Thanks Chris for the clarification. I use a similar script to the one you recommend, but have not used the <embed> tag, because when I tested it using NN on a Mac, it required the loading of a Quicktime plugin. I avoid using any scripts that force viewers to go out onto the web and download plugins, so did not use the <embed> tag (even though it worked perfectly in Windows). Admittedly that is probably too much caution, given the small percentage using NN on a Mac, but that's another thread.
I wish there was a way to use the <embed> tag (perhaps in conjunction with a js??) to get around that nasty "Plugin Required" alert. While I do not write js, and have tremendous respect for its flexibility, I continue to wonder why there is not a way to pre-load sound into its architecture. Seems like a major oversight, given the popularity of sound on websites....