Review: Terratec Noxon 2 media streaming device

Terratec's Noxon 2 aims to take advantage of the increase in the number of internet radio stations by allowing them to stream wirelessly from a computer to a hi-fi without having the PC switched on.

The Noxon 2 will also stream MP3 and WMA files (including those with digital rights management) from a PC, which essentially allows you to access your entire digital music collection away from your computer.

In order to use the Noxon 2, a router (wired or wireless) will be needed. For the internet radio to work, you'll also need a broadband internet connection.

The device itself is reasonably small and bears a striking resemblance to the Apple Mac Mini. A large LCD display hangs over the edge at the front - the idea being that you can attach a base speaker unit at a later date, although these aren't currently available.

Setting up the Noxon 2 was a piece of cake. The installation wizard will hunt down your wireless network (802.11b/g) and all you need to do is enter your WEP or WPA passkey. Alternatively, you can use a wired network connection to hook it up to a router.

For the Noxon 2 to talk to the PC, the supplied TwonkyVision  software needs to be installed. This will sniff out all music files on your PC and broadcast them to the Noxon 2.

Being UPnP (Universal Plug and Plug) compatible, it will also be able to access files stored on a Network Attached Storage (NAS) drive.

To navigate through a music collection, use the remote control or quick-access buttons on the top of the Noxon 2.

It can be a bit laborious due to the small screen size and we found it best to set up playlists using the software on the PC - it will also accept M3U playlists as used by Windows Media Player.

Thanks to the optical digital output (a standard stereo phono alternative is provided), sound can be delivered direct to a compatible stereo system without losing out on quality.

A plethora of internet radio stations are pre-installed and more can be added should they be missing. To help newcomers to internet radio, stations are categorised into countries and genres.

Audio quality does depend on the internet radio stream, though, so don't expect CD-quality music from all the stations.

Terratec supplies a decent manual with the Noxon 2. It not only guides you through the process of setting up the device, but also has a decent troubleshooting section.
It's also worth pointing out that if you leave the Noxon 2 streaming internet radio all day long, it will clock up a fair amount in terms of downloaded data, which might be a problem if you have a small download cap on your broadband service.

If you like the idea of being able to wirelessly stream music stored on your PC to your stereo system and want to take advantage of the huge number of internet radio stations, the Noxon 2 is well worth considering.

Related reviews 
Sonos Digital Music System 
A truly amazing music streaming device, but incredibly expensive.
Rating: 4/5
Price: £899

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