So it is less advanced and fancy compared to Empeg, but the real gem here is The NEO 25 (the portable one), and one I'll seriously consider.

Here's my take on things:
With this little portable thingy, I get the best of both worlds, play it in the car or when travelling (for which I now use MD). I did look at the PJB but find it too expensive and limiting; particularly lack of remote and difficult to upgrade drive.

This thing I can slap on my dashboard with a bit of Velcro (which I do now with my MD in anticipation of an EMPEG; I'm on the waitinglist No. 15,4.. something and expecting an invitation to order any moment); I can connect it to my home stereo and control it using the remote; take it with me travelling.

Another advantage: only 1 device to maintain for music at all locations. With an Empeg I'll still need to keep recording MDs separately. I can also delete all MP3's from my PC and free up some hard needed space (and burn my MP3 on CD-Rs as a back-up).

Purely a bonus for me not a must, but a big deal for others having read all the posts: you can use it as an external portable hard drive, copy to and from. I'm sure that once used to this, I'll really appreciate it.

I admire the Empeg for its brilliance, but in the end its main purpose for me is playing back music. I think I can live without the graphics, equalizer, networking capabilities and other cool things. Taking price, portability, ease of use into consideration, the NEO 25 does become an alternative to EMPEG, I'm sorry to say; it all depends what you're looking for.

As it so happens, their European office is in Nijmegen (Netherlands) which is not too far from where I live, so I'll pay them a visit one of these days to check the thing out.

My main concern is sound quality; when the time comes I'll take my laptop with my own MP3's, MD player and phones with me and do a direct comparison.

Another concern is battery playback and inconsistency of info on websites: 3 hours according to European site, 2 on American site; 90 minutes on American site listed as accessory or on the info page when you want to order.

Cas