Macworld Forums: Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) Zeppelin Air - Macworld Forums

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"you may be thinking it would be nice if B&W offered a cradle-less version"

I have actually been waiting for audio vendors to start offering such systems. I don't own an iPod but I use iTunes extensively to stream audio throughout my house (to two Apple TVs and an Airport Express). It would be great if they provided the option to purchase the Zeppelin without the dock.

I love my Zeppelin Air! It's got design, amazing sound quality and AirPlay.

Also, I removed the cradle and dock. It just looked stupid with it for an AirPlay speaker. No need for it (just make sure you've set up everything properly with your network before). It was easy, took 5 minutes. Just remove the bottom rubber, the 8 screws and put the label back and you've got this: http://twitpic.com/4s9n0r Much better!

This post has been edited by RodChristiansen9n1w: 01 May 2011 - 11:40 PM

Can someone send me a Link how to remove the dock arm

I love my Zeppelin Air speakers............can you use more then one unit....ie can you have one unit in one room and another unit in another room playing from the same source???

There is a serious problem with the compatibility of this device with Snow Leopard (or at least on my machine, and 2010 MBP running SL).

If you switch back and forth between sources, iOS to Mac, when you go to the Mac, the device will be at full volume and the Mac cannot control the volume - you must turn it down from the B&W remote every time. Note that it does not do this on iOS devices - it properly remembers your last volume setting. But when you switch to Mac from an iOS device, it does not remember your last setting on the Mac, nor stay at the volume set in the iOS session, nor even set the volume to zero (which would also be a bug but a less harmful behavior) - it sets the volume to a deafening full blast and the only way to combat this is to manually turn the volume down every time, and if you forget, well, you've woken the baby and perhaps damaged your hearing. Don't know whose fault this is, Apple or B&W, but it's a serious problem.

Also, the fact that you cannot play the system sound through AirPlay is a huge deficiency in OS X IMHO, and very un-Apple - so you can't watch YouTube or NetFlix through AirPlay speakers without klunky and not very well functioning third party software. (I tried AirFoil but it noticeably degraded video quality on NetFlix.)

Do not expect to buy this and get a smoothly functioning wireless audio experience with your Mac.

CAUTION: B&W's AirPlay implementation does NOT work with iPhone 4S! (Works nice with all my other iPhones (3GS, 4) and my iPad2, but times out with 4S after a variable amount of minutes. Search for Zeppelin AirPlay issue with iPhone 4s in the forums!)

matrixmaniac, on 31 January 2012 - 04:35 AM, said:

Although this is true it is an issue with all Airplay systems and the 4S. This should be fixed in the iOS 5.1 release.

as someone who owned this first in usa and is a Mac person forever....
Here is one simple thing to do to improve the sound on this great product.

Bass via DSP on the 5" sub can be 'over the top' sound a bit muddy & overwhelm the 2 mid-range drivers. To fix this issue on the zeppelin air do the following.

on your ipod or iphone. dock it on the zeppelin air then go to 'settings'.
scroll down to 'speakers'
then choose either -1 or -2 On the Flat 0 setting in most musicials situations it will hurt the sound.
I have broght this to B&W attention. I am sure a future Zeppelin will make clean up this issue.

The -3 choice makes little sense as well as the crazy option of + 1.
So from my experience with this product its greatness along with it weakness's.
Keep it on the -1 ALL THE TIME (and -2 when music is played at very high volumes.

Now go and play Floyd, Zeppelin, Radiohead & Pearl Jam !!

RodChristiansen9n1w, on 01 May 2011 - 11:38 PM, said:

Hi. How on earth did you remove the docking arm!? I've been thinking about doing that to mine ever since I first got it - but was too scared! I saw your post and tried but when I removed the bottom there were all sorts of wires and I was worried I'd wreck it. Please tell me - love the look of yours without the docking arm and I never ever use it. Thanks.

I have a Time capsule that also works as my wifi router.
Do I stll need to get the Apple AirPort Extreme to connect to the B&W Zeppelin Air?

Hello i am thinking if get a Zeppelin Air or wait a bit to see if B&W come with another great iphone dock.
What do you think can be something new this or next year that worth wait or still good time to get a Air.
Thank you.

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No it connect to your wifi network directly..The Air..