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Perfection is our benchmark
The Loewe Reference design story
Kronach. – The desire to achieve absolute perfection has been the driving force behind
the designers involved in the two year-long development process for the Reference
System. The primary aim of the Loewe designers and the Stuttgart-based design
company Phoenix Design was to create an exclusive stand-alone TV set following all the
rules that govern art. The monolithic TV would fit perfectly alongside other Loewe design
classics including Loewe Art 1 (1985) and Loewe Spheros (1998) - both stand-alone sets
that were awarded numerous design prizes. As there were initially no technical
specifications for the Reference TV, the designers were able to give free rein to their
ideas. From the very start however, two fundamental concepts emerged: 1. Form follows
function, i.e. the design should not distract from the TV picture. 2. The high-quality of the
materials selected should highlight the exclusivity of the stand-alone set. The choice of
glass and aluminium was quickly made, materials which perfectly reflect the characteristic
minimalist design of the Loewe brand. When the designers presented the preliminary
design for the Reference TV, it was immediately clear that the concept study should
ultimately become a product ready for series production.
However, at this point it also became clear that a stand-alone TV set alone, would no
longer be able to satisfy the high demands of the designers and Loewe. The system
concept was born, so the designers were entrusted with the task of creating a home
entertainment system for the Reference TV with an audio system and matching speakers
to meet the exclusive expectations of Loewe customers. At the same time, technical
specifications were drawn up for the Reference System. The system should incorporate
the most functional technologies and at the same time guarantee optimum convenience.
The desire for perfection at Loewe was so great that a new assembly line especially for
the large-format Reference flat-screen television was even put into operation.
From this point on, the designers took an integrated approach. Each individual
component and every single detail of the system had to be synchronised as a whole and,
like the individual instruments in an orchestra, fit together harmoniously. Only through the
interplay of all components could the Reference System reveal its true splendour.
In a way, the reference point for the whole system is the Reference Mediacenter audio
system. It is thus no accident that the Mediacenter design evokes a conductor’s podium -
after all, the Mediacenter, in combination with the beautifully designed Assist Media
remote control and the Reference TV, conducts all aspects of your home entertainment
Loewe Reference design
Press release
September 2009
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with perfect virtuosity. The use of aluminium and glass throughout and the characteristic
Loewe eye clearly identify the Reference Mediacenter as a component of the Loewe
Reference System.
For a long time, the designers racked their brains over the speaker system they would
need. Simply due to the laws of physics, conventional speakers always require a certain
housing depth in order to achieve impressive sound volume. However, the required
housing depth would have a significant negative impact on the aesthetic of the Reference
System. Electrostat technology presented a high-end solution to the problem. The
mechanical vibrations are produced by a wafer-thin membrane – which provides
outstanding sound quality. This enabled the designers to develop the Reference Sound
Stand Speakers, to complement the ultra-slim Reference TV. The design proposed
placing the membrane in a single, thin, milled aluminium panel. The speaker design thus
perfectly complements the Reference Mediacenter and Reference TV.
The television also underwent another crucial revision. Instead of a very large floor stand,
as planned in the initial designs, the 52-inch screen would now be mounted on an elegant
aluminium floor stand. This means that, in spite of its size, the stunning Reference TV
appears to float in the air. This impression is further enhanced by the slim profile of the
panel screen, which has a depth of just 6 cm.
The new Loewe Reference line now bears no comparison - no system has ever formed
such a harmonious whole. It’s no surprise that even before its market launch the new
Loewe Reference home entertainment system has, amongst others, received the coveted
IFA PreView award for the best design achievement from more than 250 Germanspeaking
journalists.
Frieder C. Löhrer, CEO of Loewe AG, explained, “For us, the IFA PreView Award for the
best design achievement 2009 is both confirmation of the route we have taken and an
incentive to pursue it further”.
Loewe Reference design
Press release
September 2009
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Contact:
Loewe AG
PO Box 1554
Industriestraße 11
D-96317 Kronach
Phone: +49 (0)9261 99-217
Fax: +49 (0)9261 99-444
http://www.loewe-int.de
presse@loewe.de
Loewe Reference design
Press release
September 2009
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