This article was originally posted March 1, 2001.

Piping PC-based music into a home stereo system isn't difficult -- if you don't mind stringing a long cable between the PC and stereo or placing the ugly, beige box and monitor next to your rack. For those interested in a more seamless method of playing MP3s on a stereo, take a look at Turtle Beach's AudioTron. Serving as a networked satellite player to your PC, the $299 AudioTron can offer a direct digital connection without the hassle of wire management to virtually any part of the house.

The AudioTron concept is quite simple. Connect the sleek component to your amplifier using an RCA or digital optical cable, hook it up to your existing home network (HomePNA 2.0 or Ethernet), and have it search for the My Music (or Audio or Music) folder on your PC's hard drive.

The AudioTron's small but informative LCD breaks down the music content by genre, artist, title, album, and playlist, and can access any PC on the network with a shared My Music folder. An internal database with a capacity of 10,000 songs remembers the location of every track regardless of how many PCs are networked. So, if you've got a massive library of MP3, WMA, or WAV files (or files of any other future audio format -- the AudioTron's firmware is fully upgradeable), they can be easily accessed. Note: WAVs can only be transferred via Ethernet.

Encased in black metal, the 17-inch by 1.75-inch by 10-inch AudioTron looks and feels like another stereo component, especially with its optional rack ears, which extend the width to 19 inches. And with a minimal set of buttons to master, the system is extremely intuitive. Throw in a handy remote and you've got a polished "next generation" device to show off to your friends. More important, the unit doesn't have too many flaws.