STEREO GUIDE verdict
The Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 sound extremely balanced and make vocals in particular a pleasure. The bass also has punch and depth - but only when ANC is activated. Without noise-canceling, the in-ears sound a little thin.
Pros
- Excellently balanced sound
- Deep, clean bass with good punch
- Fine high-frequency resolution
- Long playing time
Cons
- The ear adapters do not fit all
- Noise canceling not as effective
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Tonal balance / transparency9.3
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Bass / Dynamics9.3
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Usability / Connectivity8.5
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Price/Performance9.8
After Cambridge Audio made a surprisingly successful start in the segment of true wireless headphones with active noise canceling (ANC) with the first Melomania M100(click here for the review report), many had hoped for a cheaper version without active noise canceling. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the test sample of the new Melomania A100 arrived at the editorial office, which is a whole lot more affordable at around 140 euros, but still combines the “British sound” with active noise suppression.
The biggest difference: The Melomania A100 is based on the lollypop shape of the Apple Airpods Pro and not the earbud design of the M100. The battery life is no longer quite as enormous, but with up to 11 hours (without ANC) it is still exemplary. In addition to improved microphone and voice characteristics, the British company promises IPX5 water protection, which could almost turn the A100 into a sports headset.
When it comes to sound-relevant hi-fi technology, the new model is in no way inferior to its sister model: analog Class A/B amplifier, high-quality aptX Lossless and LDAC codecs with resolutions of up to 96 kHz and 24 bits are included in its data sheet. We are looking forward to the review.
Maximum sound technology
The genuine Class A/B amplifiers, as we know them from British home hi-fi components, traditionally consume more power than switching amplifiers (Class D). This is why the operating time of the Melomania A100 with ANC activated is still an impressive 6.5 hours.
The micro-amps drive 10 millimeter diaphragms, which are quite large drivers for a compact in-ear.
However, the playback of correspondingly high-quality streams is also relevant for the sound quality, as the lowest codec SBC traditionally represents a bottleneck for many standard TWS. Here Cambridge announces full equipment from an audiophile point of view: LDAC for selected smartphones, aptX Lossless for the latest devices with Qualcomm chips and AAC for the Apple world. It doesn’t get any better than this!
Practice and the case
Compared to the M100, the battery case is flatter, rounder and more ergonomic. Although it is a little taller, it is easy to carry in your pocket. The two Lollypop earphones are held quite firmly in the case thanks to the magnetic force. However, they are still easy to remove. The rechargeable battery can be recharged several times, giving you up to 39 operating hours without a power socket. Even more important for travel use: with a charging time of just 10 minutes on a USB power supply, you can enjoy an impressive 3 hours of music when the case and earphones are empty.
The rubber adapters supplied with the headphones were probably a bit of a red pencil: there are only silicone lips in three sizes. And the “S” adapters will probably be perceived by many as “M”, so owners of small ear canals are strongly advised to try them on. However, this also makes sense in principle, as the sound channels of the Cambridge Melomania A100 are elliptically shaped, while the rest of the earphones world relies on round channels.
For earphones with a small stick, particular care should be taken to ensure a secure fit so that the earphones do not push themselves out of the ear canal as soon as the wearer moves.
Operation and app
Outstanding practical marks are awarded for operation, although the range of functions is limited to what makes sense: The Cambridge Melomania A100 are also controlled via touch surfaces on the left and right capsule. The assignment can be easily individualized via the app.
The Cambridge Melomania Connect app must first be found in the App Store or Google Play Store, which can be somewhat confusing due to two different versions for the old and new generation Melomania. Once installed (expert tip: the version with the orange Cambridge logo is the right one), the connection was exemplary fast and stress-free. That’s what we want from other manufacturers too!
7-band equalizer with sound presets
The highlight of the app is the 7-band equalizer, which, with a little prior knowledge of sound technology, enables perfect acoustic adjustment to the ear canal and listening taste. In addition to the six available presets, you can also save and name your own curves. There is hardly a better way to do this!
The touch commands of the left and right earbud can also be freely programmed or individual ones deactivated. Noise canceling and transparency mode can also be switched in the app, whereby the intensity of the former can be changed again in three stages. If you want to listen together with your friends or only use one in-ear, you can switch the A100 to mono playback. There is also a gaming mode for low latency, which is also very practical for lip-synced movie watching.
Otherwise, the app is limited to standard functions such as firmware updates and displaying the battery status.
Noise canceling and transparency mode are this good
The ANC can be switched between three levels in the app. Only the top level has a noticeable effect in the low and medium frequency range. However, even with maximum noise canceling, the effect against noise is average to subtle. At least you don’t have to turn up the playback volume so far to drown out normal ambient noise. However, the modified tuning with active ANC results in an overall richer, fuller sound. And what the noise canceling really did a good job of blocking out was the noise of the fan two meters away at level two, without which I probably wouldn’t have been able to finish these lines until autumn at room temperatures of over 32 degrees Celsius.
Sound test: This is how the affordable ANC in-ears from Cambridge sound
After just a few bars, I was literally amazed by the bass. The small earbuds with the long styles offered a rich and differentiated bass reproduction. And not only that. What would a punchy, yet extremely deep bass be worth without the corresponding sound quality in the mid-high range? And here, too, the new Bluetooth in-ear from Cambridge Audio delivers. Voices were able to unfold with all their flair without the feeling of disturbing coloration. The same applied to acoustically recorded instruments such as violin, saxophone or piano. The first two in particular benefited not only from the very natural mid-range reproduction, but also from the fine, well-resolved highs, which blended harmoniously into the sound without a hint of sharpness.
Acoustic songs such as “Liberty” by Anette Askvik, the brand ambassador of the High End Messe 2025 in Munich, were able to unfold with a cozy goosebump atmosphere. An abysmal bass foundation was also expressed, which some of the competition simply ignored. Once again, both the coarse and fine dynamics were convincing. I was also impressed by the high level of transparency and the wide space, especially towards the sides, which is more in line with the natural listening experience at a concert or with loudspeakers than the spatial representation of conventional in-ears.
But the Melomania A100 was also a lot of fun with electronic beats such as “Stylo” by the Gorillaz. What was needed here was punch in the upper bass – which the Cambridge delivered with ease. I could cite countless music examples from our public sound test playlists on the streaming service Qobuz, but it would only underline the verdict that these inexpensive in-ear headphones delivered a really great, emotionally gripping performance with a wide variety of tracks from all possible genres without any discordant tones – both with the “Linear” and “Natural” sound presets. Most ears accustomed to hi-fi will find one of these (or a middle ground selected using the 7-band slider) ideal, the other presets are more a matter of taste. How good that you can also save some individual sound setups.
Without corners and edges
After long and enjoyable listening sessions, it was clear that the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100, despite their low price, belong to the category of headphones from our comparison pool that I also use to listen to music after work or on the go. Although the concept and price are worlds apart, the handy in-ears remind me of the recently reviewed Sony WH-1000XM6 – over-ear headphones at three times the RRP. Both models perform well and provide a spacious soundstage. They impress with their wide transmission bandwidth and fine resolution. The tuning is so homogeneous and unspectacular that, even with my critical reviewer’s ears, I forget that I’m listening to headphones.
Cambridge Audio Melomania A100: Conclusion and alternatives
There is quite a lot of competition in the segment of wireless headphones with a small stick: the Melomania A100 can hold their own against the next price class up with their long battery life, great sound and excellent speech intelligibility. Honestly, if you’re not into ostentatious brilliance, pumping electric bass or extremely isolating noise-canceling, the Cambridge Audio Melomania are currently unrivalled. However, you should definitely try them out, because with their shape and only three ear adapters, they don’t suit everyone, as they need to seal well for full bass and ANC effect.
Technical data Cambridge Audio Melomania A100
- Manufacturer’s recommended retail price: 140 euros
- Type: In-ear
- Transducer principle: dynamic
- Weight: 6.6 grams each
- Special features: Splash water protection according to IPX5, ANC, up to 11 hours battery life independent of case (6.5 hours with ANC), up to 39 hours with case
- More at www.cambridgeaudio.com
