- iPOD NOT INCLUDED -
- OVERVIEW -
Here are the speakers your iPod has been waiting for. Zeppelin is an integrated iPod speaker system from Bowers & Wilkins, makers of the speakers that much of the music on your iPod will have been 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 musical detail that you wont believe your iPod could deliver. Thats 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
Take a look at your iPod whether its an iPod Nano, 5G or one of the other MP3 player the Zeppelin supports. High quality digital copies of thousands of tracks, each one sitting there, waiting to be heard in all its glory. Zeppelin sets them all free. A full stereospeaker system in one unit, it releases all of the detail and atmosphere that standard iPodspeaker systemsmiss. Compact enough to tuck under your arm, it can set you free, too.
Zeppelin allows you to have real hi-fi stereo sound wherever you need it: upstairs, downstairs or perhaps in a den, bedroom, kitchen, office or second home. Or you might just need a simpler, smaller and more stylish replacement for your traditional audio system.
Zeppelin rocks, wherever you are, yet is simple to set up and use. Plug it in, place your iPod on the docking port and hit the play button. You can vary the volume on Zeppelin itself, on its remote control or on the iPod. And connections at the back let you play other sources through Zeppelin or channel images from your iPod to a TV.
The reference speaker
Zeppelin is a direct descendant of B&W's legendary reference speaker range. The 800 Series is sought-after by world-leading recording studios from Skywalker Ranch to Abbey Road. At Abbey Road Studios , for example, it has been a fixture since the early 1980s.
With that first series, we set out to develop a speaker system with no compromises; one modeled on the ideals of engineers and producers. New generations of the 800 Series have maintained its reputation for near-flawless sound. What artists play is what gets played back to them. With Zeppelin, the technologies that allow that to happen can be experienced in your own home.
- SOUND -
Passion for music
Musics important. You know it, we know it. At Bowers & Wilkins, the quest to develop the perfect speaker has lasted more than 40 years. Just what do we mean by perfect? We mean a speaker that portrays a musical performance exactly as it was recorded, with zero colouration. Like you, we dont just want to hear music; we want to experience it, feel it and be a part of it. Founder John Bowers instilled a passion in the company to pursue his dream of the ultimate speaker. You wouldnt believe how close weve come. And you wouldnt believe the kind of lengths well go to get even closer.
Shaped for sound
Not only is the shape of Zeppelin iPod docking station pleasing to the eye, it is also based on sound acoustic principles. One of the reasons tweeters are so small is that they disperse the tiny high frequency waves over a wider area than larger drivers.
What is less well known is that the size of the enclosure housing the tweeter also affects this dispersion and that's why Zeppelin's body narrows as the drivers get smaller.
Exactly the same principle is seen on the iconic B&W Nautilus speaker and models like those in the XT Series . So not only does Zeppelin give you clearer sound than simpler designs, but you can also enjoy that clarity over a wider listening area.
Studio-standard technology
As youd expect, B&W developed its iPod docking station with the same exacting standards as the speakers that sit in Abbey Road Studios or Skywalker Sound.
Drive units are the engine room of any speaker and Zeppelin's midrange and tweeter derive directly from those in our award-winning M-1, regarded by the world's specialist audio press as a class-leading compact speaker. Added to these is an internal subwoofer driver, centrally located in the deepest part of Zeppelin's sleek enclosure, where it handles deep bass with power and authority.
Powering these drive units are three high-quality amplifiers (one for left, one for right, and one for bass). Most iPod speakers make do without that third one, but Zeppelin was conceived to offer the sort of sound youd expect from a component stereo system rather than normal iPod speakers
- DESIGN -
With Zeppelin, you get over 40 years of experience and know-how in speaker design, all in a single package; technologies developed for dedicated high-end speakers and applied to an iPod portable speaker dock for the first time. You also get a considered and intelligent piece of product design with clever ergonomic thought and beautiful 360 visual appeal.
Ergonomics: The Arm
The iPod's interface quickly became recognised as an iconic piece of design. Its touch sensitive click wheel gives the user the ability to scroll quickly through long lists of information and select artists or tracks with just one hand. With Zeppelin, Bowers & Wilkins has complemented this user interface by designing a docking port that allows the user to still grasp the iPod as if it were in the hand as normal. It also cleverly accommodates iPods of differing depth through a spring loaded docking port that flexes to accommodate each model without adapters or other manual adjustment.
Native Design
Zeppelins stunning design was created by Native in London. Morten Warren, founder of Native, and his team have worked with Bowers & Wilkins for over 10 years, designing award-winning classics such as the 800 Series and the PV1 subwoofer. Working closely with B&Ws engineering team at the world renowned Steyning Research Establishment, they together developed a vision for a simple, bold and compact form that offers an ideal acoustic engineering envelope. Another classic in the making.
- FUNCTIONALITY -
Zeppelin is primarily designed for the latest generation of iPods- 5G and nano - both of which give full functionality. Other, earlier iPods (4G, mini) can also benefit from Zeppelins high quality sound. 3G iPods are supported; however, Zeppelin will not charge their battery.
Adjustment
The tonal balance from any speaker is affected by its surroundings. It will have more bass when placed next to walls than it will out in the open. So that it will sound good in any situation - on an open table, back to the wall or even in a corner - Zeppelin incorporates custom tone shaping to adapt to them all, easily accessed through the iPod's own menu system.
Zeppelins sound can also be optimised physically through the use of the supplied tilt pad. Zeppelin subtly leans back in its standard mode but where its used at or above ear height the tilt pad elegantly angles it to more upright position for optimum clarity,
Other connectivity
Various other devices can play sound through Zeppelin and the bass level settings described in the Sound section are also applied to these devices.Both analogue and optical digital connectivity is supported by a common (AUX) socket on the back of Zeppelin.
Examples of other sources are:
MP3 players, including early iPods without click wheel
CD players - portable or static
Portable radios with headphone or digital outputs.
&Computer direct
Computer wirelessly using Apple Airport Express
Video iPods can make use of Zeppelins video output capability to connect to a television: composite video and S-Video standards are supported.
Operation
Zeppelins power supply operates on all mains voltages from 100V to 240V. If you take it to a different country, it will automatically sense the incoming voltages and adjust itself accordingly. Zeppelin will not burn power unnecessarily either. If you are playing an iPod on Zeppelin and grab it in a rush on the way out, Zeppelin will automatically go into standby mode after 5 minutes of non use.
- SPECIFICATIONS -
| Model |
Zeppelin |
| Technical features |
Digital Signal Processing |
| |
Digital amplifier |
| |
Switch mode power supply |
| Description |
iPod speaker system |
| Drive units |
1x 125mm (5 in) bass |
| |
2x 90mm (3.5 in) midrange |
| |
2x 25mm (1 in) metal dome tweeter |
| Frequency range |
-6dB at 47Hz and 22kHz |
| Amplifier power output |
1x 50W (bass) |
| |
2x 25W (midrange/tweeter) |
| Power input voltage |
100V - 240V ~ 50/60Hz |
| Rated power consumption |
20W |
| Standby power consumption |
3.7W |
| Inputs |
30-pin iPod connector |
| |
3.5mm mini jack analogue / optical digital |
| |
USB 2.0 slave (software upgrades) |
| Outputs |
S-video (mini DIN) |
| |
Composite video (RCA Phono) |
| Height |
173mm (6.8 in) without tilt pad |
| |
198mm (7.8 in) with tilt pad |
| Width |
640mm (25.2 in) |
| Depth |
208mm (8.2 in) |
| Net weight |
7.5kg (16.5 lb) |
| Finish |
Enclosure: Polished stainless steel with black trim |
| |
Grilles: Black cloth |
| |
|
