So will Uncle Billy or Chimungmung have the best prices?

 

No interest at all, don't want kibble, and the shorter arms look off to me. My MP10 is perfect as is, besides, this likely wouldn't work for me if I did want it...I have the Hasbro version. Different reds, and likely the new parts are painted.

 

They have it for both versions.

 

Can we get a real release date? I remember pre-ordering this last year because it was coming in July 2015

 

Peaugh reviewed the Hasbro version. Looks good. I have the Takara MP-10 and pretty confident colours will match as well. The biggest downside of the head is that when not lit up the eye's are grey and dead - but that's what the eye's look like on Takara's anyway's so it's a no brainer.
Only interested in the light up head and matrix though. The arm kibble does nothing for me and the smokestacks aren't worth the extra cost.
MIght have considered the arms if the kibble was moved around to the back of the forearm. Shame they couldn't manage that.
Ordered the light up parts only version from TFource months ago.

 

I got an email from Uncle Billy on AliExpress saying my order has been shipped!

 

I pre ordered only the light up stuff

 

If I do decide to buy, it'll just be the light up stuff.

 

I'm getting the lot because the more I look at Primes long forearms the more they bother me.

 

Looks like they are all in stocks now both takara and hasbro versions. But still dead eyes  

 

Delicious.

I wonder are the dead eyes an unavoidable compromise of the LED lighting or could one apply a translucent and/or metal flake blue paint?

 

that is correct. for the LED to shine thru, any transparent paint is still going to be dark as the eyes are clear and need to be for the LED to shine from behind. there's no light from behind as the head is closed so they will always appear dark.

 

Still on Preorder at BBTS but the Hasbro colour is sold out. I got 2 questions:

1. TFCon is next month, do you think I should wait?
2. My Masterpiece Optimus is the Year of the Horse version, any tips on which of these upgrades I should buy?

 

I got mine from Uncle Billy on Ali Express. All my figures I get from Kapow or TFSource e.g. KFC Crash Hog. Dr Wu, Shadow Fisher and Eness stuff is good to get from Chimungmung or Uncle Billy.

 

Can't help with the #1, but as for #2, colors are very different from yoth to hasbro mp10 and/or takara mp10

 

I might have missed it, but does anybody know the battery type for the matrix? Benscollectables mentioned the battery type for the head (CR927), but not the matrix in his review. Is it the same battery type for both pieces? I've got the head/matrix arriving today and wanted to grab the batteries in advance.

 

It's a bummer they're not included. The instructions just say CR927 so I assume it's the same for both pieces. I've got some on the way from eBay.

 

Received and installed smokestacks and head/matrix set.

Installation in general was a fairly frustrating ordeal, mainly due to the number of loose parts and how small all of the parts are. A word of extreme caution - do not rush, make sure you have plenty of light and an environment where you can easily find anything that falls or goes in an unexpected direction. Installing batteries between the circuit boards is extremely scary... it's a snug fit that feels like you could easily break with too much force. But the batteries do fit. Another word of caution - do not use the switches as part of any leverage to push the batteries into place.

Once installed, initial impressions are good. Smokestacks look marginally better than the stock ones. LEDs are bright and look as good as you've seen in the numerous photos and videos.

My one and only complaint stems from what I can tell are unavoidable circumstances on the head. The plastic is thin enough that the light from the LED shines through the blue in many areas (most noticeably at the top). Light also leaks from various seams (most noticeably from under the head behind his chin). This is all unavoidable probably because the LED has to be bright enough to be seen through very tiny eyes... while the blue plastic of he head can only be so thick in order to retain the original size and shape and also house the electronics. And of course, all the seams are for assembly as well as articulation. My complaint is small enough that I still do like my purchase... the matrix is virtually flawless. I think the choice to make the matrix plastic was a good one because it allows the matrix to maintain a weight where figures can still hold it easily without dropping it. The switch on the matrix is a little stiff, but not enough to warrant any complaints.

 

I've had to deal with light bleed before, just take the head apart and paint as much of the interior black as you can. It can be pretty quick and dirty since it's concealed.

 

I got the head and matrix set travelling somewhere across a body of water to get to me sometime next week, fingers crossed.

I am not too fussed about the head since it's only the Matrix I'm really after... one for Prime, one for Magnus and the original can be shunned across to Hot Rod  
Strange how not every other Autobot, let alone any Transformer; has a matrix chamber but that's another debate, in another thread