The Melomania M100 represent a milestone for Cambridge Audio in the earphone field, as they incorporate active noise cancelling for the first time. What’s more, the British manufacturer has teamed up with Qualcomm, enabling aptX Lossless compatibility. Add to this the promise of transparent, natural sound, a comfortable, durable design and a 16-hour battery life.
Included accessories
The Cambridge Melomania M100 Bluetooth earphones come in elegant, plastic-free packaging. Inside, you’ll find the earphones housed in their charging case, a USB to USB-C charging cable and a range of ear tips. There are three pairs of silicone tips (S, M and L) and two pairs of memory foam tips (S and L). Finally, they come with all the necessary documentation (brand booklet, feature control instructions and safety instructions).
Presentation
Ergonomic, durable design
Like all Cambridge equipment, the Melomania M100 are designed, tuned and manufactured in the brand’s London factory. The Cambridge Melomania M100 earphones are understated and elegant, with a black finish enhanced by silver details. The silver circle features a second circle, this time raised, in reference to the brand’s logo.
The Melomania M100 are housed in a rather imposing carrying case, particularly in terms of width, but which nevertheless fits easily into a pocket or bag. The earphones themselves are a reasonable size for even the smallest ears, and are easy to slip on. Their ergonomic shape and the various ear tips they come with make them very comfortable to wear, including two pairs in memory foam for excellent passive isolation. These are generally found on higher-end models. They can be used for hours on end without discomfort.
What’s more, the Cambridge Melomania M100 in-ear monitors are IPX4 certified. This means they are splash-proof, so they can be used outdoors even when an unexpected downpour occurs.
Natural, customizable sound
The Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 True Wireless earbuds feature a 10mm dynamic transducer in each earpiece. These are accompanied by recycled neodymium magnets. These earphones use class AB amplification, like the Cambridge CX hi-fi amplifier range.
The Melomania M100 earbuds are tuned to deliver a transparent, natural sound right out of the box. However, to adapt to individual preferences and different musical genres, the Melomania Connect app presents a full range of options to help users find the sound that suits them. We’ll tell you more about this in the “Touch controls and control app” section.
Bluetooth
The Cambridge Melomania M100 earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.3 technology, offering a stable, high-quality wireless connection. This advanced Bluetooth version ensures reduced power consumption and improved range. The Melomania M100s support aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, AAC and SBC codecs, enabling optimal signal transmission. They guarantee uninterrupted playback at up to 24-bit/96kHz with compatible devices.
The gaming mode, accessible via the Melomania Connect app, reduces latency to less than 80 ms, enabling perfect synchronization between the sound and image. It’s particularly recommended for playing video games or watching movies and series. It’s a far cry from the 30 ms of Sony’s INZONE Buds gaming earbuds, but this mode works very well for us.
What’s more, thanks to Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair, the earphones connect instantly to compatible devices, simplifying the pairing process. The Multipoint feature is also included for easy switching from one device to another, without having to go through the disconnection/reconnection process again.
Touch-sensitive controls
The Cambridge Melomania M100 wireless earphones are controlled via a touch interface on both earpieces. They allow you to play or pause the music, manage the track being played, adjust the volume, activate the active noise control modes, activate the voice assistant, and answer, ignore or end a phone call. In the new Melomania Connect control app, it is possible to activate or deactivate commands that the user may or may not wish to have at hand. We would have appreciated hearing a sound when pressing the controls on the earbuds, which would have helped to reduce operating errors and confirm actions more easily.
Melomania Connect app
The app also provides access to other functions, including audio customization. For this purpose, a seven-band equalizer is available. You can adjust it manually according to your preferences, or choose from one of six presets: Flat, Blues, Electronic, Natural, Rock or Voice.
The app also lets you manage ambient noise control. Furthermore, there’s a user guide for all the information you need. Finally, several options can be activated/deactivated from the app’s menu:
- Mono audio: for listening to music with a friend.
- Wear detection: to automatically pause playback when the earpieces are removed.
- Standby mode: to deactivate touch controls and audible signals until the earbuds are placed in the case.
- Gaming mode: to reduce latency and enhance the gaming experience or watch videos.
Active noise cancelling and transparency mode
The Cambridge Melomania M100 earbuds feature Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), using a combination of Feed-Back and Feed-Forward technologies. Thanks to external microphones that monitor external ambient noise and internal microphones located in the ear canal, the Melomania M100 block out unwanted sounds for distraction-free listening in noisy environments. For optimum control, the Melomania Connect app lets you adjust noise reduction to three levels: low, medium and high. A special wind noise reduction feature is also included for runners and sports enthusiasts.
In addition to ANC, the Cambridge Melomania M100 wireless earphones feature a Transparency mode, ideal for staying aware of your surroundings without removing the earbuds. This function uses the microphones to pick up outside sounds and relay them directly to your ears, allowing you to hear announcements, conversations or traffic noise. The Transparency mode is also adjustable via the Melomania Connect app, giving you the ability to control the level of perceived sound to suit your needs.
Up to 52 hours of autonomy!
The Cambridge Melomania M100 earphones have an impressive battery life of up to 16 hours without ANC and up to 10 hours with ANC. With the charging case, this extends to 52 hours without ANC and 33 hours with ANC. Charging time is 2.5 hours. Note that they are compatible with Qi wireless charging and can be recharged via USB-C. The fast charge feature provides up to 4 hours of listening time after just 10 minutes of charging.
Key specifications
- True Wireless earbuds
- 12mm dynamic transducers
- Melomania Connect app (iOS and Android)
- Water resistance: IPX4
- Autonomy with ANC (earbuds / with case): 10 hours / 33 hours
- Wireless charging
- Bluetooth: aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC / Multipoint
- Touch-sensitive controls
Listening conditions
We tested the Cambridge Melomania M100 True Wireless earbuds with an aptX-compatible Android smartphone and a Windows computer via Bluetooth. Pairing was quick and easy, thanks to support for Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair. We were also able to test the quality of the Multipoint connection.
The latter has a few limitations. The order in which the devices are connected is important to avoid operating problems. When the headphones are switched from one device to another, there may be some crackling and lag between the two for a few seconds before the connection is established.
We listened to Hi-Res music streamed from Qobuz.
Listening impressions
Sound quality
The Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 earbuds offered great clarity and detail. On the track “Drums Stop, No Good” by Vital Techtones, every sonic element, from the clatter of the drums to the plucking of the bass strings, stood out with precision. These notes were well spatialized, allowing total immersion in the music. They were balanced, with no one frequency overpowering another. The highs were clean and never harsh, offering prolonged listening without auditory fatigue. The bass was deep and impactful, making every musical track more lively and dynamic.
The equalizer on the Melomania Connect app allows you to clearly modulate the sound signature of these earphones according to your preferences and musical genres. When listening to a podcast, the Voice mode makes discussions perfectly audible.
ANC and calls
For its first earphones with active noise cancelling, Cambridge has passed the test with flying colors. In addition to the passive isolation offered by the memory foam ear tips, the very efficient ANC features three levels of reduction. In our open-plan office, the majority of background noise was erased, although some of the higher-pitched sounds remained audible. In the street, car noise was adequately reduced, allowing us to enjoy the music to the full. The Transparency mode, on the other hand, has a few limitations, including a fairly pronounced hum and voices that are too muffled.
Last but not least, the Cambridge Melomania M100 earbuds guarantee clear phone calls, even in noisy environments. Everything was perfectly audible when using the earbuds while on phone calls.
Cambridge Melomania M100 compared to…
The Cambridge Melomania M100 and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 earphones have a lot in common, starting with Bluetooth aptX Lossless and Adaptive compatibility and the Multipoint function. What’s more, they both offer effective active noise cancelling. In terms of comfort, the Cambridge Melomania M100 benefit from a more rounded, ergonomic design. They also come with memory foam tips for even greater comfort. As for the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, they are IP54-certified and can be used during even the most energetic sports sessions. Finally, in terms of sound, the Cambridge models offer greater clarity and detail, while the Sennheiser models feature deeper bass and automatic equalizer adjustment.
Who are they for?
The Cambridge Melomania M100 earphones are designed for music lovers looking for a pair of in-ear monitors that deliver balanced, clear, detailed and customizable sound, while ensuring freedom of movement. Compatible with the aptX Lossless and Adaptive codecs, and featuring an efficient gaming mode, they provide optimal wireless transmission for full enjoyment of Hi-Res music and videos, without latency. Their comfortable design, IPX4 water resistance and long battery life make them ideal for everyday use, whether on the go, during sporting activities or in the office. What’s more, the ANC guarantees a listening experience devoid of ambient noise.
Conclusion
The Cambridge Melomania M100 are an excellent pair of True Wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling. We particularly appreciated their well-controlled and balanced sound, with deep bass and clean highs that never become aggressive, even during prolonged listening sessions. The ANC function is effective, while their ergonomic design and extended battery life make them perfect companions for everyday use.
We liked
- The clear, detailed sound
- The seven-band equalizer
- The effective ANC
- The support for aptX Lossless and Adaptive codecs
- The excellent comfort
- The impressive battery life
We would have liked
- Sound feedback for the touch controls
- A better transparency mode
