B&W's $400 Zeppelin Mini iPod sound system up for pre-order, ships next month
By Darren Murph 
posted Oct 12th 2009 10:02PM
posted Oct 12th 2009 10:02PM
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Mini Available for Pre-Order Today at Amazon.com
N. Reading, MA-October 5, 2009-Two years ago, the iconic Zeppelin from Britain's' renowned audio manufacturer Bowers & Wilkins redefined what could be expected from a one-piece iPod® speaker system. The sculpturally tapered, beautifully finished active-loudspeaker music solution for the iPod proved that playback from Apple's personal music player can indeed deliver glorious musical sound for all to enjoy. With Zeppelin's unprecedented collection of glowing reviews and prestigious awards still growing, we now welcome a new member of the family, the Zeppelin Mini. Substantially smaller but every bit as elegant, the Zeppelin Mini attains the same high standard of sound quality, and delivers astounding clean volume potential, deep-bass impact and extension from such a diminutive package.
Like its larger sibling, the Zeppelin Mini incorporates multiple Bowers & Wilkins core technologies to achieve unprecedented performance. B&W's unrivaled expertise in loudspeaker design is exemplified by the Mini's use of two newly developed, full-range, 3-inch fiberglass drivers. The uniquely slotted cone and very long-throw "motor" deliver unprecedented range and dynamics for such a compact transducer. B&W's extensive experience in digital signal processing (DSP) proved just as important, supplying advanced processing including proprietary dynamic equalization that maximizes the drivers' abilities to produce jaw-dropping volume and full-bodied sound. The Zeppelin Mini's two leading-edge Class D ("digital") amplifiers ensure plenty of power (18W each) from ultra-compact, nearly cold-running circuitry.
Pre-order now to be one of the first to experience Zeppelin Mini's incredible sound, intelligent design and elegant connectivity.
The Zeppelin Mini has a suggested retail price of $399.95.
400 for that? No! That is fail in a box. Albeit a quite sexy box.
Are you a N00b? B&W != FAIL
SE, so you've listened to it and have determined it's sound quality isn't worth $400?
It is a good looking sound system, just wish it was a bit cheaper.
whats that music device in top of the b&w´s ?? its a zune ?? oh its a apple ipod , 3 for me:-)
The level of audio ignorance here is astounding.
If you've never heard of the brand (or never had the pleasure to hear the speakers) they WILL rock your face off.
B&W, Martin-Logan, Vienna Acoustics... all brands most people have ever heard of, but utterly amazing.
You called it...
Love my Vienna Accoustics setup: 2 Schönbergs, 2 Bergs, 1 Webern. With 1 matching Q150E REL subsystem.
Thanks, I'll check that site out right away!
/s
B&W is a great speaker brand that makes BMW-like products. You pay for your thrills. Others may prefer to shop the aisles of Wal-Mart. :)
kicker z500/i500.... 200.00 and sounds great!! f-this tissuebox.. FAIL
After Apple goes beyond $200 I may buy one to use and I may buy one to throw off of the roof just like the boys in Led Zeppelin would've done.
optical illusion much?
Can it Fly?
People...ya gotta first of all get that it's a B&W product...whether you want to shell out the coin for it or not...that's your choice and in today's economy, no one can fault you...B-U-T...'baby daddy', the 'Zeppelin' is THE ABSOLUTE BEST and I swear that my past comments have sold at least a dozen of these things for them...the sound that comes out of this dopey lookin' football thing is more amazing that anyone would ever know...and I'm more than proud to say that in my house, that piece of audio art, screams my ipod tunes better than anything that I could ever choose to own. B&W stuff IS the BEST...and NO, I do NOT work for Bowers!
Said it before... I'll say it again...
You need to actually HEAR the product before you make a judgment.
Sorry but the last large B&W Zeppelin I looked at in an Apple Store said "Made in China" on its back and the chrome plated plastic at the base was peeling already. Not really compelling, no matter what the brand image fetishists say
While you can't see it, it says Made In China on the iPhone/iPods and all Macs in that store you were in.
"Designed in California. Made In China."
So I'm kind of wondering why you were in an Apple store with such hatred of "Made In China" products.
Well, apart from the peeling chrome plastic issue, unlike the B&W Zeppelin the iPod does not carry a drastic price premium over comparable competing products.
It's ok for a $20 T-Shirt to be made in vietnam, but if a $100 premium shirt is made using cheap labour halfway around the globe I feel ripped off - that's what this is about.
Peter,
there is an important distinction between cheep and bad.
Plenty of poorly made objects are made using expensive labor (even made in the us products), while plenty of very well made objects are made overseas (even in china!).
Finally, many made in china objects (especially electronics) require little to no manual labor, as they are (nearly entirely) machine made.
Actually, b&w is a brand specifically known for "playing the bargain game."
the company routinely is lauded for quality per price, its entry-level speakers outperforming many more expensive options. Additionally, they consistently migrate high end features of their premier lines to their more budget friendly lines, as they learn to make the components cheaper, rather than keeping the hardware in their various lines distinct just to keep them distinct, as many brands (in many industries). All that said, is the quality of audio coming from an iPod worth even this much care? Not sure.