Padmate Pamu Slide

Thanks to their ergonomic shape, these in-ears fit perfectly into the auricle and are hardly noticeable when worn as they weigh only seven grams per side. Another praiseworthy feature is the silicone ear tips that are supplied in six different versions to allow the fit to be optimally adjusted. At the same time, they provide a stable hold, which makes sporting activities possible, especially as the earpieces are sweat- and water-resistant according to IPX6, which provides protection from weather-related dampness and simplifies cleaning. Visually, the in-ears hardly stick out, which means that they can also be worn under a hat.

Running times

In our battery test, the headphones delivered great results, as the battery life ranged between ten and eleven hours at medium volume, depending on the device. In addition, these in-ears could be fully recharged six times in their case, which serves as a charging station and provides a reserve of 2,000 mAh, without the capacity being used up. This resulted in a total runtime of more than 70 hours, which is an outstanding result that even exceeds the manufacturer’s specifications. The quick charge function, on the other hand, revealed weaknesses, as the headphones could only be used for between 30 and 40 minutes instead of the 60 as advertised after five minutes of power charging. While these in-ears are fully recharged in just under 100 minutes, a charging cycle of the transport case, which has a USB-C connection, takes a good three and a half hours. A USB-C to USB-A charging cable is included. The Plus version of the Pamu Slide can also be used as a wireless power bank by using the case as a wireless charger for mobile devices, provided the function is supported. However, a disadvantage is that the box doesn’t fit into a trouser or jacket pocket, as it is quite large and it is not lightweight at 121 grams.

Device control

Coupling the headphones, which support Bluetooth standard 5.0 and offered a stable range of about eight metres in combination with various Android and iOS devices, can be done directly when the handset is removed from the case. This switches the system on and puts it into pairing mode while returning it to the charger case causes it to switch off. If a wireless connection exists, a tap on the touch-sensitive surface is used to start and stop playback, as well as to answer and end phone calls, and this is possible on either side. Voice assistants can be called up by double-tapping the left-hand side, and a tap on the right-hand side allows you to skip to the next track. The volume can be controlled by tapping the left-hand side of the headphone to reduce the level and the right-hand side to increase it. When navigating to a title you can’t jump back but otherwise, the controls work perfectly. Speech intelligibility is good during telephone calls, although the quality of the sound is limited because the high frequencies tend to distort.

Sound

The Pamu Slide has a full, rounded sound with a slight bass emphasis, which appears more earthy and warm than bright or chilly. However, the sound is not completely clear, but a bit cloudy and the bass is a bit dull. At the same time, the bass foundation sounds quite punchy and reaches down quite deep, so that productions with depth are shown to advantage. However, I missed having precision in the low frequencies, as the basses could sound more defined. The mids were much clearer with a very pleasing, warm character, which was especially beneficial for vocals. In contrast, the trebles seem more reserved and unobtrusive, so that even at high levels no harshness or hardness is perceptible, which is a positive feature in the case of sibilants. The tone range is rather restrained, which can produce a dense, rather compressed feeling of restriction. This need not cloud your listening pleasure in everyday life, during sports or when travelling, where a compact, present sound is desired and can be an advantage. However, these headphones cannot meet demands for a more sophisticated sound quality.