When an established company enters a new product category, there is a lot of pressure on it to immediately impress the masses, especially when it has a proven track record in its industry. That’s what Cambridge Audio faced this year when it launched its first wireless headphones, the Melomania P100 ($279). He had already done the Melomania M100 wireless earphonesbut with a reputation built largely on hi-fi amplifiers, digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and speakers, the company was entering uncharted waters.
With the P100, Cambridge Audio has managed to leave a lasting first impression from the first use. Starting from the refined look, it is clear that the company is serious about aiming for the best in the category. It paired aesthetics with long battery life, intuitive maintenance options, and a crisp, clear audio profile for a very convincing package on the first try.
Cambridge Audio
Cambridge Audio’s first wireless headphones have a premium look with long battery life as the company has prioritized detail and clarity over powerful bass.
- Refined design
- 60 hour battery life with ANC
- User replaceable battery
- Crisp and clear sound profile
- The stock tuning favors the mids and highs
- The ear cushions become uncomfortable during longer sessions
- No advanced features
What’s good about the Melomania P100?
The P100 certainly feels like a flagship set of headphones. In an age where many companies are opting for high-plastic constructions, even for their high-end models, it’s nice to see a refined design for under $300. Cambridge Audio has combined aluminum details with vegan leather and earcups soft memory foam ear pads do most of the heavy lifting here. There is also a hatched fabric on the underside of the headband which offers textural contrast whilst maintaining the color scheme.
Cambridge Audio has made no sacrifices on battery life with the P100, promising up to 60 hours of use with active noise cancellation (ANC) turned on. Additionally, the company claims you can get up to 100 hours of gameplay with ANC disabled, depending on volume levels and other settings. I had no trouble hitting 60 hours during battery tests, which I ran almost entirely using noise cancellation. And to keep the P100 running longer than some headphones would, the company allows users to replace the battery themselves when performance declines (the ear cushions are replaceable, too).
The P100 uses the same Class AB amplification that powers Cambridge Audio CX series hi-fi amplifiers. This provides “audibly better” audio performance than found in almost any wireless headphones, according to the company. 40mm triple-layer drivers round out the audio platform, which is tuned for “precise highs and dynamic lows.”
In my testing, the P100 excelled at reproducing crisp, clean detail in every genre I chose. Even on the heavier parts of Sleep Token’s “Vore,” the snare hits remained punchy, cutting through distorted guitar riffs with layered vocals. the fist bump they usually do. As such, the P100 was at its best for styles that required lower low-end growl, genres like country, jazz, and ’90s grunge.
What’s not to like about the Melomania P100?
My notes on the P100’s overall sound profile aren’t great news for those who want an explosive blast when listening to music by Kendrick Lamar, Kaytranada, and other bass-heavy tunes. Cambridge Audio offers a selection of presets for changing the tuning, as well as a comprehensive EQ for custom profiles. The changes were more subtle for the EQ sliders, so they didn’t produce the thump I was looking for. But, unlike many equalizers from other companies, none of these muddied the sound or made things worse.
Despite the soft touch of the P100’s earcups, they don’t offer enough protection from earcup ridges during longer listening sessions. I used them on a cross-country trip that involved a full day of air travel, and I wore the headphones for a full six hours. After about 30 minutes, I could start feeling those edges. And while they never became painful, this prevented the P100 from competing with the likes of Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones AND WH-1000XM5 from Sony in terms of general comfort.
Cambridge Audio has done well to cover all the basics on the P100. There are reliable and easy-to-use physical controls, solid adaptive ANC performance, and support for aptX Lossless. Wear detection and multi-point Bluetooth are also included, as is 24-bit/96kHz quality wired listening and a five-minute quick-charge tool. What you won’t find are things like voice detection, any mention of spatial audio, or some of the automated features offered by the competition. Sure, I can excuse the omissions on the P100 given the price, but these are the kinds of conveniences that are increasingly becoming core specs, so one or two would have been nice to have.
Final verdict on the Melomania P100
I’m impressed with what Cambridge Audio has done for its first set of wireless headphones. It’s obvious that the company knows how to produce clear, balanced audio, even if the P100 could use a slightly lower pitch. The combination of design, sound, repairability, and battery life make it an attractive option priced well under $300. And now that the company has a solid foundation to build on, I expect to be amazed by whatever comes next After.
