Within a tech-product context, asterisks usually spell trouble. Unlimited* downloads in a broadband plan or free* voicemail: that little star has come to represent false promises and broken dreams.

Mmm ... asterisky

This asterisk, however, is a sweet little thing that couldn't possibly hurt anyone. The RockStar from Belkin is a five-socket dealie that allows multiple music lovers to listen to one MP3 player. Yep, no need to sacrifice an ear to someone else's manky, wax-covered earbud -- sharing is available in stereo.

Multiple-socket audio adaptors are hardly a new idea -- you can nab them for a few bucks from most electronics stores -- but the RockStar is cutely packaged and adds a DJ twist: you can plug in two MP3 players and play songs simultaneously for some on-the-fly mash-up action.

We've often seen pairs of school kids sharing their headphones, but does anyone engage in this communal tune behaviour with four other people at once? That's a whole lot of cables to get tangled up in, as we found out when we tested the device on a rather silly Friday afternoon.

Belkin's RockStar is available now for AU$19.95.

Happy music-sharing editors on the CNET.com.au kitchen floor.