Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ True Wireless Earbuds – Bluetooth 5.0, Hi-Fi Sound, In Ear Headphones for iPhone and Android with Charging Case and App Control (Black)
Designed and Engineered in the UK
For the last 50 years, we’ve worked hard to deliver products that help you to hear your music at it’s very best – with nothing added, nothing taken away. Designed and engineered in London, by the same team responsible for our award-winning Hi-Fi, Melomania 1+ are no exception. Immerse yourself in high-quality audio, without the hassle of wires, wherever you are.
| Dimensions: | 5.9 x 5 x 670.56 cm; 280 Grams |
| Model: | C11185K |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Manufacture: | Cambridge Audio |
| Dimensions: | 5.9 x 5 x 670.56 cm; 280 Grams |
| Origin: | China |
Great pair of earbuds
Great earbuds, with aptx. Work brilliantly with my DAP, and phone. The recently reduced price make these a bargain.
Good in ear headphones
Does what it says on the tin, great new set of in ear [hones to replace my old over ear ones
Awesome
Really very happy……high quality in every respect. Does exactly what is advertised and at a fraction of the cost other so called high end brands…..well done Cambridge audio
Really, really well-made.
The sound quality is impressive, especially considering the price. Like, really, noticeably better than normal headphones straight away. Compact, high quality carrying/charging case and loads of sized ear buds – I seem to have small ear canals so being able to change them for smaller ones was appreciated and something lots of manufacturers leave out. The app to change the EQ is nice too. You just generally get the impression that these have been made really carefully to a high standard by a company that cares about sound.
If they have a drawback it’s that because the fit in the ear fully seals the ear canal when you run with them you do get that slight thump sound each step you take so they’re arguably not perfect for runners but other than that they’re incredible quality and value.
Comfortable, made in Uk and a good price.
Have bought these earless headphones to avoid getting tangled in headphone wires when painting outside. They work a treat. My only difficulty is that all in ear headphones fall out of my right ear. These do the same despite a range of padded cushion sizes. Works well with sound into one ear. Comfortable and light.
Good quality buds for a good price
I bought these 4 months ago and have used them daily ever since. I have small ears and found the supplied tips uncomfortable, but swapping for the comply tips resulted in better sound and a comfy fit in my ear. The fit in the case isn’t as good as it was, but they still charge. I’ve been pretty rough with these, and so far I’ve not had any problems. I even put one of the buds through the washing machine after I left it in my pocket. Unbelievably, it still works! These are very good value for the price.
Amazing - Simply the bes
Ordered these on a recommendation and they are honestly amazing, I won’t be parted from them. I had ordered a pair and they arrived broken but the customer service time had this fixed within a few hours on a Saturday of all days. Amazing product and amazing service all round.
Wow! It's like hearing in 4k.
I cannot believe the audio quality for 50!
Unreal. Solid and comfortable bass, amazing mid and the treble doesn’t crackle at the top end like on many buds.
Cambridge Audio, these are simply amazing for the price.
Anyone reading this, you need to buy them. They’re unreal. Build quality is solid, even the mechanics of the charging case lid feels like they’ve really thought about everything. USB-C charging, a good selection of tips to fit properly too. Great packaging, shows they care about how they want them to appear to buyers.
The app is great, has a find my device function and EQ mixer, along with presets. Battery level seems exactly as advertised also!
10/10, these leave AirPods behind and are on par with the Sonys.
Incredible sound for the price.
A fantastic set of in ear monitors for the price. There is a real depth to the sound and the app is a great addition to be able to adjust the sound to your own personal taste. Can’t really fault them – even though there is no noise cancellation, it hasn’t affected my listening experience.
best ear pods eve
bought these ear pods on recommendation of my grandson, I have to be honest I owned Bose
noise cancelling headphones and I thought these were great, the Melomania 1+ are even better
the clarity is unbelievable, and the app that comes with them is brilliant.
Well done to Cambridge Audio on a real quality produc
Outstanding value and superb quality
Can’t believe I put off buying these for so long. The sound quality is superb which is ti be expected from a brand such as Cambridge Audio. Incredible value, literally no idea how they’re turning a profit at this price point! Incredubjr clarity and deoth and range. Tip – use the memory foam earbuds as per instructions they make all the difference in comfo
Believe me when I say, I’ve tried most of them, both wireless and bluetooth. Earfun, Sennheiser Momentum 2, Apple Earpods Pro, Final, AKG, KZ’s and I’ve binned them all off for these. They don’t even come close with soundstage, tight bass thump and refined treble, and even though I think it’s impossible to get a convincing big sound out of a small speaker, it’s easy to forget I’m not wearing big cans.
Okay…. They’re not perfect, especially when they randomly disconnect from my iPhone which can be a faff, and they’re not as comfy as the Earfun Pros, but they’re the best all-round.
If you love your hi-fi and crave for something better than Airpod Pro’s lack of clarity then these bad boys do not disappoint in sound quality. The Melomania app is good too and the EQ really does help to tailor a great sound… and at the latest lower price they are now they are an absolute steal and worth more than all of the above combined.
Great earphones
Nice earphones, easy to use, great fit and good sound
What an absolute bargai
Best earbuds I have ever bought. Noise cancellation is very good, comfortable in the ears, well worth buying.
Great quality
Bloody love these have had them for a long time now. Very reliable really great sound. You get different ear buds in the case so they can customise the sound. You can also alter the frequencies in the app. Genuinely i listen to these every day.
Great produc
Really effective earbuds. Controls need some getting used to but worth the effort. Nice tight fit for running.
Great produc
These are really very good with long battery and excellent controls and amazing price. I personally didnt like how far they go into your eyes and cut out your surrounding noise. I imagine most people would actually like this.
Good value & comfortable
For 50 these buds are fantastic quality, IMHO. I ditched the supplied foam ear tips and bought some Comply ones as I have used them on my wired headphones before. Now, the external noise is hardly noticeable and the bass response is much better. But, this isn’t necessary as the supplied bits are serviceable enough. I can’t see the point in spending 2, 3, or 4 times the cost of these for Bose, etc. Unless you have money to burn, that is.
Great value
Nice buds once they’ve been broke in! Great sound quality, I mainly use mine with my phone and power amp. Some have said they have trouble with connectivity, I had a little jumping when first connected but no trouble now. Easily as good as my Sony wired buds without any tangle!
Definitely recommend, especially at the reduced price.
Audiophile's earphones
The sound is amazing as well as the price of this item. It’s my second pair as the former, bought years ago, no USB C but then micro-USB, doesn’t charge any more. I guess there is no noise cancellation, that’s my personal preference for an audiophile item, and that’s why I rated it 5 stars noise cancellation.
The sound is detailed and equilibrated throughout the spectrum and it’s never disturbing on any kind of music. These earplugs are simply amazing even when compared to others costing tenfold.
A great budget pair of earphones
I have gone through a lot of different earphones and these have stood out. They are very light and comfortable, I wear them for a 8hrs with a quick charge half way though without any discomfort.
I did find the audio quality a bit off to begin with, but once I downloaded the app and tweaked the eq they were absolutely spot on!
The build quality is great! It does look like they put a good amount of time and effort into designing and manufacturing these.
So if you were on the fence about getting these or any others, I’d say give these a go and you won’t be disappointed.
Soooo much better than budget options
Bought these for my daughter after she’d been taken in by well-reviewed “buy these cheap buds and get an Amazon voucher worth 4x their price” – which went back.
By contrast, this Cambridge Audio product doesn’t lag and treats sound fidelity as an important attribute. The build quality is immeasurably better. Hopefully, given her love of music this is the start of a lifelong relationship with proper kit (although I suspect a CX amp and network audio player may have to wait until beyond university)…
Sound good, not sure about the fi
They sound excellent but I have yet to find a tight fit for listening on the move. At the moment they seem to slowly ease out of the ear canal resulting in a tinny sound. When in tight the sound is fantastic
Great sound, troublesome connectio
The sound quality from these earphones is top notch. I bought them to replace my noise cancelling Sony WF1000 headphones, which are fantastic – for 1.5 hours until they run out of power. The Melamania earbuds last a genuine 7 hours. Fantastic. What is not fantastic is the way that they turn ghemselves off, even in the charging case and refuse to turn back on. Very annoying
Excellent - my best buddies!
I Bought these Melomania 1+ earbuds in July when the price dropped to 49.95p. Very pleased with them so far. Finding which tips are right for you is essential for realising their true potential. Thankfully, I’ve had no problem with the fit – I find the small memory foam tips very comfortable for long listening sessions. Sound quality is superb with good dynamics, reasonably flat frequency response, excellent midrange & plenty of bass. Although these are not specified as noise cancelling, the snug fit works surprisingly well at keeping background noise to a minimum. External controls work well. The app is nice & after initial pairing I’ve rarely had to open it, other than to check battery status, as a bluetooth connection is established when I insert the left bud. No drop out problems so far. Battery life seems good too.
A cracking little gem
A cracking little gem. Initially was a bit weary after setup was a little problematic: only one ear bud would play at a time and not both at the same time. I had tried unpairing then pairing up again but this did not work. I was able to overcome this issue by performing a reset of the earbuds (place both earbuds in the holder and hold both buttons down until they flash blue). Afterwards the Bluetooth setup worked and both earbuds were then able to perform a firmware update in the Melamonia app.
Anyway onto the the important stuff. The sound range and quality is really decent. I mostly like to listen to indie/rock and after listening to some of my favourites I had noticed that I was able to hear sounds on tracks that I hadn’t noticed (or possibly heard) previously on other devices. This is a testament to the range and quality of sound offered by these earbuds.
The earbuds are comfortable to wear and come with additional inserts with a range of sizes from small to large. The standard ones fitted are of a memory foam material so need to be rolled by your fingers before inserting into your ears to ensure a snug fit.
The Melamonia app allows you to use a preset or customised equaliser to adjust sound to your own preference.
Overall I am pleased with the quality and value of these earbuds.
Excellent with memory foam plugs
These are excellent earphones made by a reputable high end audio brand. Cambridge Audio is owned by the founder of Richer Sounds. These sound good, and unlike many competitors, it is possible to use either earbud on its own should you choose. The memory foam earplugs work very well, and are worth persisting with. You make them fit by pinching them tight, and holding the earbud in place in your ear while the foam expands to fit again.
Do note that the foam plugs are consumables, and will eventually tear, needing replacement – branded replacements are sold in bulk on Amazon. A fitting kit of various sizes of earplugs is included with the earphones, which is helpful in finding the right size.
There is room for improvement with phone calls using these earbuds – they have difficulty in picking up my voice when outside especially, and you must take care to ensure the earbuds are inserted the right way up to so the microphone is pointing down at your mouth, which is made slightly more challenging by the round shape of the earbud meaning you will probably have to look rather than rely on feel.
For the price, they are unbeatable.
Returned
Pros Fantastic sound quality decent app very loud.Good battery life
Cons difficult to get a good fit Bluetooth drop outs and the ultimate con left bud stopped working so sent them back. Trying the lyperteks nex
Great Sound Quality. Great Price.
The audio on these are way superior to almost any of the AirPods that seem to be very popular in my household. I upgraded to the 1+ and gave my old Melomania’s to my son who has finally seen the light.
A steal at £50!
Bought these so i didn’t have to listen to the inane chatter on the subway and train!
Fantastic sound and at half price they’re fantastic value for money.
They hurt my ears slightly but I’m hoping that will stop after wearing for a while.
Would highly recommend.
Absolutely fantastic in every way
I have used numerous brands of wireless earbuds, all with their foibles, so was understandably sceptical when I friend waxed lyrical about these.but I took the plunge.
They are absolutely brilliant and safe to say the quality is far superior to apple products.
They don’t necessarily have the functionality of the latest airpod pros, but the clarity of sound makes up for that.
After a year, one of the earbuds failed. I contacted Cambridge audio who, after running through a quick diagnostic to ensure firmware was up-to-date and the earbuds weren’t simply dirty, they quickly despatched a replacement pair free of charge.
I have recommended these to numerous friends who have also bough and been converted.
Simply put, why would you buy anything else !!
Highly recommended
Awesome For The Price, Must Have Good Seal
These are a total steal for 50. At first I found that they sounded thin and lacking in volume. Once I got some Comply T600 large foam tips it sorted it as I was ready to return them. These tips are bigger than large foam ones included. I’ve had no issues at all as other reviewers have mentioned getting the buds into the charging case with the larger tips attached. The key to me inserting these tips is to slightly twist them and then twist back to correct position.
The sound is so detailed, plenty of bass. The only negative I can say about them is that they are not the most comfortable of earbuds. They are fairly loud but I wouldn’t mind one notch higher for short blasts.
The other main positive for these is having physical buttons. Having had earbuds with touch ones that were hit and miss, these are just in a different class. Can’t understand the obsession with touch controls, in cars whatever, just a step back if you ask me.
Highly recommended, the negatives are not really worth mentioning at the price I paid.
Crisp af
I’ve always been impressed by the sound quality of apple airpods. But these are even better. I’ve tried pixel buds where the sound was also brilliant but i found them really uncomfortable. Whereas my friend has them and thinks they’re really comfortable. I think with headphones it’s finding the right brand for your ear shape and my ears are made for these. Superior crisp sound. I really love them. I love a physical button on headphones too. Really irritates me skipping or stopping tracks when trying to wedge in your ear. Love a good clicky button like this one. Battery is insanely good. The recent firmware update through app was nice too to know theyre still improving and caring about this product that has been out a few years. For the price on sale at the moment they’re unbeatable imo.
Delighted
I got these mainly for commuting to and from uni and for studying. They are fantastic I can’t hear kids on the bus shouting or other people’s conversations.
The sound is amazing, the app gives additional control over the equaliser. The number of ear tips is insanely good and I personally love the memory foam tip.
I definitely recommend these
The best I’ve ever owned
The sound is perfect ( once you fit the right pads) the app is brilliant. Allowing you to adjust the sound accordingly to the genre . For the price this is a banging bit of kit. Cambridge didn’t get their reputation for top notch sound for nothing . Superb
Comfortable in ear and outstanding clarity of sound!
Actually very easy to pair, despite a couple of negative comments I have read on this. I had no problems at all and they have been totally reliable.
Noise cancelling is some of the best I have come across from a low cost pair of earbuds. In ear fit is great and product is supplied with multiple options to ensure the most comfortable fit for everyone. Sound quality is typical of Cambridge Audio – crystal clear at every level, with some real depth.
The only minor issue I have encountered has been with a couple of calls I have made where sound at the other end of the line has been less than perfect. This may be because I am using a three year old iPhone that is overdue for an upgrade, though.
Last comment. Battery life is sensational. Up to 45 hours. I have had mine for 4 or 5 months and have only had to recharge twice in that time. Bought this pair for my eldest daughter, who constantly listens to music at home or to / from school. She has charged hers once since receiving them at the beginning of the month. No ‘wobble’ in case either. If you put them in the case to charge, they fit securely and charge reliably.
Excellent all round performance.
Brilliant ear pods for price.
Can’t fault these at all, best of British design and functionality. Superbly balanced across all frequencies, ergonomic and comes with multitude of in ear interchangeable inserts to accommodate all ear anthropometric.
Great life off one charge and performs superbly. Even had to liaise with customer services when one pod wouldn’t turn on, comms was very detailed, simply explained and easy to understand and issue was sorted in minutes. Fault was my error not the products. Cannot go wrong with these, as good as it gets. Well done Cambridge Audio I salute you.
Incredible Sound for the Price!
+ Really immersive sound
+ Love the design and fit
+ Great for running (waterproof and stay in the ear!)
+ Battery life is great, as someone who will put them in at the start of the working day and often take them out at the end I can usually do this without even having to put them back in the charging case. Appreciate battery life is extended as they are not noise-cancelling but would happily trade this for the long battery life and snug fit/great sound
+ Customer service was brilliant – I did have to send my pair back (more below) but was immediately sent a replacement pair which have been fine
– Despite beating airPods hands-down in almost every department for me, bluetooth connectivity is not quite as slick with my iPhone (perhaps understandably), with one or two spells where connection cuts out for no reason
– My first pair became very temperamental when it came to connectivity but as mentioned, Cambridge Audio replaced these immediately so very happy overall
I’d highly recommend these great little earbuds, the sound really does surprise you when you first put them in and when, on occasion, I use my partners AirPod pro’s, I’m left disappointed by the sound and constant need to recharge compared to my Melomania 1+’s
Great sound
The plus the sound out of these is great also the inclusion of different sized silicone covers is a great touch
The down side they can be a bit awkward to set up at first but once you have them sorted they’re fine
Small and decent sound
Bought these when reduced and I was not disappointed when they arrived. They actually fit my ear quite well, once I had swapped out to a different size bud on the end. The sound quality is also much better than I thought too. With the software download, you can adjust to suit or use the standard presets which are perfectly acceptable. The sound quality is very good and although I am no sound expert, I believe the output to be as good as anyone might expect. I listen to a wide range of music and these ear buds are more than capable. The battery life is also very good and as described so no complaints. I took them on a recent business trip to Budapest in place of my over ear Sony’s as they took up no space at all in my pocket to reduce my bag size (sleezy jet) and can confirm, using on the plane helped to blank out external sounds very well. In all, I would recommend these ear buds but that is just my opinion.
Excellent sound quality and value for money
Excellent sound quality and value for money. These are my first pair of true wireless earbuds and I think they are excellent.
I have used them at the gym and they are very secure and comfortable.
They are very good quality and they provide loads of listening time – especially with the case provided. The push button controls are easy to use and the app is user friendly and allows you to customise the sound – if that’s your thing.
I’d definitely recommend these earbuds as they are excellent value for money. I bought them at a discounted price of 49.99
Good value, but buggy and poor for calls
I quite like these design-wise and the sound is decent despite the lack of ANC.
I got mine in black and purchased them for 60 so they were very good value for me, however I should point out that they have some pretty annoying faults which from research seem to be common.
Pro’s
+ sound quality is good and accurate, bass is sufficient without being overpowering
+ battery life is very good
+ size and feel of the case are quite nice
+ USB-C charging is fairly quick
+ they look pretty cool, are classy, understated and are quite different from most of what’s on the market
– buds don’t always respond when you open the case and it’s a nightmare to get them working when they start playing up
– charging is inconsistent between the 2 buds, and despite keeping them in a charged case you will find that sometimes one of the buds doesn’t have a full charge while the other one does
– call audio quality is atrocious, especially when there is background noise. They will pick up literally any other sound apart from your voice and people will not be able to hear you. In quiet settings your voice will still sound muffled.
Awesome
The sound quality on these is absolutely awesome. Noise cancellation is also really good.
The buds come complete with 9 additional pairs of replacement tips so most people will find one that fits properly.
Customer service was put to the test as the first pair I received had a faulty left bud. It either wouldn’t charge at all or would charge to 20% and drain in seconds. I contacted Cambridge Audio late on the Thursday and got my replacement the following Wednesday. This was also a bank holiday weekend.
There’s plenty of punch to the sound. I listen to rock music mainly. Foo Fighters, Skillet and AC/DC all sound crystal clear and loud. It’s just like having on over the ear headphones.
When these first came out they got a great review on one of the gadget mags. They weren’t wrong and at 49 they’re a bargain.
Excellent value, just a little uncomfortable at times...
Sound quality is easily the best you will get at this price point (120 at release), and with the buds now being available for 50 its an utter bargin. Everything is quality with the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 plus. Packaging, charging case, loads of tips for the ear buds and an equaliser app all big positives. Call quality is acceptable – there are better out there but its good enough. The only real gripe and it might a deal breaker for some, is that they do give me some ear fatigue quite quickly. Aka after an hour or so I feel them getting a bit irritating in my ears. Maybe just me but needs pointed out. Overall though for current price of 50 it’s really a no brainer…. don’t hesitate just get them!
Fantastic buds
These have been designed from the ground up to be all about the audio quality. They deliver amazing clarity and deep (but unexaggerated) bass. Trebles are crisp without the harshness I’ve experienced using other buds.
The build quality is superb, and battery life amazing, I can listen for hours and never need to worry about recharging. I haven’t missed the fact that these specific models don’t have track skip forward/back on the buds themselves, I just use my phone for that.
They may be slightly bulky for some ears, I had to experiment a bit to get the right sound and comfort levels with the different tips supplied.
Overall, superb and highly recommended.
Excellent Sound Quality, Difficult to Pai
Hi, I bought the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ to replace a set of Apple AirPod Pro’s which to me seemed to be sonically lacking. The Melomania 1+ is fantastic in terms of audio quality, particularly at this price point.
The main problem I have encountered is that they are difficult to pair with IOS devices such as iphones. Many times it has been a really painful experience. At one point it got so bad trying to pair the device, that I was about to return the product as being faulty. Doing a full factory reset cleared the problem and I could pair them okay with my iPhone.
TIP: Instructions for how to perform a factory reset are provided in the help for the Melomonia app. If you are having issues with pairing, perform a factory reset and them check to see if a firmware update needs to be applied. Firmware updates are applied from within the app and this requires that both Left and Right ear buds are paired correctly and thus recognised by the app.
Good value.
Initially there was an issue where they wouldn’t connect reliably on removal from case, that seems resolved now – they were more temperamental than my Earfuns which were solid. On one occasion they were dead though semi-charged but CS told me the method of reactivating them – press both buttons in the case. The signal breaks up randomly occasionally walking around with phone in pocket. They are secure in the ear and fit snugly. Clicky control good. Battery life good. Easy case remove/replace buds.
Great when working
I got a pair a few months ago and when they work they are amazing. Unfortunately the left earbud has just gone dead completely and the right one now refuses to pair to anything. CA were really good and immediately sent me a new pair in their defense so hope they dont have the same issues. But really great headphones when they work. Maybe I just got unlucky and great customer service in any case.
Great clairty of sound
This is my second set of these. My set are going strong still and i like them so much I bought the wife some for use with her ipad. This set that im reviewing did have trouble initially getting to work. Eventually after several attempts they paired (it wasnt pairing that eas the issue it was actually turning the headphone on).
Now set up no issues at all and great clarity of sound.
What i will say about these headphones is that if you are a person who likes alot of bass these may not be for you. They do lack a little in the bass department for my tastes , however they do make up for that with sound clarity. I listen to trance music mainly. But when cutting the grass using petrol tools they cancel out the noise and protect my ears whilst providing some music (I use the memo foam tips).
The battery life is very good on these and I have never needed to put them in the case as they have run out. The stated run times I have never been anwhere near. I believe each individual charge is around 9 hours. and the case holds 5 charges. I found the case holds its charge for a very long time. When paired one headphone is your blue tooth connection so which ever one is conncected will drain slightly faster than the non paired. If you are some one that may use them for the 8-9 hours per charge its just something to be aware of.
Overall they are perfectly adequate for my needs and very happy with my purchase
Complicated to review as these are awesome and awful all-in-one!
I have been looking for a decent-sounding, comfortable and not too expensive set of earbuds. I have tried four over the past few years, and these are the best… and the worst! Here’s why…
The most important qualities for me are sound and comfort… Soundwise they are excellent… easily a match for some pretty pricey (but old) wired earbuds I kept going back to. I listen to (mainly) flac files and have tried various music types, Beck to Bowie, Loscil to Eno. I can’t comment on older firmware sound quality but other reviewers found the update essential.
They are also supremely comfortable and lightweight. They stay put, not needing to be fiddled with to keep them in-position, and they do a very satisfactory job of muting the outside world with the silicone tips (I am sure the foam would be even better, but I haven’t felt the need so far). Again, all ears are different, but for me, these are better than some wired buds, and better than all the other wireless I have tried.
BUT… the set-up experience is just AWFUL. Ignoring charging time, it took several hours… yes, HOURS, to get these working. Seriously, I came very close to sending them back. Getting a pair of earbuds to work just should not be this difficult. Many would have given up and returned them!
Firstly you need to install their Melomania software… why? Not sure. It does give you some EQ presets etc and the ability to choose from one of two codecs, but surely most phones can handle both these? Once installed you need to try and get the pair of buds ‘seen’ by Melomania. This just didn’t want to work I needed to flit from the phone’s bluetooth settings and Melomania trying to coax into accepting both Right and Left buds. I genuinly lost track of the number of times I tried his – sometimes the Left would be registered but not the Right, and then itt was the other way round! About an hour spent so far. I actually thought they must be faulty at some point.
HINT: Charge them fully before attempting to install – the manual says 30%… this is not enough as the software seems to reject them frequently during setup unless fully charged. Ignore the number of lights on the case and leave them charging for an hour or so.
OK, so now I can use them? Nope! The Melomania app leaps into action demanding to update the firmware on them. This took over 2 hours in total… with a fast connection! The download itself was quick, but one earbud would be recognised and (painfully slowly) updated, then it would get ‘stuck’ and refuse to do the other. In between attempts you need to keep re-connecting using the phone’s Bluetooth settings. It is amazingly infuriating! It was such a contorted process that I cannot remember what finally got both updated and working, but there is a review somewhere here that explained how to do it (basically the instructions from Cambridge do not work/are incorrect).
So, now they are working I really do love the sound. It is refreshingly flat/neutral with only very slight EQ modification to make listening really pleasurable for my ears. I use Beyerdynamic 990Pros in my home studio for music production, so I am used to a pretty neutral sound. Obviously ‘casual’ listening using earbuds on a mobile phone is a different kettle of fish, but these Cambridge buds sound a great deal better than the price suggests… maybe the discount is for the painful install/update experience?
There are 2 negatives..
1. When on a call with my dad, he kept telling me it’s very windy on the call except it wasn’t – they are just very sensitive to picking up a slight breeze.
2. Due to the buds odd shape, they do need to be adjusted with their silicone bud covers.
3. They aren’t noise cancelling – to be fair they do not say they are.
Other then those 2 negatives, they are a very very good pair of buds. Sound quality is very good and this is also including call quality. These are usually 70-100 but I picked them up for 40 which is a bargain. I lost my sony W’s and these are quite close – I am a headphone snob due to being a DJ and loving music so I like to hear all the track elements… but I will happily buy these again.
Great sound quality
I decided on these with some trepidation as there are such mixed reviews, although it seems par for the course on most Bluetooth buds I looked at around the 50 to 100 mark. Generally the issues reported are around pairing, charging and sizing (staying in your ear/getting a good seal. The one thing even the low reviews agreed on was the sound quality and I can confirm they sound great. The app is also an huge bonus as the ability to tweak the sound is important to me depending on genre I’m listening to. They don’t feel particularly premium, but neither do they feel cheap or shoddy. The case is a nice size, easy on the pocket, they stay in my ear very well and make a good seal. So far I am very satisfied. If I get problems pairing and charging over the next few weeks I will update this post. Well worth 50 in my opinion.
Update – 8 days laterstill no problems connecting ring and still on the initial charge. All good so far.
Great sound for a True wireless bud but some things could be improved
Overall these are great headphones and value for money at the current price drop 49 down from 120.
Sound quality is very good, no active noise cancelling but they are such a snug fit it really isn’t needed.
Battery life is also great.
Downsides:
They can be temperamental when connecting.
They show up as separate items in my Bluetooth connections list and sometimes the volume between the left and right buds do not sync up so when you turn them up or down one ends up louder than the other. a reset cures this for a while.
They don’t seem to turn off all the time when returning them to the charge case which then causes connection issues as they go into a standby mode that is hard to turn off.
After several weeks of use, I still have problems fitting these earphones into my ears (maybe that’s just my ears). Cambridge Audio make a big thing about trying the different, supplied buds and I have done so, but I find that the position of my head when wearing the earbuds makes as much difference to the sound as the different buds do. For instance dipping my head increases the bass response. One I have fitted them though, they are comfortable and the sound is good. I use the smaller pair of memory-foam buds, which also seem to keep out some external noise – there is no noise cancellation system.
So, I’ll move to the good points first…..
The sound is rich with a strong but not over-powering bass and with classical music there is a real sense of presence. I don’t use the equalisers, but the fact that they are available through the Android App is a bonus that some people will appreciate. I also like the fact that the App show the charge level and can even be used to find the earphones if misplaced.
However, there are some problems I have noticed…….
When I wear them when I am outdoors walking, I find I loose the signal sometimes when I turn my head, which suggests the Bluetooth signal is weaker than for other earphones I’ve used (I have my phone – the music source – in my trouser pocket). I’ve also noticed pauses (very occasionally) in the music, which begins again without my intervention – very odd, which maybe is a phone issue (Samsung S20), but I’m not sure. The earphones work well with the phone as a phone, but the microphone picks up a lot of background noise which makes a two-way conversation difficult for the person on the other end of the phone. I also have real problems seeing the L & R markings on the phones, which is needed to correctly orientate the mic – I think this is the colour contrast that makes it difficult for my aging eyes. Finally, yesterday (a few weeks after purchase) they just stopped working, they didn’t seem to be charging and wouldn’t pair when I unpaired them from the phone. Fortunately, there is a ‘help’ facility in the App and this guided me through a reset procedure that solved the problem, but I still don’t know why the issue arose in the first place.
Would I buy these again? At the reduced price yes, but at full price no – there are other earphones with good audio at the full price. The good points outweigh the bad points, which may also be more about me and my phone setup, but I find myself not using these earphone outdoors, but reserving their use for listening in the home.
I’ve had my eye on Cambridge Audio for years and when I saw these on Prime at 50, I had to get them.
Likes:
The sound is good and makes a good seal in my ear. I’ve left it with the rubber buds that were already on them and they seem to fit well.
They don’t have active noise cancelling but do a good job while out in the street cutting out road traffic well.
Very light weight.
The case makes a satisfying click shut.
Could be better:
The case is matt black and is soon covered in finger marks.
They feel very light in the hand which gives the impression of poor quality.
They look cheap – I was happy to pay the Prime price of 50 but would not pay more for these.
The volume control is terrible – it works but not feedback as to the level or if it’s activated. You hold the button and all of a sudden it’s too loud. Needs better control.
They would not auto-connect initially when I got them (after connecting them correctly). Had to turn off/on again to reconnect.
It would be good to have a light indicator showing that the buds are recharging once back in the case. You put them back in and assume the case is recharging them.
They don’t feel special in the hand.
The app is quite simple – it needs to connect the buds before giving you access to the app settings. Why can’t you just get in first and connect to the buds from within the app?
To sum up – my main issue is with the overall quality feel and poor plastic. The sound controls are too vague. The actual sound quality is good.
Happy to keep as a spare set but certainly not my main headphones going forwards.
This is my third updated review of the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ earbuds, I originally gave them 3 stars and a rather disparaging review so I need to put the record straight.
I bought them because they had been reduced to a giveaway price of 49.95 and had great reviews and this is my thoughts and impressions.
They come lavishly packed which gives hope that they should be something special but first impressions were not that great. They come fitted with large memory foam ear tips which wouldn’t even stay in my ears so I swapped them out for medium sized silicon tips.
Playing tracks I knew from previous earbuds they sounded rather flat, lacking in bass and treble and any form of dynamics or excitement. It was difficult to keep a good seal in the ears with the silicon tips which didn’t help matters.
Replacing them with medium sized Memory Foam tips made a great improvement, it’s imperative that you use Memory Foam tips with these earbuds, they provide a much better seal which improves the bass and overall sound quality, plus they are far more comfortable to wear.
It’s absolutely imperative that you download the app on Android or IOS to improve the sound and usability of these earbuds using the built in equaliser. At the risk of upsetting Cambridge Audio by changing the tuning of their earbuds, they need a quite generous bass and treble boost to get the best out of them. Fortunately this doesn’t muddy or affect the superb midrange, it just gives them the the excitement and dynamics they are initially lacking. It’s the typical V shaped frequency response that other earbuds offer straight out of the box, it’s not an audiophile frequency response but it’s the most pleasing to the human ear, or at least it is to mine. The picture is my equaliser settings.
With the aid of the memory foam ear tips and a substantial lift in the bass and treble these earbuds now sound superb. IMPORTANT be advised that unless you insert the earbuds as deep into the ear canal as possible to provide a good airtight seal, you won’t get the best sound out of them.
Overall I’m now delighted I bought these earbuds and persevered to get the best out of them. At the reduced asking price they are an absolute bargain and I can’t think of any other earbuds that I’ve tried that can deliver the sonic performance the Melomania 1+ do. I can highly recommend them providing you use Memory Foam tips and adjust the equaliser to your own personal preference.
I can’t stress enough the importance of getting a perfect seal between the earbuds and the ear canal, you won’t get the bass extension and at worst they’ll sound tinny and you’ll end up hating them. Pushing and twisting earbuds deep into the ears can be uncomfortable and painful but that’s the only way you’ll hear the sound as it’s meant to be and proves that earbuds should only be used for casual listening and not for long periods. It’s pointless spending hundreds of pounds on earbuds, they’re not designed for serious listening, best to spend the money on a decent pair of headphones and only use earbuds when out and about or for short periods. You won’t get anything better than the Melomania 1+ at anywhere near this price point, I’m pretty sure of that.
They sound superb
Really excellent sound (as you would expect from this manufacturer) – delightful to listen to, both for music and spoken word. They don’t have noise cancelling as such, but they do naturally block out a certain amount of exterior noise (more than some other in-ear ‘phones). For wearing while doing tasks in the garden or whatever, they are absolutely perfect. They’re also fine for running – once you have found the right plug, they don’t fall out / become loose. The battery life seems fine, if not outstanding. The little charging case is very neat and wonderfully useful for extending the playtime. My only criticism is that I always find systems whereby you give a headphone a long or short press to change volume, skip a track (etc, etc) impossible to use. It is all too easy accidentally to do something you didn’t want to do by pressing one of the ‘phones to get it snuggly in your ear. I would love these ‘phones (even) more even if they lacked this supposed functionality.
Had these for a couple of months now, and I really like them. I was suspicious because of the price of bluetooth earphones in general, and headaches with bluetooth products in the past, and I’ve been happy with wired earphones. Then my new phone didn’t come with a headphone jack, so I realised I needed to get with the times and invest in some bluetooth earbuds. I’m not sure what I was worried about, really.
The sound quality is excellent, they’re comfortable, and I can even fall asleep with them in. The case is compact and slips easily into my pocket. They’ve got a good few hours of charge (though this is where I’d prefer to stick to wired, which don’t need charging), and seem to charge up quite quickly. Rare is the time when I’m listening so solidly I run out of charge.
One star dropped for the foam buds. It’s great that they’re included (mine came with them on), but they only just fit into the charging case. Not a problem in itself, but as they wear out (as foam tips do), they get loose on the earbud, and because of the tight fit the tips remain in the case when you pull the bud out. You need tweezers to hand to get them out of the case… and also your ears. Because they remain in there as well when you take the buds out. This is because the tips just slide onto the bud, and there’s nothing securing them in place. I’ve had earphones that have tiny notches that the tips slide over that add extra security, and I’ve only ever had those come off in my ear when the tips were so worn out they’ve split open.
Fix that, and you’ve got some excellent ear buds, and I’d be happy to replace them with the same or updated product when they eventually wear out.
I’ve had these now since January, it is now four months later.
At the start these headphones were absolutely wonderful, a bit cumbersome to start with but once you get the right fit and get them sitting just right they’re brilliant, that’s where the good news ends.
Three months in, the problems started. The headphones went black, no life in them, no explanation, no sound when I held the button in, full charge, case fully charged, didn’t work for about three days, then all of a sudden good as new no issues worked like brand new, this has happened a few times since then, the newest and most frustrating problem now is the fact that the right earphone detached form the shell containing it while in the carry case. No explanation, I have never dropped these, they are used at night for audiobooks and when I go walking, I really love these headphones but I don’t love the problems that have happened in the four months I have owned them. Really not something an eighty quid product should be having, because of the loose fitting ear case, they now crackle at a very high pitch and it has made them unusable, and trust me I will put up with a lot of crap, I had the same headphones for around four years before I finally gave up on them. I have requested a return as I’m not willing to dance and dilly with customer services when the product should be working for the price.
Apart from the issues I have experienced though the audio is top rate, the connection has been simple and easy, and they are very good headphones, I just won’t ever purchase another pai
Have tested these against the Bowers & Wilkins P17s which I read had similar sound profiles, both being quite bassy.
If you are have a decision to make, go with the Cambridge earphones, the larger package is worth it.
Sound profile is only slightly less powerful which is natural with smaller drivers. However, they both hit very similar decibel levels for high, mid, low bass so will be great for people like me that love to hear the bass in their music.
They also come with an EQ app, which is great for fine tuning, which is missing on the Bowers & Wilkins model.
The actual case and earphones are both smaller, lighter and will fit better in your pocket.
Don’t event need to mention battery life as the unit and case both are superior of the Cambridge model.
Dont take too much notice of this not having ANC. Its fantastic at blocking out sound, tested whilst mowing lawn and at gym and couldn’t hear any external noise. Very little noise leakage also on high volume so very impressed.
You won’t regret spending less money on this! Cambridge could easily charge an extra 100.
Comfortable reliable and great sound quality
I have had a pair of the previous model for two years and wear them all night in bed. I have never before had a set of headphones last this long in such punishing use. I had to repair them a couple of times (regluing the charging ring), so in anticipation of their final demise I ordered a new set. Battery life on the new pair was really poor (4 hours) compared to the old ones which have reliably given 7-8 hours so I returned them and bought a replacement pair which are absolutely fine and with a >8 hour life so far. No hestitation in recommending them. Using with iPhone 12 Pro with no issues with updates. If the sound gets muffled clean the speaker grills with a cotton bud moistened with meths. Earwax is pervasive.
Overall: Cambridge Audio did one thing and did it well.
Positives:
– Very good audio quality, the best I’ve heard out of anything bluetooth.
– Plenty of battery life; I rarely use them long enough to run out of battery.
– Connects to computers (Windows, Linux) and smartphones (Android).
– Carrying case is small enough to easily carry around.
– I enjoy the subdued, simple design.
Negatives:
– No Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). However, they isolate pretty well, so I rarely have an issue with the lack of ANC.
– Tactile switches (push buttons) for controls are quite simple compared to capacitive touch controls and also easy to press when lying on your side.
– Fall out when wearing/removing a jumper.
– Make nasty noises that hurt your ears when subjected to significant 2.4GHz interference.
– Occasionally crash and have to be reset in their case.
The Melomania One+ buds are brilliant. With the right tips they are warm, bassy, with clear sound quality that’s way above cheap offerings. The form factor is neat – the very small charging case easily fits into pockets. Charging is quick. Control is simple via the buttons at the end of the buds.
I did have an issue with volume control. But that was fixed with changing a setting on my phone. All fine now. So I’ve adjusted my review to reflect that.
They aren’t for everyone. Getting the right tips to fit you and ensure a good seal can be tricky. Due to the size and charging method you don’t have much choice with third-party tips. But with the right fit, fantastic.
Very impressed
i held on to my trusty iPhone 6s until it gave up the ghost, principally because I did not want to have to go to wireless for buds/headphones. Then I dithered about whether I should buy over-ear headphones, as I felt they were more likely to be comfortable, and less likely to be lost, despite the fact that they are so much more bulky to carry around. Eventually, I decided that if most of the world seemed to manage with wireless earbuds, I should be able to do so too 🙂
I’m so pleased I chose these. The build quality is first class, they were quick & easy to set-up, and the sound quality is excellent. I dare say an audiophile might have some criticisms but I’m not an audiophile, and as far as I’m concerned these are easily as good as the expensive, but admittedly quite old, wired ones I’d been using, and they’re also as good as the (also quite expensive) Sennheiser over-ear headphones I use at my desk. I didn’t want noise-cancelling, I like to have awareness of my surroundings at all times.
Great to have such a variety of eartips to choose from, although I think the ones they came fitted with are going to be my best option, as it happens. Much more secure than I’d been worried about.
I’m not a regular user of buds, certainly not daily, and i did consider buying cheaper buds but at this price the quality and sound of these make them a fantastic purchase.
Very impressed
i held on to my trusty iPhone 6s until it gave up the ghost, principally because I did not want to have to go to wireless for buds/headphones. Then I dithered about whether I should buy over-ear headphones, as I felt they were more likely to be comfortable, and less likely to be lost, despite the fact that they are so much more bulky to carry around. Eventually, I decided that if most of the world seemed to manage with wireless earbuds, I should be able to do so too 🙂
I’m so pleased I chose these. The build quality is first class, they were quick & easy to set-up, and the sound quality is excellent. I dare say an audiophile might have some criticisms but I’m not an audiophile, and as far as I’m concerned these are easily as good as the expensive, but admittedly quite old, wired ones I’d been using, and they’re also as good as the (also quite expensive) Sennheiser over-ear headphones I use at my desk. I didn’t want noise-cancelling, I like to have awareness of my surroundings at all times.
Great to have such a variety of eartips to choose from, although I think the ones they came fitted with are going to be my best option, as it happens. Much more secure than I’d been worried about.
I’m not a regular user of buds, certainly not daily, and i did consider buying cheaper buds but at this price the quality and sound of these make them a fantastic purchase.
Amazing sound. Why pay more?
It’s difficult to try ear buds before you buy, so I read countless reviews. These all convinced me that 200 was the bare minimum I should pay, buds without noise cancelling were frankly laughable etc etc etc. Luckily I snapped out of it and went for the 90 Cambridge Audio 1+. When they’re in, most noise gets excluded. They’re plugs after all, and sound, well, brilliant in a grown up sort of way. Fairly neutral in default mode and very clear. I’ve tried various EQ settings, but keep coming back to the flat default. They stay in well and are comfortable. They’re bullet shaped and sort of wedge in. So far I’ve just used the fitted silicone medium tips, but you get a generous selection of silicone and memory phone tips in various sizes. The app is also very good and the case is really neat. So far I’ve had no Bluetooth drop outs at all. You do need to pair with your device in your device Bluetooth settings and then the app will find the plugs (not so clear in the rather tiny manual typography). The app works well, as do the buttons on the things themselves. But the main reason to buy these is the superb sound. Why pay more?
Amazing sound. Why pay more?
It’s difficult to try ear buds before you buy, so I read countless reviews. These all convinced me that 200 was the bare minimum I should pay, buds without noise cancelling were frankly laughable etc etc etc. Luckily I snapped out of it and went for the 90 Cambridge Audio 1+. When they’re in, most noise gets excluded. They’re plugs after all, and sound, well, brilliant in a grown up sort of way. Fairly neutral in default mode and very clear. I’ve tried various EQ settings, but keep coming back to the flat default. They stay in well and are comfortable. They’re bullet shaped and sort of wedge in. So far I’ve just used the fitted silicone medium tips, but you get a generous selection of silicone and memory phone tips in various sizes. The app is also very good and the case is really neat. So far I’ve had no Bluetooth drop outs at all. You do need to pair with your device in your device Bluetooth settings and then the app will find the plugs (not so clear in the rather tiny manual typography). The app works well, as do the buttons on the things themselves. But the main reason to buy these is the superb sound. Why pay more?
After a very poor experience with the melomania touch, I decided to try the 1+ model instead. These actually work properly (mostly), which instantly make them better than the touch (in my case of using a OnePlus phone anyway), even if the sound quality is a little poorer and missing some features. Overall battery life is very good, fitment is good (but could be better/redesigned), and the sound quality is decent enough. Sometimes the case scrapes on the buds slightly when closing it, and I’ll have the odd volume glitch, but on the whole I’m happy enough and they sound good which is the main thing. I just feel like they should be a little cheaper for what they are.
I wasn’t sure I wanted, or even needed a new set of ear buds. All the previous ones I’ve owned have been disappointing at best. They’ve either suffered from poor sound quality, sketchy connection issues, or questionable fit. In this, I include ear buds from cheap and cheerful, to expensive branded buds from companies that have built a reputation on their audio products.
I guess I did need to get some new ones after all. I needed something I could bring to work to help me ignore other people. My headphones are too big and bulky to realistically take with me, and I was getting fed up with the buds I was using. So, I did a little digging around, read some reviews, watch a few YouTube videos, and finally settled on these Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ buds. I won’t lie, the WhatHiFi 5 star award, and the T3 Platinum accolade helped with my choice, and I’m so glad I bought them.
I am blown away by how good they sound! Now, I am by no means an audiophile. I can’t tell you anything about frequencies, or highs and lows, or any of that other stuff, so I shall leave that to those who do know to tell you. What I do know, though, is I know what I like. And I like these. A lot! I realise they’ll never sound as good as my Bowers & Wilkins headphones, but for ear buds they sound great. Rich and full, and I can hear every nuance from the music I listen to. And when I’m gaming on my laptop, they seem really immersive. Again, they’ll never match the 7.1 sound I get from my HyperX gaming headset, but for gaming on the go? Perfect!
I haven’t experienced any connection issues so far. But I won’t know for sure until the spring when I start mowing my lawns again! That’ll be the real acid test! But for now, and for the purpose that I use them, they’re great. The best I’ve had by a very long way.
They came with a whole range of both silicone, and memory foam buds to get the right fit. I found the silicone ones gave a marked reduction in sound quality, and that, for me, the medium sized foam buds gave the best fit, and the best sound cancellation, along with best sound. They feel secure in my ears, and not like they’ll fall out any time soon. It remains to be seen how long the foams buds last before they’ll need replacing, though.
I don’t often give five star reviews. Only when a product really delivers and blows me away with how exceptionally good it is, do I feel that it warrants the highest possible score. These may not be to everyone’s taste, and I know that audio equipment is a very personal and subjective matter. But, for my money, these a superb. I recommend them very highly.
I like these ear buds. A lot!
I wasn’t sure I wanted, or even needed a new set of ear buds. All the previous ones I’ve owned have been disappointing at best. They’ve either suffered from poor sound quality, sketchy connection issues, or questionable fit. In this, I include ear buds from cheap and cheerful, to expensive branded buds from companies that have built a reputation on their audio products.
I guess I did need to get some new ones after all. I needed something I could bring to work to help me ignore other people. My headphones are too big and bulky to realistically take with me, and I was getting fed up with the buds I was using. So, I did a little digging around, read some reviews, watch a few YouTube videos, and finally settled on these Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ buds. I won’t lie, the WhatHiFi 5 star award, and the T3 Platinum accolade helped with my choice, and I’m so glad I bought them.
I am blown away by how good they sound! Now, I am by no means an audiophile. I can’t tell you anything about frequencies, or highs and lows, or any of that other stuff, so I shall leave that to those who do know to tell you. What I do know, though, is I know what I like. And I like these. A lot! I realise they’ll never sound as good as my Bowers & Wilkins headphones, but for ear buds they sound great. Rich and full, and I can hear every nuance from the music I listen to. And when I’m gaming on my laptop, they seem really immersive. Again, they’ll never match the 7.1 sound I get from my HyperX gaming headset, but for gaming on the go? Perfect!
I haven’t experienced any connection issues so far. But I won’t know for sure until the spring when I start mowing my lawns again! That’ll be the real acid test! But for now, and for the purpose that I use them, they’re great. The best I’ve had by a very long way.
They came with a whole range of both silicone, and memory foam buds to get the right fit. I found the silicone ones gave a marked reduction in sound quality, and that, for me, the medium sized foam buds gave the best fit, and the best sound cancellation, along with best sound. They feel secure in my ears, and not like they’ll fall out any time soon. It remains to be seen how long the foams buds last before they’ll need replacing, though.
I don’t often give five star reviews. Only when a product really delivers and blows me away with how exceptionally good it is, do I feel that it warrants the highest possible score. These may not be to everyone’s taste, and I know that audio equipment is a very personal and subjective matter. But, for my money, these a superb. I recommend them very highly.
Bought these as previous efforts from House of Marley have been feeling quite uncomfortable lately and I get a terrible itch within the ears wearing them. More selection of types of ear bud covers than the Marley’s. Like the Marley’s, these come with a little charging box but connected straight away once they’re taken out and a voice advises you they are connected. The company also do an App which enables you to customise your listening to how you want depending on the type of music you’re listening to. Time will tell if these earplugs are comfortable enough to wear for a while.
Update on review- good earphones but having issues with the Bluetooth which keeps dropping out. V annoying.
Not perfect, but very good
The Melomania 1+ earbuds fit my ears, sound good and after some initial faffing, now connect easily with both my Pixel phone and iPod touch. I’m very happy with them and am happy to recommend them, though with one reservation.
I’ve been looking for a pair of wireless earbuds for quite a while, but my ears appear to be quite picky about fit, as well as demanding good quality sound. I’ve tried a number of different pairs in the past but never got exactly what I was after until I tried these. Now a world of happy wireless earbuddery is mine.
Fit first; these do, and are comfortable over a period of a couple of hours (haven’t tried them for longer yet). A number of different tips are supplied and it’s worth taking the time to find the ones that fit your ears the best.
Connecting them to my phone was, initially, annoying and meant that I had to do a web search to find some help. After a reset in the case, and then a reset out of the case, all was well. I hope you don’t encounter such difficulties but if you do, look on the Cambridge Audio Melomania help pages, it may save you time and aggravation. Then, the app wanted to update the earbuds. Then everything needed to be charged up. By this time, I was grumbling.
Happily, everything then just worked. The sound is good (obviously dependent on source files, flac files sounded notably better than mp3s), the earbud controls work, volume is more than adequate, and I was very happy. Noise isolation is ok to good, but they aren’t noise-cancelling so there is a limit to what they can cut out. I’m happy with that.
The case is a nice wee thing, about the size of a box of matches, and charges the earbuds when they’re inside, but this is the one thing about which I have a grumble. The case doesn’t have a flat bottom, so you can’t stand it upright on a flat surface, and the lid doesn’t go backwards far enough, so removing the earbuds from the case, or returning them to it, is a two-hand job.
Otherwise, I’m very happy and look forward to using these a great deal. Would be a five-star review but I’ve knocked a star off because of that case lid.
I had been searching for headphones or buds for months, but everything seemed to have electronic noise cancelling which I am not a fan of. I just wanted a solid audio quality focused item. Stumbled across these in a review that said “great sound but few bells and whistles”. So I read a bit more and they consistently got rated high for audio quality, so I ordered a pair. Very happy I did, sound cancelling is via memory foam or silicon tips, no electronic processing to get in the way. Love that I can see charge state in the App and can easily switch equaliser profile to one that better suits the playing music. The controls are well thought out, just by tapping or holding the bud in one ear or the other to navigate. The case is tiny and snaps shut easily. I love them, oh and call quality is great too just remember to put them in with the mic at the bottom. Best of all I love the way the sound stays cohesive and detailed, I’m hearing things I’ve not heard before on albums I’ve listened to loads. Nice and controlled and not harsh at all. Love em.
Some years ago, I got drawn into the world of Hifi, constantly chasing ‘better’ performance in speakers, turntables/cartridges, amplifiers etc. until I realised that the improvements were barely audible – if at all.
Now, I listen to music for the music, rather than for the equipment, but my word! How good are these earbuds?!
Detailed treble and midrange and solid, supportive low end – but the dynamics! Wow!
I don’t intend to go down the rabbit hole again, but if anything could get me listening to the equipment rather than the music again – it’s these.
They are superb!
I bought the original for my son, and was quite jealous everytime I heard his buds. My last pair of headphones died so I decided to go for the melomanias, and to my delight found they had recently released the 1+, which has slightly better features, the main one being an app that allows for eq control, great stuff.
The pros. As probably expected, the sound on th ese is exceptional for the price. Great bass, clear minds and top end, good sound stage, and they’re loud without distortion. They’re light and comfortable. I use them for general use and exercise and they do the job. One thing I have struggled with with bluetooth headphones in the past is sweat resistance, no problems here, so far. The app allows for personalisation of sound signature and isn’t the most extensive range of eq, but is good enough. The app also shows battery level and allows control the codex of needed.
Now the bad bit, which I don’t want to admit, but feel I have to as I’m nearly at the point of giving up on the buds, but none of the following is enough to push me to return them….. Yet. Firstly, they don’t always connect out of the case. I have fiddle about at times, switching them on or off to get a connection. Next, they sometimes cut out mid use for no reason, the sound comes back quickly afterwards, but still annoying. The sound sometimes moves around the sound stage, it goes from a fairly closed profile, to wide for no reason. The last point is the charging. You have to make sure the bud is positioned exactly in the case to get a connection. This means keeping them fairly clean to make sure nothing blocks the connection, like ear wax…. As said, these are fairly minor points, but for something that costs over 100 quid, you would think these were ironed out.
If like me, sound quality is above all other aspects, and you can grit your teeth through minor issues, then go for these, you will not be disappointed. Otherwise, maybe look elsewhere
I really want to like these, there are things to like!
The good things:
– the case is brilliant – thin, opens nicely with one hand, nice material, I like the battery indication and the sound of closing
– hardware buttons (!) – unlike the popular (yet terrible) trend, CA persist to install real buttons; this works much better in all of my use cases
– battery charge is great – hands down one of the most impressive on the market atm
– the noice cancellation and sound quality are decent – unfortunately not the best, and definitely not acceptable for the price point
The bad stuff:
– connectivity never worked for me – the basic scenario of pairing with device and playing music works fine, but anything more complicated falls beneath the bar:
* when putting them away in the case, bluetooth doesn’t immediately disconnect; in fact sometimes it stays connected no matter how long I wait
* sometimes, after having used for a while then put away, I receive a call and I can’t hear anything from the speaker, because the headphones are connected – not easy to spot!
* sometimes, I haven’t figured out the exact circumstances, when I take them out of the box, one of the ears connects, but not the other; sometimes randomly they both sequentially reconnect (this happened to me twice in one day) – not good
– sound quality is not where I expected it for a company that specialises in sound systems; the sound is dull, quiet, flat and lacks basses; I’ve got headphones that cost less but sound better (those come with an awkward case though)
– fit isn’t great either – I’ve tried all silicone bud sizes and none of them worked; foam buds aren’t my cup of tea, so maybe it would’ve been a better luck there, but I decided to skip those completely; when I stretch my face long enough, the sound dissolves almost entirely and I feel how they fall off my ears; again, cheaper earphones do this job better than this second iteration of supposedly popular product.
Overall this product is below my expectations and I’ll be looking forward to returning it. Very sorry, because I really want to like it.
Wow, just wow! An amazing product, did my research, read other reviews and comments… by far the best in ear headphones I’ve ever owned (Samsung, Bose and Sennhieser) Well worth the money, noise cancelling great, decent volume and very easy to use.
Won’t go far wrong in purchasing from Cambridge Audio.
The best thing about these is the incredible battery life, in part due to them automatically switching off after the audio stops, which not all headphones do. I wanted a pair of in ear headphones so that I could listen to audiobooks while going to sleep. These are perfect. I can connect just one or the other (so I can just use one as I go to sleep). They switch off when the audio stops and I find that even when I listen to hours of a book each night the battery is still going strong a few nights later (I put them back in the case each morning, but it’s not plugged in). They are symmetrical, so I can switch the one I’m using between ears when I roll over. They are comfortable. Very happy I bought these.
I am really happy with the sound quality of these, and they are so much cheaper than most! I love the very compact carry case as well.
Connects to the phone pretty much instantly so no complaints on that part.
I found the battery life long enough for such small package!
The only thing I don’t like that much is the adjustment of volume by pressing+holding the button on the side, making it move out of the comfortable position it was already in. Probably holding it with 2 fingers and pressing it with a 3rd is the way to go.
We have a pair of Bose noise cancelling ones in the house as well and I can honestly recommend these over them: the sound quality is great, the price is much lower, and the Bose comes with a much bigger storage box which won’t fit into pockets as easily as this one. Felt like the Cambridge lasts longer on battery as well.
For 100 pounds the sound quality of these is really good. Very natural and you get an app to help tweak to your liking. I’ve had Jabra and others and this is some way ahead. You need to use the correct sized ear tip for best sound. Lots provided so that’s easy enough done. Very easy to use. Physical controls so no over sensitive touch sensitivity as per my cheaper wireless ear buds. Sweat even slightly and it’ll start pausing or changing tracks. With these physical buttons that won’t happen. Charging is easy. Simply put back in the case. No active noise canceling, only passive. Fit is comfortable. Bluetooth Connection rock solid. I’m very impressed as sound quality was my top priority. Stay in ears during runs too.
For 100 pounds the sound quality of these is really good. Very natural and you get an app to help tweak to your liking. I’ve had Jabra and others and this is some way ahead. You need to use the correct sized ear tip for best sound. Lots provided so that’s easy enough done. Very easy to use. Physical controls so no over sensitive touch sensitivity as per my cheaper wireless ear buds. Sweat even slightly and it’ll start pausing or changing tracks. With these physical buttons that won’t happen. Charging is easy. Simply put back in the case. No active noise canceling, only passive. Fit is comfortable. Bluetooth Connection rock solid. I’m very impressed as sound quality was my top priority. Stay in ears during runs too.
These sound remarkable for in-ear devices. Find the best fitting covers for them and you would think they’re noise cancelling. I found the memory foam ones were best. The battery life is great and the accompanying Melomania app is well worth getting as the eq facility is a real bonus. The first pair I bought stopped working one day after about 3 weeks. I got a full refund with no quibbles and I’ve just bout another pair as I can’t find any others that are as good for the price.
These are well presented in their box, from first connection to Bluetooth they firmware updated each bud, the app works very well, the sound was good for earbuds but still not as good as my headphones, the main reason I got them was so I could watch TV late night without disturbing anyone. I’m sorry to say there was a lag between the sound and the lip movement (lipsync) so these were not suitable for me, my Bluetooth transmitted has the APTX ll and I assumed these buds being Bluetooth 5.0 might work. I guess I will have to look for a pair APTX low latency earbuds. Just have to return them as for the price I wanted buds that were an all rounder and not just for music.
As with other earbuds of this type, the sound is really dependent on how well they fit. Get the fit right and the bass is rich and full, get the fit wrong and the sound is weak. Fortunately a good selection of different sized ear pieces are supplied. If you’re going to be using them as a wireless headset, be sure to insert them in the ears in the correct way due to the placement of the microphone.
The headphones needed a firmware update on arrival, this took a while as one didn’t update properly and then wouldn’t sync with the other one – so it’s worth making sure that firmware upgrades are completed to both so they operate properly.
The case holds a decent level of charge but it’s a pity that the wireless charging option has been removed from this updated version. I have had an instance of one of the earpieces not charging, presumably because it wasn’t seated properly – something to pay attention after use.
Overall, for the money they are a good sounding set of headphones.
I took a chance on these after reading some of the reviews on here. I currently own some bose noise cancelling over the head headphones and was looking for a decent pair of buds.
Honestly… These are hands down the best sounding in-ear earphones I’ve ever used.
Full sound, very punchy bass. But you WILL need to use the black foam buds if you want a lot more bass. As soon as I used them with these tips instead of the silicone, they sounded 100 times better.
Battery lasts absolutely ages, and charging is very quick.
If you are thinking of buying these, just do it. You will not be disappointed!!
As with other earbuds of this type, the sound is really dependent on how well they fit. Get the fit right and the bass is rich and full, get the fit wrong and the sound is weak. Fortunately a good selection of different sized ear pieces are supplied. If you’re going to be using them as a wireless headset, be sure to insert them in the ears in the correct way due to the placement of the microphone.
The headphones needed a firmware update on arrival, this took a while as one didn’t update properly and then wouldn’t sync with the other one – so it’s worth making sure that firmware upgrades are completed to both so they operate properly.
The case holds a decent level of charge but it’s a pity that the wireless charging option has been removed from this updated version. I have had an instance of one of the earpieces not charging, presumably because it wasn’t seated properly – something to pay attention after use.
Overall, for the money they are a good sounding set of headphones.
I used to charge my old headphones weekly. But these… Incredible. The Dock gives them several full charges so I use them daily on my commute and they just keep going and going. They’re NOT noise cancelling… But the fit in the ear means they pretty much drown out all the sounds of the tube and I can listen to my music NOT on full volume therefore not painful or harmful on my ears.
This review is almost 2 years old. The foam is beginning to not be AS good as it used to be. But I’ll replace that. The buds are still fantastic!
I read a lot of the reviews on Amazon before buying and can happily confirm the Melomanias sound brilliant. As always with buds it’s important you get a good seal so make sure you choose the right tip size – there’s an excellent selection included.
The buds are very light, the buttons have a satisfying click leaving you in no doubt how many times you’ve tapped for the multi function actions (All of which are very intuitive – they’re easy to use). Battery life is excellent and the carry charging case is compact, very neat and the magnetic docking of the buds is safe and secure. They’re not going to drop out.
Unfortunately, I am experiencing a couple of issues with them.
1. Connection drop outs. I read a lot of the reviews here before buying so was aware brief connection drop outs can be an issue and so it is the case for me.
I do have an older phone – Galaxy S7 – and don’t know either that affects anything but I do experience at least one connection drop cycle per use. It’s brief – literally I hear, ” Melomania disconnected…Melomania connected” but it’s frustrating and interferes with whatever you’re doing. I’ve seen some reviewers saying turning Wi-Fi off on their phone solves it. Sadly it doesn’t solve it on my S7.
2. Stereo image collapse. This is an odd one but quite often if I turn my head left or right very quickly – think something catching your eye in peripheral vision – the stereo image changes briefly (best described as like messing with the balance control on a stereo) then settles again in a couple of seconds. Again I have an older S7 but never experienced this with my Sonys.
3. Right bud powering down. This has happened twice now – the Right hand bud has just turned off during use. On both occasions this appeared to be in response to a loud alarm chirp by car I was near. I can’t say that was cause but it’s very coincidental. Whether it was or wasn’t, the bud did power itself down for whatever reason.
So to sum up – a premium looking product with excellent sound but, in my experience, with a couple of frustrating issues. Is it my phone? Well there are clearly others suffering similar issues if you take time to read other amaxon reviews so be aware these arent isolated issues. I was seriously considering returning but it’s a testament to how good they sound I haven’t.
I absolutely loved my Melomania earbuds but sadly, for now they are lost. They have incredible sound quality and the best battery life I have experienced in a wireless earbud in a long time. I’m no audiophile and I would love to be writing this as I listen to them to describe the sound as best I can but they are lost (did I mention they were lost?) so can’t. I will do my best to recall the sound. There are some annoying points to these earbuds too and we will get to them.
Sound on these is great. They have won awards for their quality and I can see why. Vocals are clear, the sound is crisp and not muddied, bass is strong but not overpowering. There is detail you can her with these earbuds which you can’t catch with others. The sound quality for me is superior to my much more expensive BOSE over ear headphones which surprised me.
Battery life is exceptional. I could listen to music for pretty much all of my working day with one charge however there was never really any need to push this as at lunch time I just chuck them in the case and recharge whilst eating and then go again. I would fully believe the 45 hour claim from the manufacturer.
Comfort is fine for an ear canal style earbud. They look huge in the pictures but aren’t actually all that bad. You can get a nice snug fit with the included tips but as always if you want best sound quality and noise cancellation you should go find a nice memory foam type tip. They haven’t ever fallen out of my head when walking with them and because there is no cable you get no cable rub noise.
Noise cancellation in these is passive and not active but is surprisingly powerful. I can comfortably ignore people at work with these in and not have to listen to any of the office gossip. GREAT!
Some points to note about these and some areas where the manufacturer needs to make some improvements.
Bluetooth connection. This may be down to the phone but I suspect not as I have no other connection issues with anything else, but sometimes BT will just not connect. When you take the buds out of the case they should auto connect but there are times when this doesn’t happen and you have to put them back in the case, close the case, open the case and then hope it works the next time. It’s very, very annoying when this happens and it did happen more often than I would like.
There are touch controls on the buds, they are somewhat fiddly to use sometimes and because of the design when you want to use them you are effectively pushing the buds deeper into your ear canals, yes you could use a lighter touch but sometimes this results in the press not being registered so you just have to keep on pressing. Not sure how they could get around this issue with this design but it certainly needs addressing.
The tips you get with the buds are great but they will NOT last you more than 6 months. There are a few more in the box but they will expire. This isn’t exclusive to CA tips however when the tips expire they WILL get stuck in the case and you will have a fun time trying to dig them out. This is especially annoying if you are out in the middle of no where on a walk and this happens.
inside the use of these earbuds for talking on the phone is more or less OK but outside you can forget about it. I’m not surprised by this considering how far from your face these will be but just wanted to mention it.
Overall, even with these annoying points I still loved these earbuds and will keep searching for them. You might want to consider how easy these are to lose too but this is definitely not exclusive to these earbuds. Anything small without a tether is easy to misplace. Despite all of this though I would recommend these to anyone over anything else in a heartbeat. At 99 they stomp all over all other earbuds and should be the pair you go looking for next. I used them with my iPhone 11, connected them to my laptop and also a pixel 3 XL and all of them worked absolutely fine.
Go buy them, I would…
Decent sound quality. Good amount of bass and sub bass but higher frequencies are still clear. Case is very portable, only a couple of millimeters thicker than my wallet. Magnets holding the buds in and the case closed are strong enough that they aren’t going to go flying if you drop it and make opening and closing the case feel very premium. Battery life is excellent. Branding is understated and looks good.
The negative: the case picks up greasy fingerprints very easily so it always looks just a little bit grubby. Holes where the buds go into are quite deep and narrow so over time gunk can build up in them and you need to go in with a cotton bud to clean it out. Occasionally when opening the case the lid grazes the edge of the bud if it isn’t put in exactly right. As other reviews have mentioned they can be annoying to pair sometimes.
None of these complaints are a big deal but they take away from the otherwise premium feel.