{"id":6768,"date":"2017-01-15T13:20:29","date_gmt":"2017-01-15T00:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/?p=6768"},"modified":"2017-01-15T13:20:29","modified_gmt":"2017-01-15T00:20:29","slug":"bw-zeppelin-wireless-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/bw-zeppelin-wireless-review\/","title":{"rendered":"B&W Zeppelin Wireless Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our Verdict – 5 Stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

Building on the beloved range\u2019s sterling reputation, the Wireless is the best Zeppelin yet<\/p>\n

For:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Large spread of sound
\nPrecise soundstage
\nExpressive mids
\nStays composed at higher volumes
\nSeamless control and design
\nGood functionality<\/p>\n

Against:<\/strong><\/p>\n

No Android app
\nMidrange could be more authoritative<\/p>\n

Reviewed on 17th March 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

B&W has cemented its commitment to the wireless speaker market in the last few years with the five-star premium A5 and A7 AirPlay models, and the portable T7 speaker. However, the brand\u2019s Zeppelin line is perhaps its biggest success story.<\/p>\n

It all started eight years ago. The original Zeppelin marked the brand\u2019s first foray into the powered one-box speaker market, spawning the equally impressive Zeppelin Mini in 2009, and Zeppelin Air in 2011.<\/p>\n

Just when we thought the beloved range had succumbed to the brand\u2019s more conventional-looking entries, the Zeppelin Wireless arrives to make its mark \u2013 and with an almighty bang indeed.<\/p>\n

B&W couldn\u2019t well tamper with the airship-shape and keep the legendary moniker going so the iconic design returns \u2013 the Wireless simply gains a couple of centimetres here and there.<\/p>\n

With some speakers resembling beach balls, it doesn\u2019t seem quite so offbeat anymore. Instead its elegant, stylish look proves timeless.<\/p>\n

Features<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"bw_zeppelin_wireless_v1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

While it would be easy to underestimate the work that\u2019s gone into the Wireless based on its appearance, it would be a great injustice as beyond the chassis almost everything else has been entirely reworked.<\/p>\n

Behind the elliptical front panel are five new drivers: two 25mm metal dome tweeters, as found in the company\u2019s CM Series speakers, and a pair of midrange drivers which, featuring FST technology borrowed from the flagship Diamond 800 Series, use a foam surround instead of a conventional one to improve damping. They also feature anti-resonance dust caps for a cleaner, smoother response.<\/p>\n

Taking centre stage on the baffle (now double the thickness to reduce vibrations and strengthened with glass fibre ribs, by the way) is a single 15cm woofer \u2013 the same size as the one found on the flagship A7.<\/p>\n

Save for a few upgraded components the power amplification stage is largely the same, each driver powered by a Class-D amplifier. B&W claims that the digital signal processing is now twice as powerful for more accuracy too.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s pretty tech-heavy stuff for a \u00a3500 wireless speaker, but if an established stereo speaker company like B&W wants to repackage some of its flagship technology and most impressive engineering into a smaller, more modest offering, who are we to argue?<\/p>\n

Build<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"bw_zeppelin_detail_3_copy\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sensing the end of an era, the Zeppelin Wireless ditches the front-facing Apple dock, so Apple users don\u2019t need to hand over their iPhone or iPod anymore.<\/p>\n

A direct connection to a smartphone or tablet can still be made via its 3.5mm input, but the Zeppelin\u2019s focus is very much on wireless connectivity \u2013 through AirPlay, aptX Bluetooth or Spotify Connect.<\/p>\n

Design-wise, it\u2019s the most seamless-looking of the Zeppelins, and not just because it doesn\u2019t have a device sticking out of it. A small brand badge, which protrudes from the shapely chassis, doubles as a neatly discreet control touch panel.<\/p>\n

Touch the right hand side of it for two seconds to initiate Bluetooth pairing, tap the other side to switch to the 3.5mm input. It\u2019s wonderfully simple.<\/p>\n

Set-up is facilitated by the updated Bowers & Wilkins control app, which works a treat and gets you up and running in no time. You can download it on a Mac, PC or iOS device, but there\u2019s no Android version.<\/p>\n

The only other things to get acquainted with are three buttons on the top for volume and play\/pause; ethernet, power and auxiliary sockets around the rear; and a service-only type-B USB slot.<\/p>\n

Sound<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Zeppelin plays and upscales to 24bit\/192kHz so a 96kHz file of Muse\u2019s Supremacy over Bluetooth seems like a good place to start.<\/p>\n

The B&W\u2019s physical wide girth helps to create an expansive, sweeping spread of sound that doesn\u2019t struggle filling our largest test room nor overpower our smallest one; close your eyes and it\u2019s easy to imagine that the song\u2019s epic orchestration is blaring from two speakers.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t just throw out a big display but also a precise and well-imaged one that stays composed no matter how hard you push up the volume.<\/p>\n

The Zeppelin Air impressed most with how tight and defined it was in the bass and that proves one of the Wireless\u2019 biggest charms too.<\/p>\n

The track\u2019s big walloping drums are lathered with punch and power, and the rolling drumbeat slaps with vengeance underneath the vocals.<\/p>\n

\"zeppelin-wireless-black\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Convincingly organised and with a precise ear for rhythms, the B&W stays coherent and coordinated even in the dense orchestral climax. It\u2019s pricier competition show it up in absolute timing but it\u2019s plenty agile for its level.<\/p>\n

Take the intensity down to a simple vocal and guitar accompaniment \u2013 this time Eva Cassidy\u2019s Fields of Gold \u2013 and you can really appreciate the transparency of the midrange. Her soaring vocals are given free reign in the soundstage, with all her subtle outbursts and trail offs accounted for, and there\u2019s a strong sense of tactility to the acoustic strings.<\/p>\n

Move onto Eminem\u2019s rap vocal in Bad Guy and it almost sounds like an assault, the venom in his delivery and the dynamics of his quirky structure laid bare.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no shortage of clarity and insight at this price then, but we would perhaps like a touch more solidity through the midrange to give the Zeppelin just a little more authority.<\/p>\n

\"bw_zeppelin_detail_1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As the onslaught of distorted guitars comes in, there\u2019s heft behind each precise string strum and in the same breath enough insight to hear every tremor in its diction.<\/p>\n

The Zeppelin isn\u2019t all about the big picture, putting its finger on the finer details too. The dramatic raptures of violins pull through with clarity and texture in spades.<\/p>\n

When compared with something like the \u00a3595 Naim Mu-so Qb, it uncovers a hint of fragility and leanness to the Zeppelin that its pricier competitors are able to avoid.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a slight dip in sound quality playing songs over AirPlay, most notably in clarity and subtlety. Compared to Bluetooth and Spotify Connect, it makes music feel a little closed-in too.<\/p>\n

That said, even a low-res Spotify stream of Pink Floyd\u2019s Another Brick in the Wall Pt 1 sounds surprisingly informative \u2013 start your Zeppelin journey here and you\u2019ll be surprised what you\u2019re hearing is a 320kbps compression.<\/p>\n

The Zeppelin Wireless keeps the range\u2019s legacy alive, combining a highly accomplished sound with greater functionality and an even more seamless design.<\/p>\n

Verdict<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not often a product \u2013 let alone something as prolific and short-lived as a wireless speaker \u2013 has such timelessness, but here we are eight years on and the Zeppelin speaker is still a great option at its price.<\/p>\n

More expensive speakers might have more to offer when it comes to timing, drive and overall authority, but at \u00a3500, this is one of the most talented wireless speakers we\u2019ve heard.<\/p>\n

Read more at: http:\/\/www.whathifi.com\/bw\/zeppelin-wireless\/review<\/a><\/p>\n

Where to buy B&W: http:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/product-search.php?keyword=zep&category=&brand=&search=<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our Verdict – 5 Stars Building on the beloved range\u2019s sterling reputation, the Wireless is the best Zeppelin yet For: Large spread of sound Precise soundstage Expressive mids Stays composed at higher volumes Seamless control and design Good functionality Against: No Android app Midrange could be more authoritative Reviewed on 17th March 2016 B&W has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6768"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6768"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6782,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6768\/revisions\/6782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abtec.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}