British loudspeaker company Bowers & Wilkins has launched the Z2 and the updated Zeppelin Air, which have support for AirPlay and the new Lightning connector on the iPhone 5. This means that users can either dock their latest Apple device or stream music wirelessly to the speakers. And price details for both systems have been revealed, along with rough release dates.
The Z2 offers users a wide array of functionality and the convenience of wireless streaming. Since it comes with a dock featuring the new Lightning connector, it is compatible with the iPhone 5, the 5th generation iPod Touch and the 7th generation iPod Nano. It comes in black and white color options and sports a design that the company claims is capable of fitting in any scenario, be it a living room environment or a study.
The metal grille is only very subtly curved and the speaker system has been designed with Flowport technology in order to control the bass performance. The device draws from decades of the company’s experience in acoustic engineering, and as a result, is compact. It is claimed that music sounds natural no matter how high the volume is cranked up. Users can also stream to it from a Mac or PC running iTunes.
On the more technical side of things, the speaker system makes use of digital signal processing and a high quality class-D amplifier, as well as two 87.5mm full range drivers. It has a power consumption rating of 36W and an auxiliary 3.5mm mini jack input. The device measures 180mm x 320mm x 100mm in dimensions and weighs about 2.6kg.
Now even though the Zeppelin Air has been updated to include new docking support, it still retains its distinctive design. It is potentially compatible with the widest range of Apple products and listening to music using AirPlay makes things simple. The service is easy to setup and requires a Wi-Fi network and the company even has a free app for download on the App store, to make sure the setup process is even easier.
The Bowers & Wilkins Z2 in black will be made available for $399.99 starting in April, while those interested in purchasing the white version will have to wait until June this year. The updated Zeppelin Air is scheduled to arrive in May for $599.99.