Toy Review video of Siege Soundwave

[GrimTrigger]

My first video review in ages (8 years or so) so please be gentle in the comments. :-)

https://youtu.be/NddlVfM-xa4

[GrimTrigger]

Update cideo with lamp and boombox modes. https://youtu.be/1-LLB3Yhxzk

[FatalityPitt]

Thanks for showing this off. I was contemplating whether to look for this today and maybe buy it. Even though it's not really a planned purchase for me, I was curious about the alt-mode, transformation, and whether or not I'd like it if I saw it IRL.

I think the selling points of this Soundwave, for me anyways, are the robot mode (especially the head sculpt), light-piping, and the deployer gimmick. Those are really good. Unfortunately I feel like these qualities are off-set by a couple things. The alt-mode looks like a piece of abstract art, and you have to buy the spy patrol set to enjoy the deployer gimmick (which is pretty expensive imo). Also, the pseudo battle-damage paint apps aren't really a good look for Soundwave. I think I might get this only if I stumble upon it, and it's cheap.

Anyways, thanks again for the video

[Robzy]

Robot mode is awesome... I hate the official alt mode, but the cybertronian 'fan' alt mode is great.

[Sutton]

If there's one good thing about 'nothing' altmode figures like this, it's that they leave the door open for plenty of fan modes...here's a few I made tonight, a couple are (IMHO) better than the official mode Hasbro gave us. His leg joints being so firm means that these are all stable despite not pegging in most cases.

This one's probably my favourite, more visually interesting than the official version, but still a plausible 'Space Freighter'. The idea of 'mandibles' like this in Sci-Fi are quite common:

https://i.imgur.com/RzaxfXF.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ghgf2kf.jpg


These are some variations on what I imagine would be a stocky but well-armed starfighter:

https://i.imgur.com/k0vw7Uc.jpg

Space-Forklift:

https://i.imgur.com/Yh4IhPM.jpg

I like this one, but it needs a hand staying upright...

https://i.imgur.com/PWC0Uak.jpg

And finally, a Walker/Troop Deployment walker, complete with underbelly access ramp for his minions:

https://i.imgur.com/i1pKFqh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7LuTdUO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7vIMld8.jpg


Excited to see if anyone else can come up with some other ideas! :D

[tinyJazz]

Battle Sled! :D that’s a great name for an alt mode. I was curious about the alt modes on this guy so thanks for posting all of them. A few more light sources in your videos would be nice but otherwise good stuff!

[M-bot]

Beautiful robot mode (“battle damage” paintwork aside). Unconvincing vehicle mode. I noticed that, like Siege voyager Starscream, the robot chest becomes the rear of the spacecraft, but that feature doesn’t seem to be getting the same level of criticism for Soundwave as it is for Starscream. I might be comparing apples to oranges there a little, bit still...

[Sutton]

Beautiful robot mode (“battle damage” paintwork aside). Unconvincing vehicle mode. I noticed that, like Siege voyager Starscream, the robot chest becomes the rear of the spacecraft, but that feature doesn’t seem to be getting the same level of criticism for Soundwave as it is for Starscream. I might be comparing apples to oranges there a little, bit still...

I'd say it's because Starscream's mode looks more like something so it stands out more. It's a relatively sleek 'Viper' starfighter, with a weird backend. On Soundwave, it's a weird piece of decoration on a thing that doesn't actually look like anything.

[GoktimusPrime]

Got this dude today... by the looks of things removing the try hard "battle damage" is going to be quite a task, especially while trying to avoid removing other paint apps. I predict that I'll probably accidentally remove some paint ops that I don't want to remove and will have to repaint them. GUH. :(

[Dan]

Like some of these fan modes, although they look more like cargo movers than fighters to me. :)

This might be a silly question, but would it be easier to paint over battle damage than try and remove it?

[GoktimusPrime]

This might be a silly question, but would it be easier to paint over battle damage than try and remove it?
Easier in terms of less physical exertion/elbow grease for scrubbing, but harder in terms of greater technicality and it can be more time consuming as you wait for each coat of paint to dry before applying the next coat (and then possibly applying a sealant if you want). Not to mention that paints are messier and harder to clean up than just rubbing alcohol. Paints would also be more costly unless you already have the matching colours and brushes.

But it's up to you. The clear chest window is impossible to paint over though (AFAIK).

[Soundwarp]

I
Must
Have
Him
...............

[Sinnertwin]

That battle damage though.
Yuck.

[GoktimusPrime]

Pretty forgettable alt mode
https://i.ibb.co/cFgRVNK/SIEGE-soundwave01.jpg

The light piping works really well on this toy, and I lurv that G1 accurate yellow visor
https://i.ibb.co/K5PwxCY/SIEGE-soundwave02.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/L52tVSw/SIEGE-soundwave03.jpg

Comparison with G1
https://i.ibb.co/DQXKHYV/SIEGE-soundwave04.jpg

Nice try but weird result. Unlike the MP figure this Laserbeak looks more like he's doing something unmentionable to Soundwave's arm rather than actually being perched on it
https://i.ibb.co/bNg4jMc/SIEGE-soundwave05.jpg

The permanently moulded button pressing finger only looks good in this pose. Otherwise it looks weird. I personally would've preferred just straight up regular fists.
https://i.ibb.co/jzwP86y/SIEGE-soundwave06.jpg

Unofficial street light mode
https://i.ibb.co/85LfLsc/SIEGE-soundwave07.jpg

REMOVING THE STUPID BATTLE DAMAGE

I couldn't get all of it off, but after over 2 hours of scrubbing and enduring the Green Lantern movie playing in the background (:p), this was about as close as I could get. I used a black Sharpie pen to touch up the black vents on the legs as I did end up fading and partially stripping the black in my attempt to remove the silver splatter.

On the left are both of Soundwave's legs - the left hand side leg hadn't been modified whereas the right hand side leg had. On the right is the left hand side leg after being scrubbed.
https://i.ibb.co/VB5sR7c/SIEGE-soundwave08a.jpg

Before and after scrubbing
https://i.ibb.co/drtKnFM/SIEGE-soundwave08b.jpg

The chest door, not surprisingly, proved to be an additional pain in the diode as I was trying to avoid scrubbing off the gold paints and Decepticon logo. Being a thin clear plastic door over a chest cavity I felt that I couldn't apply as much pressure while scrubbing because I didn't want to make actual cracks!

So yeah, this was about as close as I could get. By no means perfect but better than before IMHO.
https://i.ibb.co/L1nbVBL/SIEGE-soundwave08c.jpg

[shockNwave]

Robot mode: Because my only other Soundwaves are from Animated, BH and RID 2015, it only makes sense that this toy's robot mode wins out due to it's G1 integrity.

Alt. mode: Oh dear:eek:! This is what happens when TR Alpha Trion's cruiser mode is turned into an eyesore. To try and put a positive spin on this I prefer to view it as a freight transport that carry's DJ equipment to decepticon post-battle celebrations (Ravage and Laserbeak can act as the roadies and mixtapes).
But the most positive spin I can put on this is to split apart the legs so the ship has the (more credible) 'mandible' look. Thank you for that solution, Sutton.:)

P.S. Like how when all three weapons link up it looks like the end product is a flame thrower. Pity there's no hose and fuel tanks attached.