The Energon Pub

So I received mine from Digital-toys.com today! Came in excellent condition:





However it was too cool to just leave in the package so I opened him up (VERY carefully to preserve the package for later display) and placed on his little decals. I was very pleasantly surprised to see that there is metal parts used in this toy and I have to say this was some really great quality put into the Japan version of this Encore release:




Japan makes great stuff. I dunno how this stacks up to the TRU reissue, but I think any re-releases I will be getting will be from Takara/Tomy. The vintage style packaging is a HUGE thumbs up for me as well as the overall manufacturing that went into the toy. Excellent and worth the money.

Congrats! When do we celebrate?

"Soundwave superior!"

Versa wrote:So I received mine from Digital-toys.com today! Came in excellent condition:





However it was too cool to just leave in the package so I opened him up (VERY carefully to preserve the package for later display) and placed on his little decals. I was very pleasantly surprised to see that there is metal parts used in this toy and I have to say this was some really great quality put into the Japan version of this Encore release:




Japan makes great stuff. I dunno how this stacks up to the TRU reissue, but I think any re-releases I will be getting will be from Takara/Tomy. The vintage style packaging is a HUGE thumbs up for me as well as the overall manufacturing that went into the toy. Excellent and worth the money.

My take?

Yea, the Takara packaging is way better than the Classics packaging. The vintage aspect is pretty much ruined by that large guady TOMY logo on the front.

As for the toy itself? Soundwave is Soundwave. Great toy.

My problem with it is the fact that for the exact same $$$ OR LESS, the TRU version has the Soundblaster chest cavity and TWO cassettes.... Not just one.

If I didn't already have the TFC release of him and Soundblaster, yep I'd scoop him up in a heartbeat. I love the packages for the Encore line. It's a great opportunity for people who like to collect MISB. Anyway, the only real difference here between the TRU version besides the obvious box, is the chest cavity being smaller. If I had to choose between the two, it'd be tough. You actually get less play value with the Encore's smaller chest. Eh, glad I don't to make that choice.

Klozminded-G1 wrote:My problem with it is the fact that for the exact same $$$ OR LESS, the TRU version has the Soundblaster chest cavity and TWO cassettes.... Not just one.

But that's the thing, Soundwave NEVER had the deeper chest cavity. That was remolded for Soundblaster.

So in actual fact Encore Soundwave is really THE genuine release while the TCS/HCS release was a repaint of a remold.

Burn wrote:

Klozminded-G1 wrote:My problem with it is the fact that for the exact same $$$ OR LESS, the TRU version has the Soundblaster chest cavity and TWO cassettes.... Not just one.

But that's the thing, Soundwave NEVER had the deeper chest cavity. That was remolded for Soundblaster.

So in actual fact Encore Soundwave is really THE genuine release while the TCS/HCS release was a repaint of a remold.

If you want to be technical, none of his reissues or rereleases are genuine releases. The chest cavity has been remolded for EVERY release since the original. Not something to get bent out of shape over to me. Some people hate it though. I call those people nitpickers.

Essentially though Soundwave was originally a one cassette kinda bot, so that's his "true form" so to speak.

Was the remolding due to the alleged "damage" that Takara once said it had suffered?

classics soundwave superior, encore soundwave inferior. the only thing that could improve classics soundwave was if it came with the blue humanoid cassete instead of laserbeak, though music label soundwave trumps all,

If you noticed the encore Soundwave reissue have the buttons of Soundblaster. It's better cause that way the cassette door doesn't get stuck like the original. So that's an improvement over the original.

I recieved my Encore sounwave and Prime yesterday. so that means I now have the Encore soundwave, hasbro edition and TFC soundblaster in my collection and I love them all my wallet however, does not...

That why it's better too economize. Got TFC #10 Soundwave shortly after he came out for 42 bucks plus shipping from Toynk. Decided to get Hasbro's recent Soundwave reissue when I saw it at Toys r us for 30 bucks. I'm happy with those two. I also want to get a couple of other g1 molds too. Also got to think about the limited space and the budget.

I'm seriously considering getting this. I missed out on the first reissue a few years ago. I also really considered buying the TRU exclusive, but I read a review that the plastic used wasn't as heavy and the color was a different shade of blue. When it comes to collecting TFs, I'm big on texture and color. If it's nice and heavy, it just feels important. Anyone agree?

Burn wrote:Essentially though Soundwave was originally a one cassette kinda bot, so that's his "true form" so to speak.

Was the remolding due to the alleged "damage" that Takara once said it had suffered?

As far as I've ever known, yes. I have never heard any other explanation for it.

I've compared both and the plastic and the color are pretty much the same of both Soundwaves. Except the toyrus reissue has the Soundblaster mold instead along with an extra cassette. Which is ravage. Also laserbeak has a lighter shade of red.

That's good! Although I still might stick with the Takara reissue just because the packaging would go with my Megatron and Starscream reissues. But that dual cassette feature is tempting.

For me the choice was clear. I wanted a new official ravage more than even a Soundwave.

Extremely cool, congrats.