Was that horse really dead yet? I will try to wake it up.

Since years i normalize every mp3 to 92dB with mp3gain (using the track gain button) before i allow it in my collection. (And yes i did own a neo35 too)

I started doubting if it actually works for the empeg after reading those threads, but now i'm sure it does.
Most of the time i play all songs on my empeg at the random setting, and rarely adjust the volume between songs (except when i really like a song)
After i added the mp3's of the sxsw2006 torrent without doing the normalize thing to them, i can tell one of those songs is playing without looking at the titles, most of them are just so @#$%^&* Loud!

So yes, definetly works for me. Don't notice any clipping either (but that could be just my less then perfect hearing)