Is the Beats Powerbeats Pro worth the upgrade from the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Beats Powerbeats Pro actually scores 21.5 points below the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. It loses ground on sound (9.0 to 7.4) and calls (8.0 to 6.8). On paper: driver size 10 mm to 12 mm and wear detection. Worth checking: battery life goes 11 h to 9 h and active noise cancelling goes Yes to No. And it costs $151 more for a lower score, which is hard to justify on the data alone. Only worth it if a specific feature above matters more to you than overall quality does.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound9.07.4
- Battery8.57.5
- Calls8.06.8
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Melomania A100 | Powerbeats Pro | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 11 h | 9 h | |
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | No | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LDAC | SBC, AAC | |
| Weight | 9.4 g | 21 g | |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.0 | |
| Multipoint pairing | Yes | No | |
| Water resistance | IPX5 | IPX4 | |
| Battery incl. case | 39 h | 24 h | |
| Driver size | 10 mm | 12 mm | |
| Case weight | 38.7 g | 80 g | |
| Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
| Wear detection | No | Yes | |
| USB-C | Yes | No | |
| Quick charge | 10 min → 3.2 h | 5 min → 1.5 h | |
| Controls | touch | buttons | |
| Driver | 10 mm dynamic | 12 mm dynamic |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Melomania A100 to Powerbeats Pro". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across true wireless and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.