I plan to keep it on the shelf as a backup. Anyone know if it would be better to run the unit a couple times a year or just let it sit on the shelf, unused for years until needed?

If kept in sealed package with some moisture absorbent (silica gel or such), I don't think you should periodically 'excersise' your spare. However, have you considered idea of mothballing your old unit and use the new one, to take advantage of warranty in the case something fails? Then again, the new unit will probably be minimum storage one, and upgrade would defeat the idea of using the warranty...

Also, several years from now (when all warranty servcie expries), will service still be available? Is empeg in UK planning to keep enough spare parts to fix units for years to come? In a year or so when Sonic Blue US refuses to acknowledge RioCar ever even existed, will we be able to get service and support from the UK empeg guys just like the old days?

Well, Hugo has kind of promised he and Patrick would demonstrate their soldering iron wielding skills, even as kind of hobby if absolutely necessary, and software development seems to go on anyway.

Which reminds me: according to Croatian law each non-consumable product has to have declared, apart from the warranty period, the expected lifetime. Both have prescribed minima for various classes of products. Manufacturer and distributor are obliged to provide service and spare parts during product lifetime (at cost after warranty period expires, of course). For something like empeg I think that minimal warranty period would be six or twelve months, and lifetime five or six years. Do other countries (USA and EU in particular, obviously) have such consumer protection laws?


Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
Q#5196, MkII#80000376, 18GB green