Digital Trends

Nitro Pro Music Server

August 25th, 2004 | by Jeff Fila

We Know What You're Thinking

A good number of you are probably thinking “$2,500! I can build a better MP3 player for much cheaper!” Perhaps you are right, but then again, if you're thinking that, you probably aren't part of ReQuest's target audience. AudioReQuest units are geared towards more affluent music lovers — people with high-end audio equipment and a lot of CDs; people with home automation or control systems; people with multiple residences.

But the home-built solution isn't as easy as some of you may think. The Nitro is built with an industrial single board computer in the Mini-ITX form factor. It supports a socket 370 processor, SDRAM and a regular hard drive and CD Rom. With this somewhat off-the-shelf hardware are a number of enhancements including the LCD screen, the software that drives the LCD, digital audio connections, component video connections, and remote control support.

However, it's the operating system which has been developed and improved over several years that really makes the Nitro worth its cost. The Nitro runs on a customized version of QNX, but we've heard rumors that ReQuest is looking into an updated Linux solution. It is the automated features and user-friendly front end that really makes the Audio ReQuest software so powerful. The software automatically encodes CDs when they are inserted into the tray. It works with a long list of automation and control devices. It features a web server that syncs and broadcasts music over the internet. It works with PCs and Macs as well as Pocket PCs. It supports analog and digital video and audio outputs. It organizes music automatically and downloads song information and album art, and much, much more.

Nitro's TV display is easy to use and easy to read at distances.

Sure someone with above average hardware and software knowledge could build something similar for less, but we think the features, support, and quality build of the Nitro is on par with the unit's price. We do, however, question the economies of scale when comparing the prices between the 40GB and 60GB models. An additional 20GB doesn't warrant a $500 price difference in our opinion.

Conclusion

ReQuest Multimedia's Nitro music server is a hard drive-based audio player worthy of a prominent spot in any high-end audio rack or home theater. It does everything that you could want an audio player to do and it looks good doing it.

With a highly evolved interface, advanced control options, and CD quality audio, the Nitro Pro should help the late-adopters appreciate the benefits of truly digital music, and satisfy those on the bleeding edge of technology.

If you're one of the lucky consumers that can justify the $2500 price tag of the Nitro Pro music server, we recommend the product without hesitation.