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 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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 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.
Update on review- good earphones but having issues with the Bluetooth which keeps dropping out. V annoying.
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.
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!
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
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.
Won’t go far wrong in purchasing from Cambridge Audio.
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!!
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.
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!
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.
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…
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.
. I’m one happy customer. Thank you Cambridge audio for making an amazing and affordable set of wireless buds.
The Melomania +1’s blow them out of the water. They’re on par, if not better than my wired buds, which is more than I could’ve asked for.
Comfortable to wear once you’ve dialled in the right silicon tips, of which there are over a dozen to choose from. The earbuds themselves are discreet, and don’t feel like you’ve got two large strawberries sticking out of your earlobes. They feel just like regular earphones, except… no wires. What an age we live in.
Sound-wise – dreamy, generous soundstage; little to no fatigue (this is where they beat out my wired buds); bass is clean if not exactly thumping – but not inadequate providing you’re not a total bass head (you know who you are); and the mids and highs lean towards balance over accuracy, which is a godsend if you find the latter shrill and uninviting.
I wouldn’t go as far as to call myself an audiophile, but, really, any perceived shortcomings with these are only owing to Bluetooth, so in that respect, they really, really deliver.
Hats off Cambridge Audio. Hats off.
Of course they are not prefect, but none of the niggles are particularly serious. The Bluetooth connection is pretty reliable, although sometimes one fails to connect and you need to put them both back in the case then take them out again to force them to reconnect. Not sure if this is just Bluetooth being Bluetooth, or a design fault of the earbuds, but it is a little annoying. The end of each earbud is also a large button, and it is easy to push this when fitting or removing the earbud. You soon get used to handling them to avoid this. I find it impossible to remember the controls, beyond pressing and holding left or right to reduce or increase the volume and tapping either button to pause/start. I have inadvertently initiated calls by pressing accidentally, so would much prefer if the controls were just volume up/down and pause/start, but that is probably just me! I also had one of the memory foam adaptors tear when trying remove it to clean it, but Cambridge Audio sent some replacements free of charge, so I’m not too annoyed about that.
Overall, I would highly recommend these to anyone who wants true wireless earbuds that sound amazing and don’t cost silly money.
I am fussy when it comes to earphones and my wife will attest to the piles of cables and old equipment strewn over my office!
These are worthy of a review and a thumbs up.
First the pros: comfortable, easy to use, good sound (actually very good), amazingly good battery life, people have mentioned issues with the buttons and it’s true that when adjusting fit particularly with gloves on you can stop playing, that being said it isn’t a problem as the button is easy to find and responsive.
Cons sometimes (maybe 1 time in 10) they don’t connect immediately and have to be put back in the case or oddly stay connected when back in the case. There really isn’t any noise cancellation to speak off certainly when compared to my Sony Noise cancelling earphones.
That being said the battery is a particular plus and the sound is as good as one might expect from Cambridge Audi on (given the small physical presence). It’s. a thumbs up from me.
Update some months later
Still happy overall. Have to say that getting them to link to the phone can be a bit hit and miss. Sometimes they don’t connect on opening case and taking out other times they stay connected when they have been put back in case. The other issue is the case itself the ear tips can disconnect and stay in the case even thought the bud is out. Very annoying. Still good but probably 4 stars and have some annoyances to be dealt with
However, the call quality, even in a quiet environment, is shockingly bad! So if you’re looking for something you can also use for calls, then look elsewhere!
I’ll keep these for the audio quality as that’s why I purchased them (hence the 4 stars), but I’m already looking for an alternative that can hopefully give me both a great listening experience AND call quality.
TL:DR, they sound GREAT! ((Former semi-pro musician and hobbyist audiophile.) 79 is an absolute steal for this combo of slightly warm but reasonably natural sound with good bass and decent sound stage. Easy to pair/connect and comfy to wear. Just make sure you use the foam tips, not the silicon ones.
They’re not the last word in clarity, timing or bass when compared with more expensive wired headphones, but I reckon they’d be pretty hard to beat for everyday quality and convenience.
Looking forward to trying them with better foam buds, but I already love them!
These are the exception. In the limited time I have had them all my wishes have been met et al:
1. Easy pairing
2. Easy control for volume, pause etc
3. Quality sound. Right up there or thereabouts with the best end to my humble hearing
4. Though these are not noise cancelling, unbelievable the way the world is shut out when the music plays
5. Love the small case but doesn’t feel tiny like it is – so practical to take with you
5. Quality feel to both buds and case
6. Incredible value considering all the above
Note – I read these buds have been superceded by a newer model hence the recent price fall, presumably to clear stock, so be quick to snap these up
The buds themselves have a great design but it won’t be for everyones ears, I didn’t find them too bad, but they can stick out a lot depending on the shape of your ears, I found the fit on one ear was much better than the other for example. They are very tiny and they can be quite fiddly to get back in to the case, so be careful!
The main drawbacks of these headphones are the microphone quality and the Bluetooth the connection quality. The microphone is borderline unusable, I had multiple calls where people could not hear me at all or complained about feedback, I imagine due to the fact there is no stem for the microphone. As for the connection quality, over the course of two pairs of these I have had I experienced very spotty connection when using an Apple device, however it should be noted that my experience on Android was much better. They also come with a really annoying voice saying “Melomania Connected” etc. every time something happens. The final nail in the coffin for these as a daily pair of buds for me was switching between devices, it was a real pain and I could never reliably switch between devices without spending ages faffing around in a Bluetooth menu, I think this could be because each bud registers as a separate Bluetooth device and it’s hard to tell which one is actually connected at any given moment, for that reason I ended up returning these and going with a more integrated pair of buds.
If you are planning to use these on just one device, and only care about music quality I can’t recommend these high enough, however think twice if connecting to multiple devices or call quality is important to you.
There are a couple of negatives – these have a slightly cheap feel. The packaging, charging case, silicone buds etc are all of the same quality as one would expect from 30 made in China no-name earphones. There is no app so no chance of firmware updates or equaliser controls. One earbud discharges faster than the other (depending on which one is removed from the case first as this acts as the master unit). The battery in the case slowly discharges even when the earbuds are not in use. They are slightly large in the ear and do not stay securely in place for long. They do not have much style.
Still, this is a good product and 4 stars are deserved at the current price of 79.
Firstly the packaging is 100% recyclable. Even using soya ink and potato starch plastic. Well done Cambridge Audio!
The sound quality is excellent. Very clear and crisp and good balance of bass and treble. They come with 8 different types/sizes of ear buds so you need to play around and find what fits best for you to get a good seal. I have gone with the memory foam that give a good seal and do almost block out all surrounding sounds ( even traffic noise, so be careful if out running or on a bike!) The sound quality and lack of outside noise means you don’t have to have them so loud either which is great for your hearing too. The appearance is different to many earphones out there but the design is about giving the best sound quality. I use them for running and they fit securely and don’t move or fall out. I have not been able to test the full battery life but have had them on for 3 hours and still plenty of battery life.
I have dropped one star for workouts as you can hear the vibration as your foot strikes the ground in some circumstances ( hard ground/downhill, or that my just be my heavy footed running style!) doesn’t really cause me an issue and the other positives outweigh this.
They are fantastic indoors whilst working from home and prefer to use these than a speaker system.
Overall a great product and for only 80.
The sound quality is wonderful. As others have mentioned, I am hearing elements in the music, previously not heard with my other earphones. The touch controls are surprisingly usable.
I also bought the recommended silicon case for the charger. This was a disapointment, it does not fit well and the cutouts do not line up.
As mentioned above the charger requires the older style USB lead, a short one is provided.
Sound is really good…when you get the fit right. But that seems really difficult on these compared to other buds I’ve tried. I’m regularly “screwing” these in only for them to loosen again quickly. I’ve tried different tips and foam ones work best but they still aren’t perfect for me.
I also hate how they look…feel a bit like Frankenstein’s monster with these bolts sticking out my ears…
Having some connection issues now and then- robot voice saying “Bluetooth on. Bluetooth disconnected, Bluetooth on. Bluetooth disconnected…” Bit of a pod bay doors moment. Maybe it’s a) my stupidity or b) my Android. But my other Bluetooth phones (Bose and Skullcandy) just go beeep, and connect. Every. Time. Problem seems to go away by putting the Melomanias back in the case, and taking them out again.
Sound on these is clear, colourful, detailed. In fact, I’d probably say it’s the best sound I’ve ever experienced from in-ear phones. It’s the sound I was hoping for at this price point. Definitely not disappointed there.
Design – generally excellent. Looks-wise 10/10. The retrofuturistic flashing circles around the outside of the phones are very smart. Functional too as they indicate various states e.g. pairing mode, charging, etc.
One small but significant quibble – the supplied silicone tips seem long and thin and don’t stay in my ears. It’s as if they were designed for another primate species. I’d clocked this in numerous reviews before buying though, so I paid a tenner for the Cambridge Audio foam tips which are much, much better. Just a shame that it adds over 10% to the cost of having a working pair of Melomanias. I’ll give the silicone spares to my pet baboons.
All in all, I’m happy with this purchase.
*Update – after a few days’ heavy use, I have to say I love these phones. The sound is great, and with the foam tips, the fit is perfect.
Music used to test phones was all Flac or CD and included:
YG – My Krazy Life
Tom Waits – Alice
Durutti Column – The Return Of The…
Aphex Twin – SYRO
The Blue Nile – Hats
Cocteau Twins – Heaven or Las Vegas
After being with wired earphones for a while I thought I’d go down the path of the ‘true wireless’ buds that have been garnering popularity. After a bit of looking around I was stuck between these and the Sony WF-1000XM3s: these were what I wanted to go for based on sound alone, which is obviously what you want a decent pair of earphones for; but I was quite unsure based on the number of people saying they couldn’t get them to fit right in their ears, a problem so severe that many were knocking an entire star off for it. However, after considering how many reviews I saw about the Sonys regarding them sounding poor, and after agreeing with myself that I have big ears, I went for the Melomanias.
Fast forward less than a day (thanks to Amazon Prime, of course) and there they were, laid on my doormat after being posted through my letterbox. Initial impressions were that the packaging is very premium, which was rather surprising because it’s all made out of… well, recycled cardboard. Slip the box out of the sleeve and you’re presented with two objects: a piece of paper from the CEO James Johnson-Flint thanking you for your purchase etc; and the main part of the packaging, holding the case for the buds, the charging wire and a little envelope with gold lettering which reads ‘For Those Who Listen’. Inside it is your usual literature, as well as a handy credit card-sized piece of paper listing the touch control combinations, and a neat little booklet of sorts guiding you through the history of Cambridge Audio. There are extra tips for the buds stowed away in a clever little mechanism, which slides out of the box; there are two pairs of memory foam tips, and three different sizes of ‘normal’ tips which have two pairs each, so you have a good bit of variety. I initially went for the memory foam ones but found them to be a little uncomfortable after a while, so I swapped them for the largest pair of tips. Pairing the buds is easy: turn on Bluetooth on your device, take the buds out of the case and select one of the buds that appear; both buds will show up, but only connecting to one is necessary, as they are both synced with each other.
So, now comes the important part: the buds themselves. What do they sound like? Phenomenal. Like, seriously, I’m not sure whether it’s because I’ve had poor earphones in the past or something but these sound simply amazing. The clarity and the range of sound is exceptional, meaning that I could hear absolutely everything that was going on in everything I tested, even things I’ve personally never heard before in music I’ve listened to for years—this ranged from frenetic techno such as Aphex Twin and Autechre, to orchestral pieces such as the score for 1917, and a bit of everything in between. The bass is nice and punchy, not overemphasised but natural, and this may be contrary to what other reviewers have said because they fit perfectly in my ear. I shove them in, give them a wiggle about to find the optimum position and they stay there—never do I feel like they’ll fall out. And, whilst these earphones don’t have ANC, the good fit I have ensures that I couldn’t hear my surroundings anyway, so WF-1000XM3s with your clever ANC processor eat your heart out. The touch controls are rather run of the mill, in which the sides of the buds are physical buttons that you press rather than true touch controls, but this doesn’t bother me as I don’t use these anyway. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on the microphone as I haven’t made or received any calls with these. One other thing I can comment on, though, is that the buds themselves have an enormous battery life and the case has an even more enormous battery life to boot.
I do have some niggles with these though. The first is that the charging method is via micro-USB, which is a shame considering that virtually everything is transitioning to the more modern USB-C. The second is that these do not support wireless charging, which again is a shame, especially for a product like these which would probably benefit from not having the circuitry for a physical charging port and instead just rely on wireless charging. The third is quite nitpicky, but the charging port location is on the side of the case, and I feel that it would look better if it was on the bottom of it instead. But these issues are rather unimportant I suppose, and none of my issues are from how they sound which is very much a good thing, as these buds are something special.
As I mentioned, I was stuck between these and the WF-1000XM3s. Right now, I’m very happy that I went with these, so much so that I’ve spent virtually all day listening to my entire music library again with a huge smirk on my face. If you’re in the same boat as I was in then I believe my review is proof-is-in-the-pudding enough for you to make a decision.
Pros: don’t look as daft as other earbuds with the little tail bit dangling down.
Sound quality is immense. I’m noticing bits in the background of songs I’ve listened to many times that I’ve never noticed before.
Volume is plenty loud enough and impressive for how small they are.
Battery life is great and they can be recharged 5-6 times from the case before the case needs recharging itself.
They come with 4 different tips one of which is memory foam although I prefer the rubber ones.
All genres sounds great. As someone that listens to everything from Eminem to slipknot to the Beatles to Beethoven I can safely say that these sounds great whatever you’re listening to. Ive noticed other ear/headphones tend to favour particular genres.
Cons: The only cons I can really think of the range isn’t the best. Getting up and going to a different room to grab something generally causes them to lose connection but this is not really a big deal.
Sometimes it can be a bit of a faf to get them connected. I have had to switch Bluetooth off and back on my device several times before they connect to it but most of the time connect as soon as you take them out of the case.
All in all I love these earbuds and for the current price they are an absolute steal! I have included some pictures to try and give you a size scope of these buds.
Now, I am not an audiophile and I have always bought cheap phones and buds, thinking that they all sound the same and why would I pay more than a few for a set. But the Melomania 1 have changed my viewpoint on this!
I had done a lot of research into which wireless Bluetooth earbuds to buy and I was torn between the Melomania 1, Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 pro and the Lypertek Tevi. Each had good reviews interspersed with negative reviews (as is always the case) but the Melomania edged it for me due to their look. So I took the plunge and forked out my 100.
They arrived next day (great job as always Amazon) without problem.
I opened up the parcel and was greeted with the brown cardboard box packaging of the Melomanias. I was a bit disappointed with first appearance but quickly got over that when I opened the box. The presentation is beautiful with the snazzy little charge case in view. It helped that the packaging is almost all recyclable cardboard (top work Cambridge Audio).
Next I took out the instructions and spare tips (of which you get a variety of the silicone ones and two sets of the foams – M and L I think), so you are well covered with options.
Next it was the case for the buds. This is beautifully crafted and an awesome feeling case. It is compact and unobtrusive and just looks wonderful. The hinge on that opens and closes the case just feels so smooth. This really is a work of art! My only criticism is the fact that the case is charged with a standard micro USB and not USB-C.
So I then try the buds. I used the buds as they were -using the silicone tips fitted on dispatch. The fit was good and comfortable so I kept them on. I listened to some music and could immediately hear the clarity. Crisp, clean and a cut above my previous JLab go Air (which is still good for a 30 set of buds!). I was impressed. There was just a really nice balance to the tones. I was satisfied.
The touch controls (volume, track forward and back, calls etc) on the buds are smooth, intuitive and very responsive so that was another big thumbs up.
And then the BIG difference. I decided to try out the black foam buds that came in the packaging. Super easy to fit. I put the buds back in my ears and put the music on…………….I was BLOWN AWAY by how good these were. The foam buds transformed a very good sound into a truly awesome one! I didn’t know that such a simple change could offer so much.
The sound was so much deeper, fuller, bassy (but not overpoweringly so). It was spectacular!!! I was (I AM STILL) blown away by the sound quality of these buds with the foam tips.
If I had to describe the sound as a visual description, it would be that of oozing warm runny honey being poured over my eardrums. It is just so warm, loving, sweet and all encompassing. It gave me a sense of well controlled power being channelled in the right quantity into my ears. Its perfect.
A truly wonderful set of buds that has changed my view of how music should be heard.
Excellent work Cambridge Audio, and thank you!
Personally, all of the supplied tips were too small for me so I spent 16 on T-600 comply tips (s/m/l sizes), the large ones fit me and the headphones sounded great – all good until trying to get them into the carrying/charging case where they just about squeeze in but are slightly too long to allow the connection to charge up. I didn’t want to take off the tips each time I charge (or cutting the ends off them to make them fit) so I returned the headphones, which is a shame because they were very close (literally about 1mm) to being really good.
Other reviews say the T-600 tips solved the size issue if you have wider ear canals than the supplied tips, so perhaps there are slightly different versions that work – but the Cambridge Audio information makes it clear that using non-supplied tips can prevent charging so I’m not so sure how other people have done it without that issue.
The sound quality is fantastic for the price, with crisp detail and good volume. I have used entry-level over-ear headphones such as the Skullcandy Hesh and Audio-Technica ATH-M30X before buying these. The bass from these easily surpasses any over-ear headphone I’ve tried which is very impressive given their size. The Melomania’s come with 4 earbuds so I would recommend giving each a try for a day or two to see which gives the best seal as this is key to getting the best sound quality, particularly when it comes to bass. I found the high-tones a bit sharp straight out the box but this was easily fixed with an equaliser, which I would highly recommend using them to get the most out of their sound. I use Equaliser FX Pro which is very simple and works on both Android and iOS and have attached the settings I used for them in the pics.
The battery on the headphones and charging pack is also very impressive, I use them regularly for several days before having to charge them again. Bluetooth connectivity on both my phone and laptop is very fast and I only occasionally have issues connecting which is fixed by putting the earphones back in the charging pack to reset them.
The on-board functions such as play, skip and volume work very well because Melomania uses buttons (the glowing end of the earphone seen in the pic) rather than touch to activate them. Activating the personal assistant also works well. I have tried using them to answer calls but have had people complain of quiet volume issues, although I think this may be a case of putting the earphone in correctly so the mic faces the mouth properly.
I would also recommend getting the case (see green silicon case in pic) as it really helps protect the earphones and makes it less likely to fall out your pocket. It isn’t the greatest design because the top lid can slip off sometimes and I wouldn’t trust the flimsy carabiner ring on the side to hang it off anything, but for protecting your 150 headphones from damage it’s worth the tenner.
Finally, I was worried the shape of the headphone would give me a Frankenstein appearance when wearing them but their profile is actually much smaller when in your ear and look fine.
So overall, to get the most out of these earphones you have to spend some time getting the right ear-bud seal and equaliser settings, but even straight out the box the sound quality is excellent. These are a great addition for people passionate about sound who can’t afford to blow a grand on a pair of headphones.
For reference, the first version of these earphones were total junk, never connecting properly, sounding awful and always running out of battery prematurely. Once a terminal fault developed, I returned mine for a replacement. To my surprise, I received the 1+ edition by return. This update model sounds better, works better and even has a modern USB-C charging port. I am delighted to have received them and now really enjoy using them with the superb Comply eartips.
Thanks to Cambridge Audio for offering this excellent updated replacement product. They have quickly become my favourite earphones.
Positives:
– They sound GREAT. Not the most bass ever so if that’s what you’re after, maybe look elsewhere, but it’s not weak either.
– Tips, particularly the memory foam ones fit very nicely in the ear.
– Case. Wonderful size and feel, fits in all pockets. Clean look. Great battery capacity. Easily readable indicator.
– Isolation. These passively isolate pretty damn well.
My only nitpicks are:
– The buds occasionally make contact with the lid of the case when opening and closing it. This may cause wear over time (but I haven’t seen any yet).
– The buds themselves can be a bit uncomfortable on long listenings on the actual outer ear, as they can stick into the ear a bit. A survey/research into ergonomics and a slight redesign could 100% solve this.
– The controls – kind of. They’re self explanatory and easy to work, but I occasionally find myself turning the volume up/down when I don’t want to.
– The lights. I actually like them 90% of the time, I just wish there was a way to turn them completely off on the earbuds for nighttime.
In addition to the issues above, things for a future iteration:
– A ‘Plus’ or ‘Pro’ model that costs more but has ANC and passthrough.
– Wireless charging and/or USB C on the case.
The bluetooth connection seems very stable. Indoors, there is never a disconnect. Outdoors, I’ve only experienced a disconnect when the charging case was in my pocket, masking the phone’s bluetooth antenna, which is to be expected. Otherwise rock solid connection.
There is only one downside I can see with these and it is that some may struggle with the fit. The nozzles are unusually large and none of the supplied tips gave a good enough seal. I’ve found Cambridge Audio’s own large foam tips (sold separately at 15 for 5 pairs) to provide a good seal with a little “screwing them in”. With these tips, sound isolation is very good, you may prefer silicone tips with less isolation if out and about near traffic.
I’m a bit of a Hi-Fi nut and listen on serious equipment at home. These are the first set of earbuds that I have actually really enjoyed music through, so I’m probably going to investigate a dedicated music player and more head fi in the future. A good product!
I was a bit concerned if I was paying over the odds (Creative were on offer for c.60), but i felt there were too many reported issues with Creative and star rating was lower and I didn’t want to regret this purchase.
From the moment you open the box you realise the quality, care and love that’s gone into making this product, the build quality is robust and the buttons are so easy to use.
I got these Saturday morning 16 May and they have barely left my ears since. It is an absolute joy – the battle now is my boyfriend trying to get any attention!
The quality of the audio is so special – I was listening to a piano recital and can even hear the cushion squeak! Sadly, for my poppy dance music they don’t go quite loud enough, but I guess that’s to protect my hearing and I’m sure the science is right for the long term!
Did have a couple of issues re: connectivity and blue tooth with left and right, but think it’s because you’re only meant to have one device connected (I’m using an iPhone)
Anyway, long and short, this is the best money I’ve spent and even within this short time period already feel they’re brilliant money for value and so difficult to take out – because I love them so much!
PS. Just to add, I’m not a headphone expert and usually prefer my speaker way loud, and so this has been a miraculous change to my way of life and me, so just saying in case you’re a bit like that also 🙂
I decided to get the Melomania’s for two key reasons:
– Excellent review from What Hifi?
– The Price
Now I’ve been burnt before by inexpensive Wireless Earbuds – specifically Mobvoi’s Ticpods – which put me off Wireless buds for a bit. I’ve been running over-ear cans for the last year or so, as I’m a bass-head and need decent bass reproduction to enjoy a lot of music. But enough background, what are the Melomania’s like?
Pros
– Clear, crisp audio, with bright highs and mids
– Easy Setup and Pairing with plenty of easy to follow documentation
– Simple design, not too flashy
– Comfortable fit and various tips to suit different types of ears
– Small Form Factor
– Great battery life
– Price!
Cons
– Bass reproduction out of the box is lacking
– No ANC
– Micro USB for charging
– No companion app on Mobile
The part I want to touch on really quick is the bass reproduction. Out of the box, I’d call the lows and bass fairly “Limited” with not much punch. But here is the great thing about these buds – tweaking the balance on an inexpensive equalizer gave them a fantastic sound, with no distortion. It speaks to the build quality on these things that tweaks to the factory tune continued to produce clear and crisp audio whilst increasing the bass.
So no real complaints here. The one big thing to consider here is whether you go for these or the more expensive Sony’s (as the out of box tune on the Sony’s is arguably superior for someone like myself and includes ANC, an App, USB-C) but considering the price point, you get some much value from Team Cambridge. I’d recommend these.
Sound Quality:
I’m no audiophile but I can tell a good pair from a bad pair. To me they’re as good as each other and I was happy with both. Airpods Pro noise cancellation was nice for blocking out ambient sound (fans, air con units) but its not true isolation as you get with larger earphones. It wasn’t a game changer but would be nice to have if you’re on a train/coach. It only dampens wind noise if it’s a windy day.
Comfort:
Both cases are similar sizes. The lid on the CA case opens around 100 degrees from the hinge, my fingers hit my lid as I try to remove them. Taking them out is a 2 handed job. The Airpods have a weighted lid which opens wider and overall the case feels a bit better quality.
Airpods felt more comfortable in the ear, they don’t have the ‘suction’ air pressure feeling. The CA’s need a good seal and I find they fit best when you kind of screw them into the ear. I also find they’re fiddly to put back in the case when the L/R indicator isn’t facing you, both buds are identical.
The in-ear controls are a little uncomfortable with the CA’s because pressing the button means pushing them into your ear. The Airpods squeeze control was better and little things like auto-pause when taking one bud out are nice features.
Connectivity:
I have an iPhone and the Airpods are designed to work seamlessly. My CA’s connect like regular bluetooth devices, about once a week for some reason I need to manually reconnect which is a bit annoying at times. Mostly though they’re good.
Firmware updates are terrible on CA’s – they require an android device! But tbh looking at the release notes there hasn’t been a firmware upgrade worth going through the pain for yet.
Airpods felt like they had a slightly smaller sound lag but there’s not much in it.
Battery life:
CA’s much stronger in this area, noticeably better. While I personally never need buds to last more than a few hours at a time, remember battery is non replaceable and deteriorates as the years go by, so I’m glad to have the large buffer with the CA’s.
Call quality
Airpods were much better, CA’s don’t always pick up my voice well enough for the person to hear me unless I talk loudly. You have to decide if that improvement is worth the extra 150.
Value:
At less than half the price, and with the long life promised by the battery, I kept the CA’s over the AirPods Pro. They’re the more sensible buy for sure. If Apple made theirs cheaper (say 100-150), I would probably swing the other way though as I did slightly prefer the Airpods overall.
Another good thing with these Melomania is the case is very small and compact, smallest case I’ve seen, so if you are in a suit you can carry it in your pocket easily. I charge the case up maybe once a month and I use them frequently on a 40 minute each way journey into work. (that was before the Covid-19 Virus and work at home).
The memory foam inserts change the signature markedly, these then become loads more bass-ey and then the passive noise cancelling pretty much shuts out all ambient noise, but beware if your train is diverted you will miss the announcement; I ended up at Kings Cross once because of these… True story that… … You also get that bone conduction effect with the memory foam pads where you can hear yourself breathing and walking, so I went back to the silicone tips just so I don’t arrive at work late and I like that I can hear a little of ambient sound if the volume isn’t maxed out.
Should I talk about the impressive wide yet intimate soundstage, sonic subtleties with a powerful cavernous bottom end that doesn’t bleed into the forward midrange which doesn’t bleed into the sparkling top end which isn’t fatiguing from any peaks, fast pacing with a complex simple smooth playful decay, uncompromising cohesive detail, laid back and laid forward, U V and W sound profile with a lush clinically clear top end and yes, you will hear things in Dark Side of The Moon and Hotel California that you have never heard before, Nick Mason dropping his sweat band mid way through great gig in the sky, Don Henley pulling his socks up just before the vocals cut in, Excision breathing in gently before announcing he Guess I got my Swagger back, and that obscure Vietnamese throat warbling trio that nobody has ever heard of will appear to be standing right in front of you such is the realism and neutrality you can only get from a dozen monoblock Krells and Focal Grande Utopia’s connected with titanium unidirectional interconnects … These Melo’s will give your whole playlist a whole new lease of life. and . Or not. Who knows. bleh… bleh… bleh…
To sum up, Great sounding small (if slightly odd looking- but better in black tho) earbuds.
Only con is the name sounds a little too much like melanoma, but its a small price to pay. (Apologies to anyone suffering)…
I like them…
Initially I wasn’t too impressed. They didn’t seem to fit in the ear as well as the others which are a different shape, with the usual right angle fitting, whereas these are straight. Noise cancellation seemed almost nil and the buttons were easily activated when putting them in my ears.
So not a great start.
However, after a few days of use it became apparent they are more secure in the ears than the other ones,which is almost counter intuitive when you consider the shape.
Then I realised there was one set of memory foam tips which I tried and, presto, noise cancellation solved. It’s not really noise cancellation, just blocking, but not too bad.
Connecting them to my laptop was a doddle, but it became apparent, disconnecting the right hand speaker was equally a doddle, albeit unintentionally. A bit frustrating to begin with, but I just got into the routine of reinstalling them every few days.
Accidental button activation largely goes away once you get used to putting them in your ears carefully.
I’ll only mention the range because people will be curious. I don’t get a good range but I’m certain that’s my laptop’s fault, with a wimpy Bluetooth – in a 2,500 Porsche Design item!!! Both sets of earbuds are the same, despite others achieving 5m or more distance through wall. So, no stars knocked off for that.
The case is smaller than the other set as well, and if you’re active, it would slip in your pocket unnoticed.
The redeeming feature that will make you stick with them is the sound. I’m no audio freak, but if I could put a scale of comparison between the cheap earbuds and theses, it would be something like 10% compared to 90%. The noise from these things rival my conventional headphones, it’s glorious. Whilst others might describe it as bassy (which it is compared to the others) I find it a very natural sound you can listen to either music or movies with comfortably.
Unexpectedly, after a few weeks of getting used to them, they have replaced my conventional headphones completely. They are connected by the time you get them from the box to your ears, take up no tabletop space whatsoever, and the case holds a great charge. Nor have I run out of power in the ear buds themselves.
All in all, I have awarded then 4 stars to reflect the occasional disconnection problem and the fact they are describes as noise cancelling, which isn’t really true in the conventional understanding of active noise cancellation.
Initially I wasn’t too impressed. They didn’t seem to fit in the ear as well as the others which are a different shape, with the usual right angle fitting, whereas these are straight. Noise cancellation seemed almost nil and the buttons were easily activated when putting them in my ears.
So not a great start.
However, after a few days of use it became apparent they are more secure in the ears than the other ones,which is almost counter intuitive when you consider the shape.
Then I realised there was one set of memory foam tips which I tried and, presto, noise cancellation solved. It’s not really noise cancellation, just blocking, but not too bad.
Connecting them to my laptop was a doddle, but it became apparent, disconnecting the right hand speaker was equally a doddle, albeit unintentionally. A bit frustrating to begin with, but I just got into the routine of reinstalling them every few days.
Accidental button activation largely goes away once you get used to putting them in your ears carefully.
I’ll only mention the range because people will be curious. I don’t get a good range but I’m certain that’s my laptop’s fault, with a wimpy Bluetooth – in a 2,500 Porsche Design item!!! Both sets of earbuds are the same, despite others achieving 5m or more distance through wall. So, no stars knocked off for that.
The case is smaller than the other set as well, and if you’re active, it would slip in your pocket unnoticed.
The redeeming feature that will make you stick with them is the sound. I’m no audio freak, but if I could put a scale of comparison between the cheap earbuds and theses, it would be something like 10% compared to 90%. The noise from these things rival my conventional headphones, it’s glorious. Whilst others might describe it as bassy (which it is compared to the others) I find it a very natural sound you can listen to either music or movies with comfortably.
Unexpectedly, after a few weeks of getting used to them, they have replaced my conventional headphones completely. They are connected by the time you get them from the box to your ears, take up no tabletop space whatsoever, and the case holds a great charge. Nor have I run out of power in the ear buds themselves.
All in all, I have awarded then 4 stars to reflect the occasional disconnection problem and the fact they are describes as noise cancelling, which isn’t really true in the conventional understanding of active noise cancellation.
The sound is really good, clear detailed and on the neutral side (I’m not a big fan of artificially heavy bass). I listened to some music with a range of sound styles, from some more acoustic bits, to heavy parts with a lot of complexity (and even walls of sound), and the earbuds performed really well across the whole frequency range.
They are also small, lightweight and discrete. I know this can vary from person to person, but in my case they fit quite comfortably with the included ear tips and, because they are so light, you can sometimes forget you have them on – which to me is a good sign. The controls on the earbuds are also intuitive enough to use, even though they are not touch sensitive.
The only problem I had with them was that when I took them outside and tried play music from my phone, the connection would breakup occasionally (like several times in 15 mins or less) – something which I saw as a deal breaker at the time. This lead me to contact customer support and I actually had the first pair replaced, to try and confirm whether I was just unlucky with that pair or if it was something else. To cut a long story short, I ended up trying these both a different pair of earbuds (from a different brand) with my phone, and also these earbuds on a different phone. The result is that I am now convinced my original issues were not a fault on the earbuds side, but on the mobile phone’s side (I have a Samsung Galaxy S8).
I did a bit of research on this and came across a number of discussions from people having similar issues with different earbuds and different phones, and so I tried looking for possible solutions. So, because I know that other people here complained about the same issues with these earbuds, I wanted to share my experience, which I’m hoping might help some of you. I ended up switching off some phone features like Adaptive battery and app optimisation for the Bluetooth app, as well as clearing the phone’s cache (including the Bluetooth cache). It now seems to me that the problems I was facing were related to a mix of the phone trying to be smart in optimising the energy usage of the Bluetooth, which might have cause occasional dropouts, as well as my phone accumulating crap which didn’t get cleaned up automatically. After I did these changes, I took my earbuds out and in about an hour did not have a single audio breakup.
If you experience the same issues as I did, I can’t promise the steps I took will solve your problem, but in the very least I recommend you give them a try, to double check if the problem still persists.
As a result, I decided to keep the earbuds and give them five starts because, now that I’m convinced my problem was with my phone, I really cant fault them for anything.
Others have complained about connection issues, but honestly I’ve only experienced the same as with any Bluetooth pair of headphones. In busy areas, it’s likely to cut out a bit and come back. If you walk about busy London underground stations at peak time, you’ll likely find this happening. But it’s not happened to me on trains or most of the time walking.
It’s important to note that Bluetooth connectivity is largely dependent on the quality of the device you’re connecting to. I use a Pixel 4 and the Bluetooth is high end. I’ve used Sony phones in the past that have very poor Bluetooth modules and earphones cut out a lot. The same earphones on a device with a better Bluetooth module had no issues. So that might be another reason why people have been having trouble.
The biggest issues I’ve found with this pair of earphones is that although the sound quality is generally good, it’s a bit muddy or bass heavy. That could easily be rectified with a sound equaliser, but they don’t have a corresponding app with which to do this and if you use Spotify, you don’t have that option either.
The volume is also a little low for my liking. But fo tips do isolate the outside noises quite well (but they also contribute to the bassy sound… So it’s a case of compromise).
I think with an app in the future to manage the equaliser, this pair would get 5 stars. But otherwise, it’s a solid 4.
For the money, it can’t be beat on quality, build, style and battery.
These fit me really well and haven’t fallen out nor do they protrude that much from my ears, although I haven’t got small ears. My wife on the other hand does and she had issues getting them to stay in and fell out. However got a reasonable fit with the smallest silicon covers.
In terms of noise cancellation there is no active noise cancellation, yet if you get the correct fit it passively blocks most external sound. For example tried them whilst riding my motorbike to work and I felt a little claustrophobic as could not hear traffic around me.
I would really like Cambridge to provide better calls via these ear buds, there needs to be some form of active noise cancellation or something else to improve the quality of phone calls. I have been told by everyone I call that I sound far away “on a conference call” or on loud speaker. Additionally the mic seems to pick up everything around you so even worse when outside walking by a road or if it’s a windy day.
The battery has got a lot of mileage haven’t been able to fully test this yet as I like putting them away in the case when not in use.
I like these so much that I am always trying to find an opportunity to use them.
Product quality is exceptional, case and phones excellent build and will last.
Sound (when u get the fit right) is fantastic. Good deep bass and full range. Not massively better than my cheaper ones however I think I got lucky with those (Encafire in ear ones). The sound however is excellent and doesn’t distort at high volume (which is wear I listen to them). Call quality isn’t amazing, better than my Encafires in noisy places but not massively.
My only challenge with these was getting a “sealed” fit. I contacted CA customer svce who sent me bigger foam tips. I stuck with the middle silicon and now have a fit that works (they’ll never fall out but took a bit of Time to work out the ideal fit).
Overall excellent product but not quite 5 star. For the price and compared to others more expensive I would recommend. Excellent customer service as well from CA
I was lucky that I got to try them before I bought. But I can highly recommend – if you’re looking for in-ear wireless headphones I can honestly say the Melomania’s haven’t put a foot wrong!! Cambridge Audio have made something truly special here – and the price is about a third that of the only genuine competition I can think of.
Sound quality
First up the sound quality is remarkable. Certainly the most detailed and expressive sounding in ear headphones I’ve heard in a long time, possibly ever. The clarity throughout is exceptional. You’ll hear details you might otherwise miss and the definition between instruments is seriously impressive. I tested against a pair of Sennheiser Momentum wired in ears, and the Cambridge Audios had better detail, clarity and warmth. They were louder with richer, better timed bass and much more expression.
I’ve tested them on a range of music from different eras and genres and been impressed throughout. The bass response is good – although this will be dependent on the fit in your ear (as with any in-ear headphones). But I don’t agree with the reviews that say the bass is flat. I think it’s rich, detailed and the timing is superb. Very balanced and punchy sound.
Connectivity
It took all of about 10 seconds to pair with my Google Pixel 4. And I’ve had no issues since. Pop one out of the case and by the time it’s in my ear I can hear the reassuring voice saying they’re connected. I love that I can use one by itself – ideal for office use. Take the second one out of the case, and by the time it’s in my ear it’s already synced with the first one and is playing. It’s really really impressive.
Build quality
The case is solid and satisfying when you click it shut. The charging mechanism is simple and easy. It slides easily into a pocket and really protects the headphones. Everything about these headphones screams quality, and I won’t get bored of opening the case to see the two headphones gently pulsating white light like some sort of alien waking up in its pod. Very nice touch!
Battery life
So far it’s as advertised, which is awesome. I’m using them all day at work and never worrying in the slightest about battery life. They’re truly unrivalled in this department.
Comfort
They fit in my ears perfectly with the bud they came fitted with. Granted this will vary for different users, but I have no complaints. They’re incredibly light which helps massively!
Noise cancelling
They have no active noise cancelling, however the isolation is very good. With music playing I feel completely immersed in the music.
Overall you can’t beat these for value, sound, battery, build quality and portability – absolutely first class! Everyone I’ve showed them too think’s they’re awesome – people are particularly taken with the build quality and the case – it’s a lovely thing to hold in your hands!
All I can say is WOW! These earbuds (or in-ear monitors as Cambridge Audio call them) are phenomenal. Truly awesome.
Sound:
The sound they produce is simply stunning. The bass is incredible – clear, tight and beautifully deep (just listen to Angel by Massive Attack to see what I mean). Using these monitors, I have heard parts of the track I haven’t heard before. The sound is all encompassing and you really feel every note. I listen to a wide array of music – from classical to pop & rock through to LoFi, dance and electronic. These monitors deal with each and every one of them without missing a beat. The soaring strings of Sibelius to the deep lows of Leftfield are delivered perfectly.
Comfort:
I have worn these for several hours at a time since owning them and my ears have never felt uncomfortable. I tried the silicon tips at first and found they were a good fit and provided good passive noise cancelling. Then I tried the foam tips and they were fantastic! They took a bit of fiddling to get on and need to be warmed slightly to get them to fit easily in your ear, but once they’re in and adjusted to give the best sound, they are rock solid. My only ‘complaint’ would be that there isn’t much by way of choice when it comes to size – one set of foam tips, and three sets of silicon. It would be nice to have a few more foam tips to choose from.
Connection:
So far, no issues at all. I’ve wandered around the house and left my phone in the lounge and stayed connected all the time. I’ve also walked around the town where I live and past lots of houses with lots of WiFi that could cause interference and they never lost connection once.
Controls:
These are great! I love being able to control everything from the earbuds, especially the volume. The previous buds I had did not offer volume control and having on these is fantastic!
Voice calls:
Brilliant and clear. I’ve used them for several calls and i can hear everything very well and nobody I have spoken to has had any issue hearing me.
I can’t recommend these highly enough. I haven’t been paid or given these to review, I shelled my own hard earned cash for them and this is my honest view. They do look a tiny bit odd because they stick out of your ear and make you look vaguely like Uhura from Star Trek!! But it’s well worth it for the amazing sound you get as a result.
The images make it look like quite a long item but it goes quite deeply into the ear and doesn’t stick out.
However, I was unable to use out of the box as the supplied earbuds were all very small, so that they neither sealed out ambient sound nor stayed in securely. I purchased some additional tips (Misodiko S550 – Large) which are around 13mm diameter and these do the job with a snug fit in the ear. The only drawback is that they are a very tight fit in the charging case. They can be inserted and made to contact the charging points by pushing down firmly but do evert themselves when removed and have to be turned outside-in again.
All-in -all a very nice system with the Lahndahn touch, but maybe a next generation might be designed for adults with normal ears instead of for children or mice 😉
Update: August 2021. Having had the 3rd party eartips constantly come off in the charging case and a few times in my ears, I had to resort to supergluing them to the buds. The problem is that despite the superlative audio engineering, the product engineers failed to add a retaining ‘barb’ to the earbud shank (see photo) so that the eartips just slide off. Cambridge were kind enough to supply my with a free set of Large foam tips which fit nicely but again have started coming off the buds and sticking in the case, time to get out the superglue again. Come on Cambridge – this is nearly the perfect system, just sort out the size and retention of the eartips!
So… I’d read the review of these back in the Summer and they apparently had better sound quality (and Cambridge Audio have a good reputation), so when the price dropped to 100, I thought I’d get them. I was a bit nervous of spending this much on a set of wireless earphones, particularly ones this small (in case I lost them), but I think I’ll be alright!
Onto the earphones themselves. Having done my research, I have to say it’s totally worth taking the time to try the different sizes of ear tips as the fit has to be right. They have to form a seal inside your ear canal (to get best sound quality), without being uncomfortable. Personally, I found out that I needed larger ear tips, which seal the ear canal without feeling like I’ve jammed them in. This also means they’re more likely to stay in and not fall out… The feeling you want it “held in place”, rather than “rammed in your ear”!! Even though they look big / chunky, they’re not and sit in the ear quite nicely (i.e. comfortable) and are very light.
Once you get the fit right, the sound quality is *clear* — I can’t emphasise that enough… Significantly more so than a lot of other earphones that I tried. Also the bass is very good… Some people have said they can’t hear or feel the bass — that’s because they haven’t got the fit / seal right of the tips inside their ear canals. If the ones supplied are no good, then I’ve seen 3rd party suppliers on Amazon selling replacement ear tips in a variety of sizes and materials.
I like these because they’re light and discreet and I would agree with reviews that the sound quality is a lot better than headphones more expensive than this price point (originally these were 150 — and the sound is significantly better than the AirPods, for example).
I’ve only made a few calls with them — if you’re in an environment where it’s not too noisy, call quality is very good (according to the person on the end of the line), but if there is some ambient noise or it’s a windy day, then it can pick those up. I haven’t tried them in a noisy environment (the office) much and I can imagine a lot of background noise will be picked up. I imagine this is where the AirPods win out as the microphone is on the end of the arm and you can direct it at your mouth.
These earphones don’t have noise cancelling and to be honest they don’t need it… [Rather I certainly don’t need it. I’ve tried it on other phones (including the AirPods Pro) and think that while it’s very clever, I don’t particularly like it. Especially when travelling, I like to be aware of my surroundings.] Again if you get the fit right, most of the ambient noise is quietened down (say reduced by 85%?), so they’re pretty decent earplugs too! Once you switch on the music, you are still “aware” of what’s going on around you but without it ever disturbing your listening. You can always turn it up and at full volume these are *loud* (like “ow” loud!!), so that will certainly drown out any irritating noises!!
Really pleased with my purchase!
Sound quality is of absolute paramount importance to me (mainly because I listen to music) followed by comfort and compatibility. To be honest, up until now I have been sceptical about bluetooth technology and whether it could actually delivery good (or dare I say it, audiophile) sound quality. I have previously owned a couple of top end bluetooth headphones (including the Bowers and Wilkins PX model) and have felt slightly underwhelmed by the sound quality.
So, onto the Cambridge Audio Melomania’s (or “CAM” for short). I must admit I took a bit of a punt on these, they were in the Amazon Black Friday sale and they had a few mixed reviews but I did some research on these before I pulled the trigger.
Firstly, this is not the first Cambridge Audio product I have purchased, I have owned a couple of DVD players and they have very good reputation in the audiophile community. However, this is the first personal audio/headphone product of theirs I am aware of.
Secondly, the packaging is what you kind of expect from a reputable audio company. If I was to be picky then I would criticise the lack of ample ear tip choices (more on that later).
The actual ear monitors are bigger than I thought but they are very lightweight, which is key to making sure they stay in your ear and don’t ruin the overall listening experience. The monitors come with a very nice and portable charging device and usb cable. So far so good. I have since found out that Cambridge Audio also produce a carry case specifically for this device for a tenner. Again, nitpicking here but for the sake of an extra tenner should have been included in the accessories that come with the monitors.
Onto the most important thing…sound. I must admit I was slightly underwhelmed when I first tried them out, the stock memory foam ear tips come are very small, the accompanying large silicone ear tips did not look like a large size and they failed to do the job
The one thing I have learnt over the years when using IEMs is that it is absolutely vital to achieve a good seal with the ear tips. This important to get a good treble and bass presentation, if the fitment is too loose then they will sound too anemic, too tight they will sound too boomy. A criticism I level at all IEM manufacturers (with the exception of RHA) is they don’t tend to provide a wide range of stock ear tip sizes to cater for different ear canal sizes.
This is where tip swapping or purchasing a pair of aftermarket tips come into play.
Now one of the characteristics of the CAM is the nozzle that goes onto the ear canal is quite large which means a universal ear tip will not suffice. Luckily, I had some comply foam tips (T600) left over for use with my Audeze iSine 10s which also bear the same nozzle measurements.
Using the stock iSine ear tips (size M) did the trick and I was able to get a good deal which meant all of a sudden the sound quality notched up significantly compared to using the stock tips. However, when I tried the comply foam tips this where I found what the sound quality notched up significantly and I find that not only are these now my go to IEMs but can wholeheartedly recommend these to other users on the basis they provide excellent sound quality, are extremely comfortable and very practical to transport around.
I had some reservations about the fact they use APTX and not APTX HD technology but this has quickly been disregarded because they sound amazing!
These are a very affordable proposition and without hesitation you should give them a go, you will not be disappointed and if you do encounter any sound degradation then you know what you need to do!
The clarity that the Melomania’s deliver is a revelation. Until you hear music from a clearer source than you are used to, you don’t realise what you have been missing.
The Melomania’s are billed as an audiophile’s earbuds with a relatively natural flat sound response, meaning not for bass heads. However, I found they had too much bass. That’s right, too much bass!
After an hour’s charging I went straight for the foam ear tips because foam tips have served me well in the past with other true wireless earbuds like the Enacfire Future Plus or the now redundant Soundpeats active noise reduction wireless earbuds. However, the foam tips have a greater mass than the silicone ones and this seals my ear canal more efficiently creating more bass. I had to use a sound equaliser to cut the bass (a 6db cut at 60Hz — ie. cut by half) to stop the bass overpowering the mid and high tones. Putting in the lighter silicone tips reduced the bass naturally to an acceptable level without needing to use the equaliser. For me this was the solution. Bass heads stick with the foam.
With the right size silicone tips giving a snug and comfortable fit I found I wanted to listen to my music for hours. I say “wanted” because many earbuds I have tried were so unremarkable and underwhelming I was glad to put them back in their box. But with the Melomania’s I couldn’t get enough of my playlists and hid myself away so I could listen some more. When was the last time you wore headphones or earbuds that had you enjoying your music all over again? For me this was a refreshing change.
I mentioned that I achieved a ‘snug and comfortable fit’. Before buying them I spent several weeks watching YouTube videos and reading countless reviews here on Amazon and the question of ‘fit’ was a recurring topic. People even knocked off stars for a ‘poor fit’ and praised for a ‘good fit’.
There is no question that achieving a snug fit is absolutely essential if you are to hear any bass and avoid the ‘tinny’ sound reported by some. So let’s try and clear up this tricky subject? Fit is purely subjective. It varies from person to person, ear canal to ear canal, it’s a lottery. Some fit you, whilst others fit me. It isn’t rocket science yet folk complain the earbuds ‘were a poor fit’. What were they expecting? “One size fits all” perhaps? Don’t be silly!
Let’s face it, Cambridge Audio buy-in silicone tips just like Sony, Sennheiser, Soundpeats, etc. It’s daft to think that one manufacturer’s tips are so different to another’s! So my encouragement is to approach the question of tips as a Second Task. You might get lucky and the ones supplied fit perfectly, or (more likely) you will need to experiment with others off Fleebay before you get success. But it’s well worth investing the time to get a decent sound, and also a comfortable fit. So please, enough of “the fit was poor”, because no two ear canals are the same. (even left and right may need different size tips). Lecture over!
Incidentally, I own a pair of Shure 535’s with custom silicone inserts (hot silicone poured into your ears for a totally custom and super perfect fit), and some Grado RS1’s over ears. I used both for comparison purposes and I can say with total confidence that either of the above knock the spots off the Melomania’s, but they are wired and cost many times more, so it’s not a fair fight. Bluetooth it seems, has not evolved sufficiently to compete with wired headphones quite yet. However, if you must go wireless then the Melomania’s musicality, clarity, and faithful fidelity will have you thinking about what to listen to next, rather than what’s stuck in your ears. I found myself jumping from song to song in my music library like a kid in a sweet shop, completely forgetting about the Melomania’s. After all, enjoying my music is why I bought them!
I have not had any connection problems although I use them indoors, and I find the push switches on the ends of the buds to need only a gentle push. They are also a tad smaller than I expected. Curiously their unique round design makes it easy to insert them properly, because you can simply rotate them slightly as you push them in. Simples! I attach a photo of them, and the case, on a standard CD case to give a sense of scale.
At around 119.95 they are not cheap, yet I think they represent excellent value for money given the superior sound they produce. If you are in to your music then ignore the glut of 35 earbuds on Amazon and treat yourself to some Melomania’s. I’m SO glad I did.
I’ve only had them a few days and haven’t really had the chance for an extended listen. For now, they sound stunning. Clarity with the perfect amount of bass.
Only had them for a week but sound is amazing!
OK, so they are to replace a seven year old 40 pair of in-ears, but the overall sound quality is very good indeed.
After fully charging before use, they have been used every day & still not needed a recharge. Can thoroughly recommend them.
March’20 update – Still superb sound inc. great bass. But my ears have become very sore occasionally after 3-4 hours use spread over a couple of days commute. Cleaned them alcohol wipes used again after a week with same (sore) results. Maybe my ears don’t like ‘in-ears’
I think the only thing I would say for the mark 2s would be a case that can stand vertically so easier at the gym to put them away and maybe an iOS app so you can alter the sound signature and update the firmware (having to use an android device to recently upgrade the firmware was a little annoying)
I have the new Sony in-ear wireless too and these are 95% of that for half the price (and the Sonys aren’t waterproof) – Keep it up CA !
The brands above are great in their own bracket of “sound stage”. It depends on what you use them for, beats u listen to, device u use, media file types etc etc.
For me, gym and walking about is what I’m using them for and these are by far the best fit, least obvious when in your ears and best sounding for the beats I listen to. Due to the snug fit, noise leakage is minimal and I can’t hear the outside world whilst they’re in my ears.
It’s all about the bass for me and Dre Beats use to deliver on that up until Apple took them over. These sound amazing with ultra low frequency tracks but again, it depends on the device and your media player settings on how u cater the sound to ur taste.
I’m using Power Amp on my Samsung Note 10+ and these honestly blow ur brain when listening to low frequency tracks yet don’t compromise your mids and highs.
Update the firmware immediately after receiving to fix any sound or connectivity issues. Freely available via Cambridge Audio’s website via an app you need to install on your media device (instructions provided on their site).
U can’t go wrong for 120 squid compared to the others. I paid 250 for the Sennheiser buds but returned them as they just didn’t fit or sound right for me.
I suppose I’ll have to wait a couple of months to see how durable and reliable these are but shall update my rating if I experience any issues.
I nicked one off some Skype headphones at work and with a bit of superglue made a slightly ugly replacement.
A few months on and the volume control has split at one end meaning the control doesn’t work so well and now the o/off button rubber cover is jiggly at best.
So, replacement needed.
What hi-fi reviews/awards as always first stop for a shortlist.
I already have the on ear AKG wireless ANCs as a reference and they truly are great, but not always convenient with their large on ear design.
I initially ordered the Bose soundsport totally wireless ANC set, previous award winners. Sat still they are great, sound as good as my old ones, but while walking I could hear them banging their driver housing against my ear getting a muffled bop with each stride – while I may expect that while running, which they aren’t designed for, I mean a normal walking pace.
So back they went. Opted to try the Sony award winners, got a little of the same, not as bad, but the ANC and signal processing just made music sound weird. The software gives different ANC options and none of them sounded right to me, just heavily processed.
Incidentally I’m currently listening to Amazon Music HD for source.
So the Sony’s sounded fine without ANC on but still with the bop sound when walking and a slight noise of air passing the protruding buds due to not having ANC on to get anything like a faithful reproduction.
Back they went and I happened across the review for these Cambridge Audio buds.
I was hesitant as they are comparably so cheap….
9 hours battery life seems about right having now used them – don’t get mislead by the 36 hours or whatever as they requires recharges via the case. This is great though as it means you can listen on your commute or whatever, then pop them in the case while you do your job/activity, then they are charged for the return without needing plugging in anywhere – I just think the marketing for that is a little misleading.
My first impressions were “wow, they’re small”.
They are, pleased they had a carry case as they’d be easy to lose.
They have stayed in my ears well, but I’m still scared when I go to the toilet with them in 🙂
Nothing to secure them. Plop.
ANC works well, very well. Just popping them in and switching on without playing music confirms this.
Sound is excellent, neutral, faithful, not harsh when pushed, detailed and not fatiguing. They sound good, in fact absolutely great for the price – in my opinion better than the “double the price” rivals.
CA have really surpassed themselves with this product. It will without a doubt be the award winner for class/price in the 2019 awards (unless a new miraculous product appears).
My only gripe is the led accents on the earbuds that glow when in use for the first few minutes, surprising how much that lights up a dark bedroom. But it is only a little gripe, a companion app that could turn that off would be great.
QI charging would have been nice rather than micro USB – next model I’m sure will have.
Don’t hesitate with these. Buy them if you are looking for some true wireless in ears.
I’ve had these a week now and they haven’t made my ears sore but I’ve likely only used them in three hour sessions. I left the silicone tips on they came with, but may try the other two pairs included for fit to see.
If you get them I hope you enjoy them as much as I am. These may end up being one of those products reminisced about in hi-fi history like the nakamichi dragon, wharfedale diamond, or mission Cyrus one.
The audio quality is great as far as I can tell. I don’t know what I’m looking for, but everything seems to come through pretty clear. Bass is strong but not like, too strong. It’s not tinny. I can hear parts of songs I never noticed before. Sound wise, these headphones are making me love music again. Love that.
Build quality seems pretty solid. The case is nice, everything feels secure, and nothing looks or feels cheap. You’d hope so too because these are a hell of a lot more expensive than my usual cheapo wired earbuds. No faults here.
As far as I can tell, the battery life is actually great. I listened to various stuff on Spotify for about 2.5 hours, give or take, and I was at about 65% battery by the time I took them off. By this time I was ready to whap them back in the case, so I don’t foresee any battery issues unless I’m stupid and forget to charge the case. Lovely.
I was worried about the look of them when they’re in, because a lot of the marketing photos looked a bit like Frankenstein but the bolt goes through your ears instead. I’m pretty pleased to note that they’re not overly stupid looking in real life. They really don’t stick out as much as the pictures let on, and they feel really secure when they’re in. Haven’t dropped one so far, knock on wood. Brilliant.
After wearing them for a while, they did get a little uncomfortable. But this is like 3 solid hours of having them in. It wasn’t bad, but I could definitely feel some pressure. Easy solution: take a break every so often. Every pair of headphones will feel a bit uncomfy after that long, and because of that I’m not taking off any stars for this slight uncomfortability after multiple hours. Moderate use is totally comfy. We stan.
Range wise I’ve not noticed any issues so far. If I leave my phone in one room and go across to another, through multiple walls and doors, it does struggle and eventually cut out. But being in the same room works perfectly well. This is the same range I’ve had from other Bluetooth connections so again, I’m fine with that.
The only thing I do see as a potential issue is losing one. As far as I can tell there isn’t a way to track the individual buds. So, don’t be stupid about it. Put them back in the case when you’re done, and don’t lose the case.
While these are totally a luxury product and cost a decent chunk, so far I’d say they’re pretty good. They’re also quite a bit cheaper than other competitors, but with a much better battery life. They’re delivering everything I wanted so far. I was between these and a couple of others, and I have to say I’m pretty pleased with my choice. Definitely worth picking up.
I had to really compress the memory foam tips and push the headphones firmly into my ears to match the bass of my over ear Oppo PM2s for example.
When walking there have been no dropouts outside unlike others have commented on.
The noise isolation is quite good but I found that the bass is slightly less noticeable on the move (walking).
When sitting still in a quiet room the sound quality is impressive. I’ve tried a wide variety of test tracks in the short time I have owned these and all have impressed.
They have a natural sounding bass. But in the optimal position for bass, I find they alter their presentation of the mid-range sounding slightly “veiled” compared to over-ear headphones. Everyone’s ears are different so it’s critical to experiment.
The above is me nit-picking a bit when you take into account the asking price. They are not cheap but I’m used to an over ear design costing 5 times the price. And they are a significant step up from the 30-40 true wireless designs Amazon sells which I also own.
Overall I have enjoyed listening to these headphones and will be using them extensively when walking and working around the house which is, after all, what they are designed for.
For serious listening without the wires they make a pretty decent proposition.
In summary there are 3 points to be noted
1) The sound quality – The mids and highs are balanced and lows pack a good punch. Just make sure you use an earbud that fits snuggly. It’s practically reference quality (hence the “monitors” reference Cambridge Audio make). I’m sold on the use of Graphene.
2) The battery life is class leading. Coming from AirPods, these are a mile ahead (9hours without a charge!)
3) The case is slim and portable. Yes it’s only micro USB to charge but we all have 100s of these anyway.
You won’t regret it assuming the included ear buds fit snuggly.
Then when you factor in the price, it is truly remarkable what Cambridge Audio have done. I would have happily paid 50% more.
Buds can feel slack having to fiddle about for secure fitting etc.
Once all that’s sorted the sound is wonderful dynamic and powerful fast punchy bass.
I own the Jabra 65t and these out smart these as regarding bass 65t are good but a lot of flaws with the left earbud.
For 119 these are brilliant no fancy app noise cancellation is good not so good with wind but still ok.
British manufacture can give all the rest a run for their money, as these sound simply superb.
Once the correct buds are fitted the sound from these is beautifully balanced, plenty of bass if the track has it and very detailed with good dynamics to percussion. I find that these buds block external sounds very well and even sounded great whilst cutting my lawns with a petrol mower, only hearing the Mower in between tracks at a moderate volume.
I can’t comment on battery life as I have only used these for approximately 7-8 hrs of listening over the past few days, the same for call Quality as I haven’t used them for that as yet but I love the sound signature that these have, if you can achieve a good fit you won’t be disappointed
So they dont have an app. for me thats no issue as i stream audio from spotify and that has an EQ within it and can easily control the earbuds, you can play to your hearts content until you find what your looking for should you need to.
The sound quality is brilliant and the noise cancellation is perfect for me. I haven’t had a chance to test the battery life but it looks very good.
The case is light and neat and snaps shut with a satisfying magnetic click.
My only concern before they arrived was how much they might stick out of my ears and whilst they do stick out they’re not as bad as I first thought.
All in all definitely five stars for the price.
Cons – The foam tips are the best and most secure option but they won’t last long and you only get 1 pair. I get a noticeable latency delay when viewing youtube. Call quality isn’t great but that isn’t a priority for me. No app for setting, firmware updates etc.
Overall these are brilliant and would say the best true wireless earbuds to buy at the moment. Especially at this price range. I don’t mind the micro usb charging with the amount of battery life you get and these provide great noise isolation but to make these perfect the next model needs wireless charging,usb-c fast charging, more replacement tip quantities/variations and aptx low latency for viewing films etc.
Other alternatives are Airpods which have no noise isolation at all which is a shame because I am an Apple fan. The Sennhesier Momentums have terrible battery life and I find the Sony WF1000XM3 big, ugly and the case too big.
Fit… with the memory foam tips they are a perfect fit , not fallen out and very comfortable. Shame they only come with one set of memory foam tips and no obvious place to buy replacement… hopefully CA will resolve this as I’m sure the headphones will outlast the tips!!
Sound – for a pair of wireless buds the sound quality is insane.. absolutely mind blowing in some of tunes I have heard parts I had not heard before even in open air!
All in all I am completely happy with these and would recommend to anyone looking for a top quality pair of wireless earbuds
I have a OnePlus 3 and by simply turning off WiFi while using Bluetooth has dropped the amount of connection issues I have to almost zero. This might be a big turn-off for a lot of people, but each phone is different, and at home where there’s less interference, there are far fewer connection problems.
As for everything else, the headphones work great! They don’t lag behind, they are loud enough to be heard while on the Central Line in London (which is saying something) and they fit very nicely in my ear.
The only thing I don’t like are the volume controls. The current system of pressing and holding to change the volume is flawed as pressing it for too short of a time pauses the music. the volume doesn’t change for the best part of 2 seconds which is very frustrating for minor tweaks. If we could twist the end of the headphones or if just changing the volume was a bit more instantaneous, then it wouldn’t be as big of a problem.
Overall, I love these headphones. They last for ages, charge up quickly, and connect to both my phone and my PC very quickly. Hopefully they last a long time too.
These come in a smart compact case and were smart looking. They did feel like a step up in quality. Overall they are a little bulky and stick out of the ear more than my prior set. However the quality of sound is excellent, easy to control and I have grown to like these a great deal. I did have some minor issues with bluetooth connectivty after a week of purchase. I was able to fix this by re-pairing and works fine now. This does sometimes happen with all bluetooth devices and a re-pair often fixes the connection issues.
The supplied silicone ear tips worked just fine. I did try the foam ones but they were not bery robust and tore easily just trying to put them on – so will stick with the silicone ones. Indeed since the purchase I bought the rubber case protector and also some spare ear tips – all also available from amazon.
I am sure there are headphones with better sound but for the price they are very good and certainly meet my needs as a person who wanted a decent high quality pair or true wireless headphones without breaking the bank.
These come in a smart compact case and were smart looking. They did feel like a step up in quality. Overall they are a little bulky and stick out of the ear more than my prior set. However the quality of sound is excellent, easy to control and I have grown to like these a great deal. I did have some minor issues with bluetooth connectivty after a week of purchase. I was able to fix this by re-pairing and works fine now. This does sometimes happen with all bluetooth devices and a re-pair often fixes the connection issues.
The supplied silicone ear tips worked just fine. I did try the foam ones but they were not bery robust and tore easily just trying to put them on – so will stick with the silicone ones. Indeed since the purchase I bought the rubber case protector and also some spare ear tips – all also available from amazon.
I am sure there are headphones with better sound but for the price they are very good and certainly meet my needs as a person who wanted a decent high quality pair or true wireless headphones without breaking the bank.
These come in a smart compact case and were smart looking. They did feel like a step up in quality. Overall they are a little bulky and stick out of the ear more than my prior set. However the quality of sound is excellent, easy to control and I have grown to like these a great deal. I did have some minor issues with bluetooth connectivty after a week of purchase. I was able to fix this by re-pairing and works fine now. This does sometimes happen with all bluetooth devices and a re-pair often fixes the connection issues.
The supplied silicone ear tips worked just fine. I did try the foam ones but they were not bery robust and tore easily just trying to put them on – so will stick with the silicone ones. Indeed since the purchase I bought the rubber case protector and also some spare ear tips – all also available from amazon.
I am sure there are headphones with better sound but for the price they are very good and certainly meet my needs as a person who wanted a decent high quality pair or true wireless headphones without breaking the bank.
I had to return my first pair as there were issues with the Bluetooth connection and stability wasn’t great.
The second set are much better and seem to hold connection when outdoors.
I’ve had poor customer service experience with amazon over quite a few different products over the years so decided to try and contact Cambridge Audio directly to resolve the problems – I can only say that they have been excellent and have been really quick in their communication and in sensing a replacement set to me.
Great pair of earphones and definitely worth looking into as an alternative to one of the bigger brands. I also use these when cycling indoors and haven’t had any problems with sweat ingress.
Overall, much better than initially thought.
Thank you
If you love music buy these with confidence they really are a treat for your ears, your mind and your soul.
It’d be different if I got sweaty,but at the moment,I can’t fault their stickability,the sound is on par with my (bang and olufsen) over ears headphones,slightly more tinny,the charging cable was tiny only maybe 18″ in length I looked through my collection of old usb charging cables and found a 1mtr usb micro cable,I’ll use that in future,set up was a doddle,I’m sceptical re 45hrs of battery,so far I’m pleased and would recommend them,I find them comfortable to wear,I bought the black buds,their not cheap but much better
Value than and more well known makes,also like the recharge speed 30mins from flat to full.+ their a UK company.
100 cheaper
Water resistant
Come with a smaller charger (more on this later!)
Earphones don’t stick out as much as Sony’s when in the ears
No need for an app – and the controls looked more intuitive
Now I haven’t tried the Sony’s (which I understand from reviews might have more bass) but I’m more than pleased with the sound quality of the CA’s. I took the time to select the earbuds that gave me the best fit from the four sets provided (turned out to be the foam ones) and so the best sound quality and bass. And I’m hearing some parts on tracks that I’ve played that I hadn’t noticed before when I used cheaper wired headphones connected to my phone.
Talking of which, connecting to my Sony phone’s bluetooth was easy – after the initial recommended 30 minute charge of the earphones they connected up straightaway with no problems. I’d only say that they won’t like to be several metres away from my phone as I move from room to room (unlike my bluetooth speaker) but I guess that may be to do with them being much smaller units? But this isn’t a major issue.
The controls are really as intuitive and as easy to remember as I hoped. And I love the fact that either earphone can pause and play music/answer or reject a call/bring up Google Assistant. It also makes sense that only the left earphone can turn the volume down and play the last track and only the right earphone can turn volume up and play the next track. The Sony ones looked much more complicated – although they do have the added bonus of noise cancelling, although the CA ones have this too but for phone calls only.
Overall I’m really impressed with the sound, well thought out design and the brilliant 45 hours of playing time available from the earphones and the charge unit. And who knew that the little front pocket on Levi jeans that was originally put there for pocket watches over 100 years ago would now come in so handy for my new earphones charging unit!
I’ve had my eye on Cambridge audio for quite some time now and plan on buying some of their hifi components and these have definitely convinced me that Cambridge audio are a force to be reckoned with. The packaging is classy, I was genuinely impressed as I fumbled through the box, very well put together package and is a statement of who they are and what they’re capable of.
Well done Cambridge, you’ve just gained another loyal customer 10 out of 10
The build quality of the case and the buds is great and the charging box is nicely compact. The buds are light and comfortable in the ears. The buttons on the buds are push button yet require little effort so you don’t risk pushing the buds further into your ears and causing any discomfort. The controls fwd/rev, pause, vol up and down are logical and easy to remember. Unlike the Jabra 65T, because the buds are circular, the buds easily drop into the case without fuss and are magnetically held in place.
Bluetooth connection is solid (I’m using oneplus 7pro) and I’ve had no latency or drop connection issues.
Battery and sound performance is outstanding, battery life lasts forever and the sound is very clear, well balanced and not too bass heavy. Unfortunately there is no app to change EQ settings but the default sound is really good so that’s by no means a deal breaker. It’s defiantly worth trying the different sizes and the foam buds for the best fit /seal to obtain the best sound.
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Upon opening, I was delighted to see that they had a nice case and I like the way the earphones click into place. The lid is strong enough not to fall open, but not ridiculously so that you can’t open them when you need to. It’s a little disappointing that it’s Micro USB rather than USBC, but I suppose this is to keep costs down. They really are among the lowest priced premium buds available.
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Comfort wise, I’ve tried the various options and they won’t stay in easily, but I did find an improvement with the foam tips rather than silicone. They are comfortable to a point, but I found the dug into my outer ear and began to feel a bit uncomfortable over time. They’re certainly light, but they do stick out a bit. This is a problem with all totally wireless though…One size does not necessarily fit all. Your mileage may vary. I did contact Cambridge Audio regarding replacement tips, but there are no comply ones available and they made no suggestion of where to buy more. The supplied foam tips don’t inspire confidence of longevity.
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Connection was not always perfect sadly, with some stuttering of sound after hanging up a call, but then again that may be my phone or external factors. I feel like they’re a software upgrade away from sorting out the foibles, however the manual states they do not require an update so they are a completely finished product…I wonder if that may change.
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I really wanted to love these, but there are compromises to be made…apart from the sound. The sound is arguably the most important factor. They sound incredible. By far the best wireless headphones I’ve listened to. Nothing even comes close. They are well balanced with a nice wide sound stage. Fast, punchy Bass without being overbearing. Bright sparkling trebles with well presented mids. Really feel like they are tuned to perfection. Balanced and rich. Well worth an audition.
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Maybe I’ve got a funny shape of ears as no other review I’ve read had a problem with the fit. The sound is marvelous and better than much higher priced alternatives. Bar none. So, so good.