Loewe announce release of the Reference System, a new benchmark in high-end television and audio

Sydney, June 1, 2010 – Loewe, Germany’s leading premium television brand, has announced the release of its multi-award-winning Reference System, comprising a high-end 52” television and a matching multi-room audio system. Available from June 2010 from selected Reference stockists, the new television and audio system reflect Loewe’s passion for minimalist design and uncompromising performance.

The design process

The desire to achieve absolute perfection has been the driving force for 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 television that would also stand alone as a work of art.

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 television 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 reality.

However, at this point it also became clear that a stand-alone television 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 Television with an audio system and matching speakers to meet the exclusive expectations of Loewe customers.

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 Television, conducts all aspects of your home entertainment with perfect virtuosity. The use of aluminium and glass throughout and the characteristic Loewe “eye” design element clearly identify the Reference Mediacenter as a component of the Loewe Reference System.

For a long time, the designers contemplated the type of 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. Electrostatic 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 Speakers to complement the ultra-slim Reference Television. The design proposed placing the membrane in a single, thin, milled aluminium panel. The speaker design thus perfectly complements the Reference Mediacenter and Reference Television.

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 Television appears to float in the air. This impression is further enhanced by the slim profile of the television, which has a depth of just 6 cm.

The Reference System

The Reference Television can be purchased by itself, or as a complete system incorporating the Mediacenter, speakers and display solutions. The ‘standard’ Reference System ($42,000) includes:

• Reference Television
• Reference Mediacenter
• Reference Sound Speakers
• Reference Subwoofer
• Reference Floor Panel
• Reference Media Center Floor Stand

An optional larger floor panel, a table stand for the Mediacenter and a system cabinet are also available.

Reference Television – Reference level performance and features

The Reference television incorporates the full gamut of Loewe’s technology for perfect visuals and user convenience. The 52 inch (132cm) screen features 200Hz technology and 24fps playback to ensure fluid motion, and a polarizing glass panel adds to the perception of image depth while reducing the effect of ambient light in the room.

The convenience features are many, from the integrated 500GB hard drive recorder with twin HD tuners to the media player that allows music, video and photos to be played back via LAN or WLAN from a remote media server. Dolby Digital and DTS are decoded on board and the television’s own speaker system, with an internal volume of four litres, provides impressive sound depth.

With a motorized rotation function, the television can be turned to any seating position, ensuring perfect vision at all times.

The Reference Mediacenter

The ultra-flat Loewe Reference Mediacenter, like a work of art with its elegant aluminium and glass housing, perfectly matches the rest of the Loewe Reference line. Alongside the wall mount, a table stand and a floor stand are available as options. On its right-hand side the Mediacenter has a motorised loading mechanism for CDs and DVDs. For each CD, track details, musical genre and the corresponding album cover picture are automatically downloaded from an Internet music database and archived in the system’s memory. When a DVD is being played on the Mediacenter, a sophisticated upscaler converts the video image into full-HD resolution.

As an audio system the Mediacenter gives the user complete control over their music collection, whether it be on discs, hard drives, FM radio, streamed over the internet or on an external device like an iPod. The Reference Mediacenter integrates harmoniously with the other components, not only completing the entertainment experience in that room, but extending it throughout the house via LAN or WLAN. Multiple sources can be enjoyed across several different locations, or a single source can be played throughout the home.

The Reference Sound Speaker System

Matching the Reference 52 and Reference Mediacenter in design, the Loewe Reference Sound Speaker offers a stereo speaker solution of correspondingly high quality. Paired with the Reference Sound Subwoofer, the wafer-thin electrostatic speakers produce a full-bodied sound. This enables Loewe for the first time to offer ultra-slim speakers to match their flat-screen TVs without making any compromises in terms of acoustic reproduction.

Complete control: Loewe Assist Media

All the components of the Loewe Reference System can be operated by means of the Loewe Assist Media remote control with its brilliant OLED colour display. Assist Media communicates via wireless USB and can therefore show comprehensive information on the music currently playing, including even the cover art picture of the corresponding album, on its 2.4-inch OLED colour display (240x320 pixels). It is also possible to select tracks from individual play lists or according to genre, performer and numerous other criteria in this way. With a base made of high-quality aluminium and an upper shell made of glass, the Assist Media exudes refinement. It is a product of master craftsmanship.

Optimal display solutions

To present the Reference System in the best possible way, Loewe created display solutions such as the Reference Floor Panel. Completely concealing the cabling and allowing the television to seemingly float in the air, it is a work of art in itself. Other options for mounting the television include a floor stand, table stand and a wall mount. The Mediacenter can also be mounted on the Floor Panel, on its own floor or table stand, or on the wall.

Award-winning designs

The Reference System has collected many accolades since its debut at the September 2009 IFA show in Berlin. At that show’s IFA Preview Awards, in which 250 journalists vote for each award, the Reference System won the Award for Best Design Achievement, and the Reference Mediacenter won the Most Outstanding Innovation Award.

In March 2010, the Reference System picked up an unprecedented 5 Gold iF Awards during CeBIT in Hannover. Since their introduction in 1953, the iF (International Forum) design awards have been a reliable indicator of outstanding quality in design. Of nearly 2500 products submitted, only 50 gold awards were given. Loewe won Gold Awards for the Reference Television, Reference Mediacenter, Reference Sound Speaker, Assist Media and the Reference Floor Panel. Design quality, workmanship, material selection, level of innovation, environmental sustainability, functionality, ergonomics, ease of operation, safety, brand value and branding were the criteria considered by the jury.