It is my belief that price is what kept the Empeg from going mainstream (I paid $1,299 for my 12GB). $999 for a 10GB model and Rio's marketing should have solved this, but didn't. In fact, I think Empeg was doing a better job at marketing. Now, $699 for a 10GB model should be causing the RioCar to fly off the shelves, but it's not. I had enough time to buy 2 RioCar's since EOL, and it's still in stock.

This may be a very remote cause, but everyone that owns a NEO35 tries to dissuade people from buying Empeg. The cause for this is twofold. 1) These people could never afford and Empeg and, as such, have never seen one. 2) Don't full understand that it is a full-fledged computer and not just some candy-ass, cheap-ass MP3 decoding circuitry with an IDE interface. Needless to say, there are a lot more NEO35's out in the market, and a lot more people are pro-NEO.

Anyone that owns and Empeg and has owned a NEO35 or tried to build their own car MP3 device would never go back. The Empeg is one of the most well thought out products I have ever come across. Empeg's genius and value is represented in how many people that own one have bought "backup" units. For the foreseeable future, I couldn't imagine living without an Empeg.

I don't consider myself super-rich, but MP3's in the car is a priority of mine. I saw the original MK1 Empeg and entered the queue. I couldn't afford it at the time so I tried to build my own. It was taking too much time, money, and headaches. Then, I went to PC Expo and saw the NEO35. Bought it on the spot... on the show floor. After getting it, I realized it sucked. I then started saving for the Empeg and got it a couple months later. I havn't looked back since.

The fact that Empeg comes out of the car is perfect. This means that it can serve multiple purposes. In-car MP3 player, in-home MP3 player, in-office MP3 server, and so on...

Now, every now and then, I like to check the NEO35 Message Board to check out all the anti-Empeg rhetoric. It is unreal how many people talk about something they have no personal contact with. Oh, by the way, I own NEO35.com and NEO-35.com. That shows how early I bought my NEO.