We certainly can't recommend it as your primary sound system -- the same or more functionality can be had for many fewer dollars -- but the Zeppelin Air is a really fun device. As a casual auxiliary system, it's hard to beat -- we think it has a lot more panache than Bose's offerings.

...the Zeppelin Air bests its predecessor on each of those metrics, offering noticeably better sound quality, some useful design tweaks, and a number of technological improvements—first among them support for AirPlay—at the same price.

Killer sound, period. Wireless AirPlay streaming adds convenience while maintaining HD audio quality. So many upgrades over the original, yet the price is the same. Consumes only 0.8 watts in standby mode. Oh, and it charges your iPhone, too.

The Zeppelin Air, though, is as much of a stunning conversation piece as it is an excellent speaker dock. The design, and the added AirPlay functionality helps justify the price, but make no mistake: for the same price, you could buy some kick-ass speakers and a stereo receiver.

Based on its past track record with Zeppelin firmware updates, our hope is that B&W will step up to the plate and make some of the post-release tweaks that would enable Zeppelin Air to live up to its full potential.