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Terratec Noxon 2 Audio
Price: £149.99 incl VAT

Features
Performance
Ease of use
Value for money
Overall

Reviewed By: Andy Shaw

This review updated: 22/06/2006
Featured in magazine:
Issue 138
Manufacturer Contacts:
Supplier: Terratec
Tel: 0870 458 4891
Web Address: www.terratecuk.co.uk


As its name suggests, the Noxon 2 Audio isn't the first device from Terratec that offers to stream audio content from your computer and broadband connection into other rooms of your house. While the company's previous version offered good value for money, it missed the mark on some of its features. Has this new version managed to plug the gaps?

Features
The biggest problem we found with the original Noxon Audio was that, despite its ability to play thousands of radio stations, it didn't support the ones we really wanted to listen to, such as the BBC's digital stations. This newer version immediately ticked that box, supporting all the radio stations we could think, as well as countless ones we'd never have believed existed.

There are other additions to the device, including a USB port for directly plugging in MP3 players and memory sticks – we plugged in an iPod Shuffle to see what would happen, and you can basically control it directly from the Noxon. The unit also offers both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connection options, plus various output connections, including optical S/P-DIF, standard stereo and headphone sockets.

Performance
The Noxon uses UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) server software, which you have to install on your computer to play music from it. Some music software (like Musicmatch – www.musicmatch.com) has a UPnP server built in, but if your player of choice doesn't, Terratec has bundled one – TwonkyMusic (www.twonkyvision.de) for PCs and EyeConnect (www.egato.com) for Macs. This all works a treat, making it easy to browse your music by artist or album.

It plays unprotected MP3 and WMA files.If you want to play files downloaded from a Windows Media Player compatible store – one that uses Microsoft's DRM (Digital Rights Management) format – you'll have to use Microsoft's own UPnP server software Windows Media Connect (free from www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/devices/wmconnect). Unfortunately, there's no support for music downloaded from the iTunes store, which uses its own proprietary format.

Ease of use
The manual is well written and a pleasure to read – something that all hardware and software manufacturers could learn a lesson from. The most complicated task is connecting the Noxon to an encrypted Wi-Fi network, though even this offers little resistance as long as your security settings aren't too complex.

When using the device it's shifting through the multitude of available radio stations that's the most cumbersome element, but thankfully, once you've found your favoured stations, you can add them to a more convenient 'favourites' list with a press of the remote control's smiley face.

Value for money
While it's a bit more expensive than its audio-playing rivals, such as the recently reviewed Philips Streamium and even the original Noxon Audio, we think it's worth paying a bit more for this model. The only thing it's missing is its own set of speakers, though you can always get a set fairly cheaply if you're just looking for something to replace a kitchen radio, and it makes it more flexible for moving around the house depending on the situation.

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