B&W iPod Speaker

[marano]

Check it out

http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/2007/08/01/bw_floats_into.html

[Lewing]

:E :E :E

But i think i'll pass...

[Race Car Driver]

600 is a better price then I would expect from B&W considering some of the other docs I have seen and the price of those.

[skuzzyb]

garbage in... garbage out... not even a B&W can help the compressed garbage that goes into most i-pods.

[RebelMan]

I can't say that I agree with you skuzzyb. The tunes don't have to be compressed and iPods sound good enough for those primarily interested in portable tunes that needn't be plugged into your head. Although, the price might be cause for pause.

[Briz vegas]

But it gets the brand known to the Ipod crowd. People in the non-audio world think that Bose is it for high end. These are the folks that look very distressed when you smirk after they tell you they have a mate with the ultimate audio - a Bose system X.

I am sure that B&W are thinking that their car hifi and ipod exposure will give more people the bug.

Maybe next time you let slip that you have B&W people will not think you have just bought a german car.

On the other hand I am also glad I have Conrad Johnson gear as well (and I am looking at getting their Control Amp as a possible upgrade) because its nice having gear from a small company (something like 20 employees) owned by dedicated old fashioned audiophiles.

[dmccombs]

I can't say that I agree with you skuzzyb. The tunes don't have to be compressed and iPods sound good enough for those primarily interested in portable tunes that needn't be plugged into your head. Although, the price might be cause for pause.

I think it could be good for those with limited space. I have an Ipod loaded with Flac files. I use an alternate operating system that has better sounding codecs than the stock IPod (Rockbox). Overall, it sounds pretty good (not to be confused with great).

The IPod is limited a bit by not having a true Line Out, but overall with Lossless files and Rockbox, it is a decent solution for those tight on space and funds.

I won't be buying one of these speakers, as it isn't something I need, and I don't want a large suppository looking speaker in my living room or bedroom. It scares me. :rofl:

Darrell

[audioqueso]

Sad.

[Karma]

HI All,
Actually, I think it is a good idea. The iPod movement has even penetrated my staid comfort zone. I just bought one last week for use in my Jeep Wrangler on long trips. I think it is a pretty neat gadget. The utimate sound quality remains unknown to me because of my lack of iPod experience and the limitations of $35 Sony ear buds. I'm transfering music in uncompressed formats. So far, for the use I have in mind, the quality is plenty good enough. It's definitely better than my car radio based "stereo". But I won't be trading in my good stereos.

In the car I will be using ear buds both because of the sound quality and the noise isolation afforded by the ear buds.

I'm glad B&W is looking into the future because iPod's are here to stay. For a whole new generation of music lovers the iPod will be their primary sound source. Why not have some good speakers to go with it?

Sparky

[beden1]

HI All,
just bought one last week for use in my Jeep Wrangler on long trips. I think it is a pretty neat gadget. In the car I will be using ear buds both because of the sound quality and the noise isolation afforded by the ear buds.
Sparky

Sparky;
You may want to check with the laws in your state before using your ear buds while driving. Many states have laws against using any ear device that will limit your ability to hear what's going on around you while driving.

Now, many states are writing laws to make it unlawful to use a cell phone while driving. I really like this one. Maybe the cell phone idiots will start to pay attention while driving for a change.

[Karma]

Sparky;
You may want to check with the laws in your state before using your ear buds while driving. Many states have laws against using any ear device that will limit your ability to hear what's going on around you while driving.

Now, many states are writing laws to make it unlawful to use a cell phone while driving. I really like this one. Maybe the cell phone idiots will start to pay attention while driving for a change.

HI,
Man, you must think I am stupid!! I'm sorry you might think that. I'm not and I am very concerned about any danger I might cause for any reason. I have been driving for 50 years and have had no accidents and one speeding ticket. I think I am a safe and concerned driver. Of course I have checked the laws in my state and there is no specific prohibition. As for other states I can't say but I'll take your word for it.

Next, I have been using ear plugs when driving on the open highway for over 30 years to protect my hearing. Do you really think I would do that if I thought it was placing me or others in danger? I never wear them for in town driving because they are not needed.

Last, I really don't care what the laws say. I will continue to wear the plugs and if I get a ticket, so be it as long as the fine is not life imprisonment or death by 24 hour exposure to Rap. I'm much more concerned about my hearing than a cheap ticket.

If you have not tried ear plugs then you really don't know if there is a danger. In truth, I can hear the traffic situation quite well on the highway. Ear buds don’t attenuate the noise as much as plugs. I wish they did.

Highway driving is different than city driving. With plugs, horns and sirens are very audible. Cars coming along side can not be heard in most cars if the windows are up and the AC going so nothing is lost.

I can assure you that vehicle noise, even in quiet cars, is not good for the ears if the exposure is over an extended period of time. Even 1/2 hour is enough to cause a temporary loss of hearing sensitivity. Chronic exposure to the same noise spectrum is a scientifically known cause of hearing loss. Noise from a typical car should not have permanent effects but I can't confirm this one way or the other. I have conducted my own hearing experiments to confirm temporary loss.

In my Jeep the noise is horrendous (by my standards) at highway speeds. It's not exhaust noise which is actually very quiet. It's just the tires whining, the top flapping, the rattles, wind noise, etc. I'm not exaggerating. As a consequence, I don't drive my Jeep daily, just on long trips. I still wear plugs in my other cars though. Most folks don't care enough, or realize the danger to their ears, to do anything about it.

And guess what? My 65 year old hearing is that of a much younger man. For the past 30 years I voluntarily have a yearly hearing test, for free, at work. The results are kept in a data base for future reference and to identify trends. The techs are always amazed at my good results. True, standard hearing tests are pretty crude aimed at finding gross problems rather than the fine points so important for an audiophile. They are specifically designed to identify loss due to chronic noise exposure. I have none.

The care I have taken has paid off though my high frequencies are rolling off a little. I can no longer hear commercial burglar alarms that used to drive me nuts when I was younger. TV horizontal sweep circuits are also less noticeable but I can still hear them on older TV's. I believe the newer alarm systems are much better using higher frequencies and lower levels and better timers. So, is it me or better alarm systems and TV’s? I think it is both. I notice that women (they generally have better high frequency hearing than men) seem to comment less on TV sweep circuits so I propose they too have improved.

I wish to make clear that these are my personal views and are not indorsed by the forum management. I take full responsibility for my statements.

Sparky

[marano]

Sad.

At first I was thinking the same thing and then I realized that this thing might be great for my office, here's hoping there is some way to connect my PC to it.

[skuzzyb]

I can't say that I agree with you skuzzyb. The tunes don't have to be compressed and iPods sound good enough for those primarily interested in portable tunes that needn't be plugged into your head. Although, the price might be cause for pause.

The problem is when we settle for "good enough." I think any compressed format is ultimately a compromise. You are correct in saying that the tunes does not have to be compressed, but in fact if you want a large amount of music on your Ipod and the convenience of not having to sychronize and manage your collection constantly, they have to be compressed.

I am not saying the iPod is not a great device, it has brought music to the masses, but it has also dumbed down the general populace into thinking that anything that is digital is also "high definition" music. I say to each is own and I am sure that B&W will sell lots of these, even to "audiophiles." As for me, I will continue to use my iPod for what it is good for and that is to listen to while I go for my 10K run every morning, and listen to my NPR podcasts.

skz

[Karma]

HI skz,
It's too late. We live in a digital music world. The vast majority do believe that digital audio is the best you can get. Personally, my primary source is vinyl but it is a dead technology. Sure, some folks still primarilly listen to records but the future is digital and for a lot of good reasons. The current vinyl comeback, meager as it is, is just a fad. It has no lasting power.

The versitility of digital, from personal playback to studio processors, is too great to ignore. Our best hope is that digital technology will continue to improve and make this discussion moot. I'm convinced this will happen.

Sparky

[WI Rotel]

You would be surprised

The Ipod can actually sound excellent, though not through its headphone jack (the microanalog circuitry, as expected is crap). If you use the digital connection you get the actual digital stream, thus leaving the analog work to a "real" component. I downloaded Ella Fitzgerald's complete collection (over 80 songs) and the fidelity is astonishing, it is actually better than any recording I have heard of Ella, EVER, regardless of format. The CD's I recorded it to (from I tunes) are simply fabulous. Goes to show that digital is as good as the recording itself (Verve masters) and the how carefully the digital mastering process is. Since the the Ipod's digital connection is exactly that, if you use that instead of the headphone jack you can reveal the true capability of the AAC lossless format which is pretty damned good as proved above. But again it goes back to the original master and the digital mastering from that. As I have stated before digital is inherently superior to analog (a true copy), nothing more, nothing less, but like any computer code it is unforgiving, crap in crap out. And as we all know there is a lot of digital crap out there, just as there is a lot analog crap too!

[dknightd]

If you use the digital connection you get the actual digital stream, thus leaving the analog work to a "real" component.

I didn't know the iPid had a digital connection (except for the one used to put the tunes into it). How do you get digital out of your ipod?

[dmccombs]

WI Rotel,

That isn't a digital connection that you mention. It is analog. The main difference between that connection and the headphone connection is that the connector at the bottom has no volume control (not amplified).

This allows the unit you connect to, to do the amplification, which allows for less distortion.

Darrell

[WI Rotel]

Sorry, I thought it was digital since that is the also the USB connector. ops:

[RNKC]

There are lots of times when listening to the main system isn't possible so something like this is a pretty decent solution for those who still want decent sound when they aren't close to their Nautilus snails or diamonds or whatever.

It's a bit pricey, but so is a Bose system so I don't see price point as a particular disadvantage.

Naturally the source quality is somewhat questionable but like I said, this isn't a primary system so that doesn't really matter. And if it doesn, just encode your iPod stuff in a loseless format / high bit rate (and buy a higher capacity iPod).

[WI Rotel]

There are lots of times when listening to the main system isn't possible so something like this is a pretty decent solution for those who still want decent sound when they aren't close to their Nautilus snails or diamonds or whatever.

It's a bit pricey, but so is a Bose system so I don't see price point as a particular disadvantage.

Naturally the source quality is somewhat questionable but like I said, this isn't a primary system so that doesn't really matter. And if it doesn, just encode your iPod stuff in a loseless format / high bit rate (and buy a higher capacity iPod).

The sound will tell if its worth it or not. As I posted above, the apple lossless format can be pretty darned good. At least it should sound better than BOSE :W

[beden1]

HI,
Man, you must think I am stupid!! I'm sorry you might think that. I'm not and I am very concerned about any danger I might cause for any reason. I have been driving for 50 years and have had no accidents and one speeding ticket. I think I am a safe and concerned driver. Of course I have checked the laws in my state and there is no specific prohibition. As for other states I can't say but I'll take your word for it.
Sparky

But, seriously Sparky, what do you really think? :wtf: :rant:

[audioqueso]

HI,
Man, you must think I am stupid!! I'm sorry you might think that. I'm not and I am very concerned about any danger I might cause for any reason. I have been driving for 50 years and have had no accidents and one speeding ticket. I think I am a safe and concerned driver. Of course I have checked the laws in my state and there is no specific prohibition. As for other states I can't say but I'll take your word for it.
Sparky

HA HA HA HA HA! Good grief Sparky, calm down! lol I just reread his post, and there was nothing he said that was aggressive. He was just informing you about some law. You may... JUST MAY.. have taken it a little too personal.

:laughat: :laughat: :laughat:

[jvowell]

Sparky, grounds ground the world around. If you really dont like rap pick up some Eric Surmon productions. You will either trip totally out or have an epiphany ...

Man oh man ...

[Russ L]

I'm glad B&W is looking into the future because iPod's are here to stay. For a whole new generation of music lovers the iPod will be their primary sound source. Why not have some good speakers to go with it?

Sparky

My son has lossless files on his iPod and uses Grado headphones instead of the poor sounding buds. Much better sound.
My dealer has a tube based player for iPods. Sorry, I didn't care enough to get the brand name. :Z I like the look of the Zeppelin but I'm guessing that I won't like the SQ. But for others new to higher quality sound they may appreciate having a B&W Zepplin to "dock" their "Pod". -Russ

[Ted]

I won't be buying one of these speakers, as it isn't something I need, and I don't want a large suppository looking speaker in my living room or bedroom. It scares me. :rofl:

Darrell

:rf Darrell, that's funny, imagine the nightmares you'd have!!

I guess I don't know quite understand the big deal. iPods play an important (if you can call it that) part in our society. The last time I went for a bike ride carrying my 703s, I fell and scratched the finish all up. :W Plus they're terrible to carry while riding up hill... (for everyones clarification, I just wear earphones while on trails, not the road... and really Karma, a little less coffee perhaps? I think beden1 was trying to be helpful).

Since bikes are what I know, I'll stick with that. Take Trek for instance. They make sub $300 bikes, you know for people that just need a bike or can't afford more. They also make bikes that have been raced in (and won)the Tour De France the top prize in our sport (with or without doping controversies :M )
(price: think north of a pair of 802D's, and each member of the team has a few of them he rides...). So, since their bikes have been used in and won the worlds hardest race, should Trek not make $300 bikes... is it beneath them? Come on, everyone needs to start somewhere. We all roll our eyes at compressed audio, but it is here like it or not. Some of those people may "graduate" on to bigger and better systems down the road, I think it is a wise business move on B & W's part to try and get some of these users familiar with their products. B & W is a business after all right? If the bills aren't paid, the doors close.

Really, how many users here had B & W speakers for their first system, 2 channel, HT, whatever? Some of us probably, but not likely many of us. Not until we were more experienced, learned more and moved up did most of have a "real" system (I'm sure there are people who snicker at my lowly 703/Rotel system too). These hierarchies exist in whatever past-time/hobby you want to look at (bikes, cars, home electronics, you name it). We can look down our noses at the "inferior" sound of iPods and thus the B & W iPod system, OR look at it as a medium that may bring in future B & W owners and forum members. :T Okay, who's ready for a big group hug! 8O

[Russ L]

. We can look down our noses at the "inferior" sound of iPods and thus the B & W iPod system, OR look at it as a medium that may bring in future B & W owners and forum members. :T Okay, who's ready for a big group hug! 8O

Well..OK...As long as you promise that the Zeppelin isn't B&W's version of a Ghetto Blaster. If you put a handle ontop...? 8) -Russ

[Karma]

My son has lossless files on his iPod and uses Grado headphones instead of the poor sounding buds. Much better sound.......
-Russ

HI,
When I was running my hi fi repair shop I used headphones constantly for routine troubleshooting. Of course, final testing was always done with speakers since that is the real world for most people and they stress an amplifier much more than phones. The point is this: I have vast experience with headphones and I like them. Bang for the buck wise, they are hard to beat. But, I still prefer speakers at home by a wide margin because of spatial issues.

My experience with ear buds is recent and only with my new iPod. I was looking at the expensive Shure models but because of time constraints due to my upcomming Jeep trip and the fact that the best Wal Mart had were $35 Sony buds (Model MDR-EX51LP), I bought them. I didn't know what to expect. If they were terrible I could give them to a deserving relative with little invested.

I have to say that I'm impressed. The noise isolation is not as good as ear plugs (yes, I'm not changing my mind) but still pretty good even in my loud Jeep. The sound quality is nothing short of outstanding especially with the high frequencies and detail. Transients are lighting fast, not smeared, and timbre is simply real. Bass is light but with a good ear seal, present. They handle the loudest volumes the iPod can deliver with no obvious distortion. Not bad at all for $35 or even $250. They are cheap but don't sound cheap and seem well made.

The best test is how they compare, overall, to one's main music speakers. In my case they sound VERY close to my Martin Logan ESL's and that's saying a lot. Based on this I don't think it is wise to simply write earbuds off as poor substitutes for other transducers. I really would like to audition some expensive Shure's but I'm not convinced they would beat the Sony's except, perhaps, at the bass end.

Oh yeah, the Sony's are also comfortable for my ears even after wearing them constantly for several hours.

Sparky

[jack667]

I quite like the look of the new iPod dock. I wonder how it sounds...

[WI Rotel]

HI,
When I was running my hi fi repair shop I used headphones constantly for routine troubleshooting. Of course, final testing was always done with speakers since that is the real world for most people and they stress an amplifier much more than phones. The point is this: I have vast experience with headphones and I like them. Bang for the buck wise, they are hard to beat. But, I still prefer speakers at home by a wide margin because of spatial issues.

My experience with ear buds is recent and only with my new iPod. I was looking at the expensive Shure models but because of time constraints due to my upcomming Jeep trip and the fact that the best Wal Mart had were $35 Sony buds (Model MDR-EX51LP), I bought them. I didn't know what to expect. If they were terrible I could give them to a deserving relative with little invested.


I have to say that I'm impressed. The noise isolation is not as good as ear plugs (yes, I'm not changing my mind) but still pretty good even in my loud Jeep. The sound quality is nothing short of outstanding especially with the high frequencies and detail. Transients are lighting fast, not smeared, and timbre is simply real. Bass is light but with a good ear seal, present. They handle the loudest volumes the iPod can deliver with no obvious distortion. Not bad at all for $35 or even $250. They are cheap but don't sound cheap and seem well made.

The best test is how they compare, overall, to one's main music speakers. In my case they sound VERY close to my Martin Logan ESL's and that's saying a lot. Based on this I don't think it is wise to simply write earbuds off as poor substitutes for other transducers. I really would like to audition some expensive Shure's but I'm not convinced they would beat the Sony's except, perhaps, at the bass end.

Oh yeah, the Sony's are also comfortable for my ears even after wearing them constantly for several hours.

Sparky

I have the shure earbuds, and as you, I can attest to their very high fidelity. The pricier models have extended bass response. I use them mostly when I fly as noise reducers and to watch the inflight movies. They are truly worth every penny, however losing them, as often happens with buds, is trully a painful process.

[Race Car Driver]

I would use it at work also.

[beden1]

My wife gave me an iPod for our anniversary. I loaded it with many of my own CDs, as well as downloading some off the net, and copied some from my daughter's hard drive. The songs I downloaded were supposedly "lossless".

I was on the road for 8 hours on Sunday, and had the chance to listen to it extensively through my car stereo during the entire drive. Using the random song selection feature, it was enjoyable to listen to a varied collection of songs.

But, I noticed that most of the downloaded "lossless" and particularly the MP3 songs are really accentuated in either the highs, mid ranges and/or lows. Listening to Dylan for example, the sound of his harmonica almost made my ears bleed from the piercing shrill sound being reproduced.

My trip included setting up a new stereo in my daughter's college apartment. After hooking it up and listening to a standard Moody Blues CD, and the Kelley Sweet CD that was recommended here by RebelMan (thank you) -- she has one of the "sweetest" voices I have ever heard . . . I was amazed how great it sounded (Outlaw RR2150 Stereo Receiver (I highly recommend), Marantz 5 disc CD player, and a pair of A/D/S-Braun book shelf speakers I've had for 25+ years.) I hadn't used these speakers in a number of years, but they sounded as good or better than any "Modern" speaker I've heard in a comparable book shelf size.

Anyhow, I also played my iPod and also played a CD that my daughter made using her computer from downloaded MP3 song files. At lower volumes, the shrilly highs on Dylan's harmonica were smoother through this system as compared to the car stereo, but, they returned as I cranked up the volume. The bass notes also were coming through boomy at any bass setting above flat. The MP3 songs were off the charts as far as gains throughout the sound spectrum, and were very poor quality recordings.

I decided to stay a while and play some more music, as I was enjoying listening to my CDs so much that I almost told my daughter that I'd get her another stereo. But, she is really into music, so I felt it was better of me to help her continue her journey with a decent stereo setup. "what a great dad!"

I asked my daughter about the sound issues I heard with her recorded MP3 CDs. She said that many of her friends have blown speakers in short order, and it's an issue the kids are aware of.

I have a couple of issues with these MP3 and "lossless" recordings including what these iPods may be doing to my kid's ears? Also, what damage are we doing to our speakers?

[jim777]

I have a couple of issues with these MP3 and "lossless" recordings including what these iPods may be doing to my kid's ears? Also, what damage are we doing to our speakers?

A lossless coder is lossless, so any bad sound can be attributed to subsequent EQ or a bad source (a iPod won't sound as good as a good CDP).

As for lossy (perceptual) codecs like MP3, they can add plenty of noise. Since the threshold of hearing is pretty high in the high frequencies (16-20kHz), much noise can be allocated there. That noise will be under the threshold of hearing or masked by the music, but it is there and it may damage speakers at high levels. However, the implementations I know of simply cut high frequencies instead of adding noise.

Codecs for digital radio is another story. High frequencies are added junk with some EQ. Search SBR for details...

[marano]

Looks like it's out in the wild

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/18/b...-apple-stores/

[RNKC]

Confirmed - it's available for sale here in Canada via apple.ca. Pricetag is $649.95 Canadian.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/canadastore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=B5CE7C26&nplm=TN981ZM/A

I also see that it's available via apple.com for $599.95 US. Once again us poor Canadians get the high price despite currency parity these days.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=B5CE7C26&nplm=TN981ZM/A

[Russ L]

Looks like its really taking off. :storm:

From the picture (if my eyes don't deceive) it looks like the remote is Zeppelin shaped as well! Is B&W going overboard with this one...?

[RedWolf]

My person opinion is that B&W should devote their money back into the Signature/Reference gear. The signature line is all but dead, except the antiquated Nautilus - why does it not offer the diamond tweeter. The 804 is still aluminum and the 805 is still, thought very warm, a box left without the very finest of updates. But yet they go after the apple crowds. Yes, I understand economics, you get the attention, you cross market, upgrade and sell. That is how apple did it. I am just someone stuck on the upper end of B&W and fighting the prospect of leaving the brand because I am beyond their product base. Why can't I get a dealer to get me the Signature diamond for preview? My watch cost more than those damn things. They treat them like the guest list to the old club 54. Argh......

[george_k]

Maybe next time you let slip that you have B&W people will not think you have just bought a german car.

I can't wait for the day this sort of thing starts happening:

...5-10 minutes into a conversation
<Hot Girl>   So what are some of your hobbies?
<Me>         [Blah blah blah about other hobbies]
<Me>         But, what I really look forward to is the part of my day where I get to sit in my comfy black soft chair, pour myself 3 finger of Laphroaig, put on a good cd and enter a state of Zen
<Hot Girl>   That's so cool, what so of speakers do you have?
<Me>         I own a pair of B&W's
<Hot Girl>   Me too! I use a Zeppelin with my Ipod, love the sound...I like a man with refined taste *wink*
<Me>         You should should come by and chill for a bit later
<Hot Girl>   Okay

[Russ L]

I can't wait for the day this sort of thing starts happening:

...5-10 minutes into a conversation
<Hot Girl>   So what are some of your hobbies?
<Me>         [Blah blah blah about other hobbies]
<Me>         But, what I really look forward to is the part of my day where I get to sit in my comfy black soft chair, pour myself 3 finger of Laphroaig, put on a good cd and enter a state of Zen
<Hot Girl>   That's so cool, what so of speakers do you have?
<Me>         I own a pair of B&W's
<Hot Girl>   Me too! I use a Zeppelin with my Ipod, love the sound...I like a man with refined taste *wink*
<Me>         You should should come by and chill for a bit later
<Hot Girl>   Okay

Effective cross marketing George. :lol: I think B&W has a job waiting for you. -Russ

[hifiguymi]

Yes, I understand economics, you get the attention, you cross market, upgrade and sell.

It also gives B&W the possibility of increasing revenue and having more R&D money to develop the products you are looking for.

Eric

[george_k]

My person opinion is that B&W should devote their money back into the Signature/Reference gear.

I agree, from a strategic perspective the Zeppelin doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. So far, B&W has focused on designing really high-end speakers and then trickling down the technology (i.e. FST midrange) to products at lower price points. By spending research dollars on their top tier products they enhance the quality of all their products.

I find that the Zepellin deviates from this strategy and I fail to see what they hope to achieve by bringing this product to the market.

The market for ipod-related gadgetry is much more competitive than what B&W is traditionally used to. At the Zeppelin's price point, it will be competing with existing docking station offerings, mini-stereos, computer speaker systems, home theater in a box systems, etc...

Also, B&W products aren't sold in places like Best Buy or Walmart (i.e. places that the general public tends to visit). In these sort of stores the salespeople generally push the products that have that highest incentives/kickbacks. The B&W brand is also not advertised on common advertising mediums (e.g. tv, common magazines, etc). In short, selling to the mass market is just not their "thing"

The argument about capturing 1st time buyers who will then go on to purchase other B&W products is fair but I don't think the impact will be substantial, we are talking about two very different buyers. Again, I feel that they money, effort, resources could have been better put towards expanding or enhancing existing products.

Thoughts?

[Karma]

.......I agree, from a strategic perspective the Zeppelin doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me......

.......The argument about capturing 1st time buyers who will then go on to purchase other B&W products is fair but I don't think the impact will be substantial, we are talking about two very different buyers. Again, I feel that they money, effort, resources could have been better put towards expanding or enhancing existing products.

Thoughts?

HI,
I don't know, George. It seems to me that everyone on this forum is a potential buyer. The sound quality from uncompressed files on a iPod is quite good. Good enough to justify a good speaker dedicated to listening to the "little monster". Why would this concept exclude "serious" listeners?

I feel there is good amount of hi fi snobbery going on here. Unless this is overcome then B&W will indeed be out in the cold. So, are we capable of opening our minds to a new idea, one which will probably be copied by many other serious manufacturers? If we are then B&W has a market advantage.

Personally, I feel the idea is a little ahead of its time but the concept will eventually be a success.

Sparky

[george_k]

It seems to me that everyone on this forum is a potential buyer...Good enough to justify a good speaker dedicated to listening to the "little monster"

I agree, but what I find is this product is stuck between two extremes in terms of price, features and sound quality.

For instance, suppose someone was building a little bedroom system.

For $250, they could buy an LG mini system that offers dvd playback, cd playback, ipod integration and usb audio input (I checked best buy and this was the first one that came up). I'm sure it won't sound nearly as good as the Zeppelin but from a price and features perspective the LG has got the Zeppelin beat

For $1000, they could buy a pair of 685's (or 686's) without stands and have money left over to buy a decent ipod-compatible receiver. This setup although more expensive than the Zeppelin will, in all likelihood, sound better because they'd be free to position the speakers to taste; Features between the two are also equivalent.

Other than its sexy looks (and looks can be copied) I don't see a good reason to buy one.

[WI Rotel]

Ipod speakers may not be the state of the art, but you have to sell potatoes if you're going to feed the masses (i'm hoping the Ipod speaker is a very good potato). Signature series and such are not a growth segment, selling 50 50K dollar speakers does not pay the rent, however selling 100K 1000 dollar speakers does. BW has to strive to build marketable speakers that are still of excellent quality. The silly money ones can serve as "halo" models. I can't wait till they come up with car audio instead of just concepts. If they maintain the sound they are famous for they can't lose.

[Andrew M Ward]

Again, I feel that the money, effort, resources could have been better put towards expanding or enhancing existing products.

Thoughts?

What if Classe' efforts and resources were used to build the Zeppelin and B&W simply managed the project.. 8)

(would it be Okay then..?)

[sikoniko]

What if Classe' efforts and resources were used to build the Zeppelin and B&W simply managed the project.. 8)

(would it be Okay then..?)

what history does classe have with speakers? they make electronics, no?