sven:

Yeah, pretty much. But I guess I meant when they became more mainstream with the general market. Meanwhile IASCA competitors would have to maintain a CD player in their system if they want to compete, etc.

But now that you mentioned it and make me think through this a little more, maybe the harddrve-only head-unit issue won't be forced on IASCA in the near term future anyway (so now I 'm really glad I am not holding my breath). With the large companies like Sony/Kenwood/etc moving towards players that can play music off CD and hard drives/memory/etc and other like PhatNoise and Rockford Fosgate making changer-like-devices to play music off hard-drives/memory (and SonicBLUE out of the aftermarket car audio game).... it seems reasonable that it will be these mixed CD/hard-drive/memory implementations that will become more popular in the market.

....Sigh....

Regardless, I love my EMPEG and it will remain the center of of my car audio system.... it remains to be the best audio component I have ever purchased by far (and I have purchased my fair share :). And I doubt the things the big manufacturers are going to offer will sway me in the slightest, especially from what I have seen of their intial offerings.

So now I just have to accept that I may always have to throw in a CD player when I decide to enter any IASCA shows..... ok done.