A gravastar is a term used in astrophysics to describe an alternative to the black hole theory. Fortunately, GravaStar the manufacturer isn't a lot like its astronomical counterpart. Things do come out of Gravastar, and the newest creation of this sci-fi-themed audio company is the Sirius P5 Earphones, Bluetooth earbuds that don't only boast GravaStar's characteristic styling but also come with a new USP, interchangeable cases.

What’s In The Box

The Sirius P5s live and die on their design, and this starts out from the moments you lay your eyes on the box. In vibrant orange and black, it looks like a futuristic supply crate. Under the lid, you are soon greeted with the three cases, and the small black unit that contains the earphones themselves and fits into the former cases. Naturally, an instruction booklet and a USB-C charger are not far away. This is not all that you get inside. There are some cute little blueprint-style plastic transfers depicting schematics of the items. There's also a reassuringly chunky necklace chain that attaches to the cases, which can be used to wear the P5s out and about, and presumably, show off your tastes.

Aesthetics And Build Quality

Aesthetics are clearly at the heart of what GravaStar wants to do, and it shows all the way through the P5s. The most obvious aspect of this is the earphones' interchangeable cases. All styled off science fiction genres, the three designs included are intended to be the first of ongoing releases that users can buy to add to their collection.

First is the 'Defense Mecha' which hits some heavy Gundam or Evangelion vibes. It is white, with black and red detailing, and defies the idea that earbud cases should be sleek and minimalist. Its outer shell is plastic, which gave me some concern for its stability, but this proved to be unfounded. Its construction material is designed to be similar to lego bricks, and as a result, it's shockingly solid. It's even got some lego-compatible spots on the top.

Second is ‘Defense Armor’ which is a reassuringly heavy grey metal case. It lives up to its name, being the most obviously solid of the three. It gives off some intense space marine energy and while it’s probably one of the most low key of the designs, even Gravastar at its most restrained still looks like a prop from Dead Space.

The third is the 'Defense Crystal' which is my personal favourite. It is another that leans into the durable plastic, though in a very different way to the Mecha. Instead of chunky colours you have transparent panels and a cool blue gradient. It has a more cyberpunk feel than the other two.

The customization extends from the cases to other small touches. You can change the colour of the LED indicator to various different shades if it pleases you. This does have the advantage of never having to clash with the different designs or any of the subsequent case models that may come out.

Specs And Special Features

While it's clear that looks are a big part of what GravaStar is going for, you're buying earphones to use. So, how do they do in terms of what's under the hood?

The answer is, they perform very well. The sound quality is good, and unlike some earphones can manage an impressive amount of volume if you need them to. This is assisted by the different usage modes that can be changed through the earbuds themselves. Music mode prioritizes sound quality for an optimal listening experience, while gaming mode tries to get the latency as low as possible, something Bluetooth 5.2 seemed to accomplish well in tests. Being able to easily switch between what the earphones prioritize is very useful and makes for a better all-rounder device.

The microphone quality is good, and the environmental noise canceling seems to assist in eliminating background noise. Even when being used around my PC fans, there was no sign of environmental sounds on a recording

Battery life is good overall, with the earbuds able to give about 8 hours of use on one charge. The case carries around 40 hours worth and neither seems to take long to get some extra juice. I’m still working through my initial charge, and running low on power has never seemed to be an issue.

Connection with devices is easy and stress-free, and there were no random disconnects. Stutters in the device could make the audio crackle from time to time, though the connection didn’t drop, even in these cases.

What It Could Have Done Better

While the overall impression of the Sirius P5s is a fun one, there are a few things that anyone should keep in mind before committing to them.

The earphones themselves are clearly made with looks in mind, and as such the in-ear portion is solid plastic with no silicone buds. This looks sleeker but does come at the cost of a bit of comfort. Without a soft surface, these tend to sit a little looser than earbuds that do have them, and so there were occasions where they would nearly fall out.

Case switching can be a slightly fiddly process. Connecting is done by a short screw that fits into the bottom of the case and unit, and which needs to be removed to change the case. On my first attempt to do so, I quickly dropped the screw and spent some time searching under my desk for it. I also needed to find a tool to turn the screw before I did so. A small tool boxed-in with the earphones would come in very handy.

Verdict

The Sirius P5 Earphones are fun. If there is no other takeaway from the review, I would like to make it clear that I have never had a piece of audio equipment make me smile quite as much as these have. They've been put together with a genuine love for design in mind. Occasionally that love for aesthetics means the earphones have quirks that may put some people off, but I can't accuse Gravastar of a lack of care and attention in their creation.

With a balance of fun and function, these are well worth your time if you like their style.

The Sirius P5 Earphones and cases are available via the Gravastar website.