Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 TWS Review – Strictly For Purists
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1: Producing mid-fi two-channel gear for an ever-dwindling market doesn’t seem like a profitable venture for this venerable Brit company, but this first foray into TWS suggests a very promising direction.
Nicely machined buds look and feel quite premium for the $99 tab ($79 on Black Friday). Large, barrel shaped housings have some heft and will protrude in unflattering manner from the pinna—those with narrow ear canals may find these uncomfortable. Isolation is average at best (foam tips and deep insertion provide better seal but less comfort), and call quality isn’t great, with voices having a bit of a Dixie-cup-with-string effect. Connectivity, however, is quick and reliable, and battery life is excellent (8hrs from buds + 36hrs from case). Notched control buttons on the side of each bud work well and are more ergonomic than the usual touch panels.
Compared to its Samsung/Apple peers, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1’s feature set is rudimentary—micro-USB charging, no control app, no ANC. (NOTE: a new Mach II version of the Melanoma, with USB-C, app and updated tech, has just been released). Sound wise, however, these are very impressive and quite unlike any Bluetooth I’ve heard. They immediately present a rich, lively tonality which is just a tad warmer than neutral and a midcentric signature with well-extended low end, forward-sounding mids and less-emphasized highs. Soundstage has limited width but is nicely rounded, with good height, and imaging and stereo separation is very accurate. Coherence is excellent and micro-dynamics are noteworthy; these remain engaging at lower volumes.
The bass on the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 isn’t as juiced-up or impactful as, say, Beats or Jabra, but is well-controlled and thick, with a lot of midbass texture. Midrange is very natural and articulate; male voices in particular sound full and clear. Treble sounds like it rolls off around 5k or so, such that some microdetail is missing, but is free from harshness and bite. The Galaxy Buds +, in contrast, present more high-frequency information and detail, but sound artificially bright, with a much leaner note texture, while the similarly-tuned, pricier Klipsch T5 II (review to follow) likewise have more glare and a less natural-sounding timbre than the Cambridge; the Cambridge sound more vinyl-like and less digital.
On a lark, I a/b’d these to Cambridge’s likeable SE-1 wired buds ($85 SRP, though deeply discounted to $25), which have a similar grain-free tonality and forward mids but present more high-end sparkle and detail. The Melomania, however, has much tighter, less wooly bass, more tonal presence and better layering; I prefered the Melomania overall. Moving up to something like the ($129) Shuoer Tape reveals the Melomania’s technical limitations—the Shuoer is more expansive sounding and more transparent overall; it also has faster transients. The differences, however, are not massive, and a listener could easily opt for the less clinical but more energetic presentation of the Melomania.
The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 have limited utility for on-the-go usage, and lacks the bells and whistles of its competitors. If, however, like me your life’s goal is to listen to Radiohead while lying on a hammock and drinking Manhattans, the Melomania is SOTA and the first TWS I’ve heard which can hold its own with good wired phones.
An unexpected steal at this price.
DISCLAIMER
Bought it myself.
Our generic standard disclaimer.
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Totally love mine! Received them last week. Your review is spot on. I’ve tested some other tips and the stock ones and the best ones are the big foam that comes in the package (for my ear). The key is to not push them too much in the ear canal to get the best balance of sound. At first I pushed them too much and there was too much bass.
I like mine. They look strange but sound very good and batt life is excellent. Puppy chewed up one and bought a new pair of replacements for $50.