LOEWE OPTA Komet 1782W

Loewe is a German manufacturer of electronics founded in 1923 by Dr. Siegmund and David Loewe in Berlin.
The company is now based in Kronach.

Dr. Sigmund Loewe invented the integrated circuit in the 20s and in 1931 Loewe was the first company in the world to produce the television.

The main market sectors it covers are: the TV, the DVD players and recorders, video recorders and hi-fi devices.

Source - Wikipedia

With the courtesy of www.radiomuseum-bocket.de

Another beautiful creation of Loewe company.
No denying that the thing that immediately strikes this unit is the original enlightened section reproducing a nice effect “abat jour”. This preciousness is not present in any other appliance of other brands.
The lighting is activated by gently pulling a cord placed on the upper left side of the cabinet and it is independent from power or not of the radio.
From the aesthetic point of view, are remarkably impressive the very accurate treatment of the wooden surface, as well as the choice of veneer sheets and the detachment of golden frames that streamline and enliven the wide wooden surface.
Last, the soft ivory color keys complete a color balance difficult to overcome.

Listening, after the necessary warm up, is, of course, really enjoyable, full-bodied but also sharp and clear.
The major adjustment options allow to easily tune listening accordingly to each taste and music habit.
I am referring to the six keys of equalization which are described below and to the separate tone controls for treble and bass.

The tuning is stable and receiving, especially in FM, is very clear.

The restoration was accurate and will be described at the bottom of the page, as usual. The unit is ready to operate after a few seconds of warm up, but same as all tube radios the real "sound" and the real tuning stability can be reached after at least fifteen minutes of operation. All components need to reach operating temperature to stabilize.
MAIN FEATURES

Year of production: 1956/57

6 AM tuned circuits
11 FM tuned circuits

Wavebands:
AM
Medium waves(OM)
Long waves(OL)
Short waves(OC)
FM
UKW

Operating voltage (CA)
110; 125; 160; 220 Volts

3 Speakers
1 front Full-range
2 side Mid-Tweeters

Dimensions (LHD):
23.6 x 15.6 x 11.2 inch

Net weight: 29 lb 11.8 oz

6 Tubes:
ECC85, ECH81, EF89, EABC80, EL84, EM80

Rotating ferrite aerial for AM

ILLUMINATED SPEAKERS GRID

In these pictures you can clearly see the cord with bell actuating the front lighting.
In the dark, the effect of light from behind the golden grid is very impressive.

BANDBREITE SCHALTBAR

The correction system of the frequency response is composed of six buttons that insert preset equalization curves.
The effect of these controls with particularly compressed and equalized stations at the origin may be excessive.
There is no rule, they should be used with common sense.
The 3D button inserts the side speakers for a wide soundstage. 3D means Sound in Three Dimensions.
The BASS button emphasizing the low frequencies
The JAZZ button emphasizes the higher frequencies
The SOLO button emphasizes a broad range of middle frequencies.
The SPRACHE button emphasizes the frequencies of the human voice, it was used to listen to radio news broadcasts in case of disturbed transmissions.
The ORCHESTER button provides a slightly emphasized sound to the extreme bass and treble for a more fulfilling listening of music.

TONE CONTROL WITH LEVEL INDICATION

The tone control system is very efficient. Above the large tone control knobs there is a band that lights up gradually indicating the emphasis on the band on which it acts

SEPARATE CONTROL TUNING BETWEEN AM AND FM

The tuning system is another gem.
The device is equipped with separate tuning mechanisms for the AM and FM bands.
The tuning knob is a single but a selector switches on separate cable and pulleys systems accordingly to the band.

The magic eye is new

CONTROL PANEL

On the left there is the volume control (with built-in loudness).
Pressing or pulling the volume knob you can increase or decrease the bell steepness of the AM average frequency; in essence, you can feel more or less acute, it should be used to enhance the listening on medium wave.
Continuing on the right you see the magic eye that indicates the perfect station tuning.
Starting from the top you find the FM scale, the shortwave, Medium and Long AM scale.
The series of keys Bandbreite Schltbar described above.
Below, from left, you find the bass control knob in a lovely ivory color plastic housing.
Consecutively, we then find the FA (ferrite aerial) button for OM, the power button, Long , the Short, Medium FM. Waves.
On front and back on each button the frequency band is indicated, (see MW pressed button in the picture below).
On the right the treble control.
Finally, there is the tuning knob, whose movement is very nice being supported by a large flywheel.
Coaxially with the tuning knob there is the ferrite aerial orientation knob , with a special front gauge.

LOUDSPEAKERS

The front loudspeaker is a huge elliptical broadband produced by ISOPHON.
The sound is beautiful, the bass very deep and the treble are spotless thanks to the side elliptical cones protected by special containers, such as hi-fi speakers on the following decades.
Needless to say that we are not talking about high fidelity, but of warmth and charm that cannot be found in modern appliances.

BACK SIDE

External speakers output.

Recorder and record player socket.

AM and FM aerial inputs and grounding.
RESTORATION WORKS
The cleaning phase of front and o transducers.
The additional lighting lamps installation.
Electronic restoration.
The testing before final assembly.
The usual final overnight.

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CONTACTS

ITALIA & Technical, Info
Email: Giovanni - Cell: +39.331.6016062

INTERNATIONAL
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