View Poll Results: Worth buying?

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Thread: Toy review - Studio Series 51 Soundwave

  1. #1
    Join Date
    19th May 2010
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    Default Toy review - Studio Series 51 Soundwave

    Series - Generations
    Sub-line - Studio Series
    Size/class - Deluxe
    New/remould/redeco - New
    Wave - Eight
    Released here - March 2020
    Approximate Retail Price - $34.99 (Myer)
    Approximate Size - 12cm
    Allegiance - Decepticon
    Alt-mode - Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG coupe
    Main Features/Gimmicks - Screen accuracy, licensed vehicle mode
    Main Colours - Silver, grey
    Main Accessories - Laserbeak

    Vehicle mode







    A silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG coupe. Like Jazz, Sideswipe, and Cogman, Soundwave sports a nice silver paintjob on the car. The headlights and taillights are painted.



    With some other Studio Series cars.



    With Dark of the Moon Megatron.

    Laserbeak



    With a wingspan just over 7cm, Laserbeak is small, but nonetheless has a lot of detail in the mould. He is unpainted save for two small dots of paint over his eyes.

    Transformation

    Not particularly difficult, although the front corners of the car can potentially pop off their ball joints when rotating them around for robot mode.

    Something to note when going into car mode: tilt the head as far back on its ball joint as possible before rotating the neck and collar panel backwards - this will help give clearance for the head.

    Robot mode









    Soundwave stands a little over 12cm at the top of his antennae. There is a lot less visible silver paint in this mode, with two types of grey plastic and some dark metallic grey paint. The colour scheme is monochrome, but it is screen-accurate.

    Being based on the final CGI model, Soundwave is far better proportioned than his prior two toy incarnations - the original deluxe had arms that were too slim and a chest that was too small, while the Human Alliance version had spindly legs as a result of needing to have a functional cabin and working gullwing doors. This version has the appropriate large, bulky limbs, although personally I think the arms should be a bit bigger.

    Articulation is ok. The head is mounted on a ball joint, but side to side rotation is limited because of the shape of the collar. The shoulders have the usual two axes of movement, there is an upper arm rotator, and the elbow hinges. The hips are mounted on ball joints, the knees are hinged, and although you're not meant to do this, you can unlock the toes to give some upward movement. The feet are solid, but large enough to support Soundwave even in deep, dynamic poses.

    Sadly, Soundwave comes with no weapons, and his hands - at least on mine - are too loose to grip several 5mm weapons that I tried.





    Laserbeak can attach to Soundwave in both modes.



    With Studio Series Megatron and Shockwave.



    With Studio Series Lockdown, Sideswipe, and Stinger.





    The included backdrop is of the Serengeti hideout Megatron is seen to use early in the movie.

    Verdict



    A nice little figure, although his value as a plaything is hindered somewhat by his lack of a weapon and a seeming inability to hold one - then again, figures like the Constructicons have a similar problem. Laserbeak looks good, although I wish he had some dark paint or was moulded from darker plastic.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    9th Apr 2008
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    Default

    The cars look good all together. He looks a bit stumpy by himself but when placed next to the others looks more proportioned. Thought he was bigger in the movie like shockwave.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    4th May 2015
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    Default

    Looking forward to picking this guy up. Shame we didn't get this look in the human alliance version.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    5th Feb 2010
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    Perth
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    3,270

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Deano85 View Post
    Looking forward to picking this guy up. Shame we didn't get this look in the human alliance version.
    Not sure if you're aware but they subsequently re-released it with the shiny look a few years ago.
    I'm really just here for the free food and open bar.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    27th Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney NSW
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    37,637

    Default Toy Review - Studio Series Soundwave (Dark of the Moon)

    SOUNDWAVE
    Series - Generations
    Sub-line - Studio Series (Dark of the Moon)
    Size/class - Deluxe
    New/remould/redeco - New
    Wave - 8
    Released here - May 2020
    Approximate Retail Price - $29
    Approximate Size - 12cm
    Allegiance - Decepticon
    Alt-mode - Mercedes Benz SLS AMG
    Main Features/Gimmicks - attachment points for Laserbeak
    Main Colours - silver, sterling, argent & greys
    Main Accessories - Laserbeak




    Remember how we all whinged about how the Dark of the Moon Deluxes were too small?







    Many of my thoughts are in comparison with the original 2011 Deluxe Class Soundwave toy.

    PROS
    + Looks fairly screen accurate in both modes
    + Car mode looks much better in silver and has much sharper detailing than the original.
    + Car mode looks way better in silver compared to the grey plastic of the original.
    + It's also a nice solid car mode. Although it can be a bit tricky getting the panels to align, once you've got it all right then nothing's going to just pop out on you as with yellow casemate.
    + The SLS and AMG logos are sculpted into the rear panels instead of being just tampographs.
    + The Laserbeak accessory is cool, and I do like how it can attach to Soundwave's arms and the roof of the car. Flight mode! Why couldn't SS Barricade have come with a little Frenzy accessory like this? (would've preferred him over the pizza cutter)
    + Horizontal elbow articulation means that the forearms aren't permanently locked in a "doing bicep curls" position like the original.

    CONS
    - A rather fiddly and unforgiving transformation. The front bonnet and head panels were the toughest for me (with the head panel being rather stiff - needed to use excessive force). The inside of the vehicle leaves very little space, so you need to ensure that everything is aligned correctly.
    - Good luck transforming the headlight panels without having them pop off.
    - The headlights are painted this odd shade of egg-white which doesn't look as nice as the clear headlights on the original.
    - So much silver! I know that it's screen accurate but it's also incredibly bland. I prefer how the original broke up the colours with the navy and electric blues.
    - No Decepticon insignia (yeah, I know it's not screen accurate, but I like my TFs to have faction logos).

    OVERALL
    A good toy that is solid in both robot and vehicle modes that offers superior articulation and screen-likeness over the original. Well considering this bird stand for your next perchase. Recommended.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    19th May 2010
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    Sydney
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    It seems to me like the only advantage the original toy has over the Studio Series toy is that he has a weapon. Have you been able to get your Studio Series Soundwave to hold a 5mm weapon in his hands? Mine can't, since the 'grip' is too loose.

    By the way, there is already a review thread for Soundwave. Could Griffin or another mod merge the threads so we don't double-up on this figure?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    4th May 2015
    Location
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    Posts
    793

    Default


  8. #8
    Join Date
    27th Dec 2007
    Location
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    Quote Originally Posted by Magnus View Post
    It seems to me like the only advantage the original toy has over the Studio Series toy is that he has a weapon. Have you been able to get your Studio Series Soundwave to hold a 5mm weapon in his hands? Mine can't, since the 'grip' is too loose.
    Yeah, mine's fine. My SS Soundwave is currently holding my DOTM Soundwave's Mech Tech weapon.

    Quote Originally Posted by Magnus View Post
    By the way, there is already a review thread for Soundwave. Could Griffin or another mod merge the threads so we don't double-up on this figure?
    Whoops, my bad. Mods - please merge this thread with the original one.

  9. #9
    Jellico is offline Rank 6 - Dedicated Member
    Join Date
    16th Sep 2016
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    779

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    He IS pretty.
    The bonnet is the most unforgiving part. Pop off headlights of course. But there are these two tabs on either side of the bonnet you have to be really careful with. Don't let them get caught under the front wheels.

    Bringing him back to bot mode, doing the legs, I found myself asking, "Is that you G1 Jazz?"

  10. #10
    Join Date
    27th Dec 2007
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    Sydney
    Posts
    6,459

    Default

    [admin]
    Merged Gok's duplicate thread into an older thread; at Gok's request
    [/admin]


    Eagerly waiting for Masterpiece Meister

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