RGB LED bar on the interior case’s side lights up. There’s a button on the case’s bottom to illuminate the LED and cycle through colors (red, green, blue, purple, aqua). With earbuds in the charging case and the lid open, holding this button resets the Bluetooth connection.
The USB-C charging port is conveniently located on the interior case’s bottom as well.
Design ⓘ
- Shape of the case: Squarish
- Material: Zinc alloy, plastic
- Build Quality: Premium
The choice of case really boils down to personal preference. Personally, I lean towards the metal case due to its sleek finish, even though it leaves the earbuds somewhat exposed.
The white and black plastic case, with its Stormtrooper helmet vibe, is pretty great. It even features a nifty 2×2 Lego-compatible pattern on the top, giving it a playful touch, feeling more like a high-end toy than a typical audio accessory. My wife even compared it to a Ghostbusters ghost trap.
Portability ⓘ
- Weight: 82/59g (With earbuds inside, 4.9g each side)
- Volume: 5.8 x 2.8 x 5.8 = 94.19 cm cu}} (~5.7 in cu)
- Portability: Average
The metal case, including the IEMs, weighs 82g, while the plastic case comes in at 59g. The plastic one, although light, feels robust. It’s reasonably pocket-friendly, but its irregular shape can be a bit snag-prone.
They also throw in a necklace for wearing the case around your neck. It’s not my thing, but it might be a feature you’d appreciate.
Earbuds ⓘ
Battery ⓘ
- Battery Life: 8 hrs
- Charge Time (15 mins): Around 2 hours playback time. (Calculated based on 1.5 hours needed for a full charge)
The battery life aligns with other products in this category. A single charge should comfortably cover a workday of use, and the case offers enough juice for about a week.
For checking the charging case’s battery status, it’s straightforward: open or close the lid or take out/put back the earbuds. Red indicates less than 30% battery, while green means more than 30%.
When the battery drops below 10%, you’ll get a low battery reminder – a cue tone saying “Not enough energy” every 5 minutes and a flashing red light (2 times per second).
UX ⓘ
- Control Mechanism: Touch
- Touch Accuracy: Average
- Control Symmetry on both earbuds: No
- Mono Use: Yes for both sides
The controls are touch-activated and located along the long sides of each IEM. They’re symmetrical, handling functions like power on, call answering, track skipping, and volume adjustments.
For voice assistant access, give the left earbud a triple tap, and for quick switching between low-latency gaming mode (48ms) and music mode, use a triple tap on the right earbud.
These controls are straightforward to remember and become accustomed to. Touch accuracy is decent, with most of my intended touches accurately registered.
Design ⓘ
- Profile: Low
- Material: Plastic
- Comfort: Good
- Fit: Good
The earbuds sport a rather ordinary shape and color, which I appreciate. They won’t make you look like a sci-fi cosplayer in public. That is, at least until you take out the case.
Their design closely resembles the standard Apple AirPods, so if you find AirPods comfortable, you will likely feel the same way about the P5. I didn’t experience any comfort issues even after several hours of use.
These are earbuds, not in-ear monitors, so they lack ear tips and don’t extend deep into the ear canal. However, this design does make them less secure, and they might fall out during vigorous activity.
Mic ⓘ
- Noise Cancellation: Average
- Voice Pick-up: Average
The environmental noise cancellation (ENC) can’t be turned off, but that’s not a big issue. It’s subtle and not very noticeable.
However, keep in mind that passive noise isolation is minimal, thanks to the AirPods-style earbuds.
Mic demo
Sound ⓘ
- Driver: 12mm dynamic driver
- Sound Signature: V-shaped
- Sub-bass: Good
- Bass: Good
- Mids: Average
- Treble: Good
- Sound Detail: Average
The sound of the Sirius P5, mainly used with my iPhone X and AAC Bluetooth codec, leans towards a warm, consumer-friendly signature. They offer plenty of deep bass, but it does come at the cost of some clarity and detail.
It’s a fun, non-fatiguing sound overall.
If you prefer a more balanced sound, the Music mode might be your cup of tea.
Bass
With a 12mm dynamic driver, these earbuds deliver thick and rich bass, which is a pleasant surprise considering they don’t create an ear canal seal like IEMs do. The mid-bass presence is substantial, but it has a slower response, resulting in a powerful rather than punchy bass output.
Midrange
The strong low-end presence does influence the midrange. These headphones aren’t about analytical precision; they’re designed for a laid-back, enjoyable listening experience.
Surprisingly, the upper midrange maintains clarity, ensuring that vocals cut through the mix with enough presence to stand out amid the rich soundscape.
Treble
The high-end here is relaxed, striking a smooth sound signature comfortable for extended listening sessions. There’s not much high extension, and the upper frequencies are somewhat rolled off.
While they’re not muddy, these headphones don’t fall into the category of being bright or highly resolving. It’s not a neutral audiophile tuning, but there’s plenty to enjoy in their sound.
Connectivity ⓘ
- Audio Codec: aptX, AAC and SBC
- Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 5.2
- Chipset: Qualcomm 3046
- Auto-connect when: Taken out of the case
- Average drop-outs in an hour: None
- Multi-point connection: Yes
The P5 employ a Qualcomm 3046 chipset, supporting AAC, SBC, and aptX codecs. They use Bluetooth 5.2 and offer multipoint connections.
During my use, I didn’t face any dropouts, and their stability held up both at home and on the move. The Gaming mode impressively offers a low-latency connection of 48ms. Plus, they quickly connect when taken out of the charging case.
Waterproof ⓘ
- IP Rating: IPX4
The P5 boasts an IPX4 water resistance rating, which means they can handle light water splashes but should not be submerged. However, because they aren’t waterproof and can have an insecure fit in the ears, I wouldn’t recommend them as the top choice for activities at the gym or outdoors, where they could potentially fall out or get wet.
Comparisons
Unfortunately, I don’t have another pair of TWS earbuds at this price point on hand to directly compare to the Sirius P5.
For relatively little money, the design and build quality can not be faulted. In these regards, the P5 feel equal to any TWS earbuds I’ve encountered. The sound signature is decent and inoffensive, and I really only lament the lack of an app.
Who Should Buy This?
Gamers and anime lovers will immediately be drawn to the P5. If you like the style and are willing to pay a bit more for the aesthetic, the GravaStar delivers a solid pair of affordable TWS earbuds wrapped in cyber-tech goodness.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, the GravaStar Sirius P5 lack an accompanying app. As a result, you can’t customize the controls or access any EQ settings. The absence of an app is somewhat unexpected for a TWS product.
The P5 are quite ordinary, consumer-tuned TWS earbuds with an extraordinarily nice, customizable case.
Their price tag is understandable from a design standpoint, but for those who only care about the sound quality, you may be paying for aspects you have little interest in.
Where to Buy
Company Overview
“GravaStar was born from the founder Yong’s vision to create a futuristic, cyberpunk world fusing sci-fi with hi-fi. The brand was established to merge mecha, metal, and technology in everyday products. With over 10 years of industrial design experience, Yong uses his personal passion to produce design-driven, hyper-modern playable collectibles that don’t compromise on sound quality
We’re a team of designers, engineers, gamers, music fans, explorers, and other visionaries, working together to achieve one common goal – to build products and sound experiences that you can’t get anywhere else and which go beyond your wildest fantasies.” – GravaStar
What’s in the Box?
- GravaStar Sirius P5 TWS earbuds
- Internal charging case
- 3 exterior cases (Defense Armor, Defense Mecha, and Defense Crystal)
- USB-c cable
- Printed velum
- 4 plastic cards showing interior and external cases
- Lanyard
- User manual
Technical Specifications
- Form: TWS earbuds
- Driver: Dynamic, 12mm
- Waterproof IP Rating: IPX4
- Bluetooth Version: 5.2
- Bluetooth Audio Codec: SBC, AAC, aptX
- Bluetooth Chipset: Qualcomm 3046
- Battery Life (hrs): 8 hours, 40 hours with case
- Mic: Y
- Low Latency Mode: 48ms