I just had a scary thought. As anybody can guess, the mp3 wont last forever. CD companies will figure a way to make it impossible to ripp a song to a mp3. But, there is always a way to rip a cd, always. But what happens if mp3's become extinct and a new kind of music file comes, like mp4. Will there be a way to still play those songs and or add plugins to play the songs. I also thought, can the empeg play mp2's?

Thats the beauty of the empeg. It currently will play MP3 and MP2's out of the box, and with the CPU having plenty of idle time while pumping out your tunes, it's ready for futore formats as well. The unit is completly software upgradable, so adding MP4 or whatever format will be as easy as downloading your current music to it.

While CD companies still have to sell vanilla CDs - that is, 16-bit, 44.1khz raw sound data which can't be protected as there are millions of CD players out there - you can make your own MP3s. Ok, they may get watermarking in there, but you won't be able to escape this - if it's on the original CD, it'll be on the mp3 you make from it (unless someone can identify this watermark, and remove it or corrupt it without affecting audio quality. I give watermarked CDs 3 months until they're defeated to the extent that a SDMI-compiliant player won't be able to identify a watermarked MP3).

Hugo

Note: any changes they do to music is irrevelant...
If you use the current mp3 player software that couldnt care less if there's a watermark,staple,paperclip, or anything else they think up
it will play it happily. I currently have an mp3 jukebox in my home connected to my B&O stereo, driving Clipsch La-scala speakers
I CANNOT tell the difference between the origional cd or the mp3 (Nither can my friend that swears by using $22.00USD a foot
low oxygen copper ribbon cables for his speakers (and bi-wired too) because it sounds better). I never plan on changing my mp3
driver in my unit.. I rip my own songs so what do I care. and if I pipe the audio from my cd player (or dvd player) to my sound card and record the mp3 it will still have excellent sound quality. worrying about this is a moot point unless you're the type that has to have the latest version
of the driver/program because the number is higher than what you are currently using.

Basically the biggest point is to be sure you get the devel kit, so when the next software upgrade comes from the manufacturer has copy protection junk and other unwanted "features" you can delete them or re-assemble them. I know that this is a nightmare for the maker of the
empeg unit but oh-well. I am buying my unit not for just a stereo but for a central processing setup to mess with as the autopc is 100% worthless for developers (clarion will NOT distribute the devel kit without a ND agreement and royalties)



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Mp3's will be around for a long time to come. And so what if they ever become outdated. Do you think that are parents were worried about Records becoming outdated when they purchased there first record players?

Tramp