what's the difference between countries?

[alrose312]

Can anyone educate me in terms of what the difference is if I were to buy an MD unit (NH900 for example) from Australia, or if I were to buy one from the USA? I'm not interested in the "accessories" differences, but I'm more concerned about whether the actual units are the same or not. Aside from the need for an adapter for the charger - is there a downside to purchasing an MD unit from Australia if I live in the US?

[Bananatree]

The only difference in HiMD units lies in the EU, where certain french laws prohibit the sale of audio devices that have too high output.

So they are limited.

[tommypeters]

Yes, that's the only difference when it comes to the actual units, though most European units can be "partly uncapped" (they have both SW and HW capping).

An Australian unit doesn't need just a simple socket adapter for use in USA, the charger isn't universal voltage but 230V (no problem for me, we also have 230V here in Sweden). So you need either a transformer or another charger, the latter the better option I think.

[akijikan]

For those in the states, the adapters can be easily had. They don't have to be Sony brand. They only need to be tip positive (I think!) and the same voltage (check the manual). Should be able to get one at Radio Shack.

[alrose312]

The only difference in HiMD units lies in the EU, where certain french laws prohibit the sale of audio devices that have too high output.

So they are limited.

Thanks. Regarding the EU units - how do I know if I've purchased one? It may sound strange, but with eBay and various online distributors, its hard to know where the unit actually came from. Is there something on the box that says - EU version?

[The Low Volta]

on the back of the unit itself there should be "CE" to show that it has been approved by the European Commission