Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin Owners manual

Zeppelin

Owners manual

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Contents

Topic Page

Welcome 3

iPod/iPhone compatibility 4

Correct handling 5

A tour of Zeppelin 6

Turning on the remote 7

Setting up 8

Docking an iPod/iPhone 9

Controlling the volume level 10

Navigating tracks on your iPod/iPhone 11

Outputting video 12

Streaming content from the Internet 13

Connecting a second source 14

Playback from a second source 15

Remote handset summary 16

LED signal summary 17

Taking calls on an iPhone 18

Adjusting the sound 19

Cleaning Zeppelin 20

Upgrading Zeppelin software 21

Environmental information 22

Troubleshooting 23

Welcome

Thank you for purchasing Zeppelin and welcome to
B&W Bowers & Wilkins.

The iPod® and iPhone™ are great music sources
on the move, but when you’re at home or in the
office, or you want to share your music with friends
and family, earphones are not convenient. There
are many products on the market that allow you to
dock your iPod or iPhone and hear your favourite
music without earphones, but it’s usually a choice
between hi-fi separates with their bulk and trailing
wires or one-box solutions that don’t do justice to
the player’s capabilities.

Zeppelin is different. It’s a one-box product with
the Bowers & Wilkins name. That means you’ll
experience impact and clarity, involving spatial
qualities most often missing when listening through
headphones or less-capable loudspeaker systems.
And it’s ‘Made for iPod’, which means that Apple
Inc. has certified it for seamless use with today’s
most popular music source.

With its airship-inspired shape, distinctively styled
by Native Design, London, Zeppelin is simple and
intuitive to use. But before you immerse yourself
in its great sound, please take a moment to read
through this manual. You should also familiarise
yourself with the safety instructions supplied with
the product.

Unlike most other one-piece iPod docking devices,
Zeppelin incorporates a full 3-way stereo speaker
system. Left and right channels have individual
midrange and tweeter drivers, while the bass of
both is handled by a single central bass driver.
Together with the efficient and cool running
switching amplifier, this ensures extremely high
quality, room filling sound.

The unique universal support bracket securely
holds all compatible iPods/iPhones without
adaptors or adjustment and gives the user freedom
to operate the player’s own controls as easily as if it
were in the hand.

Video iPods and iPhones benefit from Zeppelin’s
video output sockets, allowing the user to transfer
images to a television.

Additional music sources such as MP3 players,
portable CD players and laptops may be played
through Zeppelin using the AUX socket at the
rear. Both analogue and digital connections are
supported by the same socket.

This manual supersedes any manual supplied
with the product.

3

iPod/iPhone compatibility

Group A

Group B

We have separated the different types of iPod/
iPhone into groups, which we will use throughout
the manual to describe differences in the way the
various models interact with Zeppelin.

Use this table to identify which group your iPod/
iPhone belongs to.

Group A models lack the standard 30-pin socket
and will not dock with Zeppelin at all. These models
can only play through Zeppelin by connecting their
headphone output to Zeppelin’s AUX input socket.
See the section Connecting a second source.

Zeppelin only supports the latest USB
charging, so will not charge the 3rd generation
iPod in Group B, which requires Firewire®.

Group C

Group D

Group E

To ensure maximum functionality, we
recommend you keep your iPod/iPhone software
up to date. Check for upgrades in iTunes.

Zeppelin is not “Works with iPhone” certified.
When you dock an iPhone, you will see a message
on the screen informing you of this and asking if
you wish to switch to Airplane Mode. There are no
noise interference issues between Zeppelin and
the iPhone, so press the No button and continue
operation.

There are differences in the video and streaming
operation of Group E devices, depending on the
hardware version of Zeppelin and its software.
Please refer to the sections Outputting video
and Streaming content from the Internet.

4

Correct handling

When lifting Zeppelin, use two hands on the body.
Never use the iPod support bracket as a handle.

5

A tour of Zeppelin

At the front At the back

1 Left channel tweeter
2 Left channel midrange driver
3 Multicolour status LED.
4 Bass driver
5 Infrared remote control receiver.
6 Right channel midrange driver
7 Right channel tweeter
8 Volume up/down rocker button
9 Combined on/standby and source
selector button
10 Spring-loaded iPod/iPhone connector port

Although Zeppelin is exceptionally easy to use,
please spend a few moments getting to know
where its controls and connectors are and what
they do.

Zeppelin is shown with the grilles removed
so you can see what’s behind. Do not try to
remove the grilles. They are deliberately difficult
to get off to limit access and avoid damage to
exposed drivers.

1 Power input socket
2 USB slave socket for software
updates to Zeppelin
3 AUX analogue/digital mini jack
input socket
4 S-Video output socket
5 Composite video output socket
6 Serial number label

6

Turning on the remote control

Before using the remote handset for the first time,
you must remove the clear plastic insulating tab
that prevents the battery draining.

Rotate the battery cover anticlockwise 1/8 full turn
and remove.

Release the battery. Press down on the edge of
the battery between the two black lugs and the
opposite side next to the metal spring will flip up.

Remove and discard the insulator.

Replace the battery, first locating one side under
the small lugs opposite the metal spring.

Replace the cover.

7

Setting up

Connect Zeppelin to the power supply. When
plugged in, Zeppelin will go through a system
check for a couple of seconds, during which it will
not accept commands, and then assume standby
mode. In standby, the LED at the front will glow red.

To turn Zeppelin fully on, press the button, either
on the remote handset or on Zeppelin itself. When
fully on, the LED colour will depend on the selected
source – blue for iPod/iPhone or green for a second
source plugged into the AUX socket.

To totally disconnect Zeppelin from the power
supply, you will have to remove the plug from or
switch off the wall outlet.

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