B&W Z2 AirPlay Dock and Wireless Speaker Review

B&W; Z2 Airplay Dock Build Quality & Setup

Since the early 2000s , iPod docks have become ubiquitous, with offerings from nearly every AV manufacturer and at every price point imaginable. However, over the last couple of years, AirPlay, Bluetooth, and other wireless speakers have started to encroach and take their place as the iPod dock 2.0, so to speak (or the boombox 3.0). Not to be left behind, B&W is keeping up with the curve with the release of their Z2 iPod dock and AirPlay speaker. The Z2 is B&W’s newest, smallest, and least expensive iOS-oriented product to date. A far cry from their original Zeppelin in terms of price and size, the Z2 is aimed at consumers demanding form as well as function.

When B&W first entered the iPod dock market with their giant, weird, bold, ugly, beautiful, and expensive Zeppelin, the main focus was on sound quality. And when we reviewed the B&W Zeppelin, the sound quality left us floored. However, not everyone wants to spend $599 on an iPod dock that blends in as well as a Storm Trooper in Mordor. Since then, B&W has expanded their lineup to consist of the A7 ($799) and its little brother the A5 ($499) Airplay docks. They also updated the original Zeppelin to include Airplay and cleverly renamed it the Zeppelin Air ($599). The Z2 fits snugly at the bottom of the lineup with an MSRP of $399.

The Z2 is a small and classy looking dock. At 180mm high x 320mm wide x 100mm deep (7”x12.6”x3.9”), it can fit just about anywhere. A sturdy metal grill wraps across the front and curves all the way around the sides. The top has a smooth rubber surface that is far from the cheap plastic enclosures found on most iPod docks. And the rest of the unit, including sides and back also feel sturdy. It could have a little more heft for my liking, as it’s only 2.6kg (5.7lbs), but that’s pretty average for this size of unit.

On the top are touch-sensitive volume + and – buttons. I used these quite often during listening tests and found them to be very responsive. Often times when buttons are used to control volume (as opposed to a rotary knob), they need to be hit repeatedly or held down for a extended period of time to make a significant change in output, but the buttons on the Z2 worked flawlessly. And for a device like this, it’s just as much about usability as it is sound quality.

B&W Z2 Apple Lightning Connector

Right next to the volume buttons is a Lightning connector for newer Apple devices. This means that anyone using an Apple device with the old 30 pin connector is relegated to the 3.5mm input on the back of the Z2, or AirPlay. Also around back is the AC power connector, a reset button, and an Ethernet jack for hardwired connection to your network, but I opted to use the built in WiFi for my review. There’s a small power button located just around the right side of the unit, out of sight, but easy to find. Finally, a small LED on the front indicates the power status and input selected.

Some of those considering the Z2 will surely also take a glance at the B&W A5, since they are close in price and size. However, the A5 lacks an iPod connector and relies solely on AirPlay and a 3.5mm analog input for sound. The Z2 is equipped with 2x87.5mm (3.5”) drivers and no tweeter, none, at all. The A5 jumps to 2x100mm (4”) drivers and 2x25mm (1”) tweeters. Both units utilize a rear firing port for added bass response. It’s a safe assumption that the addition of dual tweeters and larger drivers will give the A5 a significant sound quality advantage over the Z2.

      B&W Z2 Power Button                       B&W Z2 Rear Connections  

Z2 Unboxing & Setup

If there’s one thing I can say about Bowers & Wilkins, it’s that they have a clear brand image across all products and communication channels. Think of Apple for a moment: everything from their product design to, packaging, manuals, website, etc… all present the consumer with a singular vision of who the company is and what it means to own one of their products. I can’t think of a single brand in the audio video industry that does this better than B&W. When I unboxed the Z2 I was greeted with a nice 8x8” thank you card and an 18 page booklet explaining the legacy and mission of B&W. This booklet is made of heavyweight, glossy paper and filled with high quality images. And when you register the Z2 you receive 3 months free membership into B&W’s Society of Sound, which includes access to high-res digital downloads. For them, it’s not just about purchasing a product; it’s about helping the consumer partake in an experience. A brand with a good integrated marketing approach identifies and develops every touch point with a consumer, and B&W is such a brand.

B&W Z2 Setup WiFi                     B&W Z2 Setup Naming

Okay, I’ll come off my marketing soap box and actually tell you about setting up the Z2. The process is fairly straightforward: connect power, download B&W’s setup software on your device (iPhone/iPod Touch, Mac, or PC), and follow the on-screen instructions. The Z2 creates its own wireless network that the app will find. Once connected, you type in the login information for your actual wireless network and presto! You’re done, the Z2 links to your WiFi network. All that’s left is choosing a name for the Z2 and testing AirPlay functionality. Although the process is very simple, the included instructions are less than helpful. All they say to do is download the software and follow the instructions. There is no information on what app to search for in the App Store, or a specific URL given to download the software on your computer (a URL is given, but it doesn’t take you directly to the proper download page). If you look on B&W’s website, they make a big fuss about their app, but I’m not sure why. It’s just a simple setup app. It doesn’t really “do” anything beyond managing your wireless B&W devices. There’s also no instructions about operating the Z2 after setup is complete. For example, none of the included literature explains what the different colors on the front LED mean, or if the Z2 has an auto inactivity shutoff (which it does). I admit, it’s not the most complex device in the world, but basic user information should be included in the box. And to think, I just wrote a paragraph about the great packaging and marketing.

B&W; Z2 Airplay Dock Sound Quality & Conclusion

I spent a considerable amount of time trying out the Z2 with different material, at different volume levels, through different inputs, and at different locations, all in order to have a dramatically diverse and definitively well-researched disposition (that’s alliteration). 

The first location was on my computer desk, about 2 feet to the right of my listening position (a.k.a. office chair). Some speakers in this location, particularly those with narrow dispersion, can be distracting sitting directly to my right. But, the drivers on the Z2 are angled outward, creating a nearly 180 degree dispersion pattern. This helps produce a big soundstage. The Z2 was not distracting at all sitting so close, in fact, it was quite pleasant. Plus one for the Z2 for near field listening.

When the Z2 was on my desk, I listened to music through AirPlay and the Lightning dock. However, for more critical tests I set the Z2 where my MartinLogan Motif center speaker normally resides. I then ran analog audio out of my Oppo BDP-93 and into the 3.5mm input on the back of the Z2. With this setup I was able to utilize the high-quality DAC in my Oppo.

The first CD I queued up was Wires Rosewood & Roots by Bob Arden, an instrumental CD anchored on Arden’s masterful guitar skills. One of the details to listen for is Arden’s breathing amidst intricate guitar work. I could hear this clearly on the Z2, and the guitar had all of the detail it ever has. But, it wasn’t quite as full as I would have liked, the sound was a little thin. Track 12, “Windrush”, is about as complex as this album gets, with an acoustic guitar, resonator guitar, bass, and basic drum kit. The Z2 actually handled the bass guitar better than I thought it would. It sounded amazingly authoritative coming from such a diminutive speaker. In this mix, the bass guitar is weaved in with the rest of the musical ensemble, unlike much mainstream music where a hard synth bass line or kick drum drives the track. Chalk up another win for the Z2.

B&W Z2 Side View

Next, I spun up some more popular music like Rage Against The Machine, Norah Jones, Macklemore, and the XX. On a number of tracks, like Rage’s “Renegades of Funk”, the Z2 sounded sloppy and slightly thin, with an exaggerated treble.  But on Norah Jones’s “Don’t Know Why” it certainly was not sloppy. It was detailed, but still sounded a little thin with an accentuated top end. I experienced this on a number of other tracks and found that the Z2 excels on simple recordings but falls short when asked to reproduce busy songs. This phenomenon is primarily true at higher volumes where the Z2 hits a brick wall of compression, and is much less pronounced at background listening levels. Additionally, I heard the dual 3.5” drivers bottom out on a number of occasions, and sometimes at only moderate listening levels. I don’t just mean a subtle bottoming out; it made some pronounced twacks, rending a few tracks, like the XX’s “Reunion”, unlistenable at anything louder than background levels.

This suggests to me that the Z2 would benefit from a more conservative high-pass filter, or a more aggressive DSP system to limit deep bass. Really, this problem came as no surprise because the Z2 is rated with a -3dB point at 50Hz and -6dB at 42Hz. Granted, the flow port may take over the lowest octaves, but without an extensive transmission line system there’s no way to achieve reasonable SPL at 50Hz from a pair of 3.5” drivers. Even a unit twice its size, with 5” or 6” drivers, would struggle with a solid 50Hz tone. I would bet that B&W is fully aware of this issue and made a simple choice to value the ability to play deeper bass at the expense of being able to play it loudly. Now, the Z2 can certainly play loud, and handles the vast majority of songs just fine, but know that some bass heavy tracks will need to be played at low volume levels. If you are in the market for something with booming bass, you will need to step into a unit like B&W’s Zeppelin Air, or a Sonos system with a SonosSub (setting you back around $1000).

My other main observation with the Z2 is that it can lose clarity and detail at high volume levels. I suspect this is because its dual 3.5” drivers are asked to reproduce the entire frequency range. This is the only iPod dock that B&W makes that doesn’t include a dedicated tweeter. As previously mentioned, the A5 for $100 more has dual 1” tweeters.

Z2 Purchase Recommendations & Conclusion

Although the Z2 has some caveats, it has a tremendous amount of things in its favor as well. It’s extremely functional, providing on-board volume and power buttons, a seven button IR remote, and control via any AirPlay compatible device. And the crazy part is that each of these control methods works flawlessly. Not to mention the Z2’s small size and modern styling. It also has a wide soundstage and generally pleasant sound. On the downside, it can really struggle with bass heavy tracks or at high volume levels.

With all of these pros and cons, who should actually buy the Z2? I see this product as a great fit for an office, on a kitchen counter, or anywhere else you want a discrete sound system. I loved having it next to me on my desk because it didn’t take up much room and I rarely turned it up very loud. The Z2 isn’t battery powered, but the rear firing port works surprisingly well as a handle and the unit is small and light enough to tote about among rooms with ease. In the end, the Z2 is best for people who value looks, convenience, and usability over deep bass or high output capabilities, because the former items it has in spades.

B&W Group North America

54 Concord Street

North Reading, MA

01864

(978) 664 2870