B & W Zeppelin Review – “Icon” is a misused word. But when it comes to the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin desktop speakers, it makes perfect sense. Few speakers are as recognizable as he is. Or longevity.
The ship-shaped speaker first debuted in 2007 as a docking station for the Apple iPod Touch (which just retired after 21 years of faithful service) and the new Apple iPhone. Back then, music contained MP3 files and the connection was usually via cable. So it’s a revolution to be able to put your phone in the holder on the speaker and just play.
B & W Zeppelin Review
Today, 15 years later, docking stations and cables have been replaced by AirPlay and Bluetooth. And highly compressed MP3 files have replaced streaming services with millions of songs. By selecting CD quality or higher.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Ipod Speaker Review: Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Ipod Speaker
Instead, the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin looks like itself. Although the speakers are in the 4th generation, the case has the same cigar shape. Only the basics have changed slightly between versions. And the parking station is a thing of the past. That it is also in the third generation.
Although the speakers are in the 4th generation, the case has the same cigar shape. Only the basics have changed slightly between versions. (Photo: Bowers & Wilkins)
Everything is the same inside black or gray cabinets. Bass is still handled by a 6-inch woofer, while there are two 3.5-inch mid-range speakers and two 1-inch tweeters. Slightly more watts: 80 watts for the subwoofer and 4 x 40 watts for the other frequency range. All in Class D, of course. The closet used to be a mirror, but now he uses a closed cabinet. At the same time, with the help of electronics, the frequency range can be extended up to 35 Hz.
A great revolution took place on the side of the stream. The Zeppelin 4th Generation is the ultimate state-of-the-art wireless desktop speaker. First, it means iPhone users can wirelessly stream music from their phones via AirPlay2, while Android users have to deal with aptX Adaptive, which isn’t bad either. And the news in itself is that the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin is compatible with all Android phones. In fact, this is a shortcoming of the previous three generations.
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Both mobile communities are now tied with Bowers & Wilkins Music Manager available for both platforms. Which of course was the same program used to control Bowers & Wilkins’ Formation wireless speakers. This means you can create a multi-room system with Zeppelin(s) and Formation speakers.
Another big and important improvement is the music streaming that comes with it. Zeppelin can now work with all related streaming services, and more are being added all the time. Of course in HD quality.
The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin also has voice control. There is still room for improvement here. You can still only use Amazon Alexa. Which in many countries is equivalent to no voice control because Alexa doesn’t support minor languages. Zeppelin and Google generally don’t talk because the speakers don’t support Chromecast either.
You can use Amazon Alexa, which in the Nordic countries is equivalent without voice control (Photo: Bowers & Wilkins)
Bowers And Wilkins Zeppelins
Bowers & Wilkins makes a lot of great Hi-Fi speakers. If you have enough money and space, you can go to music heaven. Zeppelin does not aim for such heights. It’s a handy speaker that can provide background entertainment for 95% of your daily life, when you’re not deliberately sitting in a good chair, listening to the latest details. But where you still want decent quality.
Zeppelin divided. In fact, the audio performance you can get from such a small speaker is really impressive. Stereo images are limited to a 66 cm wide case for good reason. But put the Zeppelin on the table in front of you and you get a perspective that can serve you well.
Although the speaker drops to 35Hz on paper, the deepest bass is limited. But the sound is by no means thin or soft, and moderate is believable.
Bowers & Wilkins is said to use the same FST technology in the mid-range Zeppelin units as in its more expensive stereo speakers (although probably not of the same design). In any case, the sound is really clean and colorless, considering that we are dealing with a mid-range desktop speaker.
Bluetooth Receiver Adapter For B&w Zeppelin Mini & Classic: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo
With the addition of long-awaited streaming services and Android apps, the B&W Zeppelin is a serious competitor to Sonos and other desktop speakers. (Photo: Bowers & Wilkins)
There is no shortage of competition among mid-range wireless desktop speakers. Sonos Five, Denon Home 350, and Harman Kardon Citation 500. No one can compete with Sonos for the number of streaming services, but the Zeppelin leads well in terms of sound quality and stereo imaging. However, it doesn’t have Sonos’ good room adjustments.
The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin has come a long way in its 15 years on the market, and with new features in the form of multi-room music playback and much-needed Android support, it’s now a contender. Very important for Sonos and other high end computer speakers.
Design is plus or minus; There is no neutral ground. But acoustically is clearly the best way to bring music into the living room or dining room. Then we just have to adjust the space to put the finish. Tim Gideon Tim Gideon Contributing Editor, Audio My Experience I’ve been involved since 2011. Before that, I was a lead audio analyst from 2006 to 2011. Although I’m now independent, it’s been my home for over a decade, and reviewing audio equipment remains my main focus. Before my career in technology review, I worked as an audio engineer – a love of recording eventually led to Let Me Write About Audio Equipment. Read the full biography
B&w Zeppelin Bluetooth Speaker, Audio, Soundbars, Speakers & Amplifiers On Carousell
The 2021 Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin subwoofer model delivers incredibly high-fidelity wireless sound from an attractively designed enclosure with support for Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.
Editors independently select and review products. If you purchase through affiliate links, we may receive a commission to support our testing.
2021 marks the 15th year since the debut of the Zeppelin speaker, a massive iPod speaker, but the guys have done well. Bowers & Wilkins has since released several new Zeppelins, keeping the logo design while adding support for wireless audio. At $799, the Zeppelin 2021 Edition is the most expensive, but it’s also the best choice, supporting 24-bit streaming via Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth and Spotify Connect, as well as multiple streaming services. Sound quality is still standard, and we like the addition of the companion software, which lets you set the EQ to bass and three levels. It even has an Alexa speaker attached, making it one of the most impressive smart speakers we’ve ever heard. It’s a huge budget, but the Zeppelin 2021 is still the best-looking and best wireless speaker we’ve ever tested, earning our Editors’ Choice award.
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Bowers And Wilkins Zeppelin Ipod Amplified Speaker Dock System
Measuring 8.3 by 25.6 by 7.6 inches (HWD) and weighing 14.3 pounds, the Zephyll is aptly named—both its rounded contour and its overall size made it a cylindrical ship last year. The speakers are available in dark gray, almost black or lighter gray, and metallic gray.
As with previous models, a fabric mesh covers the front of the speaker. Behind the new Zeppelin network are 40W 1-inch double-dome tweeters; 3.5″ FST 40W mid-range driver; And 6-inch, 80-watt speakers. The 240-watt speakers power those components, which together provide frequencies from 35Hz to 24kHz.
A glossy plastic material covers the back, and the control panel sits below the top row of speakers (and is invisible when viewed from the front). The rear panel has buttons for adjusting the volume, accessing Alexa, controlling playback, and for multi-room volume control when the feature turns on next year (you’ll be able to unmute music at the touch of a button). The formation of your bar, for example Zeppelin). Alexa works just like on the Echo speaker – you can press the Alexa button to summon the voice assistant, or just give voice commands that start with the phrase “Alexa”. If you’re concerned about privacy, you can always mute Alexa’s microphone – just press the Alexa button for five seconds.
$499.00 View at B&H Photo Video (Opens in new window) Read our Astell & Kern Acro BE100 review
Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Review
$199.00 View it at IKEA (opens in new windows) Read our review of the Ikea Symfonsk Picture Frames with Wi-Fi Speakers
The speaker housing sits on a wide metal stand that is hard to see.
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