Verdict
A confident and mostly successful mid - range genuine radio , with a rich , energetic speech sound ; effective ANC , comfortable design , and full call quality too . An ambitious and fun pair of wireless earbuds .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Cambridge Audio ’s previous raid into the true tuner have varied from the very practiced to slightly disappointing , so where on that musical scale are the Melomania M100 likely to end up ?
The specs show the Melomania M100 is Cambridge ’s most innovative and challenging effort , addingActive Noise - Cancellation , Snapdragon Sound Bluetooth funding , and Class AB gain encounter in its CX series amplifiers to boost the strait .
If this was a tick - list the Melomania M100 would hit virtually everything on the list that is expect from a premium true wireless , let alone one in the mid - cooking stove .
It ’s up against some strong competition from the like of Beats , Jabra , Technicsand plenty more ; but the M100 show Cambridge Audio has no interest in shirking from a battle .
Design
First things first , the signature see to it workplace ! TheMelomania Touchhad significant issues ( ironically ) with its control . The M100 have that actually pick out input and do n’t raise the volume by themselves as if a ghost has take control .
The phone come in a choice of shameful or white ( or pitch-dark / yellow if you get the limited editionHow mellow version ) .
Build quality is good , the earphones do n’t look or feel noticeably cheap , and the fit is comfortable with three silicon ear - tips ( little to large ) and two memory foam pinna - tips ( small and prominent ) to regain the best fit .
The charge case is slim and petite , quite well stored in a pocket , and the earphones engage in with a magnetic snap . The only proceeds I‘ve had is remembering how to place the earphones back in the case – there ’s always a slight break before I rememberthat ’s not the means .
AnIPX4 ratingmakes the Melomania M100 splashproof against water system and immune to sweat , and that ’s fairly much all you involve to have it away about its design .
Features
A mid - range on-key wireless often requires finding a balance between functioning and value , especially when trashy alternative pack all types of advanced features like adaptive ANC andSnapdragon Sound .
Nevertheless , the Melomania M100 ’s feature tilt is comprehensive . There ’s the adaptive Hybrid ANC andSnapdragon Soundsupport ( both courtesy of Qualcomm ) , Class AB audio amplification , app support and representative control .
The haphazardness - cancellation is very efficacious , confidently thinning out external sound , battle the interference of the London Underground well ( though it ineluctably struggles with the loudest parts of the Victoria Line ) , and reducing the vocalism around me to a whisper .
Used on a plane , the M100 assuredly removes cabin and locomotive engine noise , and carry on with wind noise does n’t peculiarly disorder the buds either . In footing of quietude , the Melomania M100 bring home the bacon plenty of calm .
There is a caution about the adaptive part of the haphazardness - cancellation . Strong though the M100 ’s ANC is , the strength of its performance has a inclination to go in and out for no fussy reason .
I was standing in a waiting line in Leicester Square with a street musician nearby and the noise around me was pretty constant . And yet there were time when I could n’t get a line the instrumentalist and other times when he just popped into my hearing distance – and it ’s not as if he was moving about either .
It ’s a like case with the transparency manner , the strength of which go in and out on its accord despite it not buzz off any gimcrack or quieter . I can only assume the ‘ adaptative ’ part is being a littletooadaptive . When the ANC works it ’s very beneficial but now and then the bubble of closing off lets in unexpected interference .
The transparence fashion is good enough to have a conversation with someone and try them distinctly , with setting in the app to choose the military posture from High , Low , and Voice Focus . The overall functioning offer good lucidness and awareness of surroundings , justly ramping up and down the effect when the earphones smell bullying condition . I ’m less confident by the difference between each type of manner , which sound the same regardless of which one I pluck .
Battery life is up to 10 hours with ANC activated ( 16 without ) and a meaning 33 hours from the case ( 52 without ANC ) . A barrage drainpipe for an minute with mass at 50 % drew an 11 % bead , which propose battery living is on the money . The lawsuit supports Qi wireless charging and a quick charge bring home the bacon two hours from a 10 minute top up .
ABluetooth 5.3connection with SBC , AAC , aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless suggests good thing as far as the wireless performance is relate . The aptX Lossless variant is reserved for the Snapdragon Sound weapons platform , and technically is capable of lossless transmission of audio over Bluetooth … if you have a sound that plunk for it .
I do n’t , so I ’ll concentrate on the aptX Adaptive variant , and the performance is reasonably strong . There were no issues in Leicester Square , and no problems walking through Victoria caravan station – but the Melomania M100 did struggle at Waterloo station . It ’s patchy at best walking through the confluence , with some foresightful pause before audio finally resumed .
Call lineament is somewhat good , and though my voice sounded faint at time , the person on the other final stage did n’t notice the disturbance of hoi polloi chatting off around or the tip blowing into my face . unfeigned receiving set are n’t great with calls but the Melomania M100 is one of the better ones .
There ’s a new app to support the Melomania M100 , and the Connect app holds one of the best secrets . Head to the Audible Feedback setting , choose the ‘ Southwark ’ choice and you ’ll be granted memory access to the Toast of London ’s luxurious interpreter in Matt Berry . You ’ll invariably be pressing the controls just to hear him say ‘ stochasticity - strike down ’ in his distinct tones .
The app itself is well presented and charge with feature , from audio presets to excogitate your own usage EQ , enabling Mono manner ( if you want to use one bud ) or Game manner ( which reduce latent period to less than 80ms ) . you may customize which mite controls are activated , as well as enable auto - play ( which works only when you take both buds out ) . It ’s unclouded and comfortable to use with account , making for an easily approachable app .
Sound Quality
Cambridge Audio ’s premature genuine wireless phone are all very expert for audio character , and the Melomania M100 commit forwards a wide , expansive soundstage , bear music with muckle of zest and energy .
The strait is warmer than I remember either from theMelomania 1+or Touch being , and it ’s an approach envelops every track I listen to , with a smoothness that dedicate the midrange a fullness but arguably numb the gamey oftenness when listening to GoGo Penguin ’s Raven .
The audio is n’t lacking for clarity as far as treble is concerned but there ’s not as much pas seul to the forte-piano notes that I can recognize . If there ’s a fault – if you require to call it that – is that it does n’t quite present as much perceptivity and definition as some other straight wireless can mobilize .
Despite the flat EQ option used for the majority of testing , these are n’t indifferent - sounding headphones with the M100 put emphasis on bass that gives its performance weight and power .
Take Easy Life ’s skeletons ( Qobuz ) , the M100 betters theBeats Studio Buds+for plate and business leader , though I ’d say the Beats are clear , their approach blandish . They lack the excitement and weightiness of the Melomania M100 , but they offer more brainstorm .
In terms of oomph the Melomania M100 are a steady listen , which is not to say that there are n’t any dynamic shift , just that these earphones do n’t leap from quiet to gimcrack and vice versa in a exclusive rebound . gimcrack and fairly louder are more in line with the M100 ’s repertoire than tatty and muted .
Though they lack a little refinement , the Melomania M100 are never not exciting . A big , sheer , up-and-coming audio that will make a melomaniac out of you .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
Given some genuine wireless fetch a Leontyne Price of almost £ 300 , the Melomania M100 are half the price but I would n’t say they ’re half as honest . They ’re an telling mid - range distich .
A productive , playfulness , and exciting speech sound is what the M100 are going for , but they ’re not the most nuanced listen at their price .
Final Thoughts
The Melomania M100 fairly much delivers on its brief of offering a gamey quality performance at a price that ’s less premium counterpart .
The sound quality is industrious and enjoyable , perhaps not as nuanced as some but fun seems to be what Cambridge Audio is going for . The ANC is very effective ( when it pick out to be ) , the battery life is smear on , and call quality is very proficient .
There are surface area for improvement . TheAdaptive ANCis a littletooadaptive , and the wireless public presentation can slip from time to time . But considering the competition it ’s up against , the level of customisation and performance on dab is enough to make the Melomania M100 one of the best mid - range true wireless . And you ’ve grow Matt Berry talking in your ear – who does n’t desire that ?
Trusted Score
How we test
We screen every set of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time of time . We use diligence standard tests to liken feature properly . We ’ll always tell you what we find out . We never , ever , accept money to go over a product .
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FAQs
There ’s a choice of dark or lily-white finishes , and if you get the circumscribed How gamey edition , they come with a plash or orange too .
