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Bowers & Wilkins Intros The Zeppelin Air And Z2 Wireless Speakers With iPhone 5 Owners In Mind

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Bowers & Wilkin ’ s Zeppelin speaker is one of its finest items, however as times develop, so does the company and its items. That ’ s why the British Speaker manufacturer is presenting the Zeppelin Air wireless speaker and the brand new Z2. Not too long ago, B&W launched the A5 and A7 speakers, for customers who are truly cordless. Neither speaker has a dock of any kind, but rather stream songs wirelessly with Apple ’ s AirPlay. However with the A line, B&W understood that, regardless of cordless play or not, people enjoy having a dock on their speaker. “ When you walk into your residence, the speaker is constantly in the exact same place, and we ’ ve learnt through consumers that they like slapping their phone down on the dock and letting it cost, ” said Brian Devlin. “ That way they constantly understand where it is. ” Both the Zeppelin Air and Z2 have both cordless functionality along with iPhone 5 docks.

Zeppelin Air

To start, the Zeppelin Air hasn ’ t seen much of an update in the design division. And possibly rightfully so, thinking about the speaker has among the more renowned designs in its course among competitors. The Air has been upgraded with a Lightning dock, and the company even made that dock versatile. Since it bends, you ’ ll never ever have to stress over harming the Lightning port on your iOs device or the dock of the speaker. The Zeppelin Air is available in May for $ 599.99.

Z2

The Z2 is quickly reminiscent of the Zeppelin Mini, B&W ’ s shot at a Zeppelin spin-off. Bowers & Wilkins insists the Z2 is not a next-generation Mini, however a brand new product line. Just like the Zeppelin Air, the Z2 provides Airplay streaming, a lightning dock, and B&W ’ s flexible dock modern technology. The Z2 is available in a significantly smaller sized package deal than the Air, and the dock nearly appears undetectable until you ’ re hovering over the speaker. The Z2 is available in April in both black and June in white for $ 399. Both products are made for the high-end listener, but if you can pick up an A5 or A7 along the way, Bowers & Wilkins will have really finished its goal. The focus with all new products from the business is that the music should follow you, and not the other way around.

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Bowers & Wilkins Intros The Zeppelin Air And Z2 Wireless Speakers With iPhone 5 Owners In Mind

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Author: Matthew Wilson

Bowers & Wilkin’s Zeppelin speaker is one of its best products, but as times evolve, so does the company and its products. That’s why the British Speaker manufacturer is introducing the Zeppelin Air wireless speaker and the brand new Z2. Not too long ago, B&W released the A5 and A7 speakers, for consumers who are truly wireless. Neither speaker has a dock of any kind, but rather stream music wirelessly through Apple’s AirPlay. But with the A line, B&W realized that, regardless of wireless play or not, people enjoy having a dock on their speaker. “When you walk into your home, the speaker is always in the same place, and we’ve heard from customers that they like slapping their phone down on the dock and letting it charge,” said Brian Devlin. “That way they always know where it is.” Both the Zeppelin Air and Z2 have both wireless functionality as well as iPhone 5 docks.

Zeppelin Air

To start, the Zeppelin Air hasn’t seen much of an update in the design department. And perhaps rightfully so, considering the speaker has one of the more iconic designs in its class among competitors. The Air has been updated with a Lightning dock, and the company even made that dock flexible. Because it bends, you’ll never have to worry about damaging the Lightning port on your iOs device or the dock of the speaker. The Zeppelin Air is available in May for $ 599.99.

Z2

The Z2 is instantly reminiscent of the Zeppelin Mini, B&W’s shot at a Zeppelin spin-off. Bowers & Wilkins insists the Z2 is not a next-generation Mini, but a brand new product line. Just like the Zeppelin Air, the Z2 offers Airplay streaming, a lightning dock, and B&W’s flexible dock technology. The Z2 comes in a considerably smaller package than the Air, and the dock almost seems invisible until you’re hovering over the speaker. The Z2 is available in April in both black and June in white for $ 399. Both products are made for the high-end listener, but if you can pick up an A5 or A7 along the way, Bowers & Wilkins will have truly completed its goal. The focus with all new products out of the company is that the music should follow you, and not the other way around.

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Bowers & Wilkins accepts Lightning: refreshes Zeppelin Air, intros Z2 AirPlay speaker

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Author: JohnnyBells

Roughly two years ago AirPlay WiFi streaming was becoming a major force, specifically thanks to business like Bowers & Wilkins updating their speakers systems to feature the standard. 2 years later, B&W’s bodacious Zeppelin Air is getting upgraded yet once again, however this time it’s all about the dock. Those of you who can’t bare to go dock-free with AirPlay speakers the like the A5 and A7 will be pleased know the third generation of Zeppelin features a Lightning port. Aside from Lightning and an updated LED selection, it’s basically the same speaker we were polarized by back in May 2011, readied to ship this Might for the exact same $ 600 rate. Past that, the business is introducing exactly what’s efficiently the wireless followup to its defunct Zeppelin Mini, the $ 400 Z2. Positioned as a little speaker with big noise, the ovular device includes a top-mounted Lightning dock for iPhones and iPod Touches. It’ll be available in black this April, with a white version following in June– consider it the company’s take on bedside or kitchen area speaker that you ‘d usually see from Sony or Harman.

Gallery: B&W Zeppelin Air and Z2 AirPlay speakers with Lightning docks (press images)

Meeting B&W we had the ability to provide both a fast listen; the Zeppelin still sounds like we kept in mind, while the Z2 pumped a huge quantity of volume for it’s size (albeit a great offer muddy at its loudest setups). Suffice it to say, both preserve the thick and hassle-free voicing that this editor has actually pertained to appreciate from its P5 earphones. If you desire even more information in the meantime, you’ll discover a press launch after the break.

Filed under: Home Home entertainment, Portable Audio/VideoComments

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Bowers & Wilkins AM-1 speaker can weather the rain, weather the snow, weather the storm

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Author: Buck Howard

We appreciate any product that lets us not just freely reference Lamb, however likewise blast that band’s tracks in our yard. Which is what Bowers & Wilkins weatherproof AM-1 (Architectural Display) was constructed to do: blare out the tunes no matter the weather condition while preserving a subdued, stylish look. The rustproof speaker, which comes in black or white, is made for simple mounting, could spin 110-degrees from either landscape or portrait positioning and, according to the company’s cases, must provide better noise when placed high up (thanks to an inverted drive unit). Naturally, you don’t have to attach this fella to your outside veranda– it’ll also be right in your home from inside your … house, bar or even that diligently preserved secret storage. Seek the AM-1 to hit retail for $ 300 at some point next month, but buyer beware, you’ll have to provide the trip hop tuneage yourself.

Declared under: House EntertainmentComments

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Gift Guide: Bowers & Wilkins A7 Wireless Airplay Speaker

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Author: Randy Miller

Short Version

Bowers & Wilkins Wireless A7 speaker system is as good as it gets when you’re looking for big sound out of a compact design. Setup is incredibly easy thanks to Airplay, which lets you connect and control content wirelessly through your iOS devices. Yes, it’s relatively expensive, but it can essentially play the role of a complete music experience on it’s own. Plus, you can buy other Bowers & Wilkins pieces — perhaps another A7 or the smaller A5 — to enjoy room-by-room control throughout the house.

Long Version

Features:

8.5″ tall x 14″ wide x 6.3″ deep
12.5lbs
Airplay
USB Streaming
2x 25mm (1.0in) Nautilus tube aluminium tweeter, 2x 75mm (3.0in) Midrange, 1x 150mm (6.0in) Subwoofer
Ethernet, 3.5mm input jack, and USB 2.0

Info:

MSRP: $ 799
Available: Now
Product Page

The B&W A7 is…

… an excellent all-in-one wireless Hifi speaker system.

The A7 can fit almost anywhere, and only needs to be near an outlet to function. It’s truly compact, and initially gives the impression of small sound, too. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The A7 delivers quality sound, with clear and powerful bass, and articulated highs and mids. I’ve even switched over my Apple TV audio with an optical audio cable adapter, and action movies just seem that much more real. Obviously, it’s not the same as having a full-fledged surround sound home theater system, but it’s a serious upgrade from a standard setup and/or other Airplay speakers I’ve used before, like the Sonos line.

Setup is incredibly simple — just plug in the A7 and download the Bowers & Wilkins setup app on an iOS device. It’ll ask you to connect to your Wifi, give the speaker a name (like Living Room, Bedroom, or whatever), and you’re good to go. Any one of your iOS devices (iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Apple TV) can then connect directly to the speaker, wire-free.

Buy the A7 for…

…the audiophile with limited space.

Truth is, the A7 is the perfect start to a room-by-room sound system. Owners can purchase the A5 or another A7 and expand the experience to various rooms in the house. That’s a great gift for a tech-enthusiast dad, father-in-law, or brother, but a complete system would end up being quite expensive.

What impresses me most about the A7 is that a college student in an apartment or dorm room can hook up one A7 and it will upgrade their entire audio lifestyle without taking up too much real estate. It’s expandable in the future, but for now it functions perfectly as a little all-in-one wireless system.

Because…

… the A7 actually makes a difference. It’s expensive, certainly, but once you have this thing up and running you really notice how powerful this little speaker is. It often feels with audio products, ranging all the way from earbuds to high-quality systems, the quality difference is negligible. But the A7 is an easy, compact system that can truly fill every audio need. It’s well worth the price for what it offers.

$ 200 Headphone Assessment Conflict! Bowers & Wilkins P3 Vs Exceeds By Dr. Dre Solo

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Author:

Two tools enter, one leaves. It’s that easy. Welcome to the TC Tool Evaluation Battle where two competing product and services are pitted against each other. No wishy-washy conclusion based on an arbitrary numbering system, merely a trustworthy buying suggestion.

Bowers & Wilkins is making a wise play for individual electronics. The 50-year-old British audio business merely released the $ 200 P3 headphones, joining the $ 550 over-the-ear P5 and the $ 179 C5 in-ear headphones. The brand-new set promises a great deal of exactly what the P5 supplies for even more than half the rate. It is, in a sense, a headphone for the MP3 crowd. This new set hits a congested market prevailed over by many big brands. This consists of Tops By Dr. Dre, which additionally has an incredibly comparable $ 200 set of headphones, the Beats by Dr. Dre Solo HD.

So which one is better? Which one is worth your cash? That ’ s the goal of the TC Tool Evaluation Conflict. Just one can get our recommendation. Can the brand-new comer best the market place pioneer?

Building

Bowers & Wilkins got on the retro bandwagon with the P5s last year. The brand brand-new P3s are even more of the same. They employ a 30mm driver (the P5 uses a 40mm drive) in a retro-style surround built out of soft touch plastic and cloth. B&W lists the P3s with a sensitivity of 111dB/V at 1kHz. They are comfy on the head but do not supply much of any sound cancellation. Despite their practically dainty looks, they seem rather durable in realty. The construction is strong, correctly conveying B&W ’ s hallmark custom to high-end sound.

The Beats by Dre. Dre Solo ought to be rather familiar. The design is a staple within the headphone world now. It ’ s made of primarily shining plastic and can easily endure a fair quantity of abuse with the remarkable exception of the ear surrounds, which have known to separate at the seams. The unibody design grasps the ears remarkably tight, cutting out a lot more ambient sound than the P3s. The plastic ear surrounds hold drivers of unlisted size and technical specifications.

Both headphones ship with a travel situation and characteristic folding designs. They both additionally have in-line audio controls but the Beats Solo HD feature a microphone that ’ s just compatible with iPods and iPhones.

New music

These headphones are arguably not tailored toward audiophiles. Neither Beats or Bowers & Wilkins created their particular headphones for severe listeners, but rather individuals trying to find higher quality audio on the go. These are high-end headphones designed with mobility as their primary selling point.

That stated, checking these headphones with streaming media like Rdio or Pandora is not especially fair. The low-bit fee new music will certainly not properly demonstrate the headphone ’ s array. I consistently resort to the exact same variety of songs for testing headphones: Compact Disc ’ s of Outkast ’ s 1998 Aquemini album and Muse, The Resistance. Then, for really good measure, I also toss Pink Floyd ’ s The Dark Side of the Moon on the turntable.

I consistently turn to Outkast ’ s Aquemini album for an amount of reasons. In the very beginning of track 5, Rosa Parks, has an incredibly faint unknown melody that just the leading headphones can reproduce. It ’ s not audible on either of these headphones. This track, and most of the album, even features remarkably heavy LFE tracks. Real to their name, the Beats Solo reproduces the bass more desirable than the B&W P3 headphones. Nonetheless, this is done at the sacrifice of the total sound quality. The Beats are very bass hefty to the point that there ’ s practically a frequent durable hum that drowns out the mid tones. While the P3 fails to pound, it provides a much better general noise with enough bass to delight the majority of but while generating okay high and mid tones.

Muse ’ s Exogenesis is particularly great for headphone testing. It ’ s a three-part track with a big assortment, which commonly separates good headphones from the greatest. Once more, the Beats Solos generate a really pleasing tone when reproducing the piano ’ s reduced octave however the mids are muffled to the point of suffocation. On track 11, Symphony Part 3 (Redemption), there is a durable overlying inexpensive tone throughout the piano into. The distinguishing highs hit with force at the 1:35 mark however the headphones apparently can not handle the vocals that come in ten seconds later on; the headphones mush everything together as soon as Matthew Bellamy starts his vocals. Sadly the B&W P3s do not shift a lot more desirable.

Like the Beats Solo I located the Bowers & Wilkins P3 headphones to not have the ability to reproduce the massive variety of these 3 tracks. Nonetheless, the larger selection of the P3s manage a more pleasing tone. While unable to generate an absolutely clear tone throughout the most demanding parts, the highs and lows are incredibly clear. There is not a subtle hum assisting the LFE tracks in the B&W like in the Beats Solo HD. That said, I wouldn ’ t deem the P3 ′ s victory absolute but rather a slight win.

Pink Floyd ’ s The Great Event In The Sky plays magnificently on the P3s. The melody silks along with fine attention to information. The headphone ’ s clarity aids with the stereo imaging on Money. The vocals are plainly set in the middle of the sound phase with instruments flanking on either side. The Beats Solo fail to live up to the precision of The Great Show In The Sky or the imaging on Money.

Games

There ’ s a really good possibility that both of the headphones could be made use of for games due to their mobile design. Owners can whip them out for a bit of games on their smartphone, 3DS or PS Vita and for me it ’ s Wipeout on the Vita. I ’ m presently addicted to this classic PlayStation racing title and with games, the headphones with the greatest imaging win — at the very least generally.

After the P3 cleaned the flooring with the Beats Solo in nearly every songs exam, I ensured the exact same would occur when tested with games. After all the P3 had a bigger soundstage, which in theory, would supply a more desirable consequence for gaming. And while that ended up true — the P3 has a bit more in-depth sound placement — the Beats Solos were a lot more pleasurable while games.

It ’ s strange. When the experiment is dissected, the Beats Solo fails on practically every personal exam. The Beats Solo creates a more smothered tone, the imaging isn ’ t as great, and they ’ re not as comfy on the head. Yet I ended up choosing the Beats Solo for usage in gaming after a dozen A/B tests. The Beats ’ remarkable lesser end capabilities won me over. With deeper bass, the games experience is more immersive. You can appear the volume and dive into the game. The P3s are entirely acceptable for gaming, however the Beats Solo supply a much better experience.

Conclusion

After living with both sets for numerous weeks I made use of the Bowers & Wilkins P3 more than the Beats Solo. The precision was the deciding aspect. The Beats Solo HD creates a sturdy tone, however that ’ s it ’ s just claim to fame. The Beats Solo HD ’ s imaging is not as great and the over tone is far inferior than that of the B&W P3. Because both cost the exact same at $ 200 it ’ s easy to provide the nod to B&W ’ s headphones. They ’ re fantastic headphones for the money. Buy the Bowers & Wilkins P3.

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$200 Headphone Review Battle! Bowers & Wilkins P3 Vs Beats By Dr. Dre Solo

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Author: Buck Howard

Two gadgets enter, one leaves. It’s that simple. Welcome to the TC Gadget Review Battle where two competing products are pitted against each other. No wishy-washy conclusion based on an arbitrary numbering system, just a reliable buying recommendation.

Bowers & Wilkins is making a smart play for consumer electronics. The 50-year-old British audio company just released the $ 200 P3 headphones, joining the $ 550 over-the-ear P5 and the $ 179 C5 in-ear headphones. The new set promises much of what the P5 offers for more than half the price. It is, in a sense, a headphone for the MP3 crowd. This new set hits a crowded market dominated by several big brands. This includes Beats By Dr. Dre, which also has a very similar $ 200 set of headphones, the Beats by Dr. Dre Solo HD.

So which one is better? Which one is worth your money? That’s the goal of the TC Gadget Review Battle. Only one can get our recommendation. Can the new comer best the market leader?

Construction

Bowers & Wilkins jumped on the retro bandwagon with the P5s last year. The brand new P3s are more of the same. They employ a 30mm driver (the P5 uses a 40mm drive) in a retro-style surround constructed out of soft touch plastic and fabric. B&W lists the P3s with a sensitivity of 111dB/V at 1kHz. They are comfortable on the head but do not provide much of any noise cancellation. Despite their almost dainty looks, they seem rather durable in realty. The construction is solid, properly conveying B&W’s trademark tradition to high-end audio.

The Beats by Dre. Dre Solo should be rather familiar. The design is a staple within the headphone world now. It’s made of mostly shiny plastic and can withstand a fair amount of abuse with the notable exception of the ear surrounds, which have known to separate at the seams. The unibody design grips the ears very tight, cutting out a lot more ambient noise than the P3s. The plastic ear surrounds hold drivers of unlisted size and technical specs.

Both headphones ship with a travel case and feature folding designs. They both also have in-line audio controls but the Beats Solo HD feature a microphone that’s only compatible with iPods and iPhones.

Music

These headphones are arguably not geared toward audiophiles. Neither Beats or Bowers & Wilkins designed their respective headphones for serious listeners, but rather people looking for higher quality audio on the go. These are high-end headphones designed with portability as their main selling point.

That said, testing these headphones through streaming media like Rdio or Pandora is not especially fair. The low-bit rate music will not properly demonstrate the headphone’s range. I always turn to the same selection of music for testing headphones: CD’s of Outkast’s 1998 Aquemini album and Muse, The Resistance. Then, for good measure, I also throw Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon on the turntable.

I always turn to Outkast’s Aquemini album for a number of reasons. In the very beginning of track 5, Rosa Parks, has a very faint hidden melody that only the top headphones can reproduce. It’s not audible on either of these headphones. This track, and most of the album, also features very heavy LFE tracks. True to their name, the Beats Solo reproduces the bass better than the B&W P3 headphones. However, this is done at the sacrifice of the overall sound quality. The Beats are very bass heavy to the point that there’s almost a constant strong hum that drowns out the mid tones. While the P3 fails to pound, it provides a better overall sound with enough bass to satisfy most but while producing acceptable high and mid tones.

Muse’s Exogenesis is particularly great for headphone testing. It’s a three-part track with a huge range, which often separates good headphones from the best. Again, the Beats Solos produce a very pleasing tone when reproducing the piano’s lower octave but the mids are muffled to the point of suffocation. On track 11, Symphony Part 3 (Redemption), there is a strong overlying low tone during the piano into. The distinctive highs hit with force at the 1:35 mark but the headphones seemingly cannot handle the vocals that come in ten seconds later; the headphones mush everything together once Matthew Bellamy begins his vocals. Unfortunately the B&W P3s do not fare much better.

Like the Beats Solo I found the Bowers & Wilkins P3 headphones to not be able to reproduce the huge range of these three tracks. However, the larger range of the P3s afford a more pleasing tone. While unable to produce a truly clear tone during the most stressful parts, the highs and lows are very clear. There is not a subtle hum assisting the LFE tracks in the B&W like in the Beats Solo HD. That said, I wouldn’t deem the P3′s victory absolute but rather a minor win.

Pink Floyd’s The Great Gig In The Sky plays beautifully on the P3s. The melody silks along with fine attention to detail. The headphone’s clarity assists with the stereo imaging on Money. The vocals are clearly set in the middle of the sound stage with instruments flanking on either side. The Beats Solo fail to live up to the clarity of The Great Gig In The Sky or the imaging on Money.

Gaming

There’s a good chance that both of the headphones could be used for gaming due to their portable design. Owners could whip them out for a bit of gaming on their smartphone, 3DS or PS Vita and for me it’s Wipeout on the Vita. I’m currently addicted to this classic PlayStation racing title and with gaming, the headphones with the best imaging win — at least generally.

After the P3 wiped the floor with the Beats Solo in nearly every music test, I was sure the same would happen when tested with games. After all the P3 had a larger soundstage, which in theory, would provide a better effect for gaming. And while that turned out to be true — the P3 has a bit more detailed sound placement — the Beats Solos were a lot more enjoyable while gaming.

It’s strange. When the experiment is dissected, the Beats Solo fails on almost every individual test. The Beats Solo produces a more muffled tone, the imaging isn’t as good, and they’re not as comfortable on the head. Yet I ended up preferring the Beats Solo for use in gaming after a dozen A/B tests. The Beats’ superior lower end capabilities won me over. With deeper bass, the gaming experience is more immersive. You can turn up the volume and dive into the game. The P3s are completely acceptable for gaming, but the Beats Solo provide a better experience.

Conclusion

After living with both sets for several weeks I used the Bowers & Wilkins P3 more than the Beats Solo. The clarity was the deciding factor. The Beats Solo HD produces a strong tone, but that’s it’s only claim to fame. The Beats Solo HD’s imaging is not as good and the over tone is far inferior than that of the B&W P3. Since both cost the same at $ 200 it’s easy to give the nod to B&W’s headphones. They’re fantastic headphones for the money. Buy the Bowers & Wilkins P3.

Click to view slideshow.