Big thank you to Gravastar for sending the P9 to review!
Full disclosure: This is a paid review but I made it clear to them that I do not guarantee positive reviews or recommendations – I make in-depth, honest evaluations based on my impressions and the ultimate value that the product may or may not provide.
Greetings mate and Welcome aboard. Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions leading to a beautiful audio experience that will make you fall in love with music (NOT gear) all over again, so…
Gravastar Sirius Pro P9
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Gravastar!
In The Box
Earbuds (Lx1, Rx1)
Ear tips x 3 pairs (X-Large x2, Large x2, Small x2)
Charging Case x1
Charging Cable x1
User Manual x1
Hip-Hop Necklace x1
Specs/Pricing
- Model No: SIRIUS Pro
- Bluetooth Version: 5.2
- Operation Range: 10m±
- Noise Canceling Mode: ENC
- Charging Time: 1.5-2H
- Battery Life: 4H±
- Weight: 6g (Single earbud)
Introduction
It’s no secret that I’ve been searching for solid Bluetooth headphones and/or earbuds, but my search hasn’t been fruitful thus far.
I’ve tried many different products and none have met my standards.
If Gus Fring asked me “Is everything to your satisfaction?” I’d answer a resounding “Nah, man. I’m pretty f’ing far from okay.”
Does Gravastar’s Sirius Pro P9 break this trend? Have I finally found something I can wholeheartedly recommend to others and keep for my own personal use?
Let’s dive in and find out.
By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly whether or not the P9 is for you. We’ll go over all the good and all the bad; helping you make a sound decision while exposing some potential fatal flaws towards the end.
Build & Design
It’s blatantly obvious Gravastar is on a futuristic kick, and their Mars Pro pulled out all the stops.
The tradition continues here and it seems appropriate.
Oftentimes I feel as though these types of clear homages to sci-fi sensibilities are a bit cliche and gimmicky, but Gravastar pulls it off with ease.
In other words, I think their shtick is stylistic without being cheesy.
The P9 is truly something Rick Deckard from Blade Runner might carry around, as it feels and looks like something from the future – or Borderlands xD.
In opening the case it’s clear you’re in for a treat, as the Zinc Alloy contraption that houses the P9 is absolutely breathtaking when you finally put it in your hand.
It resembles and hearkens back to one of those old-school flip lighters, only a futuristic version complete with ridges, angles, trapezoidal shapes, and more.
But is it built well?
To start, the button on the side is still holding up quite nicely after 2+ years of use, as the skeletal frame securing each bud in place swiftly glides open in a controlled but ultra-robotic manner.
To this day it’s still very satisfying to play with.
If that isn’t enough, the frame also doubles as a bottle opener if you can believe it.
So if you’re an out-of-control alcoholic, these are just the earbuds for you.
You can listen to music and get trashed at the same time. Who knew?
I must have clicked the button hundreds of times since first receiving these, and it still works just as well as the first time.
I will warn you though, it’s really, REALLY addicting.
Oftentimes I’ll just put it in my hand so I can click the button.
In this way, it acts as a stress reliever of sorts; almost like one of those stress balls that people use to prevent themselves from throat-punching their overzealous boss.
Fortunately, I don’t have one of those.
Not only that, but it’s incredibly robust and hefty for such a small device, and almost demands your attention.
Gravastar engraves “R” and “L” on the top in small letters which is a nice added touch and signifies stark attention to detail.
Rounding out the frame is your Type-C jack on the bottom for charging in addition to a reset button, and within the triangular middle cut-out is a long, thin LED strip.
Let’s take a look at what it does.
Functionality
To reset, press and hold the button just mentioned for 5 seconds which will delete the Bluetooth record on your phone.
Double-click to turn on/off the ambient light.
Single-click to change the color of the light.
As with the Mars Pro, you’ve got the option of Red, Green, Magenta, Orange, Cyan, and Blue.
This is a really neat feature and adds to its cool factor, but you may or may not care as it serves no other purpose besides looking pretty – kind of like that ditzy blonde you liked so much in grade school.
Charging
For first-time use, take out the earbuds first, remove the isolation stickers on both sides of the buds, and then fully charge the charging case and earbuds.
To charge the earbuds, put them in the case. The LED will be red and breathing.
After the earbuds are fully charged, a white light will appear on the earbuds and then it goes out after 1 minute.
Charge the case via the provided Type-C cable.
When the case is charging, the RGB indicator light will be breathing.
After it’s fully charged, the light will remain on.
Battery
When the battery is less than 20%, the earbuds will say “Not enough energy.”
When the battery volume is less than 30%, the charging case indicator light will flash twice in 1 minute.
More on overall battery impressions at the end.
How To Pair
Take the two earbuds out from the case simultaneously. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and hit search. They will show up as “Gravastar Sirius Pro.”
Tap to connect. When connected, you will hear “Bluetooth Connected.”
When disconnected, you will hear “Bluetooth Disconnected.”
If the connection fails, put the earbuds back into the charging case and repeat the above steps.
After the first connection, the earbuds can automatically be connected to the last paired device when turned on (Remember that Bluetooth needs to be on).
Earbud functions
Play/Pause Music or Accept Call/End Call – Click The right or left bud 1x.
For Previous Song/Reject Call, press the left bud 2x. For Next Song/Reject Call, press the right bud 2x.
For Music Mode/Movie Mode, press the left bud 3x in succession. For Music Mode/Gaming Mode, press the right bud 3x.
To decrease volume, press and hold the left bud for 1.5 seconds. To increase volume, press and hold the right bud for 1.5 seconds.
To activate Siri, press the left or right bud 4x.
Sound
- Playlist: Here!
This analysis is based on the sound using the middle/medium tips.
Gravastar gives you a choice of 3: Larger (which emphasizes the bass a bit more, medium (presumably neutral), and small (less bass emphasis). They also include an extra set of neutral for a total of 4 sets.
I’d go ahead and just forget about using the small tips as they result in a very thin sound with no bass impact.
I enjoy the larger tips, but overall prefer the neutral ones as they sound the most balanced out of the 3.
As good as everything else is, it’s the sound that really impresses here, all things considered.
The first thing that jumps out at me is how well the bass is handled.
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know my disdain for the overly boosted mid-bass that nearly all companies in the consumer realm fall victim to.
The Sirius Pro is a welcome deviation from this awful trend, and while both the sub and mid-bass are clearly boosted to a degree, I’m never feeling overwhelmed by it.
In other words,
most tracks across the board work extremely well with the P9 and this is a bit surprising to me considering recorded music does vary quite a bit.
This is surely a testament to the fact that the P9’s bass isn’t overly boosted to my ear.
It has just enough impact to remain interesting and satisfying, but I haven’t once felt or heard a bloated, clammy, or overly punchy response and it’s something you’ll likely really appreciate here – unless, of course, you’re one of those leftover Beats by Dre homies who can’t quite move on from 2013.
In other words, if you don’t like this representation you’re probably a Weenie.
Because of the “knows its place” bass response, female vocals and instruments sound natural and organic for the most part, as I never feel like they’re being drowned out by the bass in any way.
A great example of a track that works really well is Lolo Zouaï‘s “Lose Myself”, which is almost perfect in every way aside from a smidgen of sibilance in the highest frequencies which we’ll touch on in a bit.
Her voice is incredibly intimate and close, and the bass rumbles almost perfectly in my estimation.
DON’T OVERTHINK IT!
Put another way, I feel as though vocals tend to stand out and are pushed forward to an extent, and I much prefer this over them sounding underneath the bass; an issue that most consumer products suffer from.
You’ll notice that the P9 sounds smooth and crisp, with adequate body for the most part and a bright-ish upper mid and treble. Speaking of…
Treble
At first, the treble may seem just right, but over time you’ll notice it has a bit too much zest at times, bordering on sibilant depending on the track.
I still haven’t felt the need to outright skip a track due to an overly essy flavor, but it’s teetering close to the edge of too much at times and does come a cross just a tad artificial and even thin in some instances.
The good part about its open character is that it feels like most songs have ample room to breathe, as I’m never feeling as though the sound is too boxed in or claustrophobic.
Even so, don’t expect a wide or deep Soundstage as these mostly are and in your head type of vibe.
Gaming/Movie Mode/Call features
- Movie Mode: This essentially tames the treble but boosts the bass.
- Gaming Mode: I don’t really hear much of a difference with gaming mode, though vocals seem a bit pushed back.
I should also note that I don’t play games or watch movies on my phone, but I do watch Baseball highlights and what have you. In this regard, the P9 is perfectly satisfactory for my needs.
Potential Downsides + Current Update
Button Scheme
One of my main gripes with the button scheme is that they sometimes have a hard time registering a press.
For example, the other day I was at the gym and wanted to skip a track. Simple enough. I press the button twice and it pauses instead.
I decided to stand there looking like an idiot and started experimenting.
The button is indeed a bit finicky and temperamental, but I found that the best method is to put your index finger on the top of the bud for leverage while you press fairly aggressively with your thumb.
This seems to be the most consistent way of getting the touch function to work, but I’ll caution you that it can be a pain at times.
Auto Pairing
This only started happening recently after a couple of years, but the earbuds will randomly pair with my phone while I’m already paired to something else.
Call it jealousy, but this is rather annoying as I have to go into my phone’s Bluetooth settings to unpair the P9 even though I’m not even using it. I’ve also read some others having the same issue on Amazon.
The Last Straw
As you’re probably aware, all Bluetooth wireless earbuds need to charge while not in use.
To do this, companies typically employ what are known as “pogo pins” that can freely move up and down. In other words, the pins make contact with the tiny magnets on the earbuds; in effect charging the unit when not in use.
Well, one of the pins for the left earbud is completely damaged, meaning no sound is coming out of the left side. This is incredibly disappointing considering the pin only ever makes contact with the earbud and would be incredibly hard to damage otherwise (and because it’s really small). At first, it was bent and depressed in slightly, so I thought maybe a little nudge would loosen it up and cause it to pop back out.
No dice. It’s now completely submerged inside the unit and thus can’t make contact with the bud’s magnet.
Closing Thoughts
This was a great earbud while it lasted, but I’m no longer recommending it. It’s sad because it used to claim the top spot on my 17 Bluetooth Headphones & IEMS Ranked Worst To First, but will be dropped at or near the bottom once I edit the article.
To round this out, I’ll go over things I liked and disliked over the time spent with these dating back to 2022.
We’ll then give a final verdict.
What I liked:
Bass
This was probably the most refreshing aspect of the P9 outside of the rugged build.
Finally, a product targeted toward consumers that doesn’t overemphasize and in effect ruin the low end.
There’s plenty of thump and rumble here without going overboard, and I really appreciated it.
Build and Design
Outside of the pogo pin issue mentioned above, this was a rock-solid product with a great presentation and a unique aesthetic. Contrary to some reviews on Amazon, the flip lid thing that keeps the earbuds from falling out still works just as well as it did in 2022.
Comfort
Comfort is excellent and Gravastar provides 3 separate sets of tips depending on taste.
I found them all to be quite comfortable which is nice considering large tips on earbuds can be hit and miss.
Ease of use
The buds are super simple to use and make you feel incredibly stylish and cool.
Sometimes I practice taking them out of the case so I can show off later in front of my friends.
Jokes aside, the buds are also super easy to get out of the case.
Previously I read that people were having trouble with this.
Perhaps if your hands weren’t covered in butter you’d be able to get them out properly. xD
Seriously, it’s not hard. Just take your fingers and aim them toward the buds. Now firmly grasp them.
Now gently lift.
Range is good
I can walk away about 25 feet with obstructions and they’ll still play as I’m standing outside of my apt.
At about 45 feet they will cut out completely which for me is acceptable.
Price to performance
I felt as though the asking price of roughly $130 was just about right for my original impressions of the entire package, but obviously, things have changed over time.
User Manual
The manual is straightforward, and I’m glad they chose a booklet and not a fold-out.
Downsides
Button responsiveness
This really needs a major improvement.
While I did find a method that works for me, they’re still a bit finicky and temperamental.
I hope Gravastar seriously considers this moving forward.
Erratic behavior?
The buds can be a bit erratic at times, especially in the gym.
Sometimes music pauses when you didn’t pause it, cuts out intermittently for a second or 2, and/or just responds strangely when you take them out of the case.
Still, this is a minor nitpick but one which can also be improved on.
Treble
Treble can be hissy and could use some taming.
Crackling/distortion
Some other people have mentioned this and I also noticed it.
At times the sound will suddenly distort for a second or 2, or you’ll hear a strange crackling/distorted boom that ruins the sound quality but then mysteriously goes away.
I thought this was an anomaly with certain tracks but I kept noticing it and have to mention it.
This also could have to do with battery life in that they start behaving strangely when running out of charge.
I will have to test this out more and report back.
Battery Life
I thought others on Amazon were exaggerating with their claims of only 2-3 hours on a charge but I can confirm that for me they only survived exactly 3.5 hours before dying.
Gravastar advertises 4 so at least they’re in the ballpark.
The caveat to this is that I don’t listen to music for more than an hour or so at a time as I mostly use these at the gym.
In other words, I can get by for quite a while without having to fully charge them since I put them back in the charging pod after every use.
Your mileage may vary here but I would say most people aren’t going to listen to music for more than 4 hours straight without a break.
Stability
This is something I’ve been noticing more and more I use these at the gym.
The buds simply don’t like to stay in place while they’re in your ears.
Oftentimes I’m pushing them back in after a set or even when I’m just walking around.
Final Verdict
As you may have guessed, I can’t recommend these anymore and it’s unfortunate because out of all the Bluetooth earbuds I’ve listened to, the sound of the P9 was certainly among the best.
But there are simply too many potential issues with them and to me, they’re just not worth the future headaches you’ll likely encounter in some form or fashion.
So what do I recommend? Well, I still haven’t found a reliable earbud that’s both built well over the long haul and sounds good, so my search continues.
Well, that’s about it for today folks! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Gravastar Sirius Pro P9 review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
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Is the P9 worth a purchase in your eyes? Do you have any experience with these types of earbuds? If so, what are your favorites? I’d love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu