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Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation

It's a first for the English HiFi manufacturer Cambridge Audio, because the new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones are the company's first headphones that are not designed as in-ear headphones, but as over-ear headphones.

Story Highlights
  • For the first time, the English HiFi manufacturer Cambridge Audio is now presenting an over-ear headphone in the Cambridge Audio Melomania Series, the new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones.

The English HiFi manufacturer Cambridge Audio has been producing some very exciting headphones for quite some time now, although it has to be said that the so-called Cambridge Audio Melomania Series has so far always focused on a single current model, thus not deeming it necessary to offer a very broad product range. In addition, the focus has so far been exclusively on in-ear headphones, with the current model being the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 True Wireless Headphones.

Now, however, Cambridge Audio is expanding its range to include a model that is designed as an over-ear headphone for the first time, thus joining the current in-ear headphones with the new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones.

For particularly demanding music lovers

Cambridge Audio likes to claim that its solutions pay homage to the Great British Sound, and this applies to products in the classic HiFi sector as well as to headphones, and thus also to the latest model, the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones.

The aim in developing the new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones was to create headphones that are suitable for everyday use, offer the highest level of flexibility thanks to Bluetooth signal transmission, are comfortable to wear thanks to robust workmanship and high-quality materials, and require no compromises in sound quality thanks to the latest technology.

Impeccable technical features – Qualcomm Snapdragon Platform as a basis

It is clear that the developers of the new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones have put their trust in flawless technical equipment, as a glance at the data sheet shows.

The so-called Qualcomm Snapdragon Platform from Qualcomm Inc. is the basis of the new headphones from Cambridge Audio. Specifically, a Qualcomm QCC3084, Tri-Core Processor is used in conjunction with a Qualcomm 32-bit Kalimba Audio Digital Signal Processor and Analog Devices ADAU1787, with the main benefit being the latest Bluetooth module used here. This guarantees signal transmission via Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound and thus via Bluetooth 5.3 and the Bluetooth profiles A2DP, AVRCP, HSP and HFP, and the codecs SBC, AAC, aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive are supported.

This ensures that, provided the source also supports it, the signal is transmitted in Hi-res Audio with up to 24 bits and 96 kHz.

Alternatively, USB-C is also available, as is analogue connection via a 3.5 mm stereo jack using an adapter.

Integrated hybrid ANC

The DSP is also the basis for active noise cancellation, which is said to be particularly sophisticated and effective thanks to the so-called Hybrid ANC.

Of course, a so-called transparency mode is also included, and the powerful processor also allows functions such as Wear Detect to automatically pause playback as soon as you take off the headphones or to restart it as soon as you put them on, as well as functions such as Google FastPair and a dedicated game mode with particularly low latency.

7-band equaliser

The new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones also allow individual customisation using an equaliser, namely a 7-band EQ, which is available via the Cambridge Audio Melomania app, which is offered for Apple iOS and Google Android.

Six presets are already available, but of course you can also create customised curves that are completely tailored to your own taste.

Driver in sandwich construction and Class AB amplifier technology

The central component, however, is of course the driver, which has a very generously dimensioned diameter of 40 mm and is built on a sandwich-type membrane consisting of three layers – polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyurethane and again polyether ether ketone.

This is driven by a Class AB amplifier, as is often the case in classic HiFi components. As with these, a clear, detailed and dynamic reproduction is guaranteed, as the manufacturer promises.

Six microphones for impeccable speech quality

It should also be mentioned that six microphones are integrated into the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 over-ear headphones, some of which are used to capture ambient noise for the aforementioned Hybrid ANC, but of course they are also used for phone calls and voice control. These are microphones with Qualcomm cVc echo cancelling and noise suppression technology, which are designed to ensure the best possible voice quality.

Solid construction, comfortable to wear

The new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones are designed to be stable and reliable for many years of use. What is interesting is that the ear cups are made of 50 per cent recycled plastic and are padded with soft memory foam. Vegan leatherette is used for the cover. This is also used for the soft padding of the metal headband.

Battery life of up to 60 hours with ANC activated

A special feature of the new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 over-ear headphones is their long battery life. After all, it should last up to 60 hours with active noise cancellation activated. If you do without it, you should be able to enjoy music for up to 100 hours.
Charging is via the aforementioned USB-C interface, with a quick-charge function that guarantees up to two hours of playtime with ANC activated or up to four hours without ANC activated after just five minutes.

Prices and availability

The new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Over-ear Headphones are available now in either satin white or classic black at a recommended retail price of € 279,-.

Getting to the point

With the new Cambridge Audio Melomania P100, Cambridge Audio is presenting its first over-ear headphones, having previously focused solely on in-ear headphones. However, this does not change the fact that the company is promising nothing less than Great British Sound and is relying on the latest technologies to achieve this, which also offer flexible use with exciting features such as active noise cancellation, individual customisation via an app, and, last but not least, a long battery life.

PRODUCTCambridge Audio Melomania P100
Price€ 279,-
BrandCAMBRIDGE AUDIO
ManufacturerCambridge Audio
Distribution AustriaAudio Tuning Vertriebs GmbH
Distribution GermanyCambridge Audio
Distribution SwitzerlandLakeside Audio SA
More about this manufacturer at HIFI BLOG

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Michael Holzinger

Michael Holzinger, founder and editor-in-chief of HiFi BLOG and sempre-audio.at, has been working for years as a journalist in the fields of IT, photography, telecommunications and consumer electronics.

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