That proves it looks cheap.

It doesn't look cheap, in my opinion.

The only reason that some people get the "cheap" impression is because it doesn't look like other brands of gaudy aftermarket stereos. Those stereos deliberately try to complicate their displays to give the impression of expense.

What the empeg does do is match the interior of most cars better. While other aftermarket stereos look out-of-place on the dash, the empeg fits right in.

Here's my previous post on this subject.

___________
Tony Fabris

Alpine are also showing some (non-gaudy) monochrome OELs at IFA this year.

We never rule anything out; you just pick the best you can get given the constraints - for the empeg mk2 there were very few constraints :)

Hugo

I simply love the simple and flourishless faceplate of my MKI.

I know what you mean. Even now that I've accustomed to my Mk2, I still like the plain Mk1 looks, buthave come to prefer the wing design *and* the extra buttons. If it hadn't been for the supposedly better tuner, I might well have stuck with my Emma (Mk1). When getting an amp for my empeg, I had a look at *many* car stereo's. Man, the percentage ugly onces is unbelievable, but they probably sell better than the empeg

'Bad money driving out good money'

Cheers

Henno
mk2 6 nr 6

the other end of the spectrum (the Bose stereo in Audi TT).

still better than most other Bose products, I think . . .

Henno
mk2 6 nr 6

I love the looks of the MK2/RioCar. Well, I am an aerospace engineer, so the wing design certainly appeals to me

One of my friends is not a techy, he is into architecure. I never told him anything about the empeg, and first time he saw it, his words were:

"That looks really nice, it's so refined that it is elegant. I bet that thing is really hi-tech without trying to look that way."

Needless to say, he got even more impressed after I started the car. Pretty much everybody I know likes the looks of the Mk2/RioCar.

Rob, you should forward that one to the designer. He'd be pleased to hear that reaction.

___________
Tony Fabris

Actually that's a standard Audi Head Unit (Concert I think) - it's got nothing to do with BOSE.

If you order Bose on a new Audi, you get an amp and a bunch of new speakers - that's it.

The head unit is the same either way (I know - that concert unit is sitting on my shelf at home).

Paul.

Paul Haigh, Reg. 4120
(mk1) 6GB, Blue, 00254
(mk2) 12GB, Red, 00357

Actually that's a standard Audi Head Unit (Concert I think) - it's got nothing to do with BOSE.

If you order Bose on a new Audi, you get an amp and a bunch of new speakers - that's it.

I see. My friend who owns a TT didn't want the Bose option but had very little choice - all the dealers in the area only had TTs with Bose in stock and you had to wait several months if you wanted one without it... If that's not extortion, I don't know what is.

Borislav

Similar thing happened with my Empeg, which wasn't even locked (they pulled it out of the sled, but just left it on the floor of the car). I'm sure it had a lot to do with it's ultra-simple, no-name-brand look. I think it's pretty funny. Burglars need to better educate themselves...

In reply to:

---

Burglars need to better educate themselves...

---

Uh .. Nuh uh !!!!

After having had 3 breakins in my cars over the last 3 years I pass. Good thing I have been holding off on my empeg install.

cheers,
Hans


Mk2 - Blue & Red - 080000431

Heh,

I wanted Bose, but couldn't get it - weird.

Audi sales people are quite canny and probably the second worst I've ever come across (second to BMW salespeople, who are the rudest on earth).

I've heard differing reports on sound quality from the Bose - I'd be interested to hear what you think....

As for the car - it's still awesome, even 2 years on. (Althought that may have a lot to do with the 270bhp upgrade and Porsche 911 brakes).

Paul.

Paul Haigh, Reg. 4120
(mk1) 6GB, Blue, 00254
(mk2) 12GB, Red, 00357

I've heard differing reports on sound quality from the Bose - I'd be interested to hear what you think....

I've only listened to it for a few minutes. I find the bass very boomy, don't remember anything else in particular. My friend seems to like it, though, so I haven't told him that.

As for the car - it's still awesome, even 2 years on. (Althought that may have a lot to do with the 270bhp upgrade and Porsche 911 brakes).



Borislav

As for the car - it's still awesome, even 2 years on. (Althought that may have a lot to do with the 270bhp upgrade and Porsche 911 brakes).

You know, that's something I'll never understand. I don't know what car you have, but what's the point of having this much bhp in a country where you can't even closely get to the car's top speed on public roads?

It's kind of like getting a blow job, but never being allowed to come.

Sorry, for being so blunt, but I had to say it. ;-)

Georg
(from orgiastic Autobahn-Germany)

Well, two main reasons.

My 0-60 is about 1 second less. The car just feels better than the stock Audi - it pulls from 2,200 revs to around 5000 just beautifully. The car sounds better (new exhausts too). and finally it is a lot smoother with the extra power (when re-chipping you smooth the power delivery as well.

But mainly because I take it 12 times a year to track days and thrash the [censored] off of it.

It's fantastic. I wouldn't have anything else.

There is something great about doing 70mph round a 100degree corner with the tyres squealing the engine roaring and the empeg on 0db with some pumping dance music.

Adrenaline rush!

Paul.

Paul Haigh, Reg. 4120
(mk1) 6GB, Blue, 00254
(mk2) 12GB, Red, 00357

You think that's mad - check this out.

(check the 'golf' links)

Mad, mad, mad.

Paul.

Paul Haigh, Reg. 4120
(mk1) 6GB, Blue, 00254
(mk2) 12GB, Red, 00357

BMW Salespeople rude ? Whoah, never had that problem. Hell they even let me testdrive all the new cars in the showroom whenever I come there for maintenance. And the car doesn't even come from their dealership (it's a company lease car) ..
Hell the technicians are even better, they have been very forthcomming on answering all sorts of technical questions I had (mostly about chip-tuning my 320d and installing a different audio unit. You can guess which audio unit I was thinking of right).

All in all the service BMW dealerships give here is quite simply AMAZING. They even call me up 2 weeks after a repair or maintenance to make sure everything was done according to my wishes and if not will gladly set things right for free (within reason).

I for one feel perfectly at easy and am quite content with my Bimmer and it's dealers.

Cheers,
Hans


Mk2 - Blue & Red - 080000431

Okay you asked for it.

Meeting number one (to buy a Z3).

Call in to dealership in person. Get loads of attitude from sales people - who thikn that 'cos I'm not wearing a suit I've got no money. Manage to leave after an hour with some tatty brochures and a promise of a test drive 'when they get a car'.

Despite calling every week for a month, this mystery car never appears, but a friend of mine drives it (without me knowing until later) during this period.

Buy Audi.

Meeting number two (to buy a M3)

Call dealership first. Manage to get flannel about how there are no brochures for me to have, sorry. Ask If I can test drive it - 'Yes sir, in three years time'. Tell sales person that I'll go any buy from another dealer - 'You can't sir - all BMW dealers will only allow you to buy a car if you are in their postcode area'. This is crap, and he and I know it. I talk to a different dealer who allows me a test drive and is happy to take the order if I want.

So far BMW Coopers, Reading have blown £60K's worth of car buying from me.

W*****ers.

I guess it shows that it's really down to the dealer.

Paul.

Paul Haigh, Reg. 4120
(mk1) 6GB, Blue, 00254
(mk2) 12GB, Red, 00357

That is rude, really rude...

Oh well, i'll go pat my dealer now ... On second thought, i'll go pat his daughter. Might get an M3 out of it

Cheers,
Hans

Mk2 - Blue & Red - 080000431

Cool. It's about time we got some competition.

I'm confident Empeg's got the better user interface (and is better for tinkering), but this might get the boys at SonicBlue thinking harder about OEM deals, volume manufacturing and perhaps even a more professional looking unit (industrial design).

Would be curious to see how much Pioneer will charge for this and what their gross margins are.

I agree that the the vast majority of car players are extremely gaudy. What I would dig is an Empeg that matched my car 100% - and looked like it was a standard Audi component.

But the Empeg does look kinda cheap.

I do think it looks kinda cheap but I prefer this look to that of newer headunits like panasonic's that stick out about 4 inches and have guady flashy displays (I like plain)

the empeg comes a lot closer to matching my VW than the clarion I have in the lower slot. at least it mounts flush

32Gig MK2 In 2001 VW Golf TDI

I agree that the the vast majority of car players are extremely gaudy

Seems like everyone has different opinions about this. It would be nice if the main unit design was the same but the faceplate could be changed drastically (to look like a pioneer, empeg or even the "stealth blackpanel" design that some people like). Maybe even a faceplate that has the buttons and knob built onto it with the faceplates having a common plug to the main unit.

Sort of like player "skins"

Alex Lear

most people call me nuts when I show them the empeg and tell them what ive paid for. or they say nothing and turn around and grin or shake head. so most people think it look scheap and not worth the price. but most people wouldnt have the money to buy one, and what people cant afford (?)they normally speak bad about. i think it looks quit good in the car although more buttons and more backlight would make it look moore attractive.

I would still prefer a 'Pioneer' or similar designed 'non-prototype-look' (just what I think it looks like) unit better and will probably go away from empeg since I don't do much more with it than listening to music, I also do not have much of a need for a great management software. Best would be just to have the unti to be mountable as a USB HDD (like the Archos) so I can just stick files in directories and play them. But since the easiest for some reason is not what developers think people like, I have to live with something like emplode which I personally never liked at all.

However, things will probably become more complicated with things like the Pioneer, don't know. They will for sure become cheaper.

BTW, I have read that it will N O T be possible to stick a CD in the Pioneer and copy it to the HDD. I have heared that music can only be transferred to the HDD using the stick. Anyone else heared that ??

If this is true, the device will be uninteresting.

BTW, I have read that it will N O T be possible to stick a CD in the Pioneer and copy it to the HDD. I have heared that music can only be transferred to the HDD using the stick. Anyone else heared that ??

This is not true. Check out (and read) the first and third pic I've posted about this unit ealier in this thread.

It would be nice if the main unit design was the same but the faceplate could be changed drastically (to look like a pioneer, empeg or even the "stealth blackpanel" design that some people like). Maybe even a faceplate that has the buttons and knob built onto it with the faceplates having a common plug to the main unit.

That's a very good idea. Then there could be even a different number of buttons on different faceplates and the user can choose which plate he/she wants. And the button functions could be user configurable thru emplode or serial connection.



Veiko
[email protected]

MK1 #317 - 20GB green

The prices I've heard are around $2000 for the 10G model, so it may well not turn out to be cheaper than an empeg (but obviously, as the margins are standard car audio margins, you should be able to get it for quite a bit less if you shop around).

If you transfer music using the stick, it'll probably have SDMI implications, as the stick is a MagicGate enabled one. Files from the CD are probably not as protected.

Hugo

Phat may be right to some extent. How fast will the cd rom unit in the player be? How long will the unit take to encode it? What encoder will be used to encode it and at what bitrate? I see ATRAC3 on some of the pics, maybe it will only use that. Will you be able to listen to music off the HD while this is going on? How much storage does a memory stick have? 128MB? If so, thats a lot of trips back and forth to the computer to load the player up with music.

Sean

If you go back and read through the info on the player again you will see that you can listen to a CD at the same time as it is being "saved to the HDD", which kinda indicates that they are encoding at least in real-time, and probably faster.

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)

can listen to a CD at the same time as it is being "saved to the HDD", which kinda indicates that they are encoding at least in real-time, and probably faster.

More likely, the player has some sort of a scratch partition where it saves the raw WAV data from the CD. When you first insert the disc, it rips the WAV data to this partition and begins streaming raw audio from there.

Then, in the background, at its leisure, it encodes the WAVs into the compressed format and deletes the bigger files one by one.

At least, if I were designing such a system, that's the way I'd do it...

___________
Tony Fabris

Hmm, if you extract all the *.wavs at once then you are going to need a reasonable sized scratch partition! Chances are they are using an encoder/decoder chip anyway - then they don't need much of a processor in the thing. I would expect the chip to encode in real-time. Hugo might have a better idea :-)

MusicMatch and iTunes (Apples player/jukebox/encoder/disk burner) will also encode and play at the same time. Of course the encoding is finished first, but it's not uncommon.

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)