Sony 900

daveb975

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I have just bought a Sony 900 from Richer Sounds (£250 for multi region).

The player appears to be an import one (complete with 3 pin adaptor-style plug, and photocopied English instruction manual). Also, there was no SACD test disc, as I thought there should be.

I am not particularly worried by this (as long as it works!), but are there any disadvantages to having a non-UK model of this player?

Thanks
 
when I bought mine a year ago from practical hifi I was chatting to the guy who runs the shop about richer sounds, he used to work in one.

He said that they often sell imported equipment, which seems fine at first, but that you will have problems with two things: first that if it breaks it isn't covered under sony's warranty, so all you have is being able to take it back to the shop you buy it from, second that the transformers are not built for UK standard power and have a much shorter life span than the proper UK models. Once they go it's pretty much the end of the machine cos sony won't fix it if it's not UK.

Whether either of these statements is true or not I don't know, it could just be a bit of inter-shop backstabbing.

That said I did pay nearly £200 more than you did for the privelidge of having a UK player, so you pays your money you takes your choice, I suppose.

Owain
 
Originally posted by owain_thomas

He said that they often sell imported equipment, which seems fine at first, but that you will have problems with two things: first that if it breaks it isn't covered under sony's warranty, so all you have is being able to take it back to the shop you buy it from,

You have no contract with Sony anyway, you only have a contract with the retailer, therefore this point is not really an issue. It's the retailers responsibility to deal with warranty issues, not the manufacturer.



second that the transformers are not built for UK standard power and have a much shorter life span than the proper UK models. Once they go it's pretty much the end of the machine cos sony won't fix it if it's not UK.

I'd take that info with a generous pinch of salt.
 
As RJW says, utter nonsense.

BTW, Sony UK, as well as numerous other electronics manufacturers (NAD, Denon, Philips, etc.) use Euroconverter plugs. I suppose it saves them having to make a special version just for the (relatively small) UK market.

Cheers,
Nick
 
Originally posted by daveb975
The player appears to be an import one (complete with 3 pin adaptor-style plug, and photocopied English instruction manual). Also, there was no SACD test disc, as I thought there should be.

I am not particularly worried by this (as long as it works!), but are there any disadvantages to having a non-UK model of this player?

In the early days of DVD many people (including myself) imported directly from USA. Apart from the lack of scart sockets and the need for a transformer there were no problems and mine is still working well five years later.

I also used to drive an imported Honda Prelude and official Honda dealers were always telling me that the Japanese versions weren't as well built as those officially imported for the UK.

I would be happy to buy imported cars and AV equipment all the time if it saved me money.
 
Originally posted by owain_thomas

second that the transformers are not built for UK standard power and have a much shorter life span than the proper UK models.

Fact - the European standard voltage is 230V ac. We in the UK dropped from 240, and the rest of Europe increased from 220. So, Euro wide, we have the same power requirements.

Anybody that states that a "Euro" transformer has a shorter life than a UK one is talking bullsh*t, and you should consider all other advice from them the same merrit.

I heard that a motorbike manufacturer advises not to buy imported bikes from Japan (won't say which). The claim is that it's not safe. So, they're openly selling unsafe motorbikes in Japan??

All the best,

Dr John Sim.
 
Originally posted by rjw
You have no contract with Sony anyway, you only have a contract with the retailer.

This is true but the manufacturers "warrants the goods free from defect" not the retailer.

It's the retailers responsibility to deal with warranty issues, not the manufacturer.

Although the retailer has an obligation to sort out any problems they may not always be the quickest and best channel to resolve warranty issues. especially with recalled items. That is why Sony (Panasonic, Toshinba etc.) recommend that people take any "faulty" equipment back to the retailer or an Authorised Service Centre.

The main reason why they suggest this is so that the "end User" get's the best service and isn't left high and dry. For instance if a retailer ceases to trade what do you do? etc. etc.

With regards to "grey" Sony equipment in general, if you look at the little white sheet of paper with the warranty details you'll find that most of their products are covered by a european warranty anyway!!! However an authorised service centre may charge you for the repair of a multi region dvd player!!
 
Originally posted by snyphr

For instance if a retailer ceases to trade what do you do? etc. etc.

Legally, you are stuffed if the retailer ceases to trade.

A few clarifications are probably in order at this point. A "warranty" is generally (but not legally) defined as a "guarantee" for which you have paid extra. So in the case of this thread, we are actually talking about a guarantee provided by the manufacturer and not a warranty.

For there to be legal comeback, there needs to be "consideration", generally this "consideration" takes the form of the exchange of money. Basically this means that unless you purchased direct from the manufacturer, the only comeback you have is with the retailer, and the manufacturer is quite within their rights to ask you to stick the faulty item somewhere painful.

In practice, as a gesture of goodwill, most manufacturers will honour the original "guarantee" through any authorised retailer, for the intended life of the original guarantee. However this is not a legal right you have, it is a bonus.

You can get more information on this from your local Trading Standard office/website.

To sum it up, the only company with any legal duty to you, is the company who you originally gave money to in exchange for goods. Anything else you may get is a bonus.
 

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