I reviewed the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin almost 2 years ago and even to this day, there are few iPod/iPhone speakers that can match its beautiful design and awesome sound. The latest incarnation of the Zeppelin is the Mini. Call it the little brother but don’t be fooled by its size. This is big sound in a little box. Hit the jump for my review.
Everything in the original Zeppelin is found in the Mini. B&W’s advance acoustic technologies, intelligent and almost alien design, and exceptional build quality did not suffer in the miniaturization. The original Zeppelin is a huge football shaped object that demanded table space. The Mini is much more accommodating with its small footprint. Really, it’s the best desktop iPhone/iPod speaker at this price point ($399.95).
Lets talk about bass for a minute. Music without bass sounds flat and many of the speaker systems out there sacrifice it to get a small footprint. Not so with the Zeppelin Mini. The rear houses B&W’s Flowport, a massive hole for air generated by bass units to move around freely. The result is bone rattling without distortion – music to my ears.
The docking arm that holds the iPhone or iPod keeps it secure, charges it, and provides an optimal angle for touchscreen navigation. Like its big brother, the Mini comes with the same pebble shaped remote that can control almost every aspect of the iPod playlist. Still one of my favorite features of the docking arm is spinning it 90º incase you prefer navigating your iPod via Cover Flow mode.
I’m sad I have to return it. There aren’t many things in my home I let sit out on display. The Mini receives that honor for its beautiful design. Kudos to Native Design and product designer Morten Warren, the same team responsible for the original Zeppelin. I’ve had weeks of audio bliss thanks to the Mini. Bowers & Wilkins have done an amazing job bringing their sonic expertise to a package that can audibly hang with the big boys.
Designer: Native Design for B&W (Buy it here $399.95)
