Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ review

Here is everything you need to know about these true wireless earbuds as we test them out in this Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ review. Covering everything from sound quality and design to features such as voice control, water-resistance and battery life, we decide whether these earbuds are worth their price tag.

The simple answer? Yes, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ are some of the best value true wireless earbuds you can buy.

To see how other brands compare, read our Google Pixel Buds review and Grado GT220 review. And to see how these earbuds compare to other options, head to our best budget wireless earbuds page.

Jump to:

• Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ review: summary
• What are Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+?
• How much are Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+?
• Design
• Features
• Sound quality
• Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ set-up
• Difference between Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ and Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch
• Our verdict
• Where to buy

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ review: summary

There are two major selling points to the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+, and they are brilliant sound quality and a huge 45 hours of battery life. The customisable EQ settings allow you to personalise the balance to suit your music preferences, or there are various pre-set sound modes (including electronic and rock) that will do that for you. On a single charge, the earbuds will last up to nine hours, with an extra four charges in the case. That means you can easily go through your whole day without needing to top up.

These two features alone make the Cambridge Audio earbuds worth the £99.95 price tag, but they also feature voice control, physical buttons to play/pause music and IPX5-rated water resistance. The only major element missing is active noise cancellation but, for the price, it is hard to fault the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+.

Price: The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ cost £99.95 at Amazon.

Key features:

• Up to 45 hours of battery life (nine hours from a single charge)
• IPX5 water-resistant
• Customisable EQ settings via Melomania App
• Voice control via Google Assistant and Siri
• Button controls to play/pause music and answer calls

Pros:

• Great value for money
• Brilliant sound quality
• Extremely long battery life
• IPX5 water-resistant

Cons:

• No active noise cancellation

What are Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+?

The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ are the brand's latest true wireless earbuds. Joining the likes of the Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch, the Melomania 1+ were released in March 2021 and feature a nine-hour battery life (from a single charge), IPX5 water resistance and physical buttons to play/pause music and answer calls.

What do Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ do?

Priced just over £100, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ earbuds are a mid-range offering that delivers a lot of well-executed features for a pretty reasonable cost. The earbuds are compact, well-designed and easy to use. Features include voice control, water-resistance and a user-friendly Melomania app.

• Up to 45 hours of battery life (nine hours from a single charge)
• IPX5 water-resistant
• Customisable EQ settings via Melomania App
• Voice control via Google Assistant and Siri
• Button controls to play/pause music and answer calls

How much are Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+?

The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ cost £99.95 at Amazon.

Are Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ good value for money?

If you're after top-rate sound quality, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ are some of the best value earbuds you can buy. At £99.95, they're cheaper than Apple AirPods, AirPods Pro and Google Pixel Buds, and the Melomania 1+'s sound quality is better than all three. Beyond how great music sounds with the Melomania 1+, the earbuds also have a whopping 45 hours of battery life with the charging case and an IPX5 rating that makes them sweat resistant. Admittedly, there is no active noise cancellation, but for the price, we're not particularly mad about that.

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ design

Available in a black and white finish, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ have a unique pellet shape. If you're used to Apple's AirPods, the shape does take a little getting used to, but the earbuds come with various size tips that mean you should be able to find the right, secure fit. The five LED lights on the front of the case are bright and show how many full charges the case still has left.

Unlike most wireless earbuds, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ have physical buttons instead of touch controls. These buttons allow you to pause/play music with a single tap and double-tap to activate voice control via Google Assistant or Siri. Holding down the left button will turn down the volume and the opposite for the right.

• Style: The design is simple, and there is a matte finish on both the earbuds and the case.
• Robustness: The earbuds click solidly into the case thanks to magnets and feel-well made. The lid of the case feels a little flimsy but has a good snap on the close.
• Size: The earbuds are compact and lightweight. They come in a small case that is narrow enough to slide into most pockets.

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ features

One of the best features of the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ earbuds is their immense battery life. Listening to music, the earbuds last just under nine hours on a single charge. It's a little less if used for calls, but you should have no problem getting through the day. If you do need to top-up, the charging case supplies an extra 36 hours. This is great if, like us, you're not the best at remembering to put the earbuds on charge.

When you do finally need to charge up the case, there is a USB-A to USB-C charging cable. To charge up the case to full, it will take around three hours. While this is a relatively long charge time, the pay-off is 45 hours of battery life, so you can easily go a good chunk of the week without needing to top them up again.

Other features include a water resistance rating of IPX5. That means the earbuds are not waterproof and cannot be taken into the pool, but they are splash resistant. Therefore, if you fancy using them for a workout or are worried about being caught out in the rain, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ should handle it just fine.

The only feature missing from these true wireless earbuds is active noise cancellation. However, the passive noise cancellation is pretty good, and the Melomania app allows you to customise EQ settings to get the most from your music. If you don't want to adjust the settings yourself, there are also a series of sound modes such as electronic and rock modes on the app designed to enhance what you're listening to.

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ sound quality

The sound quality of the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ is superb. Customisable EQ settings via the Melomania app mean that you can fiddle with the levels to get music just how you like it, although we the default quality to be pretty good from the get-go. If you want to use them, there are also the bespoke modes mentioned above for a selection of genres.

Music sounds rich and well-balanced, while speech is crisp and clear. The volume range is great, too, and we rarely turned the earbuds above the bottom quarter. Call quality is OK. It isn't as spotless as with the likes of the Grado GT220, but Cambridge Audio's earbuds are half the price, so perhaps that is to be expected.

Overall, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ deliver some of the best sound quality we have heard at this price; rivalling earbuds that cost double.

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ set-up: are they easy to use?

Setting up the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ is pretty simple. After taking the earbuds out of their presentation box, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ do need to be put on charge for around half an hour. During this time, it is also suggested that you download the Melomania app. It doesn't require setting up an account but does give you access to the EQ settings and extra information, including a more detailed battery life update.

At this point, all is left to do is follow the prompts via the app with Bluetooth on. We had no problem pairing the earbuds to the phone first time and no connection issues during our entire testing period.

To ensure the earbuds have the most comfortable fit possible, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ earbuds are supplied with a selection of silicone and memory foam tips in various sizes. It may take a moment to find the right size, but once you have, the earbuds should feel secure.

What's the difference between Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ and Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch?

The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ are one of three pairs of true wireless earbuds from the British brand. The other two in the range are the older Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 and the Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch.

Comparing the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ and Melomania Touch, the most obvious difference is their design. While the Melomania 1+ come in a pellet-style shape, the Melomania Touch earbuds are designed to give a more secure fit. The brand boasts that the latter are "crafted using data from 3,000 pairs of ears, for ultimate, secure, noise-cancelling comfort" and better used for the gym or workouts. They also feature fins that should prevent the earbuds from falling out during exercise.

As you would expect from the name, the Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch have touch controls rather than the physical buttons found on the Melomnia 1+. In either scenario, the controls allow you to play/pause music and answer calls without getting out your phone.

One element that does stay the same is that impressive battery life. Both offer over 40 hours of battery life with their charging cases; 45 hours for the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ and up to 50 hours for the Melomania Touch. In both cases, it is more than enough to get you a good way through the week without needing to dig out the charging cable.

Prices are similar, too. The Cambridge Audio Melomaia 1+ are marginally cheaper at £119.95, but the Melomania Touch are still a reasonable £129.95.

Our verdict: should you buy Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+?

The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ are some of the best sounding wireless earbuds you can buy. That, combined with an immense 45-hour battery life, the earbuds are hard to fault. The only feature missing from the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ is active noise cancellation, but we don't think they need it. What the earbuds do deliver is brilliant sound quality, especially when it comes to music, and brilliant value. At £119.95, the earbuds easily rival the likes the more expensive AirPods Pro, and they're more comfortable, too. In essence, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ prove you don't have to spend a small fortune for quality.

Rating:

Some categories (sound quality and features) are weighted more heavily.

Design: 4/5

Features: 4/5

Sound quality: 5/5

Set-up: 4/5

Value for money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Where to buy Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+

The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ are available for £99.95 at Amazon.

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