Product Review: BNW Zeppelin Mini

The speaker brand Bowers & Wilkins, well known for their premium home theater and professional grade speakers, also has an award-winning lineup under its wing of iPod docking systems known as “Zeppelin”.  They recently debut their smaller version dubbed the Zeppelin Mini. 

Now, iPod docking stations have always been something I’ve been critical on.  Everyone knows that an mp3 is a lower quality audio format that is not designed around amazing audio.  Why is it then that it has always been hard for any brand to make a docking system that does anything except make it just sound louder?  Bose upped the ante by using their acoustic system to make it sound bigger and fill the room up more.  While a good start, nothing is really being done to quality of sound.

Insert the Mini.  The first thing I would like to point out is the irony that is its name.  “Mini” is the name they chose because of its size compared to the larger Zeppelin models.  The irony lies in how the Mini is the same size as almost every other brands full size players.  Not a complaint, merely an observation.  The look of the unit is beautiful.  It has simple curves and a nice reflective top that add a bit of class to a classless segment.  The unit comes with a simple docking station that fits everything from a Nano to a classic fine.  It also comes with multiple adaptors to help fit whatever generation Touch or iPhone you may own.  The remote is simple and ergonomical with button placement.  It did have a slight bit of lag between button presses at times, but nothing that actually upset me.  The dock itself can be turned to the side so it makes the selection of albums by artwork easier on a Touch or iPhone.  This is something innovative I haven’t seen on comparable competition.  It also has an Aux in making the integration of a non-Apple mp3 player simple or connecting it to the audio out or headphone out on your TV.  I wouldn’t expect home theater sound from the little guy though.

The sound quality is best enjoyed roughly six to eight feet away as it seems to get better the further away you are.  The design does a fantastic job of spreading the sound out creating great imaging.  While listening to a Ray Charles track off the last album he made, I picked up on instrument placement particularly easily.  The lower tones struck me as being exceptionally well for a unit of this size in part to the bass port on the rear of the unit.  It helps to let more low-toned air out so the speakers in front can concentrate or more highs instead of having the unit being crippled with muddy midrange sounds.  Things like high hats, finger snapping and trumpets truly shine on this unit while voices stay true.  All while the cello sounded perfectly.  Probably the most impressive to me was how well the integrity of the sound was at higher volumes.  Needless to say, this is one thing I half expected from a unit bearing a name like B&W.  I played a few songs from the Britpop band “Hurts” to see how it did with a more synth sound.  The left-to-right imaging held true even more so at the increased volume.  All of this while being in a larger showroom so I could only imagine how well it would stand up in a more small enclosed room.

I’m happy to see different segments of premiere audio brands starting to expose the public to what else they can do.  Brands like B&W, Mirage and others who make fantastic iPod docking stations are starting to get the recognition they deserve and for good reason.  The quality of sound surging from these guys is definitely worthy of the price tag.  The mini goes anywhere from $300-400 depending where you look.  This is nothing in relation to what its competition is.  Comparable Bose units go up to $600 and have a similar sound at best for more money.  All in all, this product is definitely something any would-be audio enthusiast should have a look at.  You do not need all the speakers and equipment to simply enjoy what’s on your small player and brands like B&W know it.