Short answer: the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin for neutrality and soundstage, the EarFun Uboom X if you will change its firmware and EQ. The Zeppelin is amazingly neutral with a wide soundstage thanks to its width, and its drawbacks are only the lack of a battery and waterproofing. The Uboom X is tuned by Oluv and called a knockout, but the out of the box 0.33 firmware and EQ sound horrible.
One note: the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin is no longer sold new, but at #2 of 10 powered desktop speakers by sound quality it still outranks most current models, so used is worth considering. The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin’s replacement, the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro, is rated 4.4/5 at $899.
Buy the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin ($899) for a powered desktop speaker; the EarFun Uboom X ($159.99) suits a boombox speaker instead.
If water resistance matters to you, the EarFun Uboom X at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin at no water resistance.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin | EarFun Uboom X | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $899 each Discontinued | $159.99 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #2 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #1 of 113 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes (Earfun Audio app) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~32Hz | ~38Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 25.6” x 8.3” x 7.6” (650 x 210 x 194 mm) | 15.7” x 5.9” x 8.5” (400 x 150 x 215 mm) |
| Drivers | 150mm woofer, 2x 90mm FST midrange drivers, 2x 25mm Decoupled Double-Dome aluminium tweeters | 2x 102mm (4”) woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No | Yes (App EQ) |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect mode, up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect | - |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.6 kg) | 9 lbs (4.1 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| DSP | No | - |
| Amplifier Power | 240W (80W woofer, 2x 40W midrange, 2x 40W tweeter) | 80W |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect | - |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | No | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | No | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Aux Latency | - | 16ms |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | SBC Video mode 48ms, AAC Video mode 128ms, SBC 112ms, AAC 176ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Lights | - | Yes |
| Strap | - | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
- JOY’s 3D Audio Show: B&W Zeppelin - audiophile sound quality test 🎧
- Oluv Patreon: B&W Zeppelin vs Earfun UBoom X (indoor+)
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