At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Excellent sound quality
- Supports wi-fi and AirPlay 2
- Two-channel stereo sound
Cons
- Expensive
- Wi-Fi is 2.4GHz only
- No wired inputs
Our Verdict
It’s expensive, but the updated Zeppelin Pro Edition is still one of the very best AirPlay speakers available for Apple devices. The sound quality is great, and it provides versatile connectivity features with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi options. The only minor weakness is its lack of wired inputs for older audio equipment.
Price When Reviewed
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Best Prices Today: Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition
$799
Hi-Fi manufacturer Bowers & Wilkins makes some of the very best Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, but it’s also well-known among Apple users for its Zeppelin range of speakers, which first appeared way back in 2007. The first Zeppelin actually had a 30-pin connector for use with an iPod, although later models went completely wireless, adopting Bluetooth, along with both Wi-Fi and AirPlay to provide the best compatibility for Apple devices.
See how the Zeppelin Pro compares to other speakers that we’ve reviewed: Best AirPlay speakers for iPhone.
The current Zeppelin model – which was last updated in 2021 – remains on sale for the time being, but when existing stocks sell out it will be replaced by the new Zeppelin Pro Edition that was launched at the end of 2024. The two models look almost identical, though, and they’re both priced at $799/£699, so take care to choose the correct model when you’re ordering.
The basic design of the speaker remains unchanged, with the Zeppelin Pro Edition measuring 210 x 650 x 194mm and weighing 6.6kg, just like its predecessors. It’s available in different colors though, with a dark Space Grey similar to the current MacBook Air models, and Solar Gold with a burnished bronze finish. The size and price of the Zeppelin Pro Edition means that it’s very much designed to be the main speaker in your home audio system, but while it’s one of the more expensive AirPlay speakers currently available it really does deliver the goods in terms of sound quality.
Unlike many one-piece speaker systems – such as Apple’s HomePod – the Zeppelin Pro Edition provides a full stereo system, with separate left and right audio channels, as well as a dedicated sub-woofer for handling lower frequencies. The 150mm sub-woofer sits right in the middle of the speaker, with 90mm mid-range woofers located on either side, and a pair of 25mm tweeters for the higher frequencies. That’s a similar set-up to previous Zeppelin models, but Bowers & Wilkins states that the woofers and tweeters have been redesigned for the Zeppelin Pro Edition in order to provide even better sound quality.
Like previous models, the Zeppelin Pro Edition supports Bluetooth with AAC for Apple devices, and aptX Adaptive for Android (Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant was included in previous models but has now been dropped, as B&W says that no-one wanted it). But, for Apple owners, there’s also Wi-Fi with support for AirPlay 2, which allows you to stream wireless audio over your home network from any app on any Apple device.
The Zeppelin Pro also supports Spotify Connect, and B&W’s Music app allows you to connect the speaker to other streaming services, such as Tidal and Amazon Music. The Music app also includes bass and treble controls – although there’s no option to create and save your own custom EQ presets – and you can also change the colour of the LED light that’s built into the base of the speaker as well (so you could say that it’s a kind of LED Zeppelin speaker….)
Using AirPlay with Apple devices provides more bandwidth for high-quality audio files, and the Zeppelin Pro Edition sounds great with the 2022 high-res remix of The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby on Apple Music. It captures the sharp stab of the strings with dramatic precision (producer George Martin has said the string arrangement was inspired by the soundtrack of the film Psycho) but also contrasts that with the slower, deeper melody of the cellos. The cellos have a particularly rich, mournful tone that adds to the sadness of the song, but the Zeppelin Pro also picks out the harmonies with great clarity, as Lennon and McCartney sing – “look at all the lonely people”.
Sturgill Simpon’s Sing Along is a complete contrast – a noisy mashup of rock and dance music – but the Zeppelin Pro handles the change of pace with ease. The deep, fuzzy guitar riffs have a real weight to them, and the Zeppelin Pro’s powerful 240-watt amp has power to spare, filling the room around me with sound at around 70% volume. And, again, it provides an effective contrast with the lighter sound of the electronic keyboards that fizz through the air and get you dancing. Our only complaint is that the Zeppelin Pro doesn’t provide any wired inputs at all, so you don’t have the ability to connect it to older types of audio equipment, such as a CD player or Hi-Fi system.
Should You Buy Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition?
The Zeppelin Pro Edition is one of the larger and more expensive AirPlay speakers, and it will be overkill if you just want a compact speaker that can sit on a shelf at home. However, the Zeppelin Pro will earn its keep if you want a powerful, high-quality stereo speaker that can act as the centrepiece of your home music system. And, of course, support for AirPlay 2 makes it the ideal companion for Apple devices and other AirPlay speakers, such as Apple’s HomePod.
