Several years ago around the time the Empeg had been out for a year or two, SSI Neo had a hard drive based radio and mp3 player that they were looking to release. Not sure why but it was never released. Now it had no where near the functions as the Empeg from what I remember, it was basically just a radio and a hard drive based mp3 player that was in a 1 1/2 din chassis. I believe that it did have a CD slot though from what I recall. It did not have an advanced EQ like the Empeg does or the open type interface to be able to add software hacks.

Someone here may remember it better then I. They decided to release the Neo Jukebox and run with it. I had emailed them about the radio/mp3 when I came across it about when it was to be released because it was going to be half the cost of the Empeg. They said that it was still in the development stage and it never made it to market.

I doubt seriously that there will ever be anything like the Empeg, a radio/ hard drive mp3 player/EQ/hackable all in one unit. I know that some of the "big" companies have come out with their hard drive mp3/radio players (I believe that Pioneer had one) they were close in price to the Empeg. I think the Empeg has some better "features for the money" and the others are not able to be played at home and limited on drive size.