Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Speaker

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin: Does the new Zeppelin sing like the old model?

It’s taken Bowers & Wilkins six years to launch a brand–new iteration of its iconic speaker. Now wireless only, the Zeppelin supports AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, with B&W’s Music App a gateway to streaming services such as Tidal and Deezer.

The Zeppelin’s looks haven’t changed much, which you’ll either love or hate. Across the far elliptical edge there are a variety of buttons to control the unit, but they’re tricky to access. At the back, in the stand, there’s a power port, USB–C for updates, and a reset button — there are no other physical inputs.

Under the hood, the Zep comprises two 25mm Decoupled Double–Dome aluminum tweeters, as well as two 90mm Fixed Suspension Transducer (FST) midrange drivers. A centrally–mounted 150mm woofer is optimized to prevent detrimental cabinet vibration.

The Zeppelin delivers a clear, full, and broad presentation, but it is bettered for outright musicality. Vocals and other midrange elements can get slightly lost in the wider soundstage, and rhythmically this becomes a minor issue. The B&W counters with bass and expansiveness.

Downsides? There’s no Chromecast or DLNA support, although the latter is in the pipeline. Qobuz is also the only service offering better–than–CD hi–res audio streaming support, but there’s no reason why B&W won't offer more hi–res services in future, such as MQA.