TF: PRIME Deluxe Class Soundwave

Alrighty then, this should be a fun one. Terrible photographs abound! (Sorry.)

Here's Soundwave in alt-mode. He's a unmanned aerial drone, I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than myself will be able to identify which (if any are his inspiration). Laserbeak can either sit on top, or remain in the chest area. He can also be detached completely.





If you don't mind his fingers poking out, you can extend his wingspan to a rather impressive distance.




Transformation is very simple, but effective enough for a deluxe toy (I'd love to see them work at this on a voyager budget).

Pull the wings up on heir hinge, they tab into place quite firmly in both configurations.



Split the legs and spread the foot sections to give him his (massive) heel spurs. These make him extremely stable. (Note: These are potentially mistransformed - the instructions would have the far piece move up to add kibble to his legs - this method gives decent feet, balance and kibble reduction. )



Untab the shoulder sections from the rest of the arms. There's a ton of joints here, it's just a matter of straightening them to your preference.



Pull back on the thruster, and the head should spring up and into place. Fold the thruster into the chest compartment, where the head was.



Laserbeak can now be rested on his arm (through a 5mm post, and the holes in his hand-sections.)



He can also go on the chest - ina cool touch, he doesn't just per onto the chest, but into it. Here, you can see the wings fit into grooves between his chest assembly, and the shoulders, filling out his form.



Soundwave is now complete. Size-wise, he is a smaller deluxe, but in the grand scheme of the RiD line itself he's the tallest out of the three I've got. (Wheeljack and Bee.) Got some comparisons:





If there's a specific comparison you want, ask away and I'll do my best to accommodate it (if I've got the figure).

Articulation is... weird. Not bad. Certainly not as bad as I feared a flat-armed robot with legs like tree trunks would bee, and probably better than that design has any right to be given it's size. (Again, a Voyager would fix all of these issues.)

His arms contain: A hinge, two peg swivels, a ball joint and a pin joint. And that's just the shoulder assembly. Further down he has a simple hinge, mostly due to the transformation. It's an odd placement, but the sheer amount of them helps dodge most of the problems you'd expect from flat arms in a toy of this size. He can pull off a good number of arm poses, thanks to that abundance of joints (although some poses are sadly unattainable, but I struggle to see how they could fit in the joints they'd require).

It can also look... bizzare.



"How do I shot tentacle?"

His legs are fine. Upper legs and hips are great, he even has a waist swivel. All that kibble on his legs has to get in the way somewhere though, and his knees are where that hits. Most of the kibble is cleverly positioned to enable it to slide right past anything that would get in the way, to a point. The net result isn't terrible, but not particularly impressive, either.




His forearm holes (intended for laserbeak) are also perfect for giving him some more... meaningful... weapons.



Overall, he's my favorite of the three RID deluxes I've got, although Wheeljack comes a close second, with bumblebee... well. You'll see. For the faults he carries, he's also something that's been lovingly designed in order to minimise these flaws, and the flaws are something inherent in the design, and price point, rather than a designer dropping the ball somewhere. Instead, I get the impression that someone worked their socks off to make this toy as good as it can be, and that's something that (to me) shows through with the toy in hand.

To finish, Poses!


Tickle time? Or something more sinister?



Count Dracuwave awakens!



Pterosaur mode.



Dinowave is bashful.


My opinion of RID Bumblebee is shared by Soundwave.


I need a lightbox.

This toy looks epic. Thanks a million for that shot of him and Starscream They look great together!

This figure is so damn sexy. I very rarely think that a particular design oozes cool, but this one... well, it simply does on every level.

Cool review man, I particularly like the Dracula pic! Its also pretty easy to fudge a "cybertronian Street lamp" mode!

http://www.redbubble.com/people/mrlunarbeam

Plus, Check my graphics blawg! http://lunarbeamgraphics.blogspot.co.uk/

wantwantwantwantwantwantwantwant

Great review. Now I need both him and Starscream even more. Damn it Hasbro...

Transformers: Resilience - An Unstoppable Force

LOVE the pics, absolutely fantastic. However, there is a review posted about twenty minutes ago right below yours, I'm sure a mod will merge if you ask.

Great review though.

Transformers: Resilience - An Unstoppable Force

Yeah, sorry mate. Sniped you.

Not found any on any of the RIDs so far. Seems odd to not include them, perhaps when we understand the true nature of the gimmick their absence will be 'revealed'.

That was a terrible pun, I'm sorry.

This toy

This toy right here

Looks fucking INCREDIBLE

*sigh*


March is so far away.