There's no shame in buying a device just because it's beautiful. If you're reading this review to find out whether the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Mini is as good-looking as it appears in the photos, I assure you it is. Now that we've established that, I'm also happy to report that the Mini is more than just a design piece—it also pumps out some serious sound. This device isn't perfect, however—the remote control lacks full iPod navigation and the dock only works with iPhones, iPod touches, and more recent iPods. Also, while the Zeppelin Mini can get loud, this is not the system for deep bass addicts, and at $399.95 (list), it's not cheap.

Design
The Zeppelin Mini, which measures 6.8 by 12.6 by 4 inches (HWD), is oval-shaped with narrow ends. Black cloth, which wraps around the entire unit, covers the speakers on the front panel, while a concave, chrome top panel houses the dock arm that raises the iPod, as if floating, over the speakers. Connected iPods can swivel horizontally for watching video. Just above the chrome lower trim lining the speakers, an indicator light flashes behind the speaker grille—blue, red, or green, depending on the mode. Black plastic Power/Standby and Volume controls rest on the right–hand side, and the rear panel houses an Aux input (3.5mm), a connection for the power adapter, and a USB port. The AC adapter is included, but there are no USB or 3.5mm cables in the box—just plastic tray adapters for your iPod or iPhone. If you don't have an iPhone or iPod touch, you can only use Zeppelin mini with the iPod classic (2007 or later), 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation iPod nanos.

A black, egg-shaped remote comes with the Zeppelin Mini, and although it looks cute, it's the downfall of this product. First off, it is really easy to accidentally open the rubber battery compartment—which often makes the battery fall out. It is also not the easiest remote to hold and operate—pressing the lower buttons without blocking the sensor requires an awkward grip. Sound like I am nitpicking? Maybe, but again, this is a $400 dock. And my biggest complaint is inexcusable: The remote offers only limited iPod menu navigation. You can only skip forward and backward, play and pause, adjust the volume, and switch input selection. Want to switch artists, playlists, or albums? You'll have to walk up to the iPod and do that onscreen. This shortcoming is fairly common with iPod docks, even though it's not impossible to make a remote that navigates iPod menus (Case in point: the $300 JBL On Time 400iHD).

That said, the remote does have one excellent feature: If you connect the dock to your PC via the USB cable, you can then use the remote to control iTunes on your computer and play back audio via the Zeppelin Mini—now that's fancy. Also, when an iPod is docked and the Zeppelin Mini is connected to your PC, it will automatically sync your iPod to iTunes. Of course, this requires a software installation on your PC or Mac. The free software is available at B&W's Web site and takes very little time to set up.

Audio Performance
Simply put, the Zeppelin Mini sounds great. The entire frequency range is represented with clarity. The lowest and deepest frequencies are articulately conveyed—not exaggerated or underplayed. True, at the maximum volume, the Zeppelin Mini starts to distort slightly on the heavy hits of the drum machine on The Knife's "Silent Shout", but it's minor. And the dock gets so loud—especially for a system this compact—that it would be easy to blast it at a party and never reach its highest limits. At moderate-to-lower listening levels, the bass is still quite present, but again, this is not a system for those looking for a booming subwoofer. It may, however, be one of the best-sounding docks in its price range.

It terms of looks, the Zeppelin Mini does not disappoint—it's a design piece worthy of prominent placement in a stylish house or office. Its audio performance is also stellar. The flaws of the remote's awkward physical design and poor iPod navigation are not quite made-up for by the cool ability to control iTunes on your PC. The fact that only more recent iPods are compatible is limiting. Basically, $400 seems a steep price to pay for a dock with this many limitations, but then again, you don't buy a Ferrari to haul heavy loads or plow snow. If $400 is out of your reach, consider the Altec Lansing Mix iMT800, which, at $300, is a bit more affordable, but also lacks a remote with full iPod navigation. If not having to make a trip to the dock to switch artists is your main priority, check out the aforementioned JBL On Time 400iHD—it can't match the Zeppelin Mini in terms of audio performance, but it has a remote with full iPod navigation and handy alarm features too.

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