Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch

Just days before CES 2021 opened, U.K. audio specialist Cambridge Audio launched an upgraded version of the Melomania 1 wireless earbuds it introduced in 2019. At $150, the new Melomania Touch ‘buds cost $50 more than their predecessor but offer a number of significant improvements, including increased battery life, a more comfortable design with a transparency mode and intuitive touch controls, slightly larger graphene-enhanced drivers for “deeper controlled bass and clearer highs, and a “high performance audio mode” that uses amplifier technology borrowed from the company’s CX power amps to lower noise and expand dynamic range.

The earbuds weigh a mere 0.4 ounces (combined) and are supported by a companion app with controls for adjusting the level of outside ambient noise when the transparency mode is engaged and an equalizer for adjusting bass, midrange, treble and selecting among a half dozen EQ presets. Rated battery life in low-power mode is 9 hours, which the company says can be extended to 50 hours using the supplied charging case. Like its predecessor, the Touch is resistant to water and sweat with an IPX4 rating and employs Qualcomm’s Clear Voice Capture noise cancellation with dual microphones to ensure clear phone calls.