Cambridge Audio isn’t settling into familiarity in its advanced (well, 51) years – far from it, in fact. Last year it launched the world’s first aptX HD turntable and its best-ever hi-fi range, and today it’s expanding into another previously uncharted territory: true wireless earbuds.
The Melomania 1s are Cambridge’s first pair of truly wireless (i.e. completely untethered and cable-less) headphones, named after the brand’s own Melomania venue space in its London HQ. And they’re promising (and hopefully delivering) what most – if not all – others can’t: a 45-hour battery life.
Essentially you get nine hours from the buds, which can be re-juiced on the go four times by the supplied charging case before it needs a charge itself. The Apple AirPods provide roughly half that playback time.
That alleged listening longevity is complemented by water- and sweat-resistant (to IPX5) housing, and AAC- and aptX-supporting Bluetooth (5.0) with a range of 30m.
Inside the tiny, 4.6g buds are 5.8mm drivers with graphene diaphragms that Cambridge engineers have chosen for the material's combination of strength and flexibility. Designed so you'll be able to hear your nan during the commute when you've accidentally answered her call, they sport dedicated microphones in addition to Qualcomm’s noise-suppressing, audio-enhancing Clear Voice Capture (cVc) technology.
The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s are available from today for a surprisingly affordable price of £119.95/$129.95. Fingers (and toes) crossed they prove worth it, because if the budding truly wireless market needs anything it's a really good-sounding pair of budget buds.
MORE: Cambridge Audio AX series promises hi-fi performance on a budget
