Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 assessment: A powerful headphone debut

When a longtime firm enters a brand new product class, there’s loads of strain on it to instantly impress the lots, particularly when it has a confirmed observe file in its business. That’s what Cambridge Audio confronted this 12 months when it debuted its first wi-fi headphones, the Melomania P100 ($279). It had already made the Melomania M100 wi-fi earbuds, however with a popularity largely constructed on hi-fi amplifiers, digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and audio system, the corporate was coming into uncharted waters.

With the P100, Cambridge Audio managed to go away an enduring first impression proper out of the field. Beginning with the refined look, it’s evident that the corporate is severe about taking purpose at the perfect within the class. It partnered aesthetics with lengthy battery life, user-friendly upkeep choices and a crisp, clear sound profile for a really compelling package deal on its first try.

What’s good concerning the Melomania P100?

The P100 actually appears like a set of flagship headphones. In an age when loads of corporations go for plastic-heavy builds, even for his or her high-end fashions, it’s good to see a sophisticated design for lower than $300. Cambridge Audio mixed aluminum accents with vegan leather-based and smooth reminiscence foam ear cups to do a lot of the heavy lifting right here. There’s additionally cross-hatched cloth on the underside of the headscarf that gives a textural distinction whereas sustaining the colour scheme.

Cambridge Audio didn’t make any sacrifices on battery life with the P100, promising as much as 60 hours of use with lively noise cancellation (ANC) turned on. What’s extra, the corporate says you possibly can eke out as much as 100 hours of play time with ANC disabled, relying on quantity ranges and different settings. I had no bother hitting 60 hours throughout my battery exams, which I run nearly solely whereas using noise cancellation. And to maintain the P100 operating longer than some headphones would, the corporate permits customers to interchange the battery themselves when efficiency dips (ear pads are additionally replaceable).

The P100 makes use of the identical Class AB amplification that powers Cambridge Audio’s CX sequence hi-fi amps. This offers sound efficiency that’s “audibly better” than what’s present in almost all wi-fi headphones, in accordance with the corporate. Three-layer 40mm drivers full the audio platform, which is tuned for “precise highs and dynamic lows.”

Throughout my exams, the P100 excelled at reproducing crisp, clear particulars throughout each style I threw at it. Even within the heaviest components of Sleep Token’s “Vore,” the snare hits remained punchy, reducing by means of distorted guitar riffs with vocals layered in. Prominence is given to treble and mids although, as bass-heavy tracks like that one don’t fairly have the booming punch they sometimes do. As such, the P100 was at its finest for types that demanded much less low-end growl — genres like nation, jazz and ‘90s grunge.

What’s not so good concerning the Melomania P100?

My notes on the general sound profile of the P100 aren’t nice information for many who crave a bombastic blast when listening to music by Kendrick Lamar, Kaytranada and different bass-heavy tunes. Cambridge Audio does provide a number of presets to change the tuning, in addition to a full EQ for customized profiles. The modifications had been extra delicate for the EQ sliders, so that they didn’t ship the thump I used to be after. However, in contrast to loads of equalizer choices from different corporations, none of those muddied the sound or made issues worse.

Regardless of the smooth contact of the P100’s ear pads, they don’t provide sufficient buffer from the ridges of the ear cups throughout longer listening periods. I used these on a cross-country journey that concerned a full day of air journey and carrying headphones for a strong six hours. After about half-hour, I might begin to really feel these edges. And whereas they by no means turned painful, this saved the P100 from competing with the likes of the Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones and Sony’s WH-1000XM5 by way of general consolation.

Cambridge Audio did effectively to cowl all of the fundamentals on the P100. There’s dependable, easy-to-use bodily controls, strong adaptive ANC efficiency and help for aptX Lossless. Put on detection and multipoint Bluetooth are additionally in tow, as is wired listening at 24-bit/96kHz high quality and a five-minute fast cost device. What you gained’t discover are issues like speech detection, any point out of spatial audio or a number of the automated options the competitors presents. Positive, I can excuse the omissions on the P100 given the worth, however these are the kinds of conveniences which can be more and more changing into core specs, so one or two would’ve been good to have.

Closing verdict on the Melomania P100

I’m impressed by what Cambridge Audio has constructed for its first set of wi-fi headphones. It’s apparent the corporate is aware of methods to produce clear, balanced audio, even when the P100 might use a smidge extra low-end tone. The mix of design, sound, repairability and battery life make this a compelling possibility at effectively beneath $300. And now that the corporate has a strong basis to construct on, I count on to be blown away by no matter comes subsequent.