Pairing and Customization

The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ uses the relatively mainstream Qualcomm QCC3026 chip with native Bluetooth 5.0 support, and I had no issues pairing it with my phone on Bluetooth 5.0, my laptop on Bluetooth 5.1, and my PC with the Intel AX210 NIC on Bluetooth 5.2. Pairing is quite simple since it comes up as a new device, but as one ear bud at a time, allowing mono playback, too. You then get prompted to pair with the second ear bud for stereo support as seen above. The LED ring pulses in pairing mode to indicate as much, and you can force pairing by holding down the face button for ~3 seconds. It is also here that we see not much has changed as far as codec support goes, with Qualcomm aptX being the best option on most Android devices, other than the basic SBC codec. This means you do not get any aptX HD or LDAC support, unfortunately. On iOS, we just have the AAC codec to go on.


The Melomania 1+ is also supported by the first-party Melomania by Cambridge Audio mobile app available on both Android and iOS. I can't speak for the middling reviews you see on the app stores, but it appears to be a mix of some devices not playing as nicely, be it a phone or connection issues with the Melomania TWS earphone lineup. I had no such issues here, which is why I will only point it out as a possibility. With the Melomania 1+ connected to my phone already, the app immediately detected them and even pulled up an optional tutorial, which is nice if you happen to have skipped the guides that came with the product, as many would have.


Once past the tutorial, which is also skippable, the app immediately pointed out that a firmware update was available for this review sample of the Melomania 1+. Updating can take a while, but there are built-in checks to ensure everything goes smoothly. I also liked that the process begins with the left ear bud and then moves on to the right one in order before confirming all is good to go. As such, be aware that all testing henceforth was done with the Melomania 1+ on firmware 8.0.2.


The app features are fairly extensive for your average TWS earphones, and this is really where the brand's history and association shines in putting out a polished user experience, at least for me. The hub shows the battery level of each ear bud as well as the audio codec in play. You can also register and sign into your account for an extra six months of warranty if that interests you, turn on/off the earphone controls, and then head over to the other menu options separated into groups at the bottom. There is a 5-band equalizer that looks quite snazzy, and Cambridge Audio has six presets in addition to three custom ones you can modify to your desire. It's clearly intended for simpler tweaking, and I would have liked to see an advanced option with 10-band EQ and actual values to enter for those frequencies. The settings tab allows you to go from a high performance mode involving further amplification or a low performance mode that allows higher battery life. You can also choose the audio codec here, check for firmware updates, and change the voice guidance language for the voice prompts that come up in use. The "More" tab includes general options, such as looking up the user guide, providing feedback about the app/product, and registering the product, as well as EULA-related items.