T3 - UK (2022-01)

JANUARY 2022 T 3 55

Wi-Fi speakers

espite looking verymuch like previous

Zeppelin speakers, Bowers & Wilkins’latest

has notso much been overhauled as

completely redesigned from the ground up.

Firstly, this is a high-resolution device.e onboard

DAC is 24bit/192kHz resolution, but is currently restricted

to outputting at a maximum of 24bit/96kHz – although

this is due to change, which will makethe Zeppelin an

even higher-resproduct than it alreadyis.

Audio informationcan be served in quitea few

different ways. Bluetooth 5.0connectivity includes

compatibility with Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive codec, and

there’s also Apple AirPlay2 and SpotifyConnect support,

as well asintegration of Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz,

TIDAL, Last.fm and SoundCloud.

Give it the best stuffto workwith and the Zeppelin gets

virtuallyeverything right. And, what’s more, insome

style.e tonal balance it strikes, for example, is really

nicely judged. From the topof the frequency range(which

is bright and attacking,but never uncouth)to the bottom

(which is authenticallydeep, and properly disciplined

where attack and decay of notes are concerned),it’s a

smooth and coherent journey, withnothing overplayed

and nothing understated.ere’s a prodigiousamount of

detailunearthed, and even the briefest of transient

information isidentified and reported on.

Really,about the only area where the Zeppelin doesn’t

flat-out impressis wherestereo separation is concerned

• and, to be quitehonest, if Bowers& Wilkins hadn’t
  made such a song and dance about its‘true stereo’
  credentials we doubt we’dbe quiteso picky. But the fact is
  that the presentation here,for all its spaciousnessand
  impressivedefinition, doesn’tparticularly escape the
  confines of the cabinet from which itemanates.
  At 650x210x194mmand 6.5kg,the Zeppelin isone of
  the larger wireless speakers around – and, let’s not forget,
  it lookslikea Zeppelin.So whileits little metal stand
  doesn’t have all that much of a footprint, the speaker itself
  requiresquite a bit of breathing space. It’s a beautifully
  made thing,though, and flawlessly finished.
  e Zeppelin is finallyback... and it’s better than ever.
  As long as you canfind the space for itssignificant
  proportions, there’s verylittle downside to owning it.

From thetop of thefrequency range to the bottom,it’sa smooth and coherent
journey,with nothingoverplayed and nothing understated

D

BOWERS

& WILKINS

ZEPPELIN

PRODUCT 01 :

Glorious sound in an eye-catching design

Give it the bestaudio to

work with and itgets

virtuallyeverything right

BOWERS & WILKINS ZEPPELIN