Terratec Noxon iRadio Cube

Terratec’s Noxon iRadio Cube is, as you might expect, an internet radio. On the other hand, it’s not actually a cube: it measures a slightly wonky 130x140x130mm. The white-on-black display looks good if you’re close enough to read it, though, and the device also doubles as an alarm clock.

The iRadio can connect to both wired and wireless networks. Wireless setup is pleasantly simple: after selecting your wireless network from a list, you need only type in the network key using the remote control and choose whether or not to use DHCP. Once this is done, you’re ready to start listening to the FM radio or internet stations.

Radio stations are easy to select using the four-way pad on the front of the device, and a dial quickly adjusts the volume. Stations are listed by genre and location, and there’s also a category for popular ones. A podcasts menu allows you to listen to the latest recorded shows, with the selection from the UK including programming from the BBC, Classic FM and the Financial Times, among others.

The iRadio also works as a music-streaming device, and the CD includes a copy of the Twonky Media UPnP server to run on your PC. Twonky Redial isn’t the friendliest media server program, but it’s highly configurable and runs unobtrusively in the Windows system tray. New computer users might struggle to get the best from it, but anyone who can configure a wireless router via its web interface should find the server’s web configuration system similar.

Sadly, playing music shows up the iRadio’s key shortcoming: sound quality. We didn’t expect great things from such a small device, but even so, it’s decidedly lacking in bass: spoken word sounds fine, but music lacks punch. An audio out socket on the back makes it possible to connect some better speakers.

Overall, the iRadio works well, but at £180 it’s too expensive. We’d save money and grab the beautifully designed Tangent Quattro for £30 less.