Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 Review

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 Review

Voice & Call Noise Isolation 9.2/10

Multiple microphones handle calls, using processing to separate your voice from background sound. There is no bone-conduction sensor.

For calls outdoors, business earbuds such as the Poly Voyager Free 60+ are built around call mics.

For occasional calls they are perfectly usable, but heavy meeting users may prefer a dedicated headset for important calls. Choosing the memory foam tips can also reduce how much of your own voice echoes back as occlusion.

• Mics/Bud 3
• Mics 6
• Wind NR Yes
• Call NR Qualcomm cVc ECNS

ANC & Transparency 9.4/10

The hybrid ANC combines feedforward and feedback microphones, with Qualcomm Adaptive ANC adjusting for how well the buds are fitted.

It reduces steady noise such as engines and air conditioning effectively, but it does not silence voices and clatter as thoroughly as premium Sony or Bose models.

The adaptive tuning compensates for imperfect fit, which helps keep cancellation consistent if the buds shift during a long call. For flights, pairing ANC with the foam tips gives the strongest overall result, as the tips block more of the higher-pitched cabin noise.

• ANC Hybrid adaptive ANC
• Ambient Yes

Battery & Case Charging 10.0/10

Cambridge quotes ten hours of playback with noise cancelling active and 16 hours with it off. The case provides more than two further charges for up to 52 hours total.

Those figures are excellent and cover a full working day with noise cancelling active. Ten minutes of fast charging adds about 2 hours of ANC playback.

Battery life is one of their strongest advantages over rivals at this price, beating many earbuds that cost considerably more and lasting through a long-haul flight.

• Battery Up to 10 hours (ANC on)
• Wireless Chg Yes
• Fast Charge 10 minutes for 2 hours
• Buds Off Up to 16 hours

Fit, Stability & Portability 7.6/10

Each bud weighs 6.65 g, and Cambridge used data from thousands of ears to shape them. Three silicone tip sizes and two memory foam sizes come in the box.

The foam tips give a secure seal and improve both bass and passive isolation, which is worth trying on flights. They remain comfortable for several hours at a stretch.

The case has a physical pairing button, which makes adding a new device quick without hunting through menus on the buds.

• Bud Weight 6.65 g per bud
• Tips 3 silicone, 2 memory foam
• IP Rating IPX4
• Case Size 44.5 x 80.2 x 27 mm

Connectivity & UC Integration 7.0/10

Bluetooth 5.3 supports aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, AAC and SBC, with LE Audio for future LC3 and Auracast support. Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair speed up pairing.

Swift Pair is a nice touch for Windows laptops, prompting you to connect when the case opens. Gaming mode cuts latency to around 80 ms for video and games.

iPhone users get AAC rather than lossless, so the biggest audio benefit is for Android phones with Snapdragon Sound chipsets.

• Dongle No
• Multi-pt Yes (2 devices at once)
• BT 5.3

Sound & Audio Quality 9.5/10

Custom 10 mm drivers with recycled neodymium magnets are paired with Class AB amplification, the same approach used in Cambridge’s CX hi-fi amplifiers.

The Melomania Connect app provides a seven-band EQ and six presets.

• Codecs aptX Lossless
• Driver 10 mm
• Driver Type Dynamic, recycled neodymium
• EQ 7-band EQ, 6 presets

Full Specifications

Product Details