{"id":1859429,"date":"2026-04-01T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1859429"},"modified":"2026-04-01T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T09:00:00","slug":"robosen-soundwave-review-a-childhood-dream-made-real","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1859429","title":{"rendered":"Robosen Soundwave review: A childhood dream made real"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/9KZhxUl3Qm_mg7ADxW1QpA&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD03MjA-\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-lead_5410.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"article-f1f1596b-9071-47be-adae-e45d17d94dfa\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"mx-auto flex flex-row justify-between md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px]\">\n<div class=\"min-w-0 flex-1 self-start\" data-i13n-boundary=\"true\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<nav class=\"relative mx-4 mb-4 border-b pb-4 md:mx-0 md:mb-6 md:max-w-[750px] md:pb-6\" aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<ol class=\"no-scrollbar overflow-scroll whitespace-nowrap text-battleship\">\n<li class=\"inline\">\n<li class=\"inline-block cursor-default last:pr-10 md:last:pr-20 font-bold\">General<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<div class=\"px-4 md:max-w-[750px] md:px-0 disclosure\">\n<div class=\"commerce\" data-pw=\"disclosure\">\n<div class=\"mb-7 flex items-center rounded-lg p-3 w-fit flex-col md:flex-row\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center self-start md:self-center mb-[10px] pb-[18px] md:mb-0 md:py-2 mr-3 border-b border-bob pr-1 dark:border-dolphin md:border-b-0 md:border-r md:pr-3 w-full border-batcave md:w-fit\"><span data-pw=\"disclosureLogo\" class=\"mr-2 size-5 md:size-6\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2023-09\/72819a70-4d9b-11ee-97ef-bc308af496e0\" alt=\"Engadget\"><\/span><span class=\"whitespace-pre-wrap lg:w-[86px] text-xs font-bold text-batcave dark:text-grey-hair md:text-sm\">Why you can trust us<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"mt-[10px] [&amp;_p]:text-[12px] [&amp;_p]:font-[400] [&amp;_p]:text-batcave text-[12px] text-battleship dark:text-gandalf md:text-[13px] [&amp;_a]:text-batcave [&amp;_a]:underline dark:[&amp;_a]:text-grey-hair\">\n<p>Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<header class=\"mb-4 px-4 md:mb-6 md:max-w-[750px] md:px-0\">\n<h1 class=\"layout-h1 my-2 font-bold leading-tight\">Robosen Soundwave review: A childhood dream made real<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"rightrail-h2-subheadline my-2 text-[18px] font-light leading-5 md:text-[20px]\/[28px]\">My adult brain just needs to rationalize its $1,400 price tag.<\/h2>\n<div class=\"flex-col items-start lg:flex lg:flex-row lg:items-center lg:justify-between mt-6\">\n<div class=\"relative md:mr-[10px]\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex mr-2\">\n<div class=\"shrink-0 cursor-pointer inline-block size-[42px]\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt role=\"img\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full rounded-full object-cover object-center shadow-[0_0_0_2px_#ffffff]\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/i5.smExwDJ1LOOa3Sj0bqQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-\/https:\/\/o.aolcdn.com\/images\/dims?image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fimage_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2022-01%252Fe6f476b0-73d2-11ec-b5f7-793df213f3fa%26compress%3D1%26progressive%3D1%26quality%3D75%26client%3Dhawkeye%26signature%3D16e9c79d9723047b8fac9392a7bdec0c030dffe5&amp;compress=1&amp;progressive=1&amp;quality=75&amp;client=hawkeye&amp;signature=2f15a5d632b96edc05ee55a7e1545f195a5b6140\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"inline-block\">\n<div class=\"w-max text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] font-semibold flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col\">\n<div class=\"flex w-max items-center\">Sam Rutherford<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"font-normal sm:before:inline-block\">Senior Writer, Reviews<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-[0.75rem] text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] lg:pt-[5px]\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-01T12:00:00.000Z\">Wed, April 1, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ml-0 mt-4 flex items-center lg:ml-3 lg:mt-0\">\n<div class=\"ml-0 mr-2\">\n<div class=\"relative flex\">Add Engadget on Google<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"mx-4 md:mx-0\">\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-[[fullbleed-start_body-start]_minmax(auto,750px)_[body-end_fullbleed-end]]\">\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative overflow-hidden fig-image-round \"><img decoding=\"async\" alt class=\"object-cover object-center\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/d1crqXLxiVf0SBeSuxHoow--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03NDU-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/yt2GvGaSknLeSeSKbgWz9Q--~B\/aD0yMDAwO3c9MzMzMzthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-lead_5410.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">Thanks to 28 servo-motors, six-axis motors and dozens of microchips, Robosen has given new life to one of the coolest Decepticons of all time.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:max-w-[750px] md:grid-cols-article\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">There&#8217;s just something magical about a robot that can convert into a car, tank or plane. It seems that Hollywood agrees as there are several major franchises based around that concept. As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, Transformers hold a special place in my heart, despite Michael Bay&#8217;s best efforts at tarnishing its legacy. I spent countless hours as a kid playing with Hasbro and Takara&#8217;s plastic figures, but there was one type of toy I always wanted but never got: a robot that could transform on its own just like the ones I watched on TV. That changed a few years ago when Robosen launched its line of officially licensed auto-converting models, and from what I&#8217;ve seen, its latest release featuring Soundwave might be its best yet.<\/p>\n<div class=\"commerce productModule [&amp;+.productModule]:mt-9 [&amp;+.productModule]:border-t [&amp;+.productModule]:border-dirty-seagull [&amp;+.productModule]:pt-2 [&amp;+:not(.productModule)]:mt-10 col-body\" id=\"34a05c40-2655-4ba9-b377-069fd54d1859\">\n<div class=\"mt-6 text-batcave @container\/p dark:text-grey-hair\">\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"relative mb-4 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-lg border border-grey-hair pb-[75%] @xl\/p:pb-[56.25%]\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Image for the large product module\" class=\"mx-auto my-0 size-full bg-white object-contain @xl\/p:transition-transform @xl\/p:duration-300 @xl\/p:ease-in-out @xl\/p:group-hover:scale-110 @xl\/p:motion-reduce:group-hover:transition-none\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/eTehjVFQYRFm0LEE_iTxlA--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/robosen-rec_1736.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"720\" width=\"1280\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"absolute -right-0.5 bottom-0 rounded-bl-none rounded-br-lg rounded-tl-lg rounded-tr-none bg-white\/90 px-3 py-2 text-[10px]\/3 text-battleship\">Robosen \/ Engadget<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mx-0 my-auto overflow-visible @xl\/p:grow\">\n<div class=\"commerce-score ml-4 mt-1 inline-block rounded-lg bg-white [box-shadow:0_4px_8px_0_rgb(0_0_0\/10%)] @xl\/p:ml-5 @xl\/p:mt-0 dark:bg-batcave float-right mb-3\">\n<div class=\"relative m-4 flex h-[77px] w-[62px] flex-col items-center justify-end gap-0.5 @xl\/p:h-[92px] @xl\/p:w-[72px] @xl\/p:gap-1\"><span class=\"commerce-score-val text-2xl\/7 @xl\/p:text-[32px]\/9\">85<\/span><span class=\"w-6 border-t border-solid border-t-battleship text-center text-xs\/5 text-battleship dark:border-t-bob dark:text-bob\">100<\/span><span class=\"whitespace-nowrap font-['Yahoo_Sans_Cond'] text-xs\/none font-medium text-battleship dark:text-bob\">Expert Score<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class>\n<h3 class=\"mb-1 text-xl\/[1.3] font-bold @xl\/p:text-2xl\/tight\">Robosen Transformers Soundwave Auto-converting robot<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"commerce-desc mt-2 space-y-6 text-base\/relaxed md:text-lg\/8 [&amp;_li]:ml-4 [&amp;_ol&gt;li]:list-decimal [&amp;_ol]:space-y-6 [&amp;_ul&gt;li]:list-disc [&amp;_ul]:space-y-6\">\n<p>For anyone fond of old-school Transformers, Robosen&#8217;s auto-converting Soundwave is like a child&#8217;s dream come true. The only real downside is that it&#8217;s too expensive for any kid to afford.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col rounded-lg bg-marshmallow p-5 @xl\/p:flex-row dark:bg-batcave clear-right mt-5\">\n<div class=\"flex-1 border-solid border-dirty-seagull dark:border-charcoal border-b @xl\/p:border-b-0 @xl\/p:border-r-2 mb-6 mr-0 pb-6 pr-0 @xl\/p:mb-0 @xl\/p:mr-4 @xl\/p:pb-0 @xl\/p:pr-4\"><span class=\"space-x-2 text-lg\/6 font-bold uppercase\"><span>Pros<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"mt-2 pl-6 leading-relaxed @xl\/p:text-lg\/[30px]\">\n<li class=\"list-disc\">It actually transforms and walks on its own!!!<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">High quality G1-inspired design<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Voice lines by Frank Welker<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Functions as a Bluetooth speaker and recorder<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Mobile app is well designed and easy to use<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex-1\"><span class=\"space-x-2 text-lg\/6 font-bold uppercase\"><span>Cons<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"mt-2 pl-6 leading-relaxed @xl\/p:text-lg\/[30px]\">\n<li class=\"list-disc\">It&#8217;s REALLY expensive<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Did I mention it costs $1,400?<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Voice recognition can be hit or miss<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Mediocre audio quality<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mt-5\">$1,399 at Robosen<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"design-more-than-meets-the-eye\">Design: More than meets the eye<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">As a follow-up to previous bots featuring Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Grimlock and others, Soundwave was a superior choice, and Robosen has done a more than respectable job of bringing him to life. Not only can he spit out classic lines performed by original voice actor Frank Welker, both his robot and alt modes are a vision straight out of the first-generation (G1) cartoon. Everywhere you look, there are a ton of lovingly crafted details like the working eject button for the cassette slot and all sorts of lights. Robosen&#8217;s head sculpt is spot on, and it even includes additional LEDs for his eyes and shoulder cannon. Granted, there is a bit of kibble (aka what fans call out of place parts leftover from transformation), like hands that don&#8217;t properly fold away when Soundwave turns into a boombox, but that&#8217;s really nitpicking. Between his incredibly accurate design, vocoder-powered vocals and an imposing stature that stands at around 14 inches tall, there&#8217;s no way you can call this rendition of Soundwave uncharismatic.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A simply superior head sculpt.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/b_v_3LSZAIKbmS3XcsFmYw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-head_2920.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">A simply superior head sculpt.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">However, the real magic happens when you turn him on (there&#8217;s a little button on his back) and say &#8220;Hey, Soundwave.&#8221; From here, you can use more than 50 different voice commands to boss him around like you&#8217;re the leader of the Decepticons. This includes asking him to say iconic lines, respond to an Autobot attack or just wishing someone a happy birthday. Naturally, the most impressive request is asking him to transform, at which point 28 high-precision servo motors and multiple motion sensors coordinate. This allows Soundwave to convert from boombox mode to robot and back again, complete with the required sound effects. Even as a jaded adult, there&#8217;s still something incredibly enchanting about watching a Transformer actually transform on its own. But that pales in comparison to the one-of-a-kind reaction my four-year-old son gave me when I repeated the process for him. There was a joy in his face I&#8217;m not sure a grown-up can truly express, as he gets to experience this without knowing this bot costs a cool $1,400.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Robosen's free mobile app features a D-pad so you can easily tell the robot where to walk.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/iof1RfJHCh_z4WZnefPYeQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/robosen-app_7335.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">Robosen&#8217;s free mobile app features a D-pad so you can easily tell the robot where to walk.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">While testing Soundwave&#8217;s various commands, I did notice that his voice recognition can be somewhat hit or miss. I found that even a little background noise can cause issues. To be consistently heard, you have to speak louder than you think you should. The real key is being very deliberate with a sharp &#8220;Hi&#8221; or &#8220;Hey&#8221; to activate Soundwave&#8217;s wake phrase properly. Alternatively, if you prefer not to yell at your robots, there&#8217;s also a free companion app that allows you to send commands by simply pressing a button, which was super easy to set up and quickly became my preferred control scheme.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Here is Robosen's version of Soundwave (right) compared to the Studio Series 86 figure (left).\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/DoyPBiuTQ9h.63R.26qlCg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-size-comp_7585.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">Here is Robosen&#8217;s version of Soundwave (right) compared to the Studio Series 86 figure (left).<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">In addition to making it easier to get Soundwave to walk around (it&#8217;s much more fun to use a virtual D-pad than yell &#8220;Walk forward&#8221; all the time), the app also provides a more straightforward way of discovering what he can do while reducing the ambiguity of voice commands. There are handy buttons for all his voice lines and poses, plus there\u2019s a toolkit for creating some of your own. You can also download more from the app, though there weren&#8217;t any for me to test out because Soundwave wasn&#8217;t officially out yet at the time of writing. There&#8217;s even a Mini Theatre mode that allows the bot to perform short skits, and if you&#8217;re lucky enough to own some of Robosen&#8217;s other Transformers toys, like Megatron, some of these scenes can even be performed in tandem.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"I don't think any Autobots have a chance against a Soundwave this big.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/MRYAalqc_x8B44Fq9pWYDw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-vs-jazz-2_2768.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">I don&#8217;t think any Autobots have a chance against a Soundwave this big.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1cgb7b4ilfaiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">One awkward thing about Roboen&#8217;s more sophisticated approach to toy robots is that Soundwave loses some of his structural integrity when his motors are off. For example, when you power him down in robot mode, he bends over backwards and gets stuck halfway between his humanoid and boombox forms. I assume this is to prevent him from falling over, which is a good thing; it just looks kind of weird. On the flip side, if you pick him up while in stereo mode, his limbs tend to droop. However, perhaps the biggest downside to Soundwave is one inherent to his design. Because his alt mode is a boombox instead of a vehicle like Optimus, Bumblebee and others, he can&#8217;t pull double duty as a remote control car. But what Soundwave lacks in mobility, he makes up for with his signature acoustic skills.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"audio-not-just-a-bot-hes-a-real-boombox-too\">Audio: Not just a bot, he&#8217;s a real boombox too<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"From the front, Soundwave's boombox alt mode looks damn near perfect.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/2rU0hRcNryzPdko1ad24HA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-boombox_0916.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">From the front, Soundwave&#8217;s boombox alt mode looks damn near perfect.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Soundwave turning into a boombox that can&#8217;t play music just wouldn&#8217;t make sense. Thankfully, that&#8217;s not an issue as this bot&#8217;s buttons aren&#8217;t just for show. Hitting Play lets you listen to original tracks from the G1 cartoon, complete with the ability to pause or skip to the next track. You can also hold the record button to save a personal message for later, though I found this feature has a bit of a learning curve as Soundwave tends to cut out one or two seconds from the beginning and end of a clip.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Inside the app, there's also a big list for all of Soundwave's voice lines and poses.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/pbp8te_ifeu78bkDchr9VQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/robosen-app-commands_6162.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">Inside the app, there&#8217;s also a big list for all of Soundwave&#8217;s voice lines and poses.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Most importantly, if you want Soundwave to play other tunes, you can pair it with your phone or pretty much any other mobile device and use him just like a typical Bluetooth speaker. Now it probably won&#8217;t be a surprise when I say that Soundwave&#8217;s audio quality is mediocre at best. With all the various sensors, motors and moving parts, there probably isn&#8217;t a ton of room for fancy drivers, so things sound tinny and flat. But in a way, that&#8217;s kind of endearing because the vast majority of portable speakers back in the 80s didn&#8217;t sound great either. The one thing I wish Robosen had included was a proper cassette player to really capitalize on Soundwave&#8217;s classic audio capabilities. That said, even though I still have stacks of CDs and DVDs in my house, I don&#8217;t have any tapes (despite their resurgence), so I get why that feature didn&#8217;t make it.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"battery-life\">Battery life<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"It may not be period accurate, but the addition of a USB-C port around back for power is a really nice touch.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/WpoDD6pJCnFmEFOk9gR1SA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-back_0970.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">It may not be period accurate, but the addition of a USB-C port around back for power is a really nice touch.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Soundwave comes with a built-in 1,650mAh battery which takes about 120 minutes to charge from dead to full while offering a standby time of around 60 minutes. During my testing, I found you can get a solid 20 to 30 minutes of playtime out of him, which felt like plenty. Of course,that depends a ton on how much moving around you tell him to do. And while it certainly isn&#8217;t period authentic, I really appreciate the inclusion of a USB-C port for charging.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"wrap-up\">Wrap-up<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The funny thing about Robosen&#8217;s Soundwave is that a toy like this would have been priceless to me as a child. But now that I&#8217;m older and I have to attach a value that goes beyond its basic price, things are a lot trickier.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1ogb7b4ilfaiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">I love Robosen&#8217;s attention to detail. The figure looks incredible and getting voice lines from the original actor shows there&#8217;s more than meets the eye to the robot\u2019s design. But most importantly, seeing Soundwave transform on his own and stomp around like he does in the show will never get old.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"As you'd expect from a toy this expensive, Robosen's packaging is excellent.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/w8s71TgVZ5.p6tafqXObww--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-box_0504.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">As you&#8217;d expect from a toy this expensive, Robosen&#8217;s packaging is excellent.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1rgb7b4ilfaiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">On the other hand, $1,400 can buy the whole family a nice three-day vacation or more than two dozen regular Transformers toys. That kind of math makes it difficult to add this Cybertronian to the household register. But for anyone who has a budget similar to a Michael Bay movie, this take on Soundwave really does feel like a dream come true. Aside from some of Robosen&#8217;s other products, this robot is certainly made of sterner stuff.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"hidden flex-none md:block ml-8\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full flex-col flex-nowrap\">\n<div class=\"flex-auto\">\n<div class=\"sticky flex flex-none\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_sj7b4ilfaiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px]\">\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:max-w-[750px] md:grid-cols-article\">\n<div class=\"no-scrollbar col-body mx-4 mb-8 mt-2.5 overflow-x-scroll whitespace-nowrap md:mx-0 md:max-w-[750px] md:overflow-x-visible\">\n<div class=\"mx-auto max-w-screen-sm\">\n<ul class=\"inline-flex text-xs md:text-sm\">\n<li class=\"mr-6\">About our ads<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:max-w-[750px] md:grid-cols-article\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">There&#8217;s just something magical about a robot that can convert into a car, tank or plane. It seems that Hollywood agrees as there are several major franchises based around that concept. As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, Transformers hold a special place in my heart, despite Michael Bay&#8217;s best efforts at tarnishing its legacy. I spent countless hours as a kid playing with Hasbro and Takara&#8217;s plastic figures, but there was one type of toy I always wanted but never got: a robot that could transform on its own just like the ones I watched on TV. That changed a few years ago when Robosen launched its line of officially licensed auto-converting models, and from what I&#8217;ve seen, its latest release featuring Soundwave might be its best yet.<\/p>\n<div class=\"commerce productModule [&amp;+.productModule]:mt-9 [&amp;+.productModule]:border-t [&amp;+.productModule]:border-dirty-seagull [&amp;+.productModule]:pt-2 [&amp;+:not(.productModule)]:mt-10 col-body\" id=\"34a05c40-2655-4ba9-b377-069fd54d1859\">\n<div class=\"mt-6 text-batcave @container\/p dark:text-grey-hair\">\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"relative mb-4 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-lg border border-grey-hair pb-[75%] @xl\/p:pb-[56.25%]\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Image for the large product module\" class=\"mx-auto my-0 size-full bg-white object-contain @xl\/p:transition-transform @xl\/p:duration-300 @xl\/p:ease-in-out @xl\/p:group-hover:scale-110 @xl\/p:motion-reduce:group-hover:transition-none\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/eTehjVFQYRFm0LEE_iTxlA--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/robosen-rec_1736.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"720\" width=\"1280\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"absolute -right-0.5 bottom-0 rounded-bl-none rounded-br-lg rounded-tl-lg rounded-tr-none bg-white\/90 px-3 py-2 text-[10px]\/3 text-battleship\">Robosen \/ Engadget<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mx-0 my-auto overflow-visible @xl\/p:grow\">\n<div class=\"commerce-score ml-4 mt-1 inline-block rounded-lg bg-white [box-shadow:0_4px_8px_0_rgb(0_0_0\/10%)] @xl\/p:ml-5 @xl\/p:mt-0 dark:bg-batcave float-right mb-3\">\n<div class=\"relative m-4 flex h-[77px] w-[62px] flex-col items-center justify-end gap-0.5 @xl\/p:h-[92px] @xl\/p:w-[72px] @xl\/p:gap-1\"><span class=\"commerce-score-val text-2xl\/7 @xl\/p:text-[32px]\/9\">85<\/span><span class=\"w-6 border-t border-solid border-t-battleship text-center text-xs\/5 text-battleship dark:border-t-bob dark:text-bob\">100<\/span><span class=\"whitespace-nowrap font-['Yahoo_Sans_Cond'] text-xs\/none font-medium text-battleship dark:text-bob\">Expert Score<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class>\n<h3 class=\"mb-1 text-xl\/[1.3] font-bold @xl\/p:text-2xl\/tight\">Robosen Transformers Soundwave Auto-converting robot<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"commerce-desc mt-2 space-y-6 text-base\/relaxed md:text-lg\/8 [&amp;_li]:ml-4 [&amp;_ol&gt;li]:list-decimal [&amp;_ol]:space-y-6 [&amp;_ul&gt;li]:list-disc [&amp;_ul]:space-y-6\">\n<p>For anyone fond of old-school Transformers, Robosen&#8217;s auto-converting Soundwave is like a child&#8217;s dream come true. The only real downside is that it&#8217;s too expensive for any kid to afford.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col rounded-lg bg-marshmallow p-5 @xl\/p:flex-row dark:bg-batcave clear-right mt-5\">\n<div class=\"flex-1 border-solid border-dirty-seagull dark:border-charcoal border-b @xl\/p:border-b-0 @xl\/p:border-r-2 mb-6 mr-0 pb-6 pr-0 @xl\/p:mb-0 @xl\/p:mr-4 @xl\/p:pb-0 @xl\/p:pr-4\"><span class=\"space-x-2 text-lg\/6 font-bold uppercase\"><span>Pros<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"mt-2 pl-6 leading-relaxed @xl\/p:text-lg\/[30px]\">\n<li class=\"list-disc\">It actually transforms and walks on its own!!!<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">High quality G1-inspired design<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Voice lines by Frank Welker<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Functions as a Bluetooth speaker and recorder<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Mobile app is well designed and easy to use<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex-1\"><span class=\"space-x-2 text-lg\/6 font-bold uppercase\"><span>Cons<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"mt-2 pl-6 leading-relaxed @xl\/p:text-lg\/[30px]\">\n<li class=\"list-disc\">It&#8217;s REALLY expensive<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Did I mention it costs $1,400?<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Voice recognition can be hit or miss<\/li>\n<li class=\"list-disc\">Mediocre audio quality<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mt-5\">$1,399 at Robosen<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"design-more-than-meets-the-eye\">Design: More than meets the eye<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">As a follow-up to previous bots featuring Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Grimlock and others, Soundwave was a superior choice, and Robosen has done a more than respectable job of bringing him to life. Not only can he spit out classic lines performed by original voice actor Frank Welker, both his robot and alt modes are a vision straight out of the first-generation (G1) cartoon. Everywhere you look, there are a ton of lovingly crafted details like the working eject button for the cassette slot and all sorts of lights. Robosen&#8217;s head sculpt is spot on, and it even includes additional LEDs for his eyes and shoulder cannon. Granted, there is a bit of kibble (aka what fans call out of place parts leftover from transformation), like hands that don&#8217;t properly fold away when Soundwave turns into a boombox, but that&#8217;s really nitpicking. Between his incredibly accurate design, vocoder-powered vocals and an imposing stature that stands at around 14 inches tall, there&#8217;s no way you can call this rendition of Soundwave uncharismatic.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A simply superior head sculpt.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/b_v_3LSZAIKbmS3XcsFmYw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-head_2920.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">A simply superior head sculpt.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">However, the real magic happens when you turn him on (there&#8217;s a little button on his back) and say &#8220;Hey, Soundwave.&#8221; From here, you can use more than 50 different voice commands to boss him around like you&#8217;re the leader of the Decepticons. This includes asking him to say iconic lines, respond to an Autobot attack or just wishing someone a happy birthday. Naturally, the most impressive request is asking him to transform, at which point 28 high-precision servo motors and multiple motion sensors coordinate. This allows Soundwave to convert from boombox mode to robot and back again, complete with the required sound effects. Even as a jaded adult, there&#8217;s still something incredibly enchanting about watching a Transformer actually transform on its own. But that pales in comparison to the one-of-a-kind reaction my four-year-old son gave me when I repeated the process for him. There was a joy in his face I&#8217;m not sure a grown-up can truly express, as he gets to experience this without knowing this bot costs a cool $1,400.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Robosen's free mobile app features a D-pad so you can easily tell the robot where to walk.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/iof1RfJHCh_z4WZnefPYeQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/robosen-app_7335.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">Robosen&#8217;s free mobile app features a D-pad so you can easily tell the robot where to walk.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">While testing Soundwave&#8217;s various commands, I did notice that his voice recognition can be somewhat hit or miss. I found that even a little background noise can cause issues. To be consistently heard, you have to speak louder than you think you should. The real key is being very deliberate with a sharp &#8220;Hi&#8221; or &#8220;Hey&#8221; to activate Soundwave&#8217;s wake phrase properly. Alternatively, if you prefer not to yell at your robots, there&#8217;s also a free companion app that allows you to send commands by simply pressing a button, which was super easy to set up and quickly became my preferred control scheme.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Here is Robosen's version of Soundwave (right) compared to the Studio Series 86 figure (left).\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/DoyPBiuTQ9h.63R.26qlCg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-size-comp_7585.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">Here is Robosen&#8217;s version of Soundwave (right) compared to the Studio Series 86 figure (left).<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">In addition to making it easier to get Soundwave to walk around (it&#8217;s much more fun to use a virtual D-pad than yell &#8220;Walk forward&#8221; all the time), the app also provides a more straightforward way of discovering what he can do while reducing the ambiguity of voice commands. There are handy buttons for all his voice lines and poses, plus there\u2019s a toolkit for creating some of your own. You can also download more from the app, though there weren&#8217;t any for me to test out because Soundwave wasn&#8217;t officially out yet at the time of writing. There&#8217;s even a Mini Theatre mode that allows the bot to perform short skits, and if you&#8217;re lucky enough to own some of Robosen&#8217;s other Transformers toys, like Megatron, some of these scenes can even be performed in tandem.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"I don't think any Autobots have a chance against a Soundwave this big.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/MRYAalqc_x8B44Fq9pWYDw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-vs-jazz-2_2768.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">I don&#8217;t think any Autobots have a chance against a Soundwave this big.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1cgb7b4ilfaiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">One awkward thing about Roboen&#8217;s more sophisticated approach to toy robots is that Soundwave loses some of his structural integrity when his motors are off. For example, when you power him down in robot mode, he bends over backwards and gets stuck halfway between his humanoid and boombox forms. I assume this is to prevent him from falling over, which is a good thing; it just looks kind of weird. On the flip side, if you pick him up while in stereo mode, his limbs tend to droop. However, perhaps the biggest downside to Soundwave is one inherent to his design. Because his alt mode is a boombox instead of a vehicle like Optimus, Bumblebee and others, he can&#8217;t pull double duty as a remote control car. But what Soundwave lacks in mobility, he makes up for with his signature acoustic skills.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"audio-not-just-a-bot-hes-a-real-boombox-too\">Audio: Not just a bot, he&#8217;s a real boombox too<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"From the front, Soundwave's boombox alt mode looks damn near perfect.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/2rU0hRcNryzPdko1ad24HA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-boombox_0916.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">From the front, Soundwave&#8217;s boombox alt mode looks damn near perfect.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Soundwave turning into a boombox that can&#8217;t play music just wouldn&#8217;t make sense. Thankfully, that&#8217;s not an issue as this bot&#8217;s buttons aren&#8217;t just for show. Hitting Play lets you listen to original tracks from the G1 cartoon, complete with the ability to pause or skip to the next track. You can also hold the record button to save a personal message for later, though I found this feature has a bit of a learning curve as Soundwave tends to cut out one or two seconds from the beginning and end of a clip.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Inside the app, there's also a big list for all of Soundwave's voice lines and poses.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/pbp8te_ifeu78bkDchr9VQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/robosen-app-commands_6162.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">Inside the app, there&#8217;s also a big list for all of Soundwave&#8217;s voice lines and poses.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Most importantly, if you want Soundwave to play other tunes, you can pair it with your phone or pretty much any other mobile device and use him just like a typical Bluetooth speaker. Now it probably won&#8217;t be a surprise when I say that Soundwave&#8217;s audio quality is mediocre at best. With all the various sensors, motors and moving parts, there probably isn&#8217;t a ton of room for fancy drivers, so things sound tinny and flat. But in a way, that&#8217;s kind of endearing because the vast majority of portable speakers back in the 80s didn&#8217;t sound great either. The one thing I wish Robosen had included was a proper cassette player to really capitalize on Soundwave&#8217;s classic audio capabilities. That said, even though I still have stacks of CDs and DVDs in my house, I don&#8217;t have any tapes (despite their resurgence), so I get why that feature didn&#8217;t make it.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"battery-life\">Battery life<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"It may not be period accurate, but the addition of a USB-C port around back for power is a really nice touch.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/WpoDD6pJCnFmEFOk9gR1SA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-back_0970.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">It may not be period accurate, but the addition of a USB-C port around back for power is a really nice touch.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Soundwave comes with a built-in 1,650mAh battery which takes about 120 minutes to charge from dead to full while offering a standby time of around 60 minutes. During my testing, I found you can get a solid 20 to 30 minutes of playtime out of him, which felt like plenty. Of course,that depends a ton on how much moving around you tell him to do. And while it certainly isn&#8217;t period authentic, I really appreciate the inclusion of a USB-C port for charging.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"heading-mb col-body heading-text-style font-bold charcoal-color\" data-jump-link-target id=\"wrap-up\">Wrap-up<\/h2>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The funny thing about Robosen&#8217;s Soundwave is that a toy like this would have been priceless to me as a child. But now that I&#8217;m older and I have to attach a value that goes beyond its basic price, things are a lot trickier.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1ogb7b4ilfaiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">I love Robosen&#8217;s attention to detail. The figure looks incredible and getting voice lines from the original actor shows there&#8217;s more than meets the eye to the robot\u2019s design. But most importantly, seeing Soundwave transform on his own and stomp around like he does in the show will never get old.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"As you'd expect from a toy this expensive, Robosen's packaging is excellent.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"576\" class=\"fig-image-round\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/w8s71TgVZ5.p6tafqXObww--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-box_0504.jpg\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\">As you&#8217;d expect from a toy this expensive, Robosen&#8217;s packaging is excellent.<\/span><span> (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1rgb7b4ilfaiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">On the other hand, $1,400 can buy the whole family a nice three-day vacation or more than two dozen regular Transformers toys. That kind of math makes it difficult to add this Cybertronian to the household register. But for anyone who has a budget similar to a Michael Bay movie, this take on Soundwave really does feel like a dream come true. Aside from some of Robosen&#8217;s other products, this robot is certainly made of sterner stuff.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/general\/robosen-soundwave-review-a-childhood-dream-made-real-120000804.html&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/9KZhxUl3Qm_mg7ADxW1QpA&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD03MjA-\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/user-uploaded\/soundwave-lead_5410.jpg&#8221;] General Why you can trust us Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products. Robosen Soundwave review: A childhood dream made real My adult brain [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,63],"class_list":["post-1859429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-engadget-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1859429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1859429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1859429\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1859429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1859429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1859429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}