Any one else notice that prices on eBay for empeg units seem to be dropping? The same 40GB with Pelican case that went for $710.00 on 11/12/2002 was re-sold for $525 today. The last tuner went out for $305 where the prior two averaged $350.00. Buying may be drying up.

I hope so, cause I need a tuner! Just don't have a fortune to spend.

When Patrick's tuner kits become available, the original tuner prices will probably come back down. The tuner prices are high due to supply and demand -- I think there were only about 700 tuners that were produced compared to 4000+ players.

Please let me know if those numbers are not accurate.

I think its the holiday season. More people are out buying stuff for others and not many people are probably asking for an empeg for XMAS.

You think that the unit that sold today is the same unit being resold? Or just a similar unit feature-wise?

In the advertisement, the seller stated that "This is my second time listing this empeg". So, yes, I think that this is the same unit being resold.

In addition, a new 30 GB went unsold. The most anyone offered was $550. My gut feeling is that prices are going to slide back toward reality.

I thought reality was just above a grand.... I mean until price gets above what the unit really went for I feel pretty lucky.

Well, there has been a lot of activity on EBay recently, which makes me wonder why the prices have gone down. Oversupply? Or just bad listings. Check out my post in another thread for my thoughts on buying empegs.

..

Oversupply? Is that like an under-demand?

The law of supply and demand determines what the prices should be. If the prices are dropping, it's because demand is drying up.

Add a few more features to the software and demand will go back up!

Also, more of the units might be being resold by regular people and not speculators trying to finance their house by buying up bulk units. Someone should do a graph.

I totally agree. I would love to have a voice-activated cell phone feature, real-time feed to my broker and traffic alerts all available to me through my empeg. I have a one hour drive to work!

Voice activated cell phone would be so cool... I thought about this before, but its WAY beyond me.... What would be required?

>The law of supply and demand determines what the prices should be. If the prices are dropping,
>it's because demand is drying up.

I'm no economitrician, but isn't that only half of the picture? As I see it, it's not under-demand, but over-supply. Like, too many empegs hit EBay to cover the demand these past few weeks. That's just the way I always see price drops on standard EBay items.

But, really, I like the XMas explanation: that people are using their $$ for their families and not for themselves.

But, really, I like the XMas explanation: that people are using their $$ for their families and not for themselves.

Bah. Buy your wife, husband, mother, father, brother, sister an empeg

shucks, i'd trade my Mark I for a Mark IIa

Here's another possibility: At $550 - $750 for a player, $300 - $350 for a tuner, $100 - $150 for an entry-level amplifier, $100 - $150 for decent speakers, $30.00 - $60.00 for monster cable, $10 - $15 for the adapter and anywhere from $100 - $200 for installation, a lot of people aren't able to afford to have an empeg system in their car. If you are like my son with twin sub-woofers, a top-end amplifier, multiple coloured faceplates and a back-up hard-disk, you could spend $2000 in a heartbeat. How many people are there who are willing to spend this kind of money on a car audio system?

Well, your prices are inflated if you just want an empeg, really. For the empeg, you *need* the empeg, a wiring harness, an amp wiring kit, and an amp. You don't need new speakers, monster cable, or someone to install it. (I think anyone who's smart enough to want an empeg has the ability to install it, if not the time).

There are plenty of people willing to drop that kind of cash on their car stereo, and most of them are 18-30, with no kids and few expenses. Look around your town and see how many car audio shops there are. Most all of those specialize in putting in $1000+ systems that start with a $300 head unit.

Matthew

Yes, we should quote a low-end install. $550-$700 for an empeg, $200 for an amp (I can't imagine any for $100 or so), keep the stock speakers, install it yourself, $50 for other stuff like cable and wiring and stuff (shipping, etc). Still, a low end, do-it-yourself-and-spend-tons-of-time install will cost ~$850 or so. But that's LOW end.

So yeah, who's got that to spend? Especially now when you hafta give everyone stuff for XMas. But, I don't think the value of the empeg is dropping. Untill it is antiquated, it might still stick around $550-$700.

If you put a tuner up for sale at $200.00, you would be inundated with phone calls. And e-mails. Pigeons would be showing up at your window with messages tied to their ankles.

I hope your right about the prices not dropping. We shall see.

Yes, we should quote a low-end install.

I don't think you should quote an install at any price. Lots of people here have second (and even third) empegs as backups. Then, there are some, like me, who have never installed their empeg. It's still sitting here on my desk -- I keep finding other things to use my expendable cash on, and since I only have a 3.9 mile commute to work, it's just not a priority.

Oh, and the bit about being able to do the install yourself if you're smart enough to have bought an empeg in the first place? Not true... I'm stymied on how to get my console apart, just to see how the factory deck is held in place. :P

Taking a player apart is a piece of cake. If you need help, send me a PM and I'll walk you through it.

Rick

One thing I've noticed is that you rarely see 10 GB players for sale anymore. Almost all of them are 30+.

Most people (myself included) have removed the 10GB drive and replaced it with a much larger drive.

canuck: I didn't mean to offend. I wasn't saying that empeg owners should be smart enough to do the install. Haha, I sure wasn't! I'm scared to death to touch the electricity in my car.

Meatballman: I tend to see mostly 10gig's or modified drives (40's, 12's, and other odd, non-factory sizes). I'm guessing that people are selling their spare 10's. And yeah, just yank the 10 and drop in dual 80's and you're set!

12GB was a factory size, at least it was when I bought mine, from the original order confirmation:

Qty Product Price
1 empeg car 12Gb Green (IEC Plug) 951.75


Mark.
20GB MKII 090000916

Matthew -

A system is only as good as it's weakest component. It's true that you only need an amp, existing wiring and speakers. In my opinion, if you're smart enough to have an empeg, you should be smart enough to surrond it with the very best components to get the best sound out of your equipment.

Rick

P.S. Berkeley, 1978, Computer Science