With a $600 price tag, the Zeppelin is among the most expensive iPod speaker systems we've seen; if sound quality is your primary--or only--consideration, there are less-expensive products that compete well. But while you're surely paying for the B&W name and the Zeppelin's design, you're also paying for a very good speaker system with expensive materials and construction; impressive quality and attention to detail; a number of unique technical features; and excellent sound quality. In many ways, the Zeppelin reminds me of Apple's own hardware, which often stands out for a compelling combination of design, performance, and overall quality. (In fact, the Zeppelin often made me wonder if this is what an "iPod Hi-Fi Pro" might be like.) Whether you're willing to pay for an iPod speaker system that exhibits all these traits, rather than for a less-expensive product that offers a subset of them, is the question you'll need to ask yourself.--Dan Frakes

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