Is the Powerbeats Pro 2 worth the upgrade from the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Powerbeats Pro 2 actually scores 7.0 points below the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. It loses ground on value (9.6 to 7.0) and sound (9.0 to 7.9). On paper: battery life (anc on) 6.5 h to 8 h, battery incl. case 39 h to 45 h and wear detection. Worth checking: battery life goes 11 h to 10 h and codecs goes SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LDAC to AAC. 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.
- Sound9.07.9
- Noise cancelling7.88.2
- Battery8.58.8
- Calls8.08.3
- Value9.67.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Melomania A100 | Powerbeats Pro 2 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 11 h | 10 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LDAC | AAC | |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.3 | |
| Multipoint pairing | Yes | No | |
| Water resistance | IPX5 | IPX4 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 6.5 h | 8 h | |
| Battery incl. case | 39 h | 45 h | |
| Full charge time | 66 min | 120 min | |
| Microphones | 6 | 3 | |
| Case weight | 38.7 g | 69 g | |
| Wear detection | No | Yes | |
| Controls | touch | both | |
| Driver | 10 mm dynamic | 9.5 mm dynamic |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Melomania A100 to Powerbeats Pro 2". 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.