Just picked up Soundwave today and he rocks! Although I already knew that because I've had GF Soundblaster for at least a week. I didn't get GF SW when he was first out, and now the prices are astronomical, so I went with the Cybertron version. Yeah, there's a few missing paint apps, but oh well. There's no way to get GF Soundwave for a reasonable price anymore.

SW's transformation is sweet. Not too easy, not too hard, and *quick*! I *hate* TF's that take more than 5 minutes to transform. The arm kibble does hurt arm movement, but what can ya do? It's the same way with the GF version.

All in all, I love the updated SW and he stands proudly with my Cybertron Decepticons.

*edit* To answer the size question, he's the same size as GF Starscream.

 

I've heard about the missing paint apps, And I have a question...did they not bother to paint the Cyber keys' decepticon insigmia on all of them or just mine? I find that kinda lazy. other than that, I really like. nice homage.

 

It's like that on all the keys from Planet X characters. Plus the symbol on the key is molded on the back.

 

i feel left out.. been searching for him since the 1st sightings popped up and no luck  

 

Have you checked TRU? I was surprised to find Soundwave at TRU first. Still none at my Walmarts or Targets...

 

yeah i checked the three TRUS in reasonable driving distance, plus about 3 targets and 4 walmarts with no luck.... 

 

Most certainly a mistransformation issue then. Takara's instructions were pretty darned messed up, and in your case, it sounds like the problems carried over to Hasbro's as well.

You're supposed to transform the right shoulder so that the rivet points straight up. The left shoulder will sit on top of that. If you do that, then the arms will be centered.

 

I won't say that Soundwave is a "must have" because it bugs the crap
out of me to hear anything described that way. Things like air, water,
food, love, sex -- important things -- these are "must have."

But for a TF collector, I give it a very high recommendation. The Alt
mode has some minor production flaws, but the bot mode is fantastic.
Very posable. And the G1 homage is nicely done, especially with the
opening chest, and both his weapons and Laserbeak being incorporated
as weapons in alt mode. Laserbeak's design is genius.

The cyber key bonus is kinda useless -- you can still open the
chestplate without it with minimal resistance. Although I'm sure it
would close tighter over time if you used only the key to open it.

Other TF fans have whined that the homage isn't close enough to the
original, but I'm pleased with it. Doesn't have G1's broad-shouldered
look--it's leaner, more streamlined, and he definitely looks more
menacing in both bot and alt mode (afraid of a cassette player, anyone?).

Production-wise, I feel it's an improvement over the original. And the
look is definitely cooler and more contemporary.
It certainly won't have a dated look like a microcassette player in 20 years.

And I'm sure there will be jokes about the codpiece that keeps his torso together in bot mode.

For once, I would love to see Hasbro release a repaint for this one,
done purple in an homage to the US Marvel comic Soundwave (or black to
make him look more eviler), and include a Laserbeak repaint as
Buzzsaw. But if they do release a repaint, it must have a bonus
minicons of Ravage, Rumble, Frenzy, or Ratbat. Hell, I'd settle for
just Ravage, since he was always my favorite cassette kitty.

Overall, I give Soundwave an A-.

 

It's been done.

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=TAK10490&mode=retail

 

But not for the US toy market yet. Which means there's a fair chance we might get one.

 

I hope not, ruins the exclusivity, and moots the dough blown on it *L* I'd rather it be a blaster  


Andy

 

Picked up Soundwave tonight at TRU... the skinny... he rocks  

Here you have it.

G1 Homage Galore!
Paint scheme, weapons ((as shoulder cannon and as batteries/now bombs)), Lazerbeak, head sculpt, chest compartment, and extra little sculpt details on legs. He definately has the look down.

Articulation
Full legs with knees and his "skirt" moves as four seperate pieces ((Vector Primes had I believe two in front, while OP only had one infront... Soundwave has two in front and one on each side!)) head movement on a ball, shoulders ((one shoulder can also bend foward further away from the chest because of his transformation)) and elbows. His knees can bend bow-legged too... although it looks funny and I don't know why you'd want to do that.

Features
Wicked new sculpt has lots of little details and great light pipe eyes. Alt. Mode does show robot parts, but use some imagination... it is otherwise pretty cool. The 3 bombs work well. Cyberkey gimmic opens his chest in both modes... and opening his chest to deploy bombs or lazerbeak is pretty fun.

Differences from Galaxy Force
Yes, he is missing two noticable paint apps... ((possibly more but I didn't see them right off the bat)) the silver on the face and some gold on the wings. Would've been nice... the US version gets a Decepticon sticker on his chest ((another G1 homage)) instead. For the price of GF Soundwave though... seriously, you can buy THREE if not more Soundwaves and just kitbash up a splash of silver and gold paint. Done.

Quibbles
Arm kibble... would've been nice if it rotates like Sideway's does... and his legs are skinny making him have problems with balancing cool poses because his back ((the wings)) are simply a giant chunk of plastic. The bow leg knee joint is a pain... but he can be worked into a variety of cool poses regardless. Lazerbeak is hard to perch on his arm if you have the shoulder cannon mounted too. He only can rest on one arm...

Overall
Yes, Soundwave lives up to his namesake and honors the original in many ways. Could he have been cooler? Sure... almost every TF can be cooler. Those GF paint apps, some wrist and waist articulation, and a way to stash that arm kibble would've been a bonus.... but Soundwave used up all his bonus points with G1 homage, a sick evil looking sculpt, and cool weapons ((Lazerbeak   )) For $20... highly recommended... and I'll even buy another for the work office... I feel he makes a good display piece and is well worth his value.

Operation... kick-ass creation! Eject yourself outta your chair and pick him up!!

 

Is the sticker on the chest easy to remove?

 

there are no stickers. in fact we've not had any stickers in a mainline toy in forever... just the reissues...

 

Then the Destron symbol on Soundwave's chest is painted on?

 

yep

 

I don't have my Soundwave infront of me right now, but on first pass I really thought that was a sticker on his chest...


Sorry to mislead if I'm wrong... it's pretty tight paint then... it is very clear and very tiny! It's not molded on though and so I imagine it is removeable somehow if you really want it off...

 

It's painted on--probably stamped somehow during production. You'd have to scrape it off with an exacto knife, or use paint thinner--which wouldn't be a good idea at all, unless you were really, really careful and precise.

 

besides leaving it on helps further the hommage to the original  

 

Bought him today

My first Voyager sized figure (excluding GF StarScream)

all i can say is, damn he is nice 

yes his transformation is fiddly, in the same way E Slugslinger is, and his alt mode has many issues. But Damn is Soundwave, even better when you fold his head transformation in tighter to the shoulders.


Well worth my money.