Name: Melomania P100 SE
Brand: Cambridge Audio

STEREO GUIDE verdict

91%

91%

The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100SE builds on the strengths of its predecessor and scores points above all with its impressive battery life, high wearing comfort and excellent voice quality. In terms of sound, it focuses more on bass and brilliance ex works, which may not please everyone - but this can be almost completely compensated for with the flexible equalizer.

Pros

Detailed, dynamic sound
powerful, yet fast bass
Very good, comfortable fit
Top battery life

Cons

Too brilliant and deep bass ex works
Noise-canceling could be stronger/more consistent

Tonal balance / transparency
9.1
Bass / Dynamics
9.2
Useability / Connectivity
8.9
Price/Performance
9.4

The British brand Cambridge Audio, which is actually known for its classic amplifiers, continues to step on the gas in the headphone segment. Barely a year after the successful launch of the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100(click here for our review), the Melomania P100SE is a special edition that is actually intended as a successor. A wireless over-ear headphone with active noise canceling (ANC) and still sensational battery life of up to 100 hours. But how much better is the Melomania P100SE really – and is it worth the switch for owners of the predecessor? We have extensively reviewed the new Cambridge Audio over-ear…

Externally, nothing has changed compared to its predecessor. The ANC over-ear still cuts a very good figure thanks to the no-frills design, very good workmanship and high-quality materials such as the aluminum shells. The main further development of the hardware is limited to a newly designed headband. On the software side, a function called DynamEQ has been added and, according to the manufacturer, the tonal tuning has been slightly sharpened.

While the P100 was only available in black and white, the Melomania P100SE comes in at least one trendy color: dark blue is the third option. The concept of sustainability is retained in all cases: Not only is the use of recycled materials on the positive side of the eco-balance sheet, the Melomania P100SE is also designed to outlive the life of the most critical consumable elements several times over thanks to inexpensive replacement pads and a replaceable battery.

Cambridge Melomania P100SE: This is technically new

The only thing that has really changed is the headband, which is supposed to be more comfortable to wear and guarantee a more even ANC effect thanks to the more controlled contact pressure. During unboxing, we immediately noticed that the padding of the headband appears softer and wider at the top. This should suit the few users who had complained about the P100 being too tight.

Nothing has changed in terms of electronics and converters. A classic hi-fi amplifier with Class A/B circuitry is intended to guarantee the typical “British sound” of Cambridge amplifiers. The transducer capsules consist of large 40 mm drivers that use a multi-layer membrane made of polyurethane and polyether ether ketone (PEK).

After the success of the Melomania P100 in the review, we were a little surprised that the manufacturer claims to have changed the tonal tuning ex works. This is said to have been at the express request of customers. We can only speculate that the somewhat more effect-oriented tuning of competitors such as the Bowers & Wilkins P7 S3 may have given the taste direction towards more low bass and more presence.

The “DynamEQ” function, which can be switched off, is a new feature in the P100SE: a type of dynamic loudness that is designed to maintain low bass and dynamics, especially at low listening levels.

Connectivity, functions, operation

Nothing has changed in the digital hardware of the Melomania P100SE compared to its predecessor: Bluetooth 5.3 remains the most frequently used connection option. Thanks to the latest software, the wireless connection also enables HiRes resolution with aptX Adaptive and AptX HD. For iPhone users, the high-quality AAC codec is also integrated. The multipoint connection with two devices worked elegantly and quickly in the practical test.

USB-C or a 3.5 mm jack adapter for analog sources are available for wired operation. The operation of the headphones themselves is simple. Cambridge does not rely on multiple or customizable touch surfaces here, but on buttons with a clear pressure point at the bottom of the earcups. On the right-hand side there is play/pause, volume control and track skip via a double-click of the +/- buttons. On the left is the on/off switch with Bluetooth connection option and a button for noise canceling. Proven and good, we would say, even if the buttons cannot be customized.

Top equalizer and simple app

The Cambridge Melomania Connect app must be found in the App Store or Play Store, depending on the smart device. The most important feature of the app, especially when adjusting the sound to your own taste, is the 7-band equalizer. Perhaps not quite as easy to use for non-experts as a simple treble/bass control, but with a little practice it enables perfect acoustic adjustment to your own taste. In addition to the ready-made presets, you can also save and name your own curves. Absolutely top!

The app also offers activation of DynamEQ and a low-latency mode for videos and gaming. Noise canceling and transparency mode for better perception of the outside world can also be selected or deactivated in the app. Both have three different operating modes, which regulate the intensity in ANC mode and the focus on different frequency ranges in transparency mode.

Practice, ANC and wearing comfort

In the practical test, we mostly opted for the medium noise-canceling setting in noisy environments. You shouldn’t expect too much isolation or total silence from the Cambridge Audio P100SE, even at the highest level. It still lets some outside noise through, especially if you move your head significantly or if the headphones are not positioned correctly, this can result in annoying audible differences between the left and right ear. The same applies in road traffic, when loud vehicles drive past the wearer from the side. However, in continuous noise, such as on an airplane, the attenuation does a good and very natural, unagitated job. In view of the strong competition, however, you should only expect average ANC performance from the Cambridge Melomania.

In home use or in a quiet environment, the ANC always remained off. In normal operation, the P100SE provides sufficient attenuation and the background noise here is really zero, while in noise-canceling mode a slight, rather dark background noise can be heard.

More comfortable now

We noticed a slight improvement in wearing comfort compared to the P100. The P100SE sits a little looser on the ears, and even sensitive wearers with unusual head shapes found the new headband very comfortable. The headband can be infinitely adjusted to different head sizes and remained stable in one position over the long term.

You should take some time to adjust the exact length of the headband, as the dosage of the bass and the effectiveness of the ANC depend largely on the capsules being really close to the head. Although there were slight, sometimes annoying fluctuations in the ANC during strong head movements, the P100SE remained securely in place. However, we do not recommend sports or fast running after the connection.

Microphones and transparency mode

The transparency mode did an average job with announcements in trains, stations or airplanes, which could only be slightly improved with the voice focus in the app.

In contrast, the speech processing of the built-in microphone arrays earned top marks: Phone calls or video conferences work completely smoothly with excellent speech intelligibility, which we had previously only known from headsets with boom microphones. We also had the feeling that speech recognition had improved even further compared to the P100; background noise around the wearer was effectively blocked out for the other party. Top marks here!

This is how different the Melomania P100SE sounds with music

In terms of naturalness and audiophile qualities, the predecessor Melomania P100 delivered without any restrictions in our review. It avoided a booming bass as well as garishly hissing highs without missing any joy of playing.

It is therefore incomprehensible to us that the P100SE has been given a tonal factory tuning with even more low bass. Without correction using the 7-band equalizer in the app, the new model clearly sounded too fat at the bottom and tended to boom with electronic music, hip-hop or live recordings simply because of the exaggerated bass level. However, the bass doesn’t really need this, as it still sounds assertive and kicks well even when reduced by several decibels in both bands.

A side effect of this tuning was the impression that the listener reaches its limits when listening to deep bass-rich electronic music while simultaneously using noise canceling against street and aircraft noise at high volumes. Not that it couldn’t be loud, but somehow the joy of playing and cleanliness that made the Melomanias so charming was lost during these extreme tests.

The second major difference to its predecessor manifested itself for us in a reduced basic sound foundation and an exaggeratedly brilliant tuning. Although this sounded spectacular and breathed joy into boring recordings that may not even be present in the mix, it also quickly sounded over-present and harsh, especially with live recordings of pop and rock.

Balance requires some initiative

Let’s not get the wrong idea: For lovers of a really fat and thrillingly impulsive club sound, the Melomania P100SE is the first choice straight out of the box. Those who prefer a more balanced, natural or warm sound will have to use the equalizer in the app. The manufacturer promises to make a corresponding preset available with the next update, which will match the tone of the P100 pretty closely. As can be seen in the screenshot of the app, the fundamental and lower mid-range in particular, but also the highest treble frequencies, are brought back to linear in favor of a more natural sound.

The Cambridge Melomania P100SE convinced us with this: it delivered a cornucopia of sound colors, a good room and still amazingly rich, kicking and driving bass. With classical music, jazz and live rock recordings, it impressed us with its balance without losing any of its dynamics or speed.

In addition to the outstanding joy of playing, the homogeneity of voices and instruments was a particular strength: the Cambridge with the new, more natural EQ didn’t spend much time on the last bit of transparency or exaggerated space, it simply played music to the point and ensured long, thrilling listening sessions without tiring the ears.

Cambridge Audio Melomania P100SE: Conclusion and alternatives

The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100SE remains unbeaten in the segment in its key disciplines and has even made slight gains: Battery life, wearing comfort and voice quality. We struggled a little with the sound tuning ex works and the noise canceling, and would prefer the predecessor P100 if it were still available. The bass-heavy and more effective tuning of the P100SE is definitely more elegant with a Bowers & Wilkins PX7S2 and its successor Bowers & Wilkins PX7S3, with more high-end attention to detail than the Melomania in its factory state.

Fortunately, this can be largely corrected with the built-in, excellent equalizer, so that the Melomania P100SE can almost match its predecessor in terms of sound. If you prefer a more sober, softer and more long-term tuning with less bass impact, you can also opt for the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4. The Sony WH-1000XM6 offers significantly more effective ANC.

Technical data Cambridge Audio Melomania P100SE

Manufacturer’s recommended retail price: 280 euros
Type: Over-Ear
Transducer principle: dynamic
Weight: 330 gram
Special features: ANC, up to 100 hours battery life (60 with ANC), USB-C, analog adapter
More at www.cambridgeaudio.com