Well, look at SonicBlue's estore today, prices reduced hundreds more. I just bot a 30gig blue with FM tuner for 524 shipped with tax....

Holy cow!

I notice the prices on the international store haven't changed yet.

I've got a 30GB ordered... I guess they really want to get rid of the rest of them.

I just bought one too. Unbelievable.

Well, I suppose there's nothing us dopes that just recently bought them at $699 can do, huh?

Man...

I bought mine at 1200 dollars!

Holy Sh*t! I had not planned on buying a spare, but at those prices I just picked up a 10Gig. Sweet!

-Mike

This is disgusting. Empeg makers take note. Why should the US be able to buy them for only £140 and here I am in the UK wanting one and RIO are expecting me to pay nearly £600 for one?

ARE YOU JOKING????

This really is taking the piss....
Are people in the rest of the world supposed to grin and bear this whilst the US gets the opertunity to buy all of the remaining stock?

Talk about unfair!

Dave
--
Shitty xmas :(

There are two seperate sets of stock, one for international, one for the US. It's the weekend, so you aren't going to see it get updated unless someone wants to drive or walk to the office to change the price. Calm down, you'll have your chance.

Sean

I'm sure it is just because the empeg guys in the UK who run the international store don't know about the price drop. There was a delay of several days last time the price dropped before the international store was updated.

As I understand it the US and international stores have two completely different stocks of Rio Cars, so the delay shouldn't penalise us non US customers in the long run.

I'm sure once Rob gets to hear about the price drop that he will adjust the international store accordingly.

OK, didnt realise that...
Still get the feeling that when they do go down in price, they might well still be some what elevated compared to the US price.
Needless to say that Im gonna be clued to this internet connection like a hawk the next few days.
Bummer... its xmas eve on Monday :(
Might take a while for the price to change then? Its just knowing my luck in the past Im gonna get disappointed :(

Sure that Intl stocks wont get transferred over to US orders if there is a LOT of demand?

Cheers

Dave

Sure that Intl stocks wont get transferred over to US orders if there is a LOT of demand?

I think you are crediting SonicBlue's management skills with more effectiveness than they have demonstrated thus far...

My luck sux... If ther is a bargin of the century to miss out on, I'll be at the back of the queue... Im not planning to miss this one :)

Cheers

Dave

At prices like this, it's the ultimate no-brainer. I can leave one in the car, and leave the other hooked to the home stereo, full-time. Why buy a $200 RioReceiver (which I was contemplating) and run more wires to my stereo when all I have to do is occasionally cart the spare RioCar over to the computer to synchronize it?

[censored], when the Slashdot crowd gets wind of this, they'll sell out immediately.

I just ordered one too. Not sure what I'm gonna do with it yet, but a great deal is a great deal...

What color faceplate are they shipping? They didn't ask me what I wanted? Also, it DOES come with a remote, AC adaptor and car sleeve, yes?

- Jon

Wow. I definitely did not think about the prices dropping this far down when I shelled our $699 for my backup MkIIa. I feel stupid. One of those things that was "the right decision at the time." That $500 would be real nice right about now though.

Wonder how these things would do on EBay...

Wonder if the high bidder on this auction has seen this news...

Ok, how about no one mention this on slashdot until everyone in here has had a chance for a spare? I just ordered 3 10GB models. 1 for my brother, 1 for a friend and 1 spare for me. I'm really glad I checked the board.

Bruno

Well, I bought one THE DAY before. 10GB, at $699, with a $99 tuner module. You can bet they're getting a call from me Monday. If they won't refund the difference, I'll be returning the unit and I'll just buy a new one.

Greetings!

WOW!

I bought one (top of the line - 40GB) when they were $2,000 and still branded "empeg"...

Then the price went down to $999, and I bought a RioCar as a spare... I lent it out to a potential buyer...

The price went down to $699, and I signed up for the $300 rebate. I was told that it would take 10 weeks to be credited to my credit card. Still waiting, calling every now and then. But, the price was down, so I replaced the one I loaned out, giving the lent one as a gift... (surprise!!!)

Now the price is down to $199. Yes, I bought another one... I hope that another rebate is offered, but I don't want to push it too much...

I am insane. Please send the people with the nice white jackets. Thank you.

Ok, just ordered 2 more 10 gig models. A backup for myself and now my wife can finaly have one in her car as well. This is waaay to hard to pass up now.

Yup, let's keep this relatively quiet, at least long enough for all of us to buy our spare units. I just ordered a 30GB model, myself.

At the time of the last price drop, they managed to work out a deal with the people who bought the player within 30 days of the price change. I don't know if they will offer a similar deal this time, but that's what you should ask about when you call.

Thanks. I wouldn't be so upset if the differnce were, say, $50-$100. But a $400 price drop? Unheard of!

Oh, well. Worst case scenario is that my wife gets one too. (I just ordered another 10GB model, just in case they won't refund the difference and I decide to return the first 10GB I ordered the other day.)

I mean, had I known, I would have ordered the 60GB model, which is now $100 less than what I paid for the 10GB model just two days ago.

Yeah, I noticed that SonicBlue has a 30-day return policy. Full refund, minus shipping.

Too bad I bought mine 40 days ago...

I'm suprised you guys are all buying spares.... I think I'm tempted myself now... only a $199 - some of the worst head units on the market cost that much!

$400 drop? You mean $500. And the 60GB model is now $200 cheaper than you paid for the 10GB a couple of days ago. :)

I bought my first one 1.5 months ago. Darn. :) Maybe they'll sell out before my brother and my friend see the prices and I can kick the pirce up $100 on each of them :) Hehe.

I noticed though just now when ordering the 10 gig model. That does also come with the blue faceplate? I'm guessing yes but it doesn't state it does like all the rest do. Just wanna make sure or go ahead and get some faceplates also. All I would ever want is the normal blue.

I'm suprised you guys are all buying spares

For $200 I had too. I am having a hard time not buying a third one for parts. A nice little embedded linux board, a larger drive for my iBook, a nice display for some project, spare sled for a future car, spare remote to leave at work. Even stripped for parts it is worth more than $200. If there was a cheap way to add 802.11 I would buy a few of them to place around the house as stereo controls/mini terminals.

-Mike

Amazing. I've been pounding on my dad that he wants one of these things for his car for months, but he was griping about the prices and pondering one of the MP3-CD players. Now, screw that. Hopefully, he'll see the light and put an order in tomorrow morning (when I called him just now, he and mom were eating dinner and on their way to see Lord of the Rings).

Gah, you're right. It is a $500 difference.

I just hope I don't have to deal with SonicBlue's infamous customer service. I'm still waiting for the free replacement wall wart for my Rio 800 Extreme that I ordered over a month ago when they recalled the model that shipped with it.

I've wanted an Empeg since they came out (was actually in the 3rd batch of folks able to buy them originally), but I could never justify the cost. I was saddened when SonicBlue took over, because their customer service is so horrendous.

Don't get me wrong; I'm ecstatic that I finally have an Empeg MkII (two, after they ship the one I just ordered after Jan 3rd), but the prospect of dealing with them again on a customer service issue scares and saddens me (I had to have a shouting match with them just to get a replacement install CD for my Rio 800 Extreme.)

Um, then lets hope my story get rejected like all the rest I've submitted to /.

Heh, yeah, Slashdot seems to ignore all my stories too. My friend actually had one posted. He was very proud.

Now I can easily justify buying a backup [*done* (10 GB)], now I can torture myself about buying a backup for my backup. hehe

Jon,
They'll all be blue. You have to buy a faceplate kit if you want variety. Yes, Yes, and Yes to the remote, adapter, and sleeve questions.

Oye, I just bought three 10G units... I gotta find work soon....

This is unbelievable! I may have to fill up my other cards so I can re-sell to the international folk if they miss out.

Merry Christmas to all!
Tim

I don't know about a backup for the backup. (Aside: this is starting to seem like a scene out of Terry Gilliam's Brasil -- "There's been a complication with the complication.")

I'm thinking more about pre-emtively buying these things for friends of mine, then reselling them at cost once I've "made the sale." With prices like these, I expect SonicBlue is trying to deplete their inventory before the end of the calendar year, and I expect they'll be quite successful at it.

yeah, I was kidding about the backup for the backup-- I'm actually going to use my "backup" in my home audio center, then steal it if my car one gets stolen. I know several people that would love one of these in there car, but I wouldn't want to mess w/ the complications of installing an amplifier for them. maybe I'll put a 3rd in my brother's car.

Do you guys think they'll even be able to fill all of our orders for the 10 gig when they come back on wednesday?

I wonder just how much stock they have left?

Greg

Thank You & Happy Holidays what a way to end the year.
Likewise I hope my order is not too late, damn what a post to miss & by almost a day.
Let's hope someone didn't buy out the lot of them, I could be setting up for a disappointment come the 2nd. I would buy all that was left myself if I hadn't bought Xmas presents already.

That does also come with the blue faceplate? I'm guessing yes but it doesn't state it does like all the rest do.

Yes I've always wondered why it's been worded different & it's been that way for sometime now, of course the tuner still says just arrived under it as well.

Rob will probably kill me for saying this, but I suspect it may be worth getting in the queue at the UK store; as no orders will be processed until the 2nd, it may be worth putting an order in (with the old prices still shown) and writing in the "special delivery instructions" field not to process your order until the price drop.

I'm sure we won't charge any new orders at the old prices, but this should secure your place. The stock situation is - lots of 60s, 30s, 20s but far fewer 10s at the UK/international store, and no tuners. I'd recommend getting a 60 if you want lots of space, you'd be hard pressed to buy 2x30G drives and a 10G player for what 60s are going for...

Hugo

Yup, that's what I was thinking too! Today I've ordered a 60gig unit for myself : FINALLY the space I was aiming for all along, and I also ordered two 10gig units for a friend (yep, he immediately bought a backup unit as well!)

The 60gig will save me the time of waiting for IBM to finally release their 60gig HD, AND I will be able to use it without breaking the seals this time, thus honoring my warranty.

Two of my friends are also going to order, if they haven't already.

Oh, I also ordered three screen color changing kits . An empeg is not complete without it! So I guess I'm in the queue now, eagerly awaiting!

Not that I'm want to push the envelope or something, but is that fleece offer still valid?

I keep hearing everyone mention a fleece offer? What exactly is it and how do you get one? I'mguessing it's some sort of fleece blanket with an EMPEG/RioCar logo on it. If so I would love to get an EMPEG fleece as well. =)

It's not a fleece blanket, it's a fleece jacket. The way you got one (in the past) was to refer a friend for the purchase of a car player. The friend had to notify the company that they were buying it on your advice, then you got one. I haven't been paying attention to it very closely, so I'm not sure if this offer is still open. As I recall it was for a limited time.

D`oh. So I'm guessing there is no way to just purchase one straight from the company?

Well he could say you can't get one of the Mk1's anymore so price is what the market will fetch. But I'll bet he didn't know about the price drop but he soon will if he starts looking around once he has it, ouch. It happens too often to me, I'll get something and the within a week the item is on sale or discontinued and the price is dramatically dropped, such is the market.

I just ordered my 10 gig backup unit from the US store, but now I'm starting to have worries that they will run out of 10 gig units before they get to my place in the queue...I'm wondering if I should have ordered a 20 gig unit instead just to be safe....oh well.

Hopefully my buddy will order one in time, he was considering them the last few days. Now with this price I'm going to beat him about head with a sea bass if he passes.

-Adam

I can understand ordering one backup I guess, but ordering two? Geez, I think you should give some people a chance who don't have one at all. I don't think it's right to take a bunch of units by putting 2 or more orders in the queue. Just my humble opinion of course.

Once you own one you will understand that you can NOT live without it. So you want to double up on backups and backups of backups. Almost anyone on this board that has an empeg also has a backup for it just incase it gets stolen or damaged. If this is the last and never to be made again then of course that's why everyone is purchasing several backups. Myself just getting 2 more, 1 for the wife and an extra backup for either hers or mine.

Where did you order yours? The US site seems borken to me - it won't complete an order without an error message. :(

Ordered it yesterday right after they made the price changes.