Price: $279 / £219 / AU$426
Colors: Black, white
Battery life (rated): 60 hours (ANC on), 100 hours (ANC off)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 (codec support: SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive/Lossless)
Size: 9.84 x 8.03 x 2.32 inches
Weight: 11.64 ounces
Cambridge Audio has finally launched its first-ever headphones: Meet the Melomania P100. An over-ear rendition of its critically acclaimed Melomania M100 wireless earbuds, which we’ve lauded for their “stunning hi-fi sound signature,” these wireless cans boast high-performance specs across the board that are packaged in a gorgeous design.
Internally, they house active noise cancellation, Class A/B amplification through custom 40mm Mylar drivers, Qualcomm’s Clear Voice Calling cVc 8.0 and hi-res audio technologies, and a replaceable battery that lasts up to 100 hours when fully charged.
While certain shortcomings can be overlooked, others can’t — specifically the headphones’ excessive weight and unfavorable controls. Thankfully, that doesn’t take away from the Melomania P100 being an absolute sonic beast. Continue scrolling to read our full thoughts.
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA P100 REVIEW: CHEAT SHEET
- What is it? Cambridge Audio’s inaugural headphones with premium sound and decent ANC
- Who is it for? Audio enthusiasts that won’t to splurge on high-end headphones
- What does it cost? $279
- What do we like? Terrific sound quality and playtime in a handsomely built package
- What don’t we like? Their ambient listening mode, control scheme, and heft.
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA P100 review: Price & availability
You can buy the Melomania P100 for $279 / £219 / AU$426 on Cambridge Audio’s website or popular retailers like Amazon and Crutchfield. Black and White are the two colors sold.
These headphones have a lower MSRP than luxury noise-cancellers like the $399 Sony WH-1000XM5 and the $429 Bose QC Ultra, but are listed higher than mid-range gems such as the $129 Cleer Enduro ANC.
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA P100 review: Design & comfort
- Solid and sleek
- Well-built accessories
- Painful to wear after an hour of use
The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 sustain the brand’s minimalist, attractive aesthetic. Materials consist of aluminum, heavy-duty plastic, and soft vegan leather. Details like the debossed insignia on each earcup are nice touches. They have a luxurious look to them that is accented by the chic carrying case with an accessory compartment for convenient cable storage. The two bundled audio cables housed within (3.5mm, USB-C) are wrapped in durable woven fabric to ensure long-lasting use, and relatively tangle-free use.
Robust build quality unfortunately can often come at the cost of comfort, as is the case with these headphones. Carrying 11 ounces of headphone in a backpack or around your neck becomes cumbersome after a while. Furthermore, their tight clamp force applies unwanted pressure on the ears and skull for some more discomfort. They're by no means the most uncomfortable headphones we've ever seen, but they could do with some work around the stiff headband.
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review: App and features
- Companion app support
- Moderate feature set
Downloading the Melomania app (Android/iOS) will broaden the Melomania P100’s functionality. Here is where you’ll find all major audio features, including Ambient Noise Control (ANC/Transparency), Equaliser with multiple presets, and Gaming Mode. Rounding out the app are an auto-power-off setting, battery level indicator, firmware updates, user guide, and wear detection toggle. There is no option for control assignment.
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA P100 review: Controls
- No touch controls
- Finicky wear detection
- Satisfactory digital assistance
A full set of media controls are built into the Melomania P100 and can be activated by performing single-/double-press and long-hold gestures. You can enable call management, listening mode activation, playback, voice assistance, or volume. The tiny play/pause button flanked between the volume buttons can be difficult to locate. Strong tactile feedback confirms the execution of intended commands.
It’s unfortunate that there are no touch controls because the insignia on each earcup begs for them. This would have been awesome, especially if the insignia supported circular gestures to dial volume.
Wear detection is off. Auto-pause doesn’t always initiate when taking off the headphones, and when it does, there is a two-second delay.
Pressing the ANC button twice will turn on your device’s native digital assistant (e.g., Google Assistant, Siri). The feature is fine for hands-free voice commands, and the mics demonstrate superb speech recognition for accurate vocal capture.
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA P100 review: Audio performance
- A bright, crisp, and revealing soundstage
- Bass is more impactful in ANC mode
- aptX Adaptive/Lossless support
- No spatial audio
True wireless gems like the Melomania M100 and Melomania 1 Plus showcased Cambridge Audio’s exceptional sound design. That alone should be reassuring enough for skeptics who question whether the company could replicate that same success on an over-ear headphone, which it clearly does with the P100.
The Melomania P100 deliver bright and expansive sound. EQ support lets you manually fine-tune frequencies, which isn’t necessary since the default preset (Flat) is precisely tweaked. Nonetheless, there are five more presets available – Blues, Electronic, Natural, Rock, and Voice — each engineered for their specific purpose.
The sonic texture on classics like The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” was stellar. Instrumental separation, melodies, and tempo stood out more on the Melomania P100 than luxury rivals like the Bose QC Ultra. Vocals were consonant and crisp, high-frequency instruments (e.g., cymbals, tambourines) sounded sharp, and the prominent percussion blended beautifully with the group’s nuanced harmonies.
Switching to more urban selections, Nas’ “N.Y. State of Mind” had the impactful boom-bap presence that a ‘90s old-school rap junkie would swoon over. The elevated kick drums and punchy snares at the start rattled my eardrums, followed by a natural-sounding piano loop sample that felt like musician Joe Chambers himself was playing it live. That’s quite the immersive presentation considering the headphones lack spatial audio.
Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive (up to 420 kbps) and Lossless (up to 1,200 kbps) codecs are onboard for hi-res Bluetooth playback at a faster bitrate when using services such as Qobuz, Tidal, and Apple Music. Songs stream instantly and have rich detail retrieval on the best music streaming services.
Truly lossless sound is experienced through USB-C connection. Fidelity and frequency range increase when wired to a media player. I loved how crisp and well-balanced the distorted vocals and monstrous kick drum sounded on Kaytranada’s “Drip Sweat.” There’s also a 3.5mm to connect with older audio devices for similar results.
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA P100 review: Active Noise Cancellation
- Highly effective ANC
- Middling transparency mode
Seek out the best Bose headphones or best Sony headphones if you want class-leading ANC. Otherwise, settle for the Melomania P100, which give you sufficient noise neutralization when commuting or resting at home. Three settings are selectable — Low, Medium, and High — each designed to deal with certain frequencies. High is the way to go for optimal noise blockage. The headphones eliminated about 85 percent of unwanted noises.
I walked around shopping districts and was unphased by the many noises that could otherwise disturb my stroll. Everything from chatty pedestrians to loudspeakers went unnoticed. At home, common distractions like kitchen appliances, loud TVs, and my cat’s meows never caught my attention. Certain high frequencies did make it through the barrier, such as my toddler’s cries from across the apartment and emergency vehicle sirens, although these tend to be tricky for most noise-canceling systems.
Transparency mode is OK for increasing situational awareness. This version also has three settings: High, Low, and Voice Focus. High mode opens the mics for greater ambient noise capture, but not all external sounds are audible. Voice Focus slightly clears up voices, and it can be useful for face-to-face conversations without the need to remove the headphones.
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA P100 review: Call quality and connectivity
- Impressive voice calling
- Reliable wireless performance
The Melomania P100 is an outstanding calling headset. Several of my outdoor calls were met with positive feedback. Business clients praised the loudness and clarity of my voice, especially in loud backgrounds. Only high-frequency sounds came through. Voice calling was better indoors and provided clear-sounding chats.
Bluetooth 5.3 operates well and extends the wireless listening range up to 70 feet (21 meters) in wide open spaces. These headphones easily pair to Android and iOS/macOS devices, though the former takes advantage of Google Fast Pair for one-tap pairing. Multipoint technology is here to pair the Melomania P100 to two devices simultaneously, and the feature works hitch-free.
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA P100 review: Battery life
- Some of the longest playtimes in the category
- Swappable battery
- Powerful quick charging
A full charge generates up to 60 hours of ANC playtime. That’s three times more than the AirPods Max (20 hours) and several hours longer than both the Bose QC Ultra (24 hours) and Sony WH-1000XM5 (up to 40 hours). Turning off ANC gets you up to 100 hours. I’ve been using the headphones for 4 hours daily over the past three weeks and still have juice in the tank. A 5-minute quick charge will net you 4 hours of listening time, which tops Beats’ Fast-Fuel charging (10 minutes = 5 hours).
The company sells a $30 replaceable battery kit if charging issues occur, or if you need a spare when electric outlets aren’t accessible.
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA P100 review: Verdict
There is an abundance of elite-sounding wireless headphones available for under $300. However, the Melomania P100 make the strongest case for the best option at their price point. Music and movies have loads of definition and depth, and ANC gives bass a noticeable boost, while also removing a high number of unwanted noises. Battery life and craftsmanship are top of the class, too.
Complaints about heft and the so-so transparency mode are justified. It would have been nice to see more modern features as well, like Spatial Audio and touch controls. Cambridge Audio must polish up some areas when developing their next headphones, but what’s certain is that they can leave audio, battery life, and connectivity untouched.
