The new B&W Zeppelin Air
From the most venerable British loudspeaker designers and manufacturers – Bowers & Wilkins, better known to most of us as B&W. As radical and uncompromised as their legendary Nautilus loudspeaker line, Zeppelin redefines the quality of sound you can enjoy from a self contained, iPod playing system. And at NZ$ 1095 Zeppelin is more affordable than we ever would have guessed, given both the immediately obvious build and sound quality. This is the class act of iPod systems. And introducing the new Zeppelin Mini. Read on.
The new Zeppelin 'Air' builds on the strengths of the original Zeppelin. There have been improvements made to the sound quality with driver and electronics enhancement. And Zeppelin is now compatible with all generations of iPod, iPhone and even iPad. But most significantly, B&W are one of the first companies to incorporate Apple AirPlay.
AirPlay lets you stream music throughout your entire house — wirelessly. AirPlay wireless technology is fully integrated into the new B&W Zeppelin. So you can enjoy your entire iTunes library — every song and every playlist on any one of your computers, Touch or iPhones — in any room and anytime. And you control this via your iPod touch, iPhone or iPad.
Play the little video below which explains everything.
So let’s find out exactly why Zeppelin is so good. It isn’t a product that could have come out of nowhere and the history of B&W is a critical part of the story. With more than 40 years of continual development in the pursuit of better sound, B&W are uniquely well placed to make the most of the possibilities of the iPod. We’re not talking about a simple repackaging or downsizing of components. Zeppelin is an entirely new creation, designed according to principles pioneered in high performance B&W models, from the extraordinary shape of its shell to the specially tailored studio-standard technologies within.
It’s the stereo speaker system your iPod has been waiting for. Zeppelin is from Bowers & Wilkins, makers of the speakers that a lot of the music on your iPod was probably monitored on. B&W creates technologies and systems that world-leading studios depend on, and that find their way into even its most affordable speakers. Zeppelin will fill a room with crisp, deep, lifelike stereo sound, and deliver a greater level of musical detail from your iPod then you’d think possible. That’s because the two have so much in common: blissfully simple design and world-leading technologies that let you get the most out of your music.
The sleeker speaker Your iPod is a treasure trove. Pristine digital copies of thousands of tracks, all waiting to be played to their full potential. Zeppelin sets them all free. A full stereo system in one unit, it releases all of the detail and atmosphere that standard iPod/MP3 speaker systems miss. Thanks to its unique floating arm and universal docking platform, you can play any iPod on Zeppelin and control it as easily as if it were in your hand. Tuck Zeppelin under your arm and take high-end sound with you, upstairs, downstairs, outside and poolside. Station it in a den, bedroom, kitchen, office or second home. Or simply enjoy a simpler, more stylish replacement for your traditional audio system. Zeppelin rocks, wherever you are.
Hear, there, anywhere You can take Zeppelin anywhere. But not everywhere is made for listening to high quality portable hi-fi. Put a rival system in the corner of a room, for example, and you run the risk of echoing bass overwhelming the rest of the sound. Not Zeppelin. B&W have included a simple but ingenious bass adjustment control to allow you to optimize the sound to suit the immediate surroundings. From your iPod, you can vary Zeppelin’s bass level according to the amount of space around it. Not only that, but Zeppelin will cleverly remember the level you have chosen until you decide to change it. In confined spaces, it’s the most refined sound you'll hear.
Tweeters Handling high frequencies is a pair of aluminium dome tweeters that include refinements made for the latest B&W 800 Series, including Nautilus tube loading, which acts like an acoustic black hole, swallowing superfluous sound from behind the dome. Sweeter tweeters you’ll never hear.
Ultra-wide sound The less physical material there is around tweeters and midranges, the better they sound. Zeppelin’s rounded, tapering ends aren’t there just for show. By minimising the baffle area around the drive units, the cabinet reduces diffraction effects, making for ultra-wide sound dispersion and a much smoother response. In other words, it sounds as good as it looks.
Midrange The twin midrange drive units that supply the bulk of Zeppelin’s amazing sound rely on glass fibre cones, optimised using laser interferometry. Strategically placed resin-filled slots in the cones dramatically reduce the unwanted effects of standing waves, leaving music sounding cleaner, clearer and true to life.
Inner strength The Zeppelin’s elegant cabinet is actually a clever composite shell comprising a highly-damped constrained layer in between a stiff polymer inner-casing and a heavy stainless steel cover. This ensures the cabinet has the highest possible strength so what you hear is the drive units themselves and not the cabinet that contains them.
DSP Digital Signal Processing is used to actively adjust the sound balance in relation to the volume level selected by the listener. This ensures Zeppelin delivers its warmly detailed sound in small and large environments at all listening levels.
Zeppelin – get yours now from Totally Wired – NZ$ 1095 including GST
Use our 3 month lay–by plan. It’s easy with internet banking. Just email us with your order and we’ll reply with details.
Totally Wired support World Wide Fund for Nature. Your purchase will indirectly help the survival of New Zealand’s special Hector Dolphins. Find out more here.
Zeppelin Mini
The Zeppelin has become the last word in stand alone iPod music systems. But you may require something that shares all the qualities of the Zeppelin but is more suitable for a smaller space. Step in, the Zeppelin Mini NZ$ 695
The first cool feature is it’s rotating docking arm for both vertical and horizontal positioning. Ideal for iPhone and iPod touch. Horizontal allows landscape pictures and cover flow. It will also charge your iPhone or iPod. Mini handles the digital to analogue conversion and can stream from your PC via a USB connection. It can be kept up to date with firmware upgrades and when in standby synchronize iTunes and the your docked iPod. How sweet is that? Call us to get your Mini.
Another strong contender worth considering is 'Geneva.' New to New Zealand from Geneva Labs in Switzerland, the range starts small and affordable and progresses through four sizes. Seen in all the best design magazines Geneva is very stylish and the technology up to the minute with stunning sound.
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