Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin AirPlay Speaker

AsSiMiLaTeD

I bought one of these and spent some time with it last night and thought I'd do a quick mention here. You guys have probably seen these by now, it's a speaker that has the basic shape of...well...a zeppelin. It's fairly large at just over a couple feet long, so won't necessarily fit in with every decor.

It has an iDevice dock, an aux input and (the reason I bought it) wireless streaming using AirPlay. I've tried several options out there, everything from the original and later iterations of the Polk I-Sonic to the portable Jawbone BT speakers to the Peachtree DeepBlu and all the stuff in between. We're talking close to 20 different devices over the last few years here.

The materials and build quality seem to be what you'd expect from B&W, top notch and it has a good weight to it and feels solid. The setup was easy using my iPhone, you download a free app that does the setup for you and gets the speaker up on your network, I opted for the wif-fi connection and setup was as easy as it gets.

The sound from this thing is quite good, though the bass can be a bit much if you've got it right up against a wall. I've got mine sitting on a nightstand about a foot from the wall and it's great. I actually tried the more expensive B&W A7 since it should sound better, but in my room where they're located in a corcer the Zeppelin actually sounds better to me. For casual listening in the background or laying in bed it's the best device I've come across.

At it's original price of $600 and even the $499 I paid at Best Buy some might consider it too pricey, but after all the products I've been through the price seems in line with what you get. When compared to other devices in the same price bracket like the PeachTree and Polk speakers it's not really a matter of one being better than the others, it's more about personal preference and the B&W is what worked best for me and had the sound I want.

An important part of the decision for me came down to wireless technology so I'll discuss the two I evaluated below. This is restricted to Bluetooth and AirPlay, though there are other options like Sonos and Squeezebox those require server software running and weren't right for what I wanted to do.

AirPlay vs Bluetooth
Neither technology is an audiophile solution so you're not going to be doing critical listening with either one, but there are some key differences between the two.

Bluetooth is nice because it's basically a universal standard at this point, pretty much any device that you'd want to stream music FROM has Bluetooth. It also has the advantage of being it's own entity, there's no need for a wi-fi network as the connection is built into the technology. There are several downsides though. The sound quality isn't the greatest although the new aptx version should sound better, the range is limited, streaming to multiple devices isn't really a viable option, and it doesn't really work the way I want where I have a central computer with all my music that can stream to devices all over the house.

AirPlay has a couple disadvantages. The biggest drawback is that it's a closed system, so both streaming and receiving devices need to have AirPlay. This isn't as big of a deal with devices on the receiving end because there are LOTS of options on the market. It's a bigger issue with the source as you need either an iDevice or a computer (PC or Mac) running iTunes, streaming from an Android or Windows portable isn't an option so that limits the market somewhat. The other disadvantage is that it needs an existing network. Alot of AirPlay devices these days can actually create their own ad-hoc network as a workaround, but you have to set up your streaming device to be on that network, works in a pinch but not an elegant solution.

If AirPlay will work for you though it does have some advantages. In general it has better sound quality than Bluetooth all other things being equal, though the speaker ultimately determines quality more than the streaming tech. Since it's run over an existing network it has a much better range and fewer connectivity issues as long as you have a good network set up. It also has the ability to stream to multiple devices simultaneously which is nice for a whole house solution. Those advantages are nice, but the thing that sealed the deal is that I can use the Apple Remote app to browse my entire lossless music collection on the Mac Mini server and from there set the playback device and start playing.

So Bluetooth is a more universal standard and a better portable option, but AirPlay has a better sound and a feature set that's more in line with what I want.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Also, the one device that I haven't tried yet is the Polk Woodbourne, I've got one of those on order and will share my thoughts when it arrives.

voltz

which I could send you my NAD "VISO 1" ipod dock so you could compare the 2, so far I think it sounds awesome & airplay & Bluetooth seem to work just fine, but with a ipod in the dock cant be beat

PSB & NAD teamed up to make this one!

AsSiMiLaTeD

Are there two versions of that NAD? I had one in home for a few days and that model did not have AirPlay support, it had the better version of Bluetooth but not AirPlay. If there's a version with AirPlay I'd like to try it out as I remember it sounding pretty good.

The B&W also sounds better directly from the iPod dock but I needed something specifically for AirPlay so that's how it gets used.

txcoastal1

Danny next time we have a get together, and if you still have the Zeppelin would like do a side my side with DB meter in hand with Marleys Bag of Riddim---
http://www.thehouseofmarley.com/audio-systems/bag-of-riddim-bluetooth-portable-audio-system.html

I'm pretty pleased with this device, and take it with me on vacation and dove hunting trips so everyone can bluetooth to it and play their favorites

Cheers
Ron

voltz

yes, here is a link for the airplay version: http://nadelectronics.com/products/wireless-music-systems/VISO-1-AP-AirPlay-Music-System

but the one I have doesnt have airplay, I thought it did but I quess we always did the Bluetooth with it

AsSiMiLaTeD

I've got the Polk Woodbourne and some Sonos gear in house today and will post some thoughts after I get more time in.

AsSiMiLaTeD

I've spent the afternoon playing with the Zeppelin Air, the Polk Woodbourne, and a Sonos setup.

Let me start with a comparison between the Zeppelin and the Woodbourne since they're more similar than different. The Woodbourne is a more comprehensive device overall because it does more, it has BT and AirPlay and has basically one of every input except HDMI. So the Woodbourne wins in terms of functionality. I personally like the look of the Zeppelin Air, but the Woodbourne certainly fits in more decor and my wife likes it better in our bedroom.

In terms of sound it's a mixed bag. Each placed in their ideal position, I think the Zeppelin has better sound overall, it has a fuller sound with a better low end is just a nice smooth sound without ever coming close to being bright or harsh. It also sounds a little more spacious than the Woodbourne and I love me some soundstage so that's a plus for me. HOWEVER, when placed where most people will probably keep the devices I think the Woodbourne sounds better. Anywhere near a wall (which is where I imagine most people will keep theirs) and the Zeppelin just has too much bass, so much that it drowns out the higher frequencies.

So the Zeppelin has the potential to sound better, but in most practical applications the Woodbourne is the better choice. Ultimately they're still two of the best options out there, and yet I'm not going to be using either one...

Enter the Sonos setup...

I haven't played with the Sonos gear in years, and wasn't really looking that direction or at the Logitech Radio when I started the search for a wireless speaker a couple years or so ago. I didn't like the idea of needing to run yet more software on my computer to stream my local content, which is why I wanted an AirPlay device since I'm already running iTunes. But I figured since I'm nearing the end of my search I should round things out by trying the last major option on the market.

I picked up a couple of the Play:1 speakers and a Bridge and got it all set up this afternoon, and I've found my new wireless speaker solution. The Play:1 speakers can be used individually or configured in stereo pairs, and the ability to set these up in pairs was a stroke of genius by Sonos and ultimately what sold me. Two of these Play1 in stereo sound significantly better than any of the other solutions I've tried. A single speaker sounds surprisingly good but can be volume limited, a pair kicks everything up a notch.

I may do a full write-up on the Sonos gear later, but wanted to update this thread with my final thoughts. I still think the Zeppelin is a great device and is my favorite AirPlay along with the Woodbourne, the first Zeppelin wasn't nearly as good as this newer AirPlay model.

Maybe someone will find something useful in all my blabbering here...

voltz

Thanks, enjoyed reading about your findings, though I wish you hadn't mentioned the Sonos in stereo LOL!

I am now going to have to play with the NAD viso and its placement to see how & where I like it best, have it in day room in a shelf area. I sort of looking for a out doors setup for when I'm grilling and smoking (food not cigarettes). you gave me more food for thought!

AsSiMiLaTeD

check out the option Ron mentioned above, looks like a good outdoor option.

voltz

oh yeah! that's kind of Wicked! I will have to read up some more on it.

If I took that out to the lake my friends would be ripping my again for being over the top on things their always like "What have you got now? Where did you find that? etc..

RamZet

I would pass on the B&W new media speakers and polk speakers and just buy a Play5 ( OR two to link into stereo mode).

jflail2

Great write up, thanks for sharing. I've nearly picked up that Zeppelin for my parents 2 or 3 times over the last couple of years. I think the shape and size of it wouldn't have been well received by them, so I passed on it every time. We ended up doing a Sonos system with speakers upstairs and downstairs, and they absolutely love it.

WastelandWand'r

Living where I do, 'test driving' anything is pretty much impossible. I also jumped on the NAD this past holidays because it came with free shipping. Something that can mean the difference between buying something or just wishing I could. It only has Bluetooth but is the more advanced codec and on most music, this device sounds great. It has built in amps which helps. However, I have noticed that he bass can be a bit boomy on some music. I am sure placement would help but it is not so detrimental that I feel the need to make room for it.
Thanks for the description of the other devices out there. I hope to experiment more in the future when I have access to them.
Nathan