Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 earbuds review

The Melomania A100 are the most accomplished True Wireless earbuds yet from Cambridge Audio. Engineered and tuned by the same London-based team behind the brand’s celebrated separates, the A100 aims to deliver a listening experience that bridges the gap between portable convenience and high-fidelity sound.

With support for LDAC and aptX Lossless, Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, plus Class A/B amplification, they’re built to appeal to those who take their music seriously.

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100: Design

Available in matte black or white, with subtle silver detailing, the buds adopt a sculpted stalk style, with a smooth, pebble-like finish that sits comfortably in the ear. If the choice of a black or white finish doesn’t hit the spot, there’s also an olive green special edition, produced in collaboration with streetwear fashion house Maharishi.

The charging case is reassuringly compact (45 x 61 x 25mm), with rounded edges and neat LED battery life indicator (30%, 60%, or 100%). Removing the earbuds from their snug dock requires a modicum of perseverance though.

Connectivity is good. Bluetooth 5.4 and Multipoint pairing make for easy switching between two devices. A pairing button sits neatly beneath the case, if the auto routine doesn’t work straight out of the gate.

The earbuds are IPX5 rated, so they’ll withstand light rain or gym sweat, however these buds are clearly designed more for everyday listening than marathon training.

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100: Features

The A100 arrives packed with features designed to enhance both usability and listening quality. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is handled by a six-mic system combining feed-forward and feed-back microphones, effectively reducing general environmental noise without compromising fidelity. There’s a Transparency mode for when you want to remain aware of your surroundings.

Tap and touch controls cover playback, volume adjustment, call handling, and ANC toggling. They can also be customised via the Melomania Connect app, which offers an impressive level of sonic control. You can choose between six EQ presets - Flat, Natural, Rock, Blues, Voice, and Electronic - or create your own using the 7-band equaliser.

Opt for Rock and bass gets a lift and treble gets a trim. Natural stays flat, bar for a last minute treble slope.

For those who like to experiment, personalised presets can be saved and named. My self-made Metal mode was a tweak to the Natural preset, with a one step bass boost for extra heft. The system is nice and easy to use.

Need more? Cambridge’s proprietary DynamEQ adjusts bass and treble balance as you change volume, maintaining tonal consistency, even at lower listening levels. Wear Detect automatically pauses playback when you remove an earbud, while a Low Latency Game Mode reduces delay for video and gaming.

There’s also a Sleep Mode that disables touch inputs for uninterrupted listening. If you misplace the buds, Find My Headphones will help locate them.

Battery life is solid: up to 11 hours per charge (or 6.5 with ANC on), with an additional 28 hours available from the case. Fast charging provides a three-hour top-up, from just ten minutes of power.

There’s even a hidden flourish revealing the brand’s more playful side: in the app’s Audio Feedback settings, you can replace the standard voice prompts with Matt (Toast Of London, What We Do In The Shadows) Berry’s unmistakable tones.

To find this Easter egg go to the ‘audible feedback’ section in the app where you’ll find various languages to choose from - the last is labelled ‘Southwark,’ which swaps the voice assistant to Berry. His booming declaration of “Noise Cancelling!” might not improve fidelity, but it certainly adds charm.

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100: Sound

There’s no doubt in my mind that the Melomania A100 have been tuned with care. The secret sauce is the inclusion of Class A/B amplification, lifted directly from Cambridge’s full-size amplifiers. Combined with custom 10mm neodymium drivers and dual-core Qualcomm Kalimba DSP, it produces a rich, articulate soundstage.

Streaming LDAC or aptX Lossless files, the A100 is expansive and controlled. Play Parkway Drive’s Carrion, and the brutal breakdowns retain bite and clarity, without descending into chaos; transients are sharp, bass is muscular but not overblown.

Epica’s Cry For The Moon showcases composure under pressure - symphonic arrangements stay distinct. Simone Simons’ operatics rise above the mix, while sweet strings counterpoint Mark Jansen’s demonic growls. The buds depict all this, clear as a bell.

Not only are they energetic and agile. They’re gentle too. Yungblud’s version of I Was Made for Lovin’ You confirms excellent balance, keeping vocal sibilance in check while preserving intimacy and grit. There’s no smearing or stereo disconnection, just a faithful rendering of the recording.

The alternatives

Sony WF-C710N earbuds
Slightly cheaper than the Melomania A100, these Sony noise cancelling earbuds boast excellent active noise cancellation with customisable EQ via the Sony app. They’re available in a unique translucent Glass Blue finish, as well as standard black and white. Features include 360 Reality Audio support, but no LDAC or proprietary Sony DSEE audio upscaling.

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 earbuds
For those prepared to invest more, Bowers & Wilkins flagship in-ears boast exceptional clarity and detail, with advanced codec support (aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless) and strong Active Noise cancellation. They also come with Wireless Audio Retransmission functionality in the charging case, should you want to couple them to an in-flight entertainment system.