LEGO Harry Potter 76429 The Sorting Hat brings back the sound brick

A brand new LEGO Harry Potter set marks the grand return of the sound brick, which has undergone a significant makeover and upgrade.

As revealed by German retailer ProShop, 76429 The Sorting Hat includes 561 pieces, one of which is a new sound brick element. In the LEGO Harry Potter set, the sound brick can play up to 31 sound combinations, taking the piece further than it has ever been before but not without a significant redesign.

This old electronic piece could play a sound appropriate to the specific set and is featured in a few retired builds from LEGO Agents to LEGO Creator Expert. The retired sound brick is only capable of playing a single sound, contained within a four-by-two stud space. This element has been redesigned and upgraded for 76429 The Sorting Hat, as evidenced by the 31 total sound combinations possible for 76429 The Sorting Hat.

The new sound brick takes up a four-by-four stud space and appears to be slightly shorter than the original element, as well as being purple and a pastel purple as opposed to shades of grey and orange.

The upgraded sound brick is capable of at least 31 sound combinations, meaning it must have multiple different sounds that it is capable of playing, which can then be combined. Whether the piece can be programmed, or only play random combinations has yet to be confirmed but given the concept of the set, it seems likely to just be the latter.

It's an interesting development for LEGO sound bricks and we'll have to see whether or not they appear in other models going forwards. For now, you can look forward to testing the upgraded element in 76429 The Sorting Hat from March 1, 2024.

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