Gravastar Supernova Bluetooth Speaker Review: It's almost perfect

Posted:
in General Discussion
The Supernova Bluetooth Speaker crash-landed, and it's now our go-to speaker for everything from pool parties to game nights.




Gravastar's new, portable speakers look like they were ripped straight out of Portal. The unique design of this powerful speaker is going to turn heads.

What comes in the box

Inside the box, you will find the instruction manual, a USB-A to USB-C charger, an aux cord, and a handle. The handle comes with accessories to attach it to the speaker.

Everything in the box is protected by styrofoam. The charger and aux cord are long enough so the speaker can be used comfortably.

Those who plan on using the aux cord with their iPhone should have a lightning cable adapter or lightning cable aux cord ready to connect their phones. But, if you plan on only using Bluetooth, this shouldn't be a problem.

A power brick is not included, so make sure you have that on hand if you plan on using one to charge the speaker.


Aesthetic

This speaker's sci-fi vibe differs from all other speakers on the market. In addition, it comes in two different colors, matt black and dawn white.

The speaker is made from zinc alloy, giving it weight and making it sturdy. Its metal casing makes it look even more like an alien spaceship.

The lantern in the middle has several different modes. Users can choose to have it on dynamic light mode, which slowly cycles through all eight available colors; single color mode, which makes it one static color; or camping light mode, which imitates the light of a campfire.

The lantern adds nice ambient light to any room. We wouldn't depend on it as our only light source in a dark cave, but it makes a great nightlight when you're ready for bed.

If you're looking for a speaker that will turn heads, this is the one for you. We made many of our friends jealous when we tested it at a small get-together. Everyone loved it and kept asking us where we got it from.

Be warned -- this speaker is adorable. You might just build an emotional bond with it and want to take it wherever you go. In fact, we named ours B-Max, and it's our little travel companion now.


Sound quality

This speaker will fill any room with music. The sound comes out clear, and the bass will rumble on any table you set it on.

The speaker is small but mighty. It delivers high-quality sound and sounds clear and crisp regardless of the genre you choose to play.

Music with more bass sounds best and emphasizes what this little guy can do. That's not to say higher-pitched songs, like "Son Amores" featuring Los Macorinos and covered by Natalie Lafourcade, don't sound great. But songs like "New Magic Wand" by Tyler, the Creator or "Titi Me Pregunto" by Bad Bunny take full advantage of the Supernova's bass.

This speaker allows you to experience every part of a song without compromising anything. The sound is rich, clear, and crisp.

According to their website, two Supernovas can be connected to enhance your listening and amplify your music experience. Unfortunately, we only received one to review, so we don't know how well this works.

This is the speaker you take to a pool party, picnic, or to add ambiance to a round of Dungeons and Dragons. It's easy to carry and sturdy enough to be your go-to whenever you need music.


Battery

This speaker is almost perfect. Almost.

The battery lasts seven hours when used at 60% volume, but it takes three hours to charge fully. This is not a dealbreaker at all. But, if you forget to charge your devices, it's something to consider.

The amount of time it takes to charge is a fair trade for the phenomenal quality of the speaker. This isn't an inconvenience if you plan to use this indoors or near wall outlets.

Bring a portable charger if you're worried the speaker will run out of juice. It might be inconvenient, but the battery lasts so long that you probably won't need it.


Final thoughts

This is everything you could want in a speaker. It's sturdy, sounds excellent, and it's portable. Plus, its unique aesthetic will win you a lot of compliments. This speaker is out of this world.

The speaker allows you to immerse yourself in the music entirely. Despite the size, the small speaker is powerful and will fill any space with the sounds of your favorite musical artists. High notes are crisp, and you can feel the bass rumble.

The built-in light can be customized to bring a lovely ambiance to any setting. Whether you decide to keep it as decor alongside your gaming consoles or as a nightlight on your nightstand, it'll fit wherever you place it.


Gravastar Supernova pros


  • Has a unique design that stands out

  • Long battery life

  • Handle makes it portable and comfortable to carry around

  • Speaker is small but powerful

  • Perfect for all-day use

Gravastar Supernova cons


  • Takes three hours to charge

  • iPhone users will need to purchase an adapter if they would like to use the aux cord

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Where to buy:


You can purchase the Gravastar Supernova Bluetooth Speaker from the company's website for $179.95.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    Even if it sounds fantastic, it still looks very silly. Not worth the price. 
    d_2
  • Reply 2 of 15
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    The look is great, from the article the sound is great, and the price is reasonable. 
    I’m going to remember this one for when I upgrade my system. 
    Thanks for the tip.
    Oferwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 15
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    Dimensions?
    baconstangchasmdewmewatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 15
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    JP234 said:
    There are other considerations, and the elephant in the room is the design. I'm sure it would fit perfectly in someone's game room, or patio. In a living area, not so much.
    I’d love it in my office. But then I don’t meet clients there. 
    JP234Oferwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 15
    After reading the article, I decided to do a little research. I looked it up on Amazon and it wasn't available. There was an older generation available called Gravastar Venus and Gravastar Mars Pro. The Mars Pro has 5 different accessory configurations ranging in price between $229 and $329. I'm sure the sound quality is exactly the same and the only difference is in the looks. The Mars Pro is larger and more powerful than the Venus. I looked up a review comparison between the Mars Pro and the Supernova and the reviewer said that the Supernova was louder and sounded better but the Mars Pro has better bass response. I also saw a review comparison between the Mars Pro and the Bose Soundlink Revolve+ and the reviewer said that the Revolve+ had the better sound quality. I couldn't find any comparisons between the Supernova and the Revolve+. I own the Revolve+ and I'm very satisfied with it.

    I bought a new TV for my basement and wanted to pair it with a Bluetooth speaker. This was back when the HomePod was recently released and so I went to the Apple Store to find out about the HomePod for connecting to my TV. I felt so disappointed to learn that the HomePod wasn't a bluetooth speaker. I ended up buying the Revolve+ instead but it's so hard for me to understand why Apple would want to leave money on the table like that. Making it an Apple exclusive product makes no sense to me. Why would I buy a speaker that only works with Apple gear instead of a speaker that works with everything?
    DAalseth
  • Reply 6 of 15
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,350member
    It looks like something The Doctor would be listening to while kicking it in the TARDIS. I like it. There are plenty of mundane looking speakers that would be at home in a living room, for anybody worried about decor clash.

    AI said:
    According to their website, two Supernovas can be connected to enhance your listening and amplify your music experience. Unfortunately, we only received one to review, so we don't know how well this works.
    The word conspicuous by its absence is stereo. More speakers, more volume, more immersion would certainly enhance the the listening and amplify the music experience.
    Maybe even entertain the neighbors. For $180, I'd want a pair to channel discrete stereo.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 15
    OferOfer Posts: 237unconfirmed, member
    macgui said:
    It looks like something The Doctor would be listening to while kicking it in the TARDIS. I like it. There are plenty of mundane looking speakers that would be at home in a living room, for anybody worried about decor clash.

    AI said:
    According to their website, two Supernovas can be connected to enhance your listening and amplify your music experience. Unfortunately, we only received one to review, so we don't know how well this works.
    The word conspicuous by its absence is stereo. More speakers, more volume, more immersion would certainly enhance the the listening and amplify the music experience.
    Maybe even entertain the neighbors. For $180, I'd want a pair to channel discrete stereo.
    If you go onto the company’s website you’ll see that they do indeed pair into a true stereo pair 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 15
    Ah, Portal! How I wish I could play Half-Life on my PS5...
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 15
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,273member
    I bought a new TV for my basement and wanted to pair it with a Bluetooth speaker. This was back when the HomePod was recently released and so I went to the Apple Store to find out about the HomePod for connecting to my TV. I felt so disappointed to learn that the HomePod wasn't a bluetooth speaker.

    Bluetooth speakers — even this one — cannot relay lossless high-bitrate music. For some, this is barely of any importance (like me), as AAC is “close enough”. For others, it is of crucial importance. Bluetooth also doesn’t support Spatial Audio or Dolby Atmos. Again, many won’t care, but many will consider that a dealbreaker.

    So Apple invented their own way to future-proof its sound products for lossless et al, and called it AirPlay 2. Also, Bluetooth speakers tend to be portable, which means having a battery in them. Apple did not design the HomePod for weather-resistance or a battery (there’s no room in there for one anyway), it’s an indoor speaker.

    And that’s why the HomePod isn’t Bluetooth compatible.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 15
    hexclockhexclock Posts: 1,243member
    You named your speaker. How…quaint. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 15
    chasm said:
    I bought a new TV for my basement and wanted to pair it with a Bluetooth speaker. This was back when the HomePod was recently released and so I went to the Apple Store to find out about the HomePod for connecting to my TV. I felt so disappointed to learn that the HomePod wasn't a bluetooth speaker.

    Bluetooth speakers — even this one — cannot relay lossless high-bitrate music. For some, this is barely of any importance (like me), as AAC is “close enough”. For others, it is of crucial importance. Bluetooth also doesn’t support Spatial Audio or Dolby Atmos. Again, many won’t care, but many will consider that a dealbreaker.

    So Apple invented their own way to future-proof its sound products for lossless et al, and called it AirPlay 2. Also, Bluetooth speakers tend to be portable, which means having a battery in them. Apple did not design the HomePod for weather-resistance or a battery (there’s no room in there for one anyway), it’s an indoor speaker.

    And that’s why the HomePod isn’t Bluetooth compatible.
    You made some very excellent arguments for why AirPlay 2 is better than Bluetooth but I still don't understand why they refuse to include both. If my TV has Bluetooth, but it doesn't have AirPlay 2, then I would still want the benefit of being able to use the HomePod as a speaker for that particular TV. A lot more TV's have Bluetooth technology than AirPlay 2. I wanted to buy the HomePod but didn't specifically because I couldn't pair it using Bluetooth. I can imagine that there are a lot of other people in my situation. HomePod sales could be so much higher if they included additional functionality. When I went to the Apple Store asking about the HomePod, the sales guy commented about the latency that Bluetooth has. Well when I connected my Revolve+ to the TV, I didn't notice any latency issues. There is only a difference of milliseconds and so the delay is not noticeable to me. I hear sound as soon as the mouth starts moving. Everything just seems normal to me. I would prefer AirPlay 2 if it's available. But if it's not available, then Bluetooth is good enough. It's certainly far superior to FM radio, which I listened to for most of my life.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    barthrhbarthrh Posts: 137member
    You made some very excellent arguments for why AirPlay 2 is better than Bluetooth but I still don't understand why they refuse to include both. If my TV has Bluetooth, but it doesn't have AirPlay 2, then I would still want the benefit of being able to use the HomePod as a speaker for that particular TV. A lot more TV's have Bluetooth technology than AirPlay 2. I wanted to buy the HomePod but didn't specifically because I couldn't pair it using Bluetooth. I can imagine that there are a lot of other people in my situation. HomePod sales could be so much higher if they included additional functionality. When I went to the Apple Store asking about the HomePod, the sales guy commented about the latency that Bluetooth has. Well when I connected my Revolve+ to the TV, I didn't notice any latency issues. There is only a difference of milliseconds and so the delay is not noticeable to me. I hear sound as soon as the mouth starts moving. Everything just seems normal to me. I would prefer AirPlay 2 if it's available. But if it's not available, then Bluetooth is good enough. It's certainly far superior to FM radio, which I listened to for most of my life.
    Completely agree. I'd use a HomePod in my home gym if I could, but one use case is to connect with a Peloton. Since there is no way to do that, even with a Bluetooth adaptor via an aux port, I went another way. From my perspective, it's "whatever" as I got my sound. For Apple, it's a lost sale.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,328member
    Gotta give them credit for thinking outside the box ... and cylinder ... and brick ... and bar ... and cube ... and pill ... and sphere ... and drum ... and puck ........
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 15
    gizmomogizmomo Posts: 3member
    This looks like a mars rover doing exploration on mars. I would take it to hiking/camping just for the look.
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