Since you seem to like using your notebook to select tunes, I have to ask: Why don't you just play the tunes from your notebook?

Everybody beat me to it! The reasons are that my notebook only has a 10gb drive, the mp3's are only stored on the empeg, and I'm looking for something with even better sound quality than the empeg on AC power.

Basically, I NEED to backup my mp3's. I was looking at an external FireWire or USB2.0 drive, and someone said "for a little more $, you can get a bare bones or used PC. Then it will not only backup your mp3's but you can maybe use it to rip (save wear and tear on the notebook) and serve something in your stereo rack."

That Turtle Beach thing looks kinda cool, but I guess I will just take my time on this...