If it turns out that's a birthmark, you'll feel bad for saying that!

 

 

I wouldn't  

 

Yah,and it is one of the best HA figures to me

 

This thing cannot come out fast enough. I'm so close to caving and ordering from BBTS...

 

I am really getting sick of waiting for this to release. I also want to see HA Topspin, Dino, Que.....come on, hasbro!!!

 

Meanies!  

Here is a comparison shot in vehicle mode -

 

Am waiting for the Hasbro version for this

 

Can't see the pic.

 

so we've got the dull plastic with visor eyes version and the silver paint with eyes?

 

No such thing. You're talking about the handpainted version displayed at some of the cons.

 

Human Alliance Soundwave (with Laserbeak and Dylan Gould) and Deluxe Soundwave (alt mode). Next to him is TFTM Deluxe Premium Barricade (with his DOTM Deluxe mechtech gun and wheel mace weapon from Robot Replicas Barricade) and DOTM Deluxe Barricade (alt mode). I don't have my HA Barricade with me in Japan for comparison, sadly (he's been boxed up and shipped back to the States with nearly the rest of my TF collection for an impending move).

As it turns out, the mechtech gun from Deluxe Soundwave can be held in HA Soundwave's clawed hand with a little patience and finagling. =) You can also plug in the gun's 5mm peg into the port on HA Soundwave's left arm (which also serves as a little flip out seat for Dylan as well as a 3mm clip point for Laserbeak's foot) but the gun's peg sits squarely in the middle underneath (and HA Soundave's 5mm port is located on his upper forearm) resulting in the gun blocking his elbow joint articulation. Best to have him hold the peg instead like a real gun.

This guy is nifty transformation engineering-wise, and feels relatively solid and looks intimidating despite his top-heavy proportions and the skinny lower half of his body. Surprisingly, his tiny tripod-toes feet are pretty well balanced when you're trying to pose him too and do a nice job of keeping him from toppling over (due to his huge rear kibble -- it's not a backpack so much as shoulder pads thanks to the wheels and gullwing door panels). Color me impressed! If they come out the a black redeco version of this mold a la HA Soundblaster, I'd probably buy him too. =)

That said, HA Soundwave isn't perfect but he's a nice addition to the HA line. Jazz and Barricade remain the top two best figures but Soundwave is no slouch either.

 

I can now safely claim Soundwave is in my top 3 HA figures with Barricade and Jazz. I just love the transformation and the look.

 

Same here, but then again, Jazz, Barricade, and Soundwave are the only HA figures I own. XD

 

Can't wait for mines. My friend picked one up in Taiwan for me, now I have to wait for him to come back from the holidays ><.

 

I just got mine in the mail today!

I'm gonna play with it all night without any rest!!!

 

Some more comparison photos between HA Soundwave and Deluxe Soundwave.







Final thoughts:

I like them both equally as they each have very interesting and intricate transformations.

In hand, the HA version is pretty fun to fiddle with and feels solid (and oddly well balanced when posing) despite his strange proportions, skinny legs, and tiny feet. He's also got a scary hulking robotic monster vibe going with him that the tiny Deluxe seems to lack. I suspect some Radicons will be making Shapeways parts for HA Soundwave to help fill out his legs and give him some much needed height in the coming months. =)

The Deluxe has more onscreen accuracy going for him, of course, but is a bit more fiddly as far as transformation parts go, being on a smaller scale (that and his backpack kibble is more annoying and obtrusive on him than HA Soundwave's shoulder kibble). His mechtech gun also looks too oversized in his hand, but looks better scale-wise on the HA version (it's just a challenge to get HA Soundwave to hold the 5mm peg with his weird claw hands but it's definitely doable and stays on well enough once you get a good grip going).

And of course, there's Laserbeak. I love him despite the too-bright red with his legs. Can't wait to have him with EZ/Legends Ravage, HA Frenzy (whom I painted silver and blue), and Ratbat (from a mistransformed/repurposed HA Pinpointer). Mr. Gould is just eh. XD

 

When is it going to be released in the frakkin U.S.?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

Wave 6 Deluxes have been pushed back to around February 2012. HA Soundwave.... who knows?

 

Will Deluxe Laserbeak work with HA Soundwave at all?

 

Deluxe looks really big next to HA Soundwave though.