The first Zeppelin was introduced back in 2007 as an iPod dock when people moved from physical media to iTunes. Not only did the first zeppelin look cool, but it also sounded rich and accurate. As iPods waned in popularity with streaming services coming on, Bowers & Wilkins made two more models named Zeppelin Air in 2011 and the Zeppelin Wireless in 2015 that included more streaming options with better components. But after that, the Zeppelin series was discontinued. And, finally, in 2021, Bowers & Wilkins has updated their iconic Zeppelin speaker. The company itself says that it is completely re-imagined for the new era of streaming services. Hence, in this article, we will be talking all about the new design and features of the brand new Zeppelin speaker.
Design & Build
Now design-wise, it will remind you of the original Zeppelin speaker. But for the build, it will certainly last longer than the original one. It is because this thing is built with high-quality materials. In addition, there are two color options available for you to choose from Midnight Grey and Pearl Gray. At the bottom, it has a metal stand that tilts up the speaker. There is also a small light under the speaker, which you can turn on to give it a glow. For permanent mounting, there is an optional wall bracket available as well. The new Zeppelin is entirely wireless, and that’s why you won’t find anything other than Power Input and a USB Type-C port for service. There are also several buttons for changing volume, tracks, and more just where the grille meets the speaker’s cabinet.
Features & Technology
Internally, the new 2021 Zeppelin speaker has a pair of 1 Inch Decoupled Double Dome tweeters found in the 600 Anniversary Series speakers. Next to it, there are two 3.5 inch midrange drivers used in speakers like the Reference 800 Series Diamond. Finally, at the center, it has a 6-inch subwoofer. And all of these are powered by a total of 240 Watt of amplification. Bowers & Wilkins described the new Zeppelin speaker as smarter and more flexible than its predecessors. That’s because the new Zeppelin has built-in support for Amazon’s Alexa, which gives the users feasibility to play their favorite music with just voice commands.
In addition to that, Bowers & Wilkins plans to provide multi-room setup capability to this speaker through a software update in early 2022. After that, users will be able to link multiple Zeppelin speakers as well as other Bowers & Wilkins speakers together in the multi-room environment. Furthermore, the new model supports AirPlay2 and low latency Bluetooth aptX. Which instantly connect both your Android and Apple devices to play music from them. Like the previous models, it also features Spotify Connect and can be controlled from the Bowers & Wilkins app. This feature gives you access to streaming services like Deezer, Soundcloud, Qobuz, Tidal, and more.
Final Thoughts
So that was all about the Bowers & Wilkins new Zeppelin speaker for you. It’s safe to say that the Zeppelin speaker was the most desirable all-in-one speaker in the era of iPod docks. But as the brands like Amazon and Sonos have taken over as multi-room audio and speakers, it felt like Bowers & Wilkins had lost their ground. Despite this, we are optimistic that with the new Zeppelin speaker, the company can turn the table. The speaker starts at $799; however, all the high-end features and build quality makes up for it.
