Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air no longer compatible after latest iTunes update 12.7.4.76

I got the answer and a workaround from B&W:

We have heard of this issue, and we are looking into it.

However, we are fairly certain that the problem is not caused by the speaker but rather a change made to iTunes from v12.7.4.76 and later.

There is nothing we at the moment can do to solve this, but we have found a temporary workaround – at least for those using MAC.

Here is what to do:

• Do not use the standard iTunes control panel to choose which speaker to play from
• Instead – open iTunes as normal
• Click on the speaker icon in the top bar meny on your Mac
• You will find the Zeppelin Air in the drop-down menu. Choose it by clicking on the speaker's name
• If you now go back to iTunes you will see that the program also has chosen the Zeppelin Air as speaker
• Press play in iTunes and playback via the Zeppelin Air should commence

The only drawback that I have found with this method is that you will have to relate to two different volume controls – the one in iTunes and the in the Mac.

Both will adjust volume, and if one is all the way down no music will be heard.

My recommendation is that you set the volume control that you normally do not use to approximately 75% and then use your preferred volume control to change playback volume.

Doing this will allow you to change volume from no sound up to 75% (setting the not-preffered volume control to max will allow you to control playback volume from no sound to max volume using the other volume control)

Hope this makes sense and that the workaround also works in your setup.

I would appreciate if you could let me know if it does – and also if it does not.

They're quite quick to point out that it's iTunes fault and that they cannot do anything about it - yes, iTunes made changes, but I also think B&W can make a firmware update to solve this.

I will try this workaround tonight. Have anyone else tried this?

Well i would just like to add further information. I am now convinced that Apple/itunes in their 12.8 update write information to the 30pin zeppelin to make it incompatible to any itunes.

Basic story is i updated itunes to 12.8 on my windows 10 PC and got the message that the airplay speaker was no longer compatible with itunes. I then tried to downgrade to various versions of itunes and instead of the not compatible message i got error (20) connecting message. I then thought well as it the itunes on my main pc i would try my laptop which has an older version of itunes on which i never use. I expected it to work but however i got the same error 20 message. So this was pushing me more towards something has been written to the Zepppelin.

Now as for the final twist i took my zeppelin to my friends who has the exact same setup as me the only difference is that he has been on holiday so his itunes has not been updated to 12.8. So his zeppelin works absolutely fine not even a blip. It plays perfectly.

So at this point i connect my speaker to his system which plays his fine and guess what my speaker isn't compatible with itunes. They are exactly the same speakers bought at virtually the same time. The only difference is that his system has not been updated to 12.8 and mine had.

So it looks to me that Apple has written something in to itunes that turns your older zeppelin into a brick as for as itunes is concerned.

I am not impressed Apple and you need to sort this out!!!!!

Yes, the OS Mojave with iTunes 12.8 is the "AirPlay 1 killer".

You can use AirPlay to Zeppelin Air with iTunes 12.8 in High Sierra OS. But not in the same way as ever. You have to select your Zeppelin Air clicking in the speaker icon in the toolbar of you Mac. You can't select Zeppelin Air with the AirPlay icon in iTunes 12.8. But this workaround only "works" in High Sierra OS. Don't update your Mac to Mojave OS.

Roll back to iTunes 12.7.3.46. See the iTunes installers section of Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates for direct download links and advice on reverting to a pre-upgrade copy of your library. You lose the changes made to the library since you installed 12.7.4.76.

tt2

There was a new release of iTunes, 12.7.4.80, that might not show up in software update for you. You can download it directly from Apple at iTunes - Download iTunes Now - Apple or see iTunes for Mac installers. If it doesn't work then going back to 12.7.3.46 is probably the only reliable workaround.

tt2

I have the same problem plus another one:

I can connect using the workaround on my Mac, as the iTunes for mac update didn't solve the problem. But I cannot update the firmware as the file downloaded by the BW app is corrupted. (See attach) And BW is impossible to reach it required signing in but tells my question cannot be sent because I didn't and I tried 4 times...

It just drove me crazy, and as I have another system to buy for another house, It won't be a BW but a Sonos or a Bose...

Bye bye to "amateur" customer service...

Same problem. Both Macs (2016 iMac and 2013 MBAir , both on 10.12.6) either report Zeppelin Air (old connector type) is incompatible with this version of iTunes or that the Zeppelin can't be detected. But it is on, on the network and my iPhone X *can* stream to the speaker. IOW, the problem seems to be with 12.7.4 iTunes changes in the Mac: Airplay works from phone, router can see/communicate with speaker.

Tried power cycling the speaker - no joy. Before updating iTunes as part of recent security updates, the speaker worked fine.

Phoned UK store today and person answering 'unaware' of the problem. Odd.

Thanks. Installed the #80 build but no difference. Interestingly the B&W control app on my iPhone X can see the Zeppelin but the one on my Mac can't (though the router is clearly showing the speaker as linked on 2.4GHz.)

Have send feedback. Depressingly the drones in support don't even update the input forms. The form's 'device' list stops at iPhone8 and doesn't mention *any* Macs. I'm beginning to see Apple places no value in Mac users. <sigh>. We also pay real money for Apple products, it should merit some support.

B&W have acknowledged this is now a 'known' problem re iTunes 12.7 breaking Airplay. They have raised the issue with Apple and ... are awaiting response. I'd love to think this will result in an iTunes update soon but not holding my breath.

I've since updated all my Macs to OS 10.13.4, but no improvement. I still can stream to the B&W via my iPhone X (IOs 11.3.1) as I could with the source Mac on OS 10.12.6. Using it a sound output from my Mac doesn't help - in my case - as the speaker is in a different part of the house from my Macs, plus our main library is contained a different my to my main desktop (because...reasons).. Still, it used to work before some bright spark decided to update iTunes' AirPlay support without properly testing it and/or informing developers using AirPlay about the change. Unimpressed with iTunes QA/build quality.

I'm totally with you. I cannot access my Zeppelin Air via my computer, but I can from my iPhone and iOS devices. A "little" frustrating to say the least. That being said, thank you for pointing out that we can still stream from our iOS devices that at least is helpful.

Upgraded to iTunes 12.8 today and Mac OS High Sierra Version 10.13.6 (17G65) and hoped for the best. I was disappointed, no change. I can still play through airplay from the OS but not from iTunes. I have contacted Bowers and Wilkins in both Australia for an update and in the UK. But given the standard brush off... engineers are looking into it.

I have a l have a Libratone speaker bought about a month after the Zeppelin air and it still works flawless with iTunes. I think of the cost of this the consumer experience is terrible. But both Apple and Bowers and Wilkins have my money so I guess why should they care ! Frustrating to say the least.

As for Bowers and Wilkins... if you enter the wireless speaker market be prepared to support the device as technology changes. That means a cycle of constant development and testing for the applications that work with it. If you can't be bothered or prepared to invest in this... then don't venture into the market. The last firmware update for the Zeppelin 30 pin model was over 3 years ago in 2015 !!.

I’ve read all of the posts on here and am coming up against the same problem. However, and this is the strange part, I have two 30 pin connector Zeppelin Air speakers in different parts of the house, both installed with the latest firmware and (obviously) both connected to the same wi fi network........the one speaker works perfectly through airplay on my iTunes (version 12.8.xx) the other is coming up with the “not supported message”.........how strange is that!

Same issue here withe zeppelin 30pins. works fine with the iphone6 but the mcbookpro is unable to connect. It recognises it but when i select it ,it says no output device . Also when i try to connect the zeppelin via itunes the airplay symbol is showing but then itunes display " unknown error code 20"

Seems an extended issue over zeppelin users, hope apple will push a fix soon :)