Padmate PaMu Quiet Mini Review: Lots of Features!
Retail price: $69.00
DISCLAIMER: PADMATE SENT US A REVIEW UNIT OF THE PAMU QUIET MINI EARBUDS BUT ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE OUR OWN
Buy on PadMate
Get 10% off on your purchase by entering code ‘PDMYT6' at checkout here.
What if I told you it only costs $69 for a pair of active noise cancelling earbuds endorsed by various NBA players? I was excited to check out the PaMu Quiet Mini, especially since they were promoted by the likes of Spencer Dinwiddie and Brook Lopez. But as someone who sets a fairly high standard for earbuds, especially after using so many of them, how did they stack up on the court? Let’s take a look.
Out of the Box
The PaMu Quiet Mini comes with a charging case and two ear pieces weighing at 5.1 grams each. The unboxing is fairly standard and includes three different sizes of ear tips, a USB-C cable for charging and a small pouch for the charging case. On first impressions, the earbuds and case have a modern aesthetic with a clean matte white look that looks high quality. They feature active noise cancelling, which can be toggled, two EQ settings, and touch control functionality. They also feature Bluetooth 5.2, IPX4 and wireless charging through the case. I was impressed with the overall package that PaMu offers with the Quiet Mini, especially for the price point. It’s competitively priced and includes various features that can be enjoyed in different scenarios.
What’s the Battery Life Like?
The battery life on the Quiet Mini has been surprisingly solid. I went in with average expectations and during my review period, I felt like I barely had to charge these headphones. Padmate advertises about twenty hours of play time on a charge. If anything, there were on a few instances where I would plug the charging case in via USB-C to get a bit of juice in before getting back outside. I’m usually a little wary of earbuds quitting on me unexpectedly but the Quiet Mini withstood my usage and exceeded expectations. I’m not a heavy user of the active noise cancelling so I’m sure that also plays a factor into the battery life, but compared to other wireless earbuds, it was quite impressive. I surmise this may be a result of Bluetooth 5.2 functionality, which offers a low power audio codec. The Quiet Mini earbuds are also Qi-charging compatible, which I was also impressed to see. When you’re low on battery, the charging case has a light indicator, subtly concealed on the front. A red glow will emit when the battery is low and a blue glow with shine when the case is being charged.
Are They Comfortable?
After reading Lida’s review of the Padmate PaMu Slide Mini, I was eager to see how the Quiet Mini compared in terms of fit. The verdict? PaMu made these Quiet Mini fit like a glove. They’re snug to the point where I didn’t even need to turn on the ANC to block out conversations arounds me. Considering these earbuds have a 10mm driver and ANC packed into them, I was equally impressed with the slim fit they had in my ear canals. I tested them out during my workouts and while playing basketball and in both scenarios, they didn’t fall out. To be honest, I didn’t even feel them as I was working out in some sets. For those who need earbuds for long flights or will be wearing these for longer periods of time, these should work great. I’d rank them on par with Apple’s AirPod and AirPod Pros in terms of comfort and fit.
Lots of Features
The biggest feature on the PaMu Quiet Mini is the active noise cancelling that comes with it. Having the ability to toggle the noise cancelling feature is a huge plus in order to save battery. With the touch feature, you’ll be able to switch between two features called transparency mode and ANC activated. Transparency mode allows for ambient noise to be heard in case someone talks to you so you can be more aware of your surroundings. In order to switch through all three settings, you’ll have to download the PaMu app on your phone to access these capabilities. PaMu also put Bluetooth 5.2 into these headphones but honestly, I can’t really tell what advantage it has for the everyday users other than a potential boost in battery. With the PaMu app, you’re able to customize the touch features on both the left and right side of the earbuds giving users more ways to make the earbuds work for them. The app also allows you to change the EQ to three modes: the normal setting, original setting and gaming setting. In my usage though, I was unable to tell the difference between no toggle set versus normal EQ. They sounded virtually the same. The gaming mode function is supposed to have a boosted bass but I have yet to notice a significant difference of those features as I’ve mostly used these to listen to music and take phone calls.
Other than these minor customization features, the app is fairly limited so that even if you’re not using it, you won’t lose out on much. I would have wanted the ability to adjust the EQ so hopefully PaMu includes that in future versions. This would probably be my only flaw and recommendation to PaMu for the Quiet Mini.
The Verdict
It’s hard to find flaws on these PaMu Quiet Mini. They’re incredibly comfortable, possess a solid sound quality, and packed with features such as ANC and customizable touch functionality. On top of that, they’re wireless charging compatible and have a stellar battery life. For $69, you simply can’t go wrong with the PaMu Quiet Mini.
Related
Martin
Always in tune with the beat, audiophile doesn’t even begin to describe Martin’s intense passion for music. Whether it be in the front row of an Anderson .Paak show or popping to a Lizzo track in the back of a coffee shop, this Mechanical Engineer is meticulous with what goes through his earlobes simply because he knows exactly what it takes to make a quality headset.