Gravastar's Sci-Fi insprired Bluetooth speakers not only look good, but they deliver some serious sound, too. The Venus G2 is a compact unit that packs a serious punch, filling any space with glorious audio. 

When you're out for the day, hitting the beach for a swim or the local park with a picnic, there is always one thing that can make your day better: music.

Portable Bluetooth speakers are a great way to take your music wherever you go, but the quality of speakers varies so much that finding a great option can feel challenging.

Gravastar's Venus G2 Bluetooth speaker is an excellent musical companion for any situation, especially if you value a powerful, substantial sound that can cope with any genre of music you throw at it.

Sounds good? Read on to learn more about the Gravastar Venus G2 Bluetooth speaker.

Gravastar Venus G2 Box Contents and Specifications

Before delving into how the Gravastar Venus G2 Bluetooth speaker looks and sounds, check out what you'll find in the box and what's powering the speaker itself.

As you might expect with a highly portable Bluetooth speaker, there isn't much in the box, just the speaker unit itself, its right-angle USB-C charging cable, and the instruction manual. However, the box itself fits with Gravastar's overall aesthetic, full of bold colors, illustrated characters playing instruments, and a sketch of the speaker.

The inside of the box takes this a step further, too, with an origin story of sorts for the Venus G2, bursting forth from its tomb to bring music to the world. Gravastar's speaker range all feature extra-terrestrial names, integrating into a Sci-Fi cyberpunk design scheme which adds a unique vibe to their products.

Specifications

Onto the Gravastar Venus G2 specifications.

• Design: Free-standing speaker with three legs
• Color: Red, black, white, green
• Materials: Zinc-alloy housing, rubberized feet
• Weight: 450g (1lb)
• Driver: 44mm full-range subwoofer driver
  • Output: 10W
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
• Battery life: 10 hours playback
  • Charge time: Around 2 hours
  • Size: 1,500mAh
• RGB: 6 LEDs

Bluetooth 5.0 is now a must for any portable speaker worth its salt, reducing latency time and enabling multi-point connection if desired.

The Gravastar Venus G2 Is a Speaker from Outer Space

The first thing that strikes you about Gravastar Venus G2 Bluetooth speaker design is the weight. Coming in at 450g (1lb), the Venus is a solid little speaker made from premium materials, translating to something that feels like it'll withstand the day-to-day travails of travels, trips, and more.

The speaker housing and primary manufacturing material is zinc-alloy, crafted into a circular design to give it an other-worldly, alien artifact style. However, it doesn't look over-the-top. Its bigger and more powerful sibling, the Gravastar Mars, comes with all sorts of embellishments that, while eye-catching, might put some potential buyers off (and it's certainly not a speaker you'd take to the beach, either). Whereas, the Gravastar Venus does have an interesting aesthetic yet remains very accessible.

In terms of controls, there are four buttons located at the top of the Venus. There are two volume buttons, one for Bluetooth pairing and one for power. You'll also find a small selection of RGB lights, changing in color through button pushes. They look good and work with the Venus's design but aren't integral to the product.

Pressing both volume buttons simultaneously changes the RGB color, cycling through red, blue, green, purple, pink, and light blue. The lights don't change automatically, which is a slight shame, but it has zero impact on the overall product, so it's really neither here nor there.

One nice touch is the small metal handle found at the top of the speaker. Like the rest of the Venus G2 design, it is solid and well-integrated into the speaker housing, meaning you can easily clip a carabiner to it and use it as a speaker on your backpack or otherwise, or just hang it from a bracket or hook in your garden. The main point is that the clip doesn't feel or look flimsy, and you shouldn't worry about it breaking.

The Gravastar Venus G2 has three small legs with rubber feet, helping it to stand solidly wherever you place the speaker. They're not adjustable, but that's not an issue. If anything, it reduces the chance of accidental breakage as the legs are firmly attached to the body of the Venus G2.

Venus G2 Battery Life

During testing, the Venus G2 coped admirably with most prolonged play sessions, regularly lasting for over 9.5 hours depending on volume and whether you were switching between different connections. It's a 1,500mAh battery that takes around two hours to reach a full charge, which is decent enough. There is no fast charge option specified, but I found that capacity was reached in a relative manner—around one hour for five hours of playback, and so on.

One note regarding charging the Venus G2. The integrated USB-C charging cable works perfectly as it has a right-angle. Other USB-C charging cables work fine for charging, but you'll have to lie the Venus on its side or back to make the charger fit.

There is an optional charging stand available for the Gravastar Venus, which could be worthwhile if you plan on keeping the speaker in one place. It offers some extra stability and a holder for the charging cable, but again, it isn't a necessity.

Gravastar's Venus G2 Brings the Bass

Now, how does the Gravastar Venus G2 sound?

One word: meaty.

The 44mm drivers with integrated subwoofer deliver a substantial sound. The Venus G2 is loud—if you want it to be. Cranking the noise up doesn't cause distortion until surprisingly noisy, to the point you wouldn't regularly listen to music at that volume, inside or out.

Overall volume isn't the only thing the Venus brings. The Venus G2 soundstage is bass-heavy, but it doesn't necessarily distract you while listening to music of any genre. If anything, the bassy punch, aided by the movable diaphragm at the back of the unit, enables the Venus G2 to deliver a powerful audio experience no matter your surroundings.

The Venus G2 should suit you, no matter what type of music you love. Stationed in my kitchen, the Venus G2 has experienced almost every musical genre you care to mention. The soundstage of the Venus G2 does lend itself to tracks with a bit of bass—think, reggae and roots, jazz, blues, techno, drum and bass, heavy rock, and so on.

You notice how well the Venus G2 handles music when switching between contrasting genres. For example, listening to the lilting melodies and harmonies of Crosby, Stills, & Nash's Marrakesh Express is a delight, before jumping headlong into Mint Royale's Blue Song for some energetic dancing, then into John Lee Hooker's Boogie Chillen for something different again.

You won't be disappointed with any type of music you throw at the Venus G2. It'll lap it up, pump it out, and you'll find yourself dancing across the beach or campsite in no time at all.

Of course, music isn't the only type of media that relies on a great audio experience. The Venus G2 works nicely with films and regular shows, too. It's a portable directional speaker, which should inform your expectations, but again, the Venus G2 performs well within expectations.

You won't hear all the subtlety of a soundtrack or a film that relies heavily on audio nuance, but it absolutely delivers in a pinch.

Dual Venus G2 Speakers Deliver True Stereo Sound

Although I didn't get the chance to test it out, you can use the Gravastar Venus G2 simultaneously with a second unit, using Bluetooth 5.0. Running the Venus G2 with a second unit will likely deliver an exceptional full-stereo experience, although it obviously comes at a much greater price.

Should You Buy the Gravastar Venus G2 Bluetooth Speaker?

Now, down to the final question: is the Gravastar Venus G2 a worthwhile purchase?

The Gravastar Venus G2 currently retails for $100, which makes it a very competitive Bluetooth speaker. The sound quality is powerful, bringing music to life wherever you take the Venus. In fairness, the battery life could be a little better—10 hours playback isn't heaps—but if you accept that the Venus G2 really is a day-to-day speaker, it won't trouble you too much.

The little spherical space-orb looks good, too. The Sci-Fi-inspired wireless speaker may come from the same range as the alien-like Gravastar Mars, but it wouldn't look out of place on your bookshelf, in your office, or pumping out music in your kitchen. Its range of colors means that it'll suit any place you put it.

Build quality is another big plus point for the Venus G2. It feels solid in your hand, well-made, and ultimately like Gravastar has taken the time to manufacturer a Bluetooth speaker that will last, rather than fall apart or break after your first few trips.

Overall, I'm impressed with the Gravastar Venus G2 and recommend it for anyone looking for a powerful Bluetooth speaker that doesn't cost the earth (or Venus, for that matter).