I was not sure what to expect going in with my first Cambridge Audio product review, and the Melomania 1+ certainly surprises in more ways than one. Take the form factor, for example, which is quite unlike typical earphones. Employing effectively a bullet-style geometry, it juts inside the ear canal directly, and I can't stress enough how important it is to get a good fit and seal here. This will impact the tuning significantly given the V-shaped sound signature, which I dare say was chosen to have average consumers better relate, as they come in with other experiences/preferences than audiophiles, who may prefer something more neutral or accurate. The good thing is that there is enough headroom with the drivers and the chipset to allow for sufficient EQ to meet most needs,which is where the mobile app proves useful.

It has five-band EQ and is once again aimed at making things simple and easy with a neat-looking EQ customizer as well as six preset options to choose from. There are also onboard controls to enhance the user experience, and simplicity/efficiency is again a priority since there is a single button that is also the Cambridge Audio logo. In fact, I am a fan of the design language of the Melomania 1+ ear buds and case, which all flows cohesively with the branding as well. Battery life is also long, and I appreciate the two operating modes for users to prioritize audio output and battery life further. The use of the aptX,SBC and AAC codecs coupled with a more budget-friendly Qualcomm chipset may make it feel like $140 is too much to ask for, though, especially combined with the materials for the case and compared to some of the Asian competition. But I will also defend Cambridge Audio in that the plastic construction for the case keeps it light and the larger battery capacity is a better use of the resources in this price range anyway. It's a good thing then that just as I wrote up the review, I got word of a price cut that is making its way around the various web stores, reducing the cost of the Melomania 1+ from $140 to $100. This makes it far more competitive in the market, and certainly tones down the cons list.

I still maintain that it is weird to describe the safer tuning, one that is quite similar to many other TWS solutions, as an award-winning British sound, though. Perhaps it is related to the transient response in the treble region, which is really where the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ is different enough from an average set of TWS earphones, and in a good way, too. This is a non-fatiguing set to listen to for long periods of time, which synergizes with the long battery life. Notes hang around long enough to be appreciated but not to where they bleed into subsequent ones, which is unfortunately more than I can say of the bass to lower mids transition. There are issues in this region, be it poor imaging with high performance mode or relatively lacking tonal separation in the lower mids. There are certainly also strong areas that I want to see more of in other Cambridge Audio products, and I have to say that the price cut single-handedly changed things to where I went from these not being worth the money to a recommendation owing to the increased competitiveness and working set of positives.