Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition hands-on: Goodbye Alexa, hello more refined sound

I’ve tested many speakers during my time at Expert Reviews, but few are as etched into my mind as the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin.

The British brand’s blimp-shaped wireless speaker took pride of place in various rooms of my flat in early 2022 and received numerous compliments about its striking appearance and beautifully balanced sound. I was as impressed as my guests, awarding it a five-star rating and our Recommended award in my Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin review, so I was delighted to hear it was getting a 2024 update.

I experienced the new Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition in action last week and was suitably impressed. Bowers hasn’t gone to town with changes – the design is the same – but based on my limited listening time, it’s a notable step forward in terms of sonic refinement.

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition hands-on: Key specifications

• Dimensions: 650 x 194 x 210mm (WDH)
• Weight: 6.6kg
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 (SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive), Apple AirPlay 2
• Power output: 240W
• Price: £699
• Availability: November 2024

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition hands-on: What’s new?

As noted above, the Zeppelin Pro Edition’s design is identical to the 2021 model. However, it’s available in a new finish, with Solar Gold replacing Pearl Grey as the lighter of two colourways – the other is called Space Grey but is essentially black. It can still be wall-mounted or attached to a stand, as was the case during the demo I attended.

It also offers most of the same functionality, with wireless streaming available over Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and Bluetooth 5.0, and Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect built-in. Codec support covers SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive, meaning you can stream high-resolution content at up to 24-bit/96kHz.

There’s no physical connectivity save an Ethernet port – something I bemoaned when reviewing the previous Zeppelin – nor is there a remote control provided. Instead, the B&W Music app is your primary hub for accessing and controlling audio playback. You can integrate various streaming services into the app, including Tidal, TuneIn, Deezer and Qobuz. Bowers now has Amazon Music on board, too, but Spotify and Apple Music remain walled gardens and must be accessed separately.

Like its predecessor, the Zeppelin Pro Edition has physical buttons on its crest to handle basic controls such as play/pause, volume adjustment and pairing. It also features the same LED light strip on its undercarriage. However, this time around you’re able to select from different colours within the app, which was a much-requested addition. The light can be dimmed or turned off should you wish.

The first significant change is the new Zeppelin dropping voice assistant functionality. The 2021 model came with Amazon Alexa built-in but the director of product marketing & communications at B&W, Andy Kerr, said this didn’t prove popular enough to bring back. I was surprised to hear this, but the upshot is that Bowers has been able to focus the bulk of its efforts on elevating the Zeppelin’s acoustic performance.

It has done so by giving the pair of 25mm tweeters the same treatment as the tweeters found in the latest 600 Series loudspeakers received last year. This means a move from double dome aluminium tweeters to titanium dome tweeters, which Kerr says deliver “a more controlled, smoother breakup at high frequencies” along with a more even tonality.

Accompanying that pair of tweeters are two 90mm mid-range, fixed suspension transducers and a 150mm subwoofer. Those sizes correspond exactly to the components found in the 2021 Zeppelin but the FST mid-range units are aided by foam anti-resonance plugs and have had their motors revised and damping improved, too.

The total power output of the system remains unchanged at 240W and the Pro Edition is still very much a standalone “stereo” unit. There’s no way to pair two Zeppelin Pro Editions, nor can the unit be used simultaneously with any other B&W speakers.

Audio information can be passed between the Zeppelin Pro Edition and the brand’s Pi8 and Pi6 true wireless earbuds via the Music app, however. This means you can get home from work with the buds in your ears and use the app to start playing whatever you were listening to on them through the speaker instead.

READ NEXT: Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 vs Bowers & Wilkins Pi6

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition hands-on: Early impressions

The updated Zeppelin remains one of the most eye-catching wireless speakers around. The darker model is more to my taste than the new Solar Gold, but I can see a lot of people opting for the more neutral colourway.

And while I’m slightly surprised Bowers has dropped Alexa, I can’t say I’m too fussed by its decision. Voice controls are a nice option to have – and worked very well on the 2021 Zeppelin – but they’re by no means a necessity for a system that relies on a companion app for music control.

Ditching Alexa and using the money saved to improve the product in other areas is a smart move in my book. Especially when the Zeppelin Pro Edition sounds as good as it does. I was treated to an A/B test involving the 2021 Zeppelin and the updated model and subsequent upgrade was apparent across a broad spectrum of music genres.

On The National’s cover of the Talking Heads classic Heaven, the vocals had an extra level of nuance and crispness and were positioned within a broader soundstage. The drum kicks were better controlled and, overall, the piece had greater body and richness.

A piano recital – I didn’t recognise it or catch the name – illustrated the Pro Edition’s more refined articulation of notes and chords. While both speakers offered excellent levels of detail, the Pro Edition demonstrated cleaner, more poised mid-range reproduction.

The ability of the Zeppelin Pro Edition to project sound into large spaces proved impressive, too. I didn’t hear it at full whack – the demos were conducted at around 75% volume – but that was more than enough to fill the testing room, which was roughly 40m2.

Compared to the 2021 model, the Pro Edition’s audio sounded broader and less like it coming from a 2ft-long speaker disguised as an airship. I wasn’t blown away by the previous Zeppelin’s stereo credentials and although still not completely convincing on the Pro Edition, they’re certainly a step up.

My overall impression was that the Pro Edition does exactly what it sets out to do; add polish to what was already a very shiny product. Whether it was handling the electro-metal of Electric Callboy’s Pump It, Chaka Khan’s Ain’t Nobody or The Bug’s Poison Dart, it did so with authority and great skill. The latter track tested the speaker’s ability to deal with demanding vocals and a dirty bassline but there was no hint of unwanted harshness and the composition felt knitted together expertly.

Although Bowers has stopped production of the 2021 Zeppelin, you can still find units being sold for around £539. If you’re after a premium wireless speaker with Alexa voice controls, it remains a mighty fine choice.

However, based on what I’ve heard of it, the Zeppelin Pro Edition usurps it in the audio quality department. There’s not enough of a difference to get owners of the 2021 model rushing out to upgrade but as a replacement pitched at the same price, it’s looking like a very appealing prospect.