Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin mini iPod dock lands for a hands-on
We've seen plenty of carefully staged press shots of Bowers & Wilkins' new Zeppelin mini iPod dock, but we're guessing that anyone about to shell out $400 for one of these is going to want a considerably closer, more unvarnished look at it. Thankfully, the folks at iLounge have now stepped in and provided just that and, while the agree it's certainly not for everyone, they do seem to think that those with the money to spend won't be disappointed, noting that the Zeppelin mini is another great example of the "speaker as art." Hit up the link below for a closer look, including a comparison with B&W's full size Zeppelin.























ENGADGET WHERE IS THE PODCAST?
http://podcasts.aolcdn.com/engadget/podcasts/Engadget_Podcast_170.mp3
http://podcasts.aolcdn.com/engadget/podcasts/Engadget_Podcast_170.m4a
http://podcasts.aolcdn.com/engadget/podcasts/Engadget_Podcast_170.ogg
Serving Your Needs :)
A dock that costs more than the freakin´ player???
not really unsubsidized the iPhone costs like $600.
plus, you can plug in multiple devices. so if several people in your house have an ipod and/or an iphone, you could leave it in the den...
also, it's for people that have the money to burn on extravagant things. if you're complaining about the price, you obviously don't have that kind of money, which means this product wasn't being marketed at you.
lets rattle some fanboys up,
the dock doesn't go all the way to the end of the iPhone so that it can accommodate the iPhone nano perfectly when it is released.
post the podcast or STFU
I think you meant "they".
Sheesh, how many ipod docks are there, seriously?
Oh, the humanity!
A smaller dock from B&W eh? Let's see what kind of sound the vaunted company can make with even smaller speakers. If not great, they give me a pair of Nautilus, eh?
You should probably stop spamming your site here
At first sight, I thought is was a new crazy multitouch controller supra-design display from the future but... no.
See Bose, this is how you do it.
B&W makes some awesome piece of equipment. This is not one of them. It's a shame a company like this feels it has to get into the iPod accessory market.
Have you listened to it?
Is it just me or are these the worst pics ever. I'd love to see what the think looks like from an angle other than nearly straight down...
I am happy that they allow for landscape mode of the iPod touch or iPhone which only iHome (with their alarm clock - $85 item, has done so far from what I know) - been wanting to buy such a dock for a while....
I cannot justify the price of this either (right now), but with a little hard work, who knows.
why do B&W docks look like sh*t - do people actually buy these things? i hope they got good sound, because thier oversized & just plain ugly.
do you know what i think that a ipod nano is better
I am here to report that this new B&W Zeppelin Mini, is NOT in the same sound class as the orignal Zeppelin!
I was the 1st to purchase one at J&R in NYC on Nov 3rd. While at times I was very impressed, at other moments the units
sound simple became overwhelmed!
It seem to depend on what music I was actaully playing, and even how it was even recorded.
I had been waiting for -many months- for its release, and had high hopes for this new B&W ipod player.
(this includes before it was announced and just a rumor that B&W put out their about it.
It took J&R in NYC, almost 45 min to actually find it in their huge underground storage area.
When it came up, I was taken on how small the box was. (not in a good way).
When I got it home, and opened the box it was half the size if the small box!
So they were not fooling when they said it was a quarter the size of the Zeppelin.
Bottom line: The Mini DSP attempts to get the sounds very low in the octaves.
It does do so, but with no real punch or authority!
The onboard DAC & two digital amps were indeed very impressive sounding BUT way too much was being pumped into these
two small speakers. The sounds only at times, become distorted.
All sub actives, lows, highs, and mids are played thru with two small 3" speakers!!
They pushed the envelope, a bit further then they have the ability to.
Leaving out the nautilus derived tweeters & powered sub which the larger Zeppelin has was a -very backward move.-
Looks to me as the engineers at Bowers&Wilkins, were given a ultra small footprint to work with.
Full compromise, from a company that never should!
I really do hope that Bowers & Wilkins creates an updated Zeppelin full size model, in the next few years.
(they said they clamied they are not currently).
The worst part is at many moments the Mini does sound great....
As someone who has heard full size home B&W speakers driven with high end Audio Research Tube Amps.....
Lets not comprised this great companies name any further in the future, for a buck.