Are you *trying* to rub it in?

18GB Empeg purchased in September 2000 for $1599 + tax/shipping
20GB Travelstar drive purchased in mid-2000 for $200 or thereabouts
10GB Empeg purchased in October 2001 for $699 + tax/shipping (missed price protection deadline by a couple weeks.)

So that's about a $2500 total cost of ownership for me. Obviously I didn't get the same "value" that some other people with better timing got, but I don't regret my decisions to purchase. I'm glad I have two Empegs that will hopefully last me a very long time.

However saying "if Empeg could figure out a way to sell their players for $400" is like saying "well, if McLaren sold their F1's for $1000, they could sure sell a boatload of them." Those who managed to get Empegs during the price drop should thank their lucky stars, because the raw cost of each unit is way above what you paid, and the real value of them is probably three or four times what you paid. I have yet to see anyone who regrets paying what they paid, whatever that is.