Ural Gagarin GR-007 and GR-005 — Russian portable Bluetooth speakers

Maxim Liadov

The Russian Ural brand dates back to 1900 and holds a strong position in the market. It offers a wide range of audio products, with its car audio systems proving particularly popular. The company continues to expand its range. Today's review covers two new products for 2025: the bestselling GR-007 and the new GR-005. Our video looks at the second-generation GR-007 in the special black Gagarin edition. We recommend watching it full-screen.

The Ural Gagarin is a versatile speaker. It is easy to take along and use at home, at work, at a country house or outdoors. It is good to see the manufacturer building on its success by updating existing models and releasing new ones.

A distinctive feature of the Gagarin speakers is their cylindrical enclosure and large, comfortable carrying handle. A base with rubber inserts and a textured anti-slip surface keeps the speaker stable on different surfaces.

Gagarin GR-007 specifications

Dimensions: 374 × 164 × 194 mm
Weight: 3.2 kg
Drivers: 2 × 96 mm + 2 × 32 mm
Maximum output power: 60 W
Frequency range: 50–20,000 Hz
Signal-to-noise ratio: >80 dB
Bluetooth version: 5.0
Bluetooth audio codec: SBC
Bluetooth range: >10 m
Distance between speakers in TWS mode: <5 m
Battery capacity: 5,000 mAh
Battery life at 50% volume: 11 hours
Built-in battery charging time: 5–6 hours
External power connector: USB Type-C
External supply voltage: 5 V
Dust and water protection rating: IP67
Colours: black, grey, blue and special GAGARIN edition

The enclosure is not particularly small. Inside are two woofers, two tweeters and two passive bass radiators at the sides. Output power is 60 W.

Gagarin GR-005 specifications

Dimensions: 374 × 164 × 194 mm
Weight: 3.2 kg
Drivers: 2 × 96 mm + 2 × 32 mm
Maximum output power: 40 W
Frequency range: 50–20,000 Hz
Signal-to-noise ratio: >80 dB
Bluetooth version: 5.3
Bluetooth audio codec: SBC
Bluetooth range: >10 m
Distance between speakers in TWS mode: <5 m
Battery capacity: 4,000 mAh
Battery life at 50% volume: 16 hours
Built-in battery charging time: 5–6 hours
External power connector: USB Type-C
External supply voltage: 5 V
Dust and water protection rating: IP66
Colours: black, grey and blue

The main difference is the 40 W power rating. According to the manufacturer, the drivers and amplifier differ slightly between the models. There are minor audible differences in tonal balance, with the GR-007 sounding slightly preferable. However, the GR-005 offers excellent value for money and is a strong contender in its price category.

What is new in the second GR-007? The successful features have been retained and some new ones added. AI-generated voice prompts announce modes in Yuri Gagarin's voice. NFC makes wireless pairing with mobile devices easier. Alongside the existing black, grey and blue colours, the manufacturer has added a special edition with bright red GAGARIN lettering in honour of the first cosmonaut.

The second version also adds the long-awaited display of the speaker's battery level on a mobile device.

All controls are on the front. On the left is the TWS button, followed by the volume-down button, which also skips tracks and radio stations.

On the right are the corresponding volume-up button and a Bluetooth button that also handles play/pause.

The power and lighting-mode buttons are in the centre. Lighting modes cycle through different colours and pulse rates.

The Ural USB cable can charge the speaker or charge a smartphone from the speaker's battery when you are away from mains power. A 3.5 mm auxiliary input accepts an analogue source such as a computer or television. In the centre is a USB port for playing MP3 files from a flash drive.

The new Gagarin GR-005 is more affordable and aims to reach a wider audience. Its dimensions are the same and its design is similar. Our video features the grey model; black and blue versions are also available. The principal difference is maximum output power, which is 40 W for the GR-005. The controls work just like those on the larger model, though the buttons look different.

Both models use the same passive bass radiators at the sides. The visual difference lies in the Gagarin graphic: printed on the entry-level model and laser-engraved on the higher-end one.

My own experience with the Gagarin GR-007 confirms its quality and reliability. I play saxophone every day and take the speaker to rehearsals and solo outdoor performances.

I always play the backing tracks at the speaker's maximum volume, without any hint of rattling or overload. Summer heat, cold and precipitation have not troubled it. The battery easily lasts several hours. I consider buying the Gagarin speaker one of my best decisions.

To sum up, the Ural Gagarin speakers are a real breakthrough in the wireless speaker market. Their large-scale sound is unexpected given their unassuming appearance. We appreciated the high sound pressure levels, deep and well-controlled bass, long battery life and multiple playback options: Bluetooth, wired input and USB storage. FM radio, TWS, RGB lighting and water resistance are also included. The second generation improves the voice prompts and adds NFC and a useful battery indicator. It is particularly welcome that these Russian Ural Gagarin speakers cost substantially less than comparable imported products. The arrival of the GR-005 is good news: it offers much the same sound quality and functionality for considerably less money. If the deepest bass and highest output are your priorities, choose the GR-007.

Note. This is an adapted machine translation into English. It follows the “In simple terms” approach. Read the original article at https://prosound.ixbt.com/monitors/ural-gagarin.shtml.