It’s fair to say that the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin is a bit of an icon. We’re not necessarily saying it’s the greatest wireless speaker ever created – the 2021 iteration gained a respectable four stars when we tested it – but there’s something about a massive, blimp-shaped unit called the ‘Zeppelin’ which commands your attention. Like the Sony Walkman, the Routemaster Bus or Mario’s blue dungarees, the Zeppelin is a true design classic.
The mini-airship has been going for so long that the original model, which debuted way back in 2006, was designed as a dock for the iPod Classic. Bowers & Wilkins’ most recognisable wireless speaker is never far from a sequel or upgrade, with this Zeppelin Pro Edition using upgraded drivers and improved streaming support to deliver, B&W hopes, a better-sounding spin on 2021’s four-star contender. These aren’t mere tweaks and tinkerings, either – the tweeters used have trickled down from the brand’s current 600 S3 Series of loudspeakers, whereas enhanced cone-damping for the midrange units teases a more open, revealing midrange. These are major changes, so we’re expecting results that reflect a product that’s received more than just a new coat of paint.
