Australians who own a Cambridge Audio Yoyo (M) portable Bluetooth speaker have been told to stop using and charging it immediately, after the brand was forced into a global recall over lithium-ion batteries that can overheat and catch fire.

The local voluntary recall, now listed on the ACCC’s Product Safety Australia website, warns the speakers pose a risk of serious injury, death and property damage from burns and fire. Units have already caught alight, including while on charge, causing property damage.

Every Yoyo (M) is affected, regardless of purchase date or serial number. Cambridge Audio has admitted there is no way to identify a batch of safe units.

Sold In Australia For Almost A Decade

The speakers were sold locally between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2024 by Cambridge Audio’s former Australian distributor, Synergy Audio Visual. The brand is now distributed in Australia by Busisoft.

The recall covers the dark grey (C10931), light grey (C10930) and blue (C10965) models.

Owners are being told not to open, repair or dispose of the speaker, or attempt to remove its battery, and to register through the recall page until Cambridge Audio confirms next steps.

The Battery Problem

According to Cambridge Audio, the battery can go into thermal runaway, an uncontrolled overheating event that can cause the speaker to catch fire, pour out smoke or eject hot battery material.

The company says the speaker met applicable safety standards when it was designed and manufactured, and that it is not aware of any injuries.

Recalled Across The Globe

Australia is the latest jurisdiction to act.

In the US, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled approximately 714 units after four reports involving fire, smoke and the ejection of battery material.

In the UK, Cambridge Audio has notified Trading Standards and the Office for Product Safety and Standards. In Europe the recall has been lodged with the EU Safety Gate alert system and France’s RappelConso, which states units have caught fire while charging. EU owners are being offered a refund.

“British” Brand, Chinese Factories

Cambridge Audio trades heavily on its English heritage. Yet the ACCC’s product recall listing describes the Yoyo (M) as Chinese.

The brand is owned by Audio Partnership and controlled by businessman James Johnson-Flint, with manufacturing outsourced principally to China.

Cambridge Audio says its products are designed, engineered and tested by teams in London and Cambridge, then built to its specifications by specialist third-party factories in China.

Not The First Quality Problem

The Yoyo recall is the most serious issue to hit the brand in recent years, but it is not the first.

The external power supply for the Cambridge Audio DacMagic was previously listed on the UK electrical safety recall database after its plastic casing could crack or detach, potentially exposing live mains components and creating an electric shock risk. A replacement programme was initiated.

The company’s Melomania P100 and P100 SE headphones have also suffered from cracked or broken headbands under normal use, an issue Cambridge Audio addresses in its own support guidance. The company says affected units qualify for replacement under its two-year warranty. That is a warranty matter, not a safety recall.

What Owners Should Do

Stop using the speaker, switch it off and disconnect it from power. Do not charge it. Register the speaker via the Yoyo (M) recall listing on the ACCC’s Product Safety Australia website and wait for instructions before disposing of it.