Compare Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE Headphones vs Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 Headphones

Review evidence treats the included analog cable option as a practical premium accessory for wired use, not just a box-checking extra.

ANC is generally judged good or improved, though not always elite; reviewers praised effectiveness while noting Sony/Bose-class options can still outperform it.

Reviewers broadly find ANC improved and often very good, though several still place Sony, Bose, or AirPods Max ahead in specific noise scenarios.

Advanced software features such as DynamEQ and app changes are useful but taste-dependent, with some reviewers liking the added energy and others preferring simpler original tuning.

Advanced software is intentionally restrained: reviewers appreciate the fundamentals but note fewer rich extras than Sony, Bose, or Sennheiser-style rivals.

Aesthetics split reviewers: some liked the clean design and blue color, while another found the wide look silly when worn.

The slimmer, more discreet profile is repeatedly praised for looking less bulky while preserving Bowers & Wilkins' premium identity.

Background noise reduction is viewed as improved and effective, but not the quietest in the class according to comparison-focused reviewers.

A couple of reviewers report a mild pressurized or adjusting sensation with ANC, making the background behavior good but not perfectly invisible.

ANC's effect on the sound signature is mixed: one review praised the lack of tonal shift, while another found ANC-on tuning messier on the SE.

Tom's Guide specifically praises the ANC for making little to no audible change to the sonic character.

ANC sound impact is similarly split, with TechRadar praising tonal consistency and RecordingNow hearing a more problematic change with ANC on.

Tom's Guide describes ANC's impact on the audio itself as minimal, a positive contrast to algorithms that alter the sound.

Android setup worked smoothly in the tested pairing flow, with the reviewer connecting quickly to a Samsung foldable device.

The app is widely praised for EQ, controls, and clean layout, though one reviewer wanted clearer EQ frequency labeling.

The app is generally seen as clean, useful, and easy to use, though not especially full-featured compared with richer competitors.

aptX Lossless support is treated as part of the impressive specification.

aptX support is treated as a meaningful high-quality and future-looking benefit, especially for non-iOS listeners with compatible devices.

Gaming/low-latency performance was judged snappy and suitable for videos and fast-paced games.

Auracast is discussed as an upcoming capability, but reviewer enthusiasm is cautious rather than proven by hands-on performance.

Wear-detection auto play/pause mostly worked but showed a brief audio cutout in one hands-on test.

RecordingNow gave the product a strong S-Tier expert score, reflecting award-style recognition in that review.

Tom's Guide's audio award recognition reinforces the product's strong overall standing in its price class.

Bass earns strong praise for impact and EQ potential, but some reviewers found the SE tuning too bass-forward or not fully controlled.

Bass is usually praised for control, depth, slam, and texture, though a few reviewers find it elevated or less sub-bass-heavy than some rivals.

Battery life is one of the clearest strengths, repeatedly called excellent, incredible, extraordinary, or best-in-class.

Battery life is considered solid and sufficient at around 30 hours, but reviewers do not treat it as class-leading.

Bluetooth-related experiences were largely positive where judged through pairing and multipoint behavior.

Bluetooth performance is generally praised for reliable pairing and flexible transmission quality, with one reviewer noting rare hiccups.

Build quality is consistently praised as sturdy, premium, or strong for the price, with only minor creaking noted in one review.

Build quality is a major strength, with repeated praise for premium materials, finish, and construction.

The built-in DAC and hi-res USB playback are appreciated, though one reviewer hears little improvement over strong wireless codecs.

Physical button controls are praised for usability and responsiveness.

Physical controls are widely liked for being tactile, reliable, and easier than touch panels, despite some limitations in available shortcuts.

Cable quality receives a positive note for the included USB-C and 3.5mm cables.

Cable quality is viewed positively when reviewers mention the included cables, though one reviewer wishes for longer cables.

The hard case is generally sturdy and solid, but its size hurts compactness.

The hard case is consistently praised as sturdy, premium, protective, and well finished.

Fast charging earns strong praise, especially the short top-up that adds several hours of playback.

Clamping force is mostly acceptable or well judged, though one review found the fit snug compared with rivals.

Clamp is the main comfort caveat: some reviewers find it secure or well judged, while others feel pressure or tightness.

Codec support is praised through aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless support, but wireless LDAC absence is a separate limitation.

Codec support is viewed as ample and premium, with aptX Lossless and high-resolution options standing out.

Comfort is mixed: some reviewers found it comfortable or improved, while others criticized weight, snugness, or headband pressure over time.

Comfort is mostly strong across long sessions, helped by padding and fit, though clamp, heat, or glasses pressure appear in some reviews.

Wired listening options are appreciated as part of the broader connectivity package.

Connectivity options are considered flexible, especially USB-C and wired modes, but dead-battery wired listening is a noted limitation.

Design is usually viewed positively, especially the clean lines and color options, although the look is not universally loved.

Design earns strong consensus for being elegant, understated, attractive, and premium-looking.

Durability is judged positively through solid materials and a reviewer description of the headphones as durable overall.

Ear cup padding and space are generally praised for plushness, roominess, and comfort.

Ear cup padding is praised in one review as plush, while another says the cushions feel less supportive than previous B&W models.

Ear cup rotation is judged useful and flexible where reviewed.

The swivel and rotation range earns praise from one reviewer who specifically likes the inward and outward twisting motion.

One reviewer heard slight creaking during movement, but described it as minor.

Ecosystem integration is a useful extra for owners of other supported Bowers & Wilkins devices.

EQ customization is a major strength, with reviewers praising the seven-band EQ and how well the headphones respond to tuning.

The 5-band EQ is widely welcomed as a big upgrade, though some reviewers still find it limited versus deeper EQ systems.

Feature coverage is viewed positively, with reviewers noting modern ANC-headphone features and useful app-based controls.

Launch features are good but incomplete, with some promised functions missing at release.

The firmware roadmap is seen as encouraging because reviewers expect missing features to help the headphones catch up.

Frequency-response impressions are mixed because the SE sounds warmer and less flat than the original, even though the tonal balance can be adjusted.

TechRadar praises the frequency balance for avoiding obvious overstatement or understatement across the range.

Headband adjustability was not evaluated directly beyond factual mechanism mentions.

Headband adjustment earns praise for smooth, well-damped movement and resistance.

Headband padding is one of the more divisive comfort points, ranging from improved and comfortable to stiff or not meaningfully changed.

Headband padding is usually praised, but one reviewer notes slight top-of-head pressure.

Hinge feel and arm construction are praised for tightness, friction, and premium movement.

Immersion is praised through wide, effortless soundstage comments, even without spatial audio.

SoundGuys' measurements and commentary point to unusually strong immersiveness for spatially oriented content.

Included accessories are appreciated, especially the case and cable management touches.

Included accessories are described as practical and premium, especially the case and both USB-C and analog cables.

Detail retrieval and instrument separation are praised in both written and hands-on listening tests.

Instrument separation is one of the most consistent audio strengths, with reviewers praising clarity, layering, and imaging.

Microphone quality is good in quiet conditions, but noise suppression is less impressive in background noise.

The integrated microphones are judged positively by at least one reviewer for everyday conversation use.

LDAC is a clear omission for reviewers who expect high-res wireless codec support.

LDAC absence is treated as a drawback by reviewers who prefer that more common high-res Android codec.

LE Audio readiness is treated as an upcoming feature, but the reviewer expresses limited excitement before hands-on results.

Clarity at higher volume is praised, with reviewers noting strong clarity and no distortion at raised levels.

Audio46 praises the louder output for staying clean without distortion.

Microphone noise reduction is weaker than some competitors, with one reviewer saying it does not filter as much background noise.

Microphone noise reduction is generally good, reducing background noise, but some road noise or muffling remains.

Microphone quality itself is good in quiet conditions, even if background noise filtering is less strong.

Call microphone quality is mostly good to excellent, though a few reviewers find it less clear than Apple or Sony.

Mids are frequently praised as clear, rounded, and strong with vocals or instruments.

Midrange impressions are mixed: several praise natural vocals and body, while RecordingNow finds stock mids recessed.

Multipoint generally works, but switching can require pausing and there is no automatic switching in one test.

Multipoint is a standout when mentioned, with reviewers praising fast and seamless switching.

Passive noise isolation is a notable strength, with reviewers praising how much noise is blocked before ANC.

Passive isolation benefits from an easy seal and contributes meaningfully to noise reduction.

Overall recommendations are very positive, especially for sound-first buyers and value seekers, with caveats around ANC, comfort, and bulk.

Overall recommendations are strongly positive, especially for buyers prioritizing sound, build, and style over absolute ANC dominance.

Portability is a weakness because the headphones and case are not especially compact.

Portability is mixed: the case and lay-flat design help, but the headphones do not fully fold and can take more bag space.

Premium feel is praised through materials, finish, and comparisons to more expensive headphones.

Reviewers describe the headphones as premium-feeling and worth their price visually and physically.

Preset and DynamEQ-style tuning are useful but taste-dependent; some presets are usable while DynamEQ can be divisive.

The TrueSound-style preset is described as giving the headphones a dynamic signature without requiring much user adjustment.

Replaceable earpads and battery-related serviceability are repeatedly praised as longevity-friendly.

Replaceable earpads are a positive repairability point, although service involvement makes the process less convenient.

Replaceable components receive praise where reviewers focus on the user-replaceable battery as a long-term ownership benefit.

Replaceable pads and headband improve repairability, but reviewers note the process may require B&W service.

Sensor performance is mostly positive through wear-detection testing, though resume behavior had a minor glitch in one review.

Sidetone/voice passthrough needs improvement according to one reviewer who wanted clearer, louder self-voice feedback.

Smart listening features such as DynamEQ are useful for low-volume listening but not universally preferred.

Smart Pause works quickly in hands-on testing, though one reviewer observed a brief audio glitch when resuming.

The off-white finish receives a small positive note for resisting a dirty-looking appearance over time.

Setup and software are generally smooth, clean, and intuitive, with fast firmware and app interactions noted.

Software/setup simplicity is praised for users who want good sound without constant settings fuss.

Sound quality is the strongest repeated praise, described as detailed, clear, engaging, and high value for the price.

Sound quality is the strongest consensus point, with many reviewers calling the Px7 S3 class-leading, refined, or highly enjoyable.

Soundstage is generally wide and spacious, though one reviewer heard it as more intimate than wide.

Soundstage is generally spacious and well defined, though a few reviewers describe it as focused or not the widest.

Spatial audio is absent, which some reviewers list as a limitation, though others say the natural soundstage reduces the sting.

Spatial audio is not yet proven in reviews, but Audioholics is genuinely interested in B&W's planned implementation.

Fit stability is positive in the limited evidence, with reviewers saying the headphones feel secure during movement.

Streaming integration is mixed: it supports direct services, but reviewers doubt many users will prefer it and note local-library gaps.

Sustainability and repairability are praised thanks to recyclable packaging, recycled materials, user-replaceable batteries, and removable pads.

Repairability is better than many rivals thanks to replaceable cushions and headband parts, though battery replacement remains a limitation.

Sustainability materials earn praise from TechRadar, especially the recycled plastic and driver material claims.

Material choices get a positive note for avoiding leather while still feeling soft and premium.

Transparency mode ranges from natural and useful to merely acceptable and less airy than competitors.

Transparency mode is generally good to excellent, with several reviewers calling it natural, close to not wearing headphones, or conversation-friendly.

Travel friendliness is mixed: battery life is excellent for long trips, but the large case and limited folding hurt portability.

Travel friendliness is helped by the protective case and lay-flat design, but some reviewers dislike the larger non-folding footprint.

Treble is often praised for detail, shine, and sparkle, but DynamEQ can make the sound more aggressive for some listeners.

Treble is often praised for crispness and detail, though some reviewers hear sibilance or grating highs in certain situations.

USB-C connectivity is positively mentioned as part of the wired-listening and cable package.

USB-C is useful for wired audio, but one reviewer reports occasional skipping over USB-C.

Value is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly calling the P100 SE well priced or exceptional for sound quality per dollar.

Value is viewed positively for the sound, build, and feature mix, though the price is still considered premium and market-dependent.

Voice assistant access worked cleanly in hands-on testing.

Voice assistant access works, but one reviewer dislikes that using it can require sacrificing the ANC toggle behavior.

Voice prompts stand out positively, especially the Matt Berry/Southwark option.

Volume output is mixed: some found it loud enough or very loud, while another wanted more Bluetooth/3.5mm loudness.

Volume output is praised as very loud compared with peers.

Water resistance is a weakness because one reviewer warns users to be careful due to no rating.

Wear-detection auto-pause is fast, though the broader wear-detection behavior was not flawless.

Auto-pause wear detection is mentioned as useful but less reliable than leading rivals in one review.

Wear detection performed quickly but had a resume-side glitch that the reviewer wanted fixed.

Wear detection performance receives a mixed note, with one reviewer finding the sensor less reliable than Bose or Sony.

Weight comfort is mixed to negative, with one reviewer calling it among the heaviest in class while another found it substantial but acceptable.

Weight comfort is mixed: the headphones are not extremely heavy, but reviewers still notice their mass compared with lighter rivals.

Wind handling is mixed: one review criticized wind noise in transparency mode, while another found ANC outdoor wind handling very good.

Wind performance is split, with TechRadar flagging susceptibility while another reviewer praises windy call handling.