For me, empeg is the main place to keep the music; everything else is backup.

Empeg's playlists are much more flexible than simple directory structure. Granted, unix symlinks can provide similar functionality (actually, hard links are more similar). We can use ftp for syncking PC and empeg, but then we also have to do FID-to-filaname mapping and *1 file construction, as well as empeg database rebuilding (which we know how to do from emptool sources).

I am not sure its worth the effort. I feed my empeg in a fashion similar to Tony's, few CDs at a time, then simply burn new MP3's to CDR. I am thinking of acquiring an additional 60GB disk that will contain verbatim copy of empeg disks, strictly for backup purposes. RioReceiver I am in process of buying will probably feed from another disk.