loewe AG, Kronach

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 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 German-speaking 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”.