User Experience

Seen above is the right half of the PaMu Z1 installed on an artificial ear mold that is similar enough to my own average-sized ears. I used the default size M silicone ear tips for this photo, which is what I also used for the rest of my testing as there are no other types of ear tips included in the box. The fit is fine given the section that actually goes into the concha is smaller than the outer surface directed more towards your mouth to pick up your voice for calls, as well as a physical host for ANC microphones. It will look like some of the Bluetooth communicators from yesteryear thus, but without the customary ear hook. Passive isolation is quite good, and I have no complaints about overall comfort. These weigh ~5.7 g each, making them low in density and not at all physically fatiguing.

Battery life is a key metric for TWS earphones, and these promise 6.5 hours of use when fully charged, which is usually a best-case scenario at lower volume and in SBC/AAC mode with ANC off. I got ~6 hours regularly with my typical use case, which isn't that bad, but won't be breaking any records. The issue becomes apparent when the case is added to the picture as it only provides three more charge cycles, which makes for a total rated battery life of 24 hours, and I didn't even get three full cycles out of it. It was closer to 20 hours in total for me, and this is before any ANC or transparency modes, which shorten total battery life to just around 15 hours. This is not respectable in 2021, and we might well be in 2022 before this review is published. Admittedly, wireless charging is good here, but it's still not a product for a short vacation without worrying about at least topping off the charge. Charging the earphones also takes a little over an hour each time, so keep that in mind, too.

Audio Performance

Audio Hardware and Microphones

As is the case with most TWS earphones, Padmate is using a single dynamic driver per channel on the PaMu Z1. In this case, it is a relatively large 10 mm driver with a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) composite diaphragm coated in titanium for added stiffness while keeping things light. Marketing talks a long talk about the "precious Titanium metal deliver an unprecedented sound experience and performance with beautiful balance across the full frequency range," which is to be taken with a grain of salt. The product page contains published frequency response curves for the PaMu Z1 in the standard ANC off, ANC on, and transparency modes.

There is no clarification on the exact wireless chipset used, and the technological side is found somewhat wanting even outside of the mediocre app experience. Touch controls are finicky, with the contact surface itself not reliable. Some of my double taps were taken as a long press instead, which resulted in something else happening that I then had to use the app to fix. Microphone quality is thankfully better, with the PaMu Z1 picking up my voice fairly well for smart assistant controls as well as calls as needed. It won't replace a standalone microphone, but is better than the integrated microphone on most webcams. It could be the result of the dual-microphone noise reduction and environmental noise cancellation technology Padmate boasts of on the product page.

Frequency Measurement and Listening

I will mention that I have a general preference for a warm-neutral signature emphasizing a slightly elevated bass and smooth treble range with detailed mids and good tonal separation. I also generally prefer instrumental music over vocals, with favored genres including jazz and classical music.


Our current testing methodology begins with a calibrated IEC711 audio coupler/artificial ear the earphones can feed into to where there is decent isolation similar to real ears. The audio coupler feeds into a USB sound card, which in turn goes to a laptop that has ARTA and REW running and these TWS earphones connected to the laptop through Bluetooth. I begin with an impulse measurement to test for signal fidelity, calibrate the sound card and channel output, account for floor noise, and finally test the frequency response of each channel separately. Octave smoothing is at the 1/12th setting, which nets a good balance of detail and noise not being identified as useful data. Also, the default tuning was used for testing, and no app-based settings were chosen unless specifically mentioned. Each sample of interest is tested thrice with separate mounts to account for any fit issues, and an average is taken of the three individual measurements for statistical accuracy. I am also using the pinna mold fitted to the audio coupler for a separate test to compare how these fare when installed in an ear and cheek geometry and not just the audio coupler by itself. The raw data is then exported from REW and plotted in OriginPro for an easier comparison.


The IEC711 is such that you can't really compare these results with most other test setups, just within our own library of measurements. The raw dB numbers are also quite contingent on the set volume, gain levels, and sensitivity of the system. What is more useful information is how the left and right channels work across the rated frequency response in the PaMu Z1, or at least the useful part of it. The left earbud was separately tested from the right one, and colored differently for contrast. I did my best to ensure an identical fit for both inside the IEC711 orifice, so note how the two channels measure similarly in the lows and mids, but then there is some channel imbalance from ~5 kHz on that unfortunately was perceivable when listening. This is also well within the region of accuracy for the coupler, and we see more of the same with the artificial pinna in place, but keep in mind that the resonance shift here is expected. There was no discernible break-in period or effect, so at least overall reproducibility and consistency are good since the average response for each channel is also basically the same across the three repeated tests. Keep in mind that with TWS earphones, the fit and connectivity and signal strength from the source are quite important.


As before, I will refer you to my frequency response measurement database: VSG.squig.link. It allows for users to easily compare my measurements to my preferred target for a better idea of what I personally like, as well as compare to other target curves at the bottom, inspect different segments, normalize based on SPL or at a chosen frequency, and easily compare other devices to each other.

Padmate states the PaMu Z1 has "extremely deep subwoofer and fast dynamic response; excellent bass elasticity, clear gradation; full and bright midrange, smooth and balanced; rich treble details. All kinds of music can have perfect performance and good balance." Not that different from the usual marketing talk, especially for TWS devices, which tend to claim a lot. The company goes on to compare its frequency response curve to that of the Apple Airpods Pro, aiming to sell its tuning over the world's highest selling set of TWS earphones. In practice, some of these things are valid, yet many are not.

The PaMu Z1 is certainly bass elevated in its response, with a bass boost of ~10 dB from the response at 200 Hz where I typically want to see it happen, if at all. There is more mainstream appeal in the lows thus, but in the sense of there being energy rather than depth. There is a sense of hollowness, and little impact following the bass signature, which may work well enough for the likes of house music and EDM, but not to appreciate individual bass guitar riffs. Of course, the expectations are lower for a TWS set to begin with, but things don't get much better from here on out. The mids are competent, and arguably the best part of the tuning and execution for me. There is decent channel separation and range for male vocals especially to shine though, with the addition of slight warmth in this region treating the likes of country music and even rap music well.

Instruments, on the other hand, get shafted here. Imaging and soundstage are poorly executed, so much so that some orchestral music felt like it is being played out of a well. This gets worse in the upper mids where there is no sense of in-ear resonance compensation, with female vocals coming off shallow and lacking energy. This starts a trend of mediocrity in the treble response, where Padmate for some reason decided a flat line is the way to go. There is little to appreciate first-order harmonics for higher-pitched vocals, let alone most instrument classes. Indeed, once past the coupler resonance, things fall off a cliff to where I almost did not notice it given the lackluster response before. If you are looking for a set that's mostly going to be used for bass and the lower mids, I can see the PaMu Z1 being of interest, but there's really little reason to bother with these elsewhere.


It's a shame thus that many of my previous TWS experiences happened before I got serious about reviewing them, and some, such as the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0, were measured differently to where I no longer have the data to add for comparison. I mention that set because it lines up well price-wise and has similar technological features, but much better tuning and technical performance. Compared to a few others in a similar budget and feature set, including the Cleer Roam NC, Tronsmart Apollo Air+, and 1MORE ColorBuds 2 that will be reviewed soon, we see the PaMu Z1 somewhat holding its own. The other three all have their own tuning issues too, and the ANC implementation on all four is pretty forgettable as well. That's why I didn't even dedicate a section to it here, with passive isolation doing more for noise cancellation than ANC does with the PaMu Z1. Transparency mode is better, but adds an unpleasant hiss in the upper mids I wasn't a fan of. You might as well toss a coin and pick between these, with the PaMu Z1 not being the least expensive but offering different color options at least. For a better example of how TWS sets can be tuned, refer to this comparison. I am not calling it out directly here because the other set is simpler in design without hybrid ANC, so it is not a direct comparison in itself.