PaMu Unique comes from Padmate-Tech which looks to be a company that has utilized crowdfunding a good deal for some of their PaMu line. Unique looks to be a combination of prior devices such as the Slide Mini and Scroll. They caught my eye based on its case design and the fact they are applying Qualcomm chips in their earbuds. But are these things unique enough to warrant a purchase?
Style
As the name suggests, PaMu’s Unique headphones has a case design not seen by many. It is a 4in cylinder charging case with a Type-C port on one end. To open and close the case the cover can be rolled open like a scroll. It stays connected via magnets and can be replaced just as easy. PaMu created two pack options that has three covers in each one. There is one standard black and then the other two are rather artsy more on the lines of abstract. Covers themselves are durable and can be folded and bent and show no wear.
Going back to the Type C port, you can use any of your usual Type C wires to charge up the earbuds. But Padmate has also created a wireless receiver (sold separately) that can be plugged right in and then you can place this charging case on any of your usual wireless charging pads. Just make sure you have it plugged in all the way.
Earbuds are your typical looking “pipe style” buds that fit into the ear. They have silicone tips and come with additional sizes. They tend to stay in my ear without coming loose even for extended periods which is a thumbs up.
The case itself is reliable and never gave me any worries of it loosen up as I had it in my pockets and backpack.
PaMu Unique comes with a Charging case, Type-C case, Carry Bag, 3 PaMu Unique Covers
Features
Unique is rated IPX6 which makes it water resistance to sweat, water, and rain. Meaning if you want to get a quick workout or happen to get caught outside somewhere you should be good. Fast Charging is available thanks to the Type-C port. You can get 1hr of playtime on a 5min charge. With the charging case, Padmate touts the Unique to have a 30hr playtime. Using it on and off, I will say its been around that range as I have seldom had to charge them up. On the other end of the case is a charging light that flickers on and off. Its not noticeable in daytime but mainly at night.
With no actual buttons, the Unique rely on touch controls on each earbud. You can tap on each ear to pause/play, long press to control the volume. Double tapping will give Voice Assistant options or let you go to the next song. I feel like I have grown accustomed to apps to customize these features how I like but Padmate has provided enough options. Also, the touch controls are reliable and on point with no delay.
Qualcomm’s QCC3020 chipset is being used in the PaMu Unique which helps with the battery life and stable Bluetooth 5.0 connection. I did find at times though taking the Unique out the case and syncing to my phone it would take a minute to connect. Not all the time but here and there. Since there are no buttons on the Unique can be a bit annoying trying to get them to wake at times.
Sound
Seeing as this was our first go round with Padmate I had no idea how good or bad the audio would be. I was pleasantly surprised to give these a thumbs up in the audio department. They have a nice sound profile with vocals, not getting to muddy undesired levels and a great deal of bass. These really kick in that department.
I have been using these with the OnePlus 8 Pro which takes advantage of the aptX codec provided by Qualcomm. If you do not have a smartphone that utilizes aptX there is also SBC and AAC. Any of the codecs make the most of the 6mm drivers that the Unique possess.
Verdict
PaMu lives up to its name of being unique when looking at the case. Giving consumers different covers is nice. I would love to see some custom options later at some point. Having the Qualcomm chip, I think makes a difference giving you a superb audio experience and in terms of connectivity (well once they connect). I think they sit at a nice price level of $99.99. Too bad they don’t come with the wireless receiver as you want to add that experience its an additional $20. PaMu Unique are one of a handful of true wireless earbuds that caught me by surprise this year so far.
