When an established company enters a new product category, there’s a lot of pressure to impress the public right away, especially if it has a proven track record in that industry. That’s what Cambridge Audio faced this year when it debuted its first wireless headphones, the Melomania P100 ($279). The company was already making the Melomania M100 wireless earphones, but having built its reputation primarily on Hi-Fi amplifiers, digital-to-analog converters (DACs), and speakers, the company was about to enter uncharted territory. did.
With the P100, Cambridge Audio was able to make a lasting first impression right out of the box. The company’s commitment to being the best in this category is clear from its sophisticated appearance. Aesthetics combined with long battery life, user-friendly maintenance options, and a crisp, clear sound profile make for a very appealing package on the first try.
cambridge audio
Cambridge Audio’s first wireless headphones have a high-end look with long battery life, as the company prioritized detail and clarity over deep bass.
Pros Sleek design 60-hour battery life with ANC User-replaceable battery Crisp, clear sound profile Cons Stock tuning favors mids and treble Earpads become uncomfortable during long sessions No advanced featuresAmazon at $239
What’s good about Melomania P100?
The P100 certainly looks like a flagship headphone. At a time when many companies are opting for plastic-heavy construction even for their high-end models, it’s nice to have a sleek design available for less than $300. Cambridge Audio did most of the heavy lifting here, combining aluminum accents with vegan leather and soft memory foam ear cups. The underside of the headband also has cross-hatched fabric, providing textural contrast while maintaining the color scheme.
Without sacrificing the P100’s battery life, Cambridge Audio promised up to 60 hours of use with active noise cancellation (ANC) turned on. Additionally, the company claims that you can get up to 100 hours of playback time with ANC disabled, depending on volume levels and other settings. We reached 60 hours in our battery test without any issues, and we did so almost entirely with noise canceling on. And to make the P100 last longer than some headphones, the company lets users replace the battery themselves if performance drops (the earpads are also replaceable).
The P100 uses the same Class AB amplification that powers Cambridge Audio’s CX series Hi-Fi amplifiers. According to the company, this provides “aurally better” sound performance than what’s found in nearly all wireless headphones. Three layers of 40mm drivers complete the audio platform, delivering “accurate treble and dynamic bass.”
During my testing, the P100 excelled at reproducing crisp, clean detail across every genre I tried. Even at its heaviest on Sleep Token’s “Vore,” the snare hits remained punchy, cutting through the distorted guitar riffs overlaid with vocals. However, bass-heavy tracks like this don’t have much character, so the highs and mids stand out. The flashy punches they typically pull. This made the P100 ideal for styles that don’t require a lot of low-end growl, such as country, jazz, and 90s grunge.
What’s not good about Melomania P100?
Billy Steele on Engadget
My note on the P100’s overall sound profile is that it’s not good news for those looking for a loud bang when listening to Kendrick Lamar, Kaytranada, and other bass-heavy songs. Cambridge Audio offers a complete EQ for custom profiles as well as a selection of presets for changing tuning. The changes in the EQ sliders were more subtle and didn’t give me the punch I was hoping for. But unlike many other equalizer options, these don’t muddy the sound or make things worse.
Despite the soft feel of the P100’s earpads, they don’t provide enough cushioning from earcup bumps during long listening sessions. I used these on a full day of air travel and a cross-continental trip where I wore headphones for a full six hours. After about 30 minutes I started to feel those edges. It was never painful, and that’s why the P100 never competed with the likes of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Sony’s WH-1000XM5 in terms of overall comfort.
Cambridge Audio has covered all the bases well with the P100. It has reliable and easy-to-use physical controls, solid adaptive ANC performance, and aptX Lossless support. Wear detection and multipoint Bluetooth also work, as do wired listening in 24-bit/96kHz quality and 5-minute fast charging tools. What you won’t find is things like voice detection, mention of spatial audio, or some of the automation features offered by competitors. Granted, I can forgive the P100’s omission given the price, but one or two of these useful features would have been nice as they’re increasingly becoming core specs.
Melomania P100 final verdict
We’re impressed with what Cambridge Audio has built for its first set of wireless headphones. Even if the P100 could use a little more low-end tone, it’s clear that the company knows how to produce clear, balanced audio. The combination of design, sound, repairability, and battery life makes this an attractive option well under $300. And now that the company has a solid foundation to build on, I expect to be amazed by whatever happens next.
1/6
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review
Aluminum accents create a luxurious feel.
