Is the Huawei FreeBuds 3 worth the upgrade from the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Huawei FreeBuds 3 actually scores 38.4 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 2.2) and battery (8.5 to 3.4). On paper: driver size 10 mm to 14.2 mm and wear detection. Worth checking: battery life goes 11 h to 4 h and codecs goes SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LDAC to SBC, AAC. And it costs $109 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.
- Sound9.06.6
- Noise cancelling7.83.5
- Battery8.53.4
- Calls8.06.6
- Value9.62.2
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Melomania A100 | FreeBuds 3 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 11 h | 4 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LDAC | SBC, AAC | |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.1 | |
| Multipoint pairing | Yes | No | |
| Water resistance | IPX5 | IPX4 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 6.5 h | 4 h | |
| Battery incl. case | 39 h | 20 h | |
| Driver size | 10 mm | 14.2 mm | |
| Case weight | 38.7 g | 48 g | |
| Transparency mode | Yes | No | |
| Companion app | Yes | No | |
| Custom EQ | Yes | No | |
| Wear detection | No | Yes | |
| Driver | 10 mm dynamic | 14.2 mm dynamic |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Melomania A100 to FreeBuds 3". 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.