The catch
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
Its USB-C-to-3.5 mm analog lead is proprietary. Look after it and find out whether replacements are available before you travel.
Side by side
Cambridge P100 SE vs Focal Bathys Compared: replacing the battery yourself or a 192 kHz USB input
Quick verdict
Owner battery replacement is documented by Cambridge, while Bathys takes 192 kHz USB PCM and needs professional battery service. P100 SE is the stronger place to start when charging margin and upkeep at home matter most. Bathys earns its place for a specific higher-rate USB requirement, or a sound you prefer after an audition. The Cambridge analog lead is proprietary, and Bathys still needs power for analog listening.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Buying the pricier model can leave you leaning harder on a service visit
When a single pair covers your commute, work and evening music, a battery problem can knock out several routines at once. Cambridge documents how to replace the battery using standard tools and the right part, whereas Focal needs a professional to do it. That gives P100 SE a concrete ownership advantage if you are comfortable following the approved procedure. After a trial, Bathys may still turn out to be the better pair for your own listening, but paying the premium does not buy an easier battery replacement. Look into parts and service availability for both, and do not assume either route gets you an immediate repair.
Where this comes from
This sets the documented service requirements against depending on one headphone every day. We infer no failure rate, repair time, price or lifespan.
The catch
Focal Bathys
A professional has to service the battery, and analog playback stops when the battery is empty. Jack mode has no microphone, and USB calls do not work with iOS.
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
- Why pick it
- You want a pair you use all week to come with a documented owner battery-replacement route.
- The 60-hour ANC-on maximum and 96 kHz USB input fit your intended routine, allowing for real-use conditions.
- The catch
- Its USB-C-to-3.5 mm analog lead is proprietary. Look after it and find out whether replacements are available before you travel.
Focal Bathys
- Why pick it
- Your source needs to send supported 192 kHz PCM directly, and you can accept the 176.4 kHz exception.
- After a listening trial you like Bathys enough to put up with its charging and service requirements.
- The catch
- A professional has to service the battery, and analog playback stops when the battery is empty. Jack mode has no microphone, and USB calls do not work with iOS.
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What this page compares
Cambridge P100 SE and Focal Bathys for long workdays, USB music and years of daily use. Charging conditions, cable replacement and the premium trade-off are all compared.
One is a music-focused ANC pair and the other a credible step up for the same desk-and-travel job. The upgrade is only meaningful if its particular input capability, or a listening preference you have auditioned, matters to you.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
You plan to swap out an aging battery yourself by the approved method
Cambridge documents replacement by the owner. Focal calls for a professional.
- Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
- Better fit
- Focal Bathys
- Not suitable
Your source has to send supported 192 kHz PCM directly
Bathys takes 192 kHz, whereas Cambridge documents up to 96 kHz.
- Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
- Not suitable
- Focal Bathys
- Better fit
You need more published ANC-on runtime to spare
Cambridge lists 60 hours to Bathys’s 30, with no matched-test guarantee.
- Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
- Better fit
- Focal Bathys
- Caution
You need to make wired iOS calls using the headphone microphone
Focal states plainly that iOS USB calls are not supported. Nothing establishes that Cambridge supports this exact workflow.
- Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
- Depends
- Focal Bathys
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
Buying the pricier model can leave you leaning harder on a service visit
When a single pair covers your commute, work and evening music, a battery problem can knock out several routines at once. Cambridge documents how to replace the battery using standard tools and the right part, whereas Focal needs a professional to do it. That gives P100 SE a concrete ownership advantage if you are comfortable following the approved procedure. After a trial, Bathys may still turn out to be the better pair for your own listening, but paying the premium does not buy an easier battery replacement. Look into parts and service availability for both, and do not assume either route gets you an immediate repair.
How we worked this out
This sets the documented service requirements against depending on one headphone every day. We infer no failure rate, repair time, price or lifespan.
Keeping ANC on for the whole journey changes the charging comparison
With ANC enabled, P100 SE’s 100-hour headline falls to up to 60 hours. Bathys lists up to 30 hours of Bluetooth listening with ANC. For someone who pairs a noisy commute with a long day of listening, that gives Cambridge the larger published margin, though it does not prove twice the real runtime. Volume, codec and test conditions all differ, and Cambridge says its app cannot force a lower codec. The analog cable on Bathys needs charge too, so tossing it in your bag will not save you from a forgotten charging session. Compare the modes you will use and keep a sensible charging routine.
How we worked this out
The stated ANC-on figures are put on a common mode basis, with no claim of a matched-test ratio. Passive operation on Cambridge is not established here, so it is not counted as an advantage.
The cable you could misplace may matter more than the top input rate
Plugged into a compatible USB source at your desk, both take digital music and keep your saved EQ. Bathys goes up to supported 192 kHz PCM and P100 SE reaches 96 kHz. That gap only matters if your source requires it, and a bigger number looking more premium is no reason. On a shared television or a seat headphone jack, a different issue comes first. Cambridge uses a proprietary analog lead and routes replacements through support. Bathys uses its supplied jack cable, and a damaged one is also replaced through a dealer. Keep the right lead with the case, especially if cables in your household get borrowed or go missing. Neither a higher sample rate nor a generic USB-C adapter stands in for that connection check.
How we worked this out
Digital input limits are kept apart from analog cable requirements and from how cables are handled at home. We promise no universal third-party cable compatibility, no audible high-resolution benefit and no simultaneous wired-call feature.
Plug in your setup
Which headphones suit the way you listen?
Start with how you listen. Charging over USB is not the same as playing audio over USB, and some headphones need power even on a cable. These answers are placeholders until you apply your own.
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
Passes these checksPlays over Bluetooth.
Focal Bathys
Passes these checksPlays over Bluetooth.
Battery figures are maker claims for the stated mode. They do not reflect measured travel time. Volume, codec, calls and battery age all change runtime. Closed earcups can still leak some sound. Weight alone does not predict comfort. USB audio needs a compatible source and cable. This check does not judge sound quality, mic quality or amplifier power.
Option A
Cambridge Audio, Melomania P100 SE Blue
Melomania P100 SE
You want a pair you use all week to come with a documented owner battery-replacement route.
- Best for
- You want a pair you use all week to come with a documented owner battery-replacement route.
Facts we checked
- Battery upkeep: Documented owner replacement with standard tools
- ANC-on claim: Up to 60 h
- Digital music input: USB up to 24-bit/96 kHz
- Analog cable: Proprietary USB-C-to-3.5 mm lead
Option B
Focal, FOAHALNOMB0B800 Deep Black
Bathys
Your source needs to send supported 192 kHz PCM directly, and you can accept the 176.4 kHz exception.
- Best for
- Your source needs to send supported 192 kHz PCM directly, and you can accept the 176.4 kHz exception.
Facts we checked
- Battery upkeep: Professional battery replacement required
- ANC-on claim: Up to 30 h
- Digital music input: USB up to 24-bit/192 kHz, excluding 176.4 kHz
- Analog cable: Supplied jack lead, dealer replacement guidance
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE | Focal Bathys | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery upkeep | Documented owner replacement with standard tools | Professional battery replacement required | How you maintain it over the years is a different matter from its initial runtime. |
| ANC-on claim | Up to 60 h | Up to 30 h | The manufacturers used different conditions, so this is not a matched endurance test. |
| Digital music input | USB up to 24-bit/96 kHz | USB up to 24-bit/192 kHz, excluding 176.4 kHz | Look at your files and what your source outputs before paying for a higher input limit. |
| Analog cable | Proprietary USB-C-to-3.5 mm lead | Supplied jack lead, dealer replacement guidance | Do not assume that a matching connector shape makes cables interchangeable. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
- The 100-hour claim applies with ANC off. Volume and higher-bandwidth codecs can cut into the 60-hour ANC-on figure.
With Focal Bathys
- You need room for the 350 g headphone and its supplied case. Neither the driver materials nor the higher USB ceiling proves the sound is better.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Replacing the battery yourself and a good charging margin matter most
Go with Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE. Cambridge documents the owner service route and has the higher ANC-on maximum.
Your source really does need a supported 192 kHz USB input
Go with Focal Bathys. Bathys provides that compatibility, though it does not prove better sound quality.
Decision guide
Before you buy
Spending more once to keep a single good pair is the aim, but the premium model may add maintenance constraints and not remove them.
What this page can’t tell you
- We claim no measured winner on sound, ANC, microphone, comfort or lifetime. Passive playback and wired calling on Cambridge were not verified, so they remain unknown and are not assumed to be missing.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the headphones we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE |
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| Focal Bathys |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
You want a pair you use all week to come with a documented owner battery-replacement route.
The 60-hour ANC-on maximum and 96 kHz USB input fit your intended routine, allowing for real-use conditions.
See price & reviews on AmazonFocal Bathys
Your source needs to send supported 192 kHz PCM directly, and you can accept the 176.4 kHz exception.
After a listening trial you like Bathys enough to put up with its charging and service requirements.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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