All products featured are independently chosen by us. However, SoundGuys may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links. See our ethics statement.
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1
6/11/2019
$129 USD
56 x 49 x 19 mm (case)
9.2g (earbuds)
37g (case)
C11106K
IPX5
Cambridge Audio joins the ranks of true wireless earbud manufacturers with the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1. These bullet-shaped ‘buds are lightweight, water-resistant, and feature great battery life. Let’s find out if the Melomania 1 is extraordinary or just extra ordinary.
Editor’s note: this Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 review was updated on June 18, 2021, to include a contents menu, update the sound quality section, and address the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ true wireless earbuds.
Who is the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 for?
What’s it like to use the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1?
The plastic clamshell case is magnetized and comparable to the AirPods’ case. An embossed Cambridge Audio logo rests centered in the top portion of it. This makes it easy to place your thumb and flip the lid back to reveal the earbuds. Once the case is open, five LEDs alight, assuming everything is fully charged. Concurrently, the LED rings encompassing both earbud panels glow with varying degrees of intensity.
At a glance, the earbuds appear rather slim and unobtrusive. However, anytime I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I was thrown by how far the housings jutted out from my ears. A cogent seal is hard to achieve since the nozzles aren’t angled. This forces the earbuds to go against the natural bend of the ear canal. The dubious fit made working out with these unappealing: the last thing anyone wants is an earbud to go flying off the treadmill.
You benefit from comprehensive controls, though. For instance, volume adjustments can be made by depressing the left or right earbud button for two seconds while music is playing. To access your virtual assistant, first press either earbud once to pause music playback. Then, double-press either earbud to make a command. Skipping tracks is enabled by double-pressing the right earbud as music plays.
How long does the battery last?
When set to a constant 75dB output, the earbuds yielded 6 hours, 17 minutes of playback. Sure, this doesn’t meet Cambridge Audio’s specified nine-hour battery life, but it’s perfectly suitable for general use. Chances are you’ll listen to volumes quieter than our testing methods require and won’t keep the earbuds in for six consecutive hours.
The microUSB case provides an additional four charges and requires 90 minutes to complete a full charge. This gives you approximately 24 hours of listening before you need to recharge it. There is no wireless charging option here.
How do you connect the earbuds to your phone?
These use Bluetooth 5.0 firmware and afford a 30-meter wireless range. In practice, I experienced a few connection hiccups around the 10-meter mark. Another shortcoming is the lack of Bluetooth multipoint support. In order to switch from one source device to another, you must manually do so. This requires you to return the earbuds to the case, disable Bluetooth on the previous device, and enable it on the desired one.
Fortunately, though, both aptX and AAC Bluetooth codecs are supported for high-quality, lag-free streaming regardless of your source device. Android users will benefit the most from aptX streaming, while iPhone users will enjoy the efficient data stream afforded by AAC.
How do you connect the earbuds to your phone?
Removing the earbuds for the first time forces the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 to enter pairing mode. Once they’re removed, open the Bluetooth menu on your desired source device and select the Melomania 1. If the earbuds don’t appear in your phone’s menu, press and hold either housings’ button for two seconds.
What does the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 sound like?
The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 earbuds follow what’s trendy among consumer earbuds: emphasized lows and highs. This type of sound signature allows us to enjoy the added oomph from the bassline. Simultaneously, our brains perceive an added sense of clarity from the emphasized harmonics, found in the treble-end of the frequency range.
Isolation leaves a lot to be desired. It’s not that it’s inherently bad; in fact, isolation performance is on par for non-specialized in-ears. However, getting a consistent seal with the earbuds proves difficult. During testing, I was often able to create a seal that loosened over 30 minutes be it from my wiggling ears or from walking around. Swapping the default silicone ear tips out for the memory foam ones helps though.
Related: How to read charts
Lows, mids, and highs
In BOY’s song Hit My Heart, an uplifting beat transitions listeners into the first verse. The first drum hit at 0:06 is tame and is easy to hear apart from the concurrent high-pitched palm mute on the guitar. It doesn’t mask Valeska Steiner’s vocals until the chorus kicks in at 1:02. At this moment, Steiner’s elegant voice is hard to discern from the newly introduced claps and instrumental layering. Hearing this slight absence of vocal emphasis takes effort, though. It’s unlikely you’ll notice it unless actively searching for it.
Is the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 good for phone calls?
No. Despite the use of noise canceling microphone technology, voice reproduction sounds egregiously unnatural. As you can hear from the voice clip below, I sound muffled and distorted. This is a consequence of the severe vocal frequency attenuation from 40-400Hz. If you’re going to take a call, be it a personal or professional one, you’re best off using your smartphone’s microphone.
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 microphone demo:
How does the microphone sound to you?
Should you buy the Cambridge Audio true wireless earbuds?
The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 is a rare find these days, what with the new and improved Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+. The Melomania 1+ includes a USB-C charging case, improved battery life, and software support. When you download the Cambridge Audio app, you get access to features like find my earbuds and a custom EQ. As of June 18, the Melomania 1+ is on promotion and costs just $119 USD, $20 less than its standard price point.
Perhaps, the Cambridge Audio true wireless offerings don’t appeal to you. No worries, there are plenty of other truly wireless earbuds to take a look at.
What should you get instead of the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ or Melomania 1?
If you want to stick around a $120 USD budget, we recommend the Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen). Amazon debuted its proprietary active noise canceling (ANC) technology with these earphones and hit it out of the park for the price. The Echo Buds (2nd Gen) outperforms more premium headsets like the Apple AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM3, though can’t quite touch the Sony WF-1000XM4. The buds are water-resistant and fit well thanks to the memory foam ear tips and software-powered ear tip fit test.
Another great option in this price range is the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus. If you have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, it doesn’t get much better than this: you get compact earbuds with more than 11 hours of standalone playtime, a USB-C/wireless charging case, and powerful software through the Galaxy Wearable app.
Related: Best true wireless earbuds under $50
If you really want to save a buck, look into the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2. This is a great value pick because it includes a USB-C/wireless charging case, comprehensive software features, and handsome, ergonomically designed earbuds. You get all of this for just $79 USD.