Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless Smart Speaker, Wifi Speaker, Hi-Res Sound, Bluetooth, Airplay 2, Spotify Connect, and Alexa Built-In - Midnight Grey

Product Information

Bowers & Wilkins, an exciting audio brand, made this appliance. Bowers and Wilkins is named among the UK's top audio companies. They not only create speakers, but also over head headphones like the [PX7.]https://www.idealo.co.uk/compare/6806020/bowers-wilkins-px7.html Their speakers retail at a rather high price tag, but the performance completely reflects that. Zeppelin (2021) is an active system. Therefore it comes with a built in amp. Normally, powered set ups are the better choice. Active Principle Speakers If your speakers are AirPlay 2, you should have no trouble using AirPlay to cast your music to more than one speaker at a time, using an easy list of them from your Apple device. Which is better, Google Chromecast or Apple AirPlay 2? Given the amount of power it can call on, it’s hardly surprising to find the Zeppelin well capable of dealing with big dynamic variations in a recording. But it’s equally adept when it comes to the more nuanced harmonic discrepancies in, say, a solo piano or a steel guitar string, which makes it one of the more revealing and insightful wireless speakers you can buy for less than four figures. Following in the footsteps of theSonos Move, the Sonos Roam comes with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity along with AirPlay 2 support, which means it can work as aportable speaker outdoorsas well as part of your multi-room Sonos system, or with other AirPlay 2 speakers in a multi-room system – and with Google Assistantand Alexa onboard, it doubles up asmart speakertoo.

Taken individually, each speaker in Bluesound’s burgeoning wireless multiroom range has its merits - the Node 2i is a particularly impressive music streamer, and the Powernode 2i amplified version is better still. But considered as a whole system, one that’s capable of handling fat 24bit/192kHz hi-res audio files without alarm, it becomes little short of compelling.The new processor puts to rest any doubts you might have about future compatibility and firmware updates (even though the older Play:5 was already compatible with the company's S2 platform). The app will search for the speaker and when found, prompt you to name the space within which the Zeppelin resides. Next, you’ll have to confirm your choice by pressing the multifunction button and then connect to your Wi-Fi network of choice. After you’ve received a confirmatory audio prompt, you’re good to go. The same recording allows the Zeppelin to show off its dynamic prowess, both in giving the spaces in the song their due, and in putting authentic distance between the quietest and loudest moments. And it’s equally attentive to the smaller dynamic variances in the harmonics of individual instruments. By the prevailing standards of wireless speakers (or, at least, those wireless speakers that don’t cost well into four figures), it’s an insightful and revealing device. The most interesting aspect of the new Zeppelin is that it's built to last a long time. Its "digital brain" can be upgraded over time, with multi-room support being added in early 2022. That means you'll be able to fill your home with sound by pairing the new Zeppelin with other speakers in the Bowers & Wilkins Formation range - and it also means that the speaker should last you a long time. And you'll be glad of that when you find out how much it costs. As far as usability goes, well, the Zeppelin has a number of options. There’s the Music App we’ve already mentioned, for starters: as well as the broad strokes of operability, it also offers some minor EQ adjustment and will, in time, be the place you set up your Zeppelin-based multiroom system.

Convincingly organised and with a precise ear for rhythms, the B&W stays coherent and coordinated even in the dense orchestral climax. It’s pricier rivals show it up in absolute timing, but it’s agile enough for its level. Form Follows FunctionLike all Bowers & Wilkins products, the design of the new Zeppelin is defined by its acoustics. The driver placement creates a beautiful and instantly recognisable design that has been its signature for over 15 years. Five, well-spaced and carefully positioned premium drive units bring your music to life with room-filling stereo sound.The Beauty of SoundThe new Zeppelin wireless speaker updates an iconic design for the streaming age, combining high-resolution sound with smart, connected features and services. Compatibility with AirPlay 2, aptX Adaptive, alongside Spotify Connect, all making a welcome return, plus, it now includes integrated Alexa voice control and streaming service support for a wide range of providers, all accessed by the Bowers & Wilkins Music App. With the new Zeppelin, you no longer have to choose between a speaker full of features and a beautiful design with room-filling sound. Now you can have it all. We cue up Can I Believe You by Fleet Foxes and the choral voices at the outset are nicely weighted, emotive and expansive. As the beat drops, strings are textured and drums feel three-dimensional in a surprisingly wide, spacious and, yes, room-filling soundstage.

First, however, the audio has to be dealt with by the Zeppelin’s DAC. A 24bit / 192kHz hi-res device, it’s currently – and inexplicably – limited to a ‘not quite so hi-res’ 24bit / 96kHz maximum file size; however, that’s likely to change for the better sooner rather than later. At the moment, the only hi-res tier accessible through the Music app is that of Qobuz, but Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth 5.0 are both capable of dealing with hi-res audio from your preferred streaming service while Bowers & Wilkins sorts things out. The 2021 Zeppelin gets just about everything right in the sound department and it scores well on the smart front, too.

You can tweak the Zeppelin’s treble and bass EQ levels too, should you want to, although for our testing proper we feel no need to do so and leave these at neutral. The frequency range is nicely balanced overall, with no area given undue prominence nor too little power. And, with something like Mogwai’s Come On Die Young, the Qb 2nd Gen. showcases its facility with dynamics, both great and small. If you're wondering about the original Apple HomePod, you can still buy it and Apple still supports it, but it has been discontinued. A new model is rumoured for a 2023 launch. The sound quality is spectacular, with rich mids, detailed highs and very punchy bass for speakers so small –and you can always use that subwoofer out if you need even more low-end thump. Unless your source material is poorly recorded or very low bitrate the sound here is immersive and incredibly enjoyable.