I paid $1199 for my 12GB Mk II about a year ago (plus shipping and duty tax). I would do it again.

I paid $199 for my RioCar during the price drop, which to me, was a steal for a "backup." Even $299 would be a steal for a backup - just for the RAM, new warranty and new remote. To think that some people paid that much for their first player... wow. I can't really relate. I hope you realize that the rest of us don't feel "cheated" (unless we were to buy one a day before the price drop :O ). I think I can speak for most of us by saying we are proud to be early owners.

I never thought the empeg was too expensive for what it was. I just thought that the drive capacities were too low at first. But that was in the hands of IBM and other drive makers - not the empeg team.