Terratec Noxon 2 Radio for iPod

The latest incarnation of the Noxon 2 media streamer ticks a box which many users have been waiting for: an iPod dock. It supports iPods from third generation onwards, including all nanos.

Another feature which has been a long time coming is the 2.1 speaker base, which sits underneath the main unit and draws its power from the Noxon. Audio quality is impressive in small to medium-size rooms, although bass response isn't exceptional and as the front speakers are so close together, the stereo effect is lost.

Bass and treble dials on the back allow you to tweak the sound to your liking, but there's an optical S/PDIF output (plus analogue phono jacks) so you can connect a more powerful sound system if you need to. There's also a handy built-in FM radio, although this uses a trailing aerial, which isn't particularly neat.

There's an impressive list of ways to get at your music. As well as 802.11b/g wireless networking, there's a handy RJ-45 wired port. The WiFi antenna is removable - useful for those who wish to fit a high-gain version.

Another practical feature from the previous version is the USB port, which lets you connect a hard disk or flash drive and play music from it. Alternatively, you can play music straight from your PC, via the bundled TwonkyMusic server, or Windows Media Connect.

Format support is unchanged; you can stream MP3, DRM-protected WMA 9 and 10, AAC+, OGG and WAV but, of course, not protected AAC (unless it's playing directly from an iPod) and, sadly, no FLAC.

However you play your music, you still have to use the display on the front of the unit to control playback. As on previous models, it's slow to refresh, though viewing angles are better. The screen and menus are certainly the Noxon's weak point. Compared to other streamers, such as the Slim Devices Squeezebox, they not only look dated, but are far less intuitive.

Fortunately, we found this unit much more responsive than the Terratec iRadio and the list of internet radio stations and podcasts is even larger, approaching 10,000 stations. However, the BBC's Listen Again service still hasn't been implemented, which is a disappointment - you can only listen live.

Another niggle is that - like the iRadio - volume has to be controlled using both the remote and the dial on the back of the speaker since they're completely independent of each other.

The Noxon 2 Radio for iPod is a superb choice for a kitchen that's out of earshot of your living room speakers, and we appreciate the sheer number of options available for playing your music - local hard disk, network or internet radio station. But, at £171 it's not cheap, even when you consider that Listen Again should be implemented soon. If the Noxon 2 could only shed £50 of its asking price, we'd be happier to tolerate its faults.

Author: Jim Martin