Loewe Aconda 38"

I just picked up one of these sets used on eBay for what was ridiculously little money. I have had an LG 42PC1DA plasma for a couple of years, and wanted a second HDTV, but didn't want to shell out for one. I had seen these TV sets when they were for sale in a local high-end home-theater store for $5,500, but never dreamed that I would pick up one for little more than 5% of that amount!

I managed to get it home (no easy task, as it weighs 220 lbs), got it up the front stairs to the second floor of our house and connected it up to my HDTV cable box. Holy Cow! Once I got it dialed in with my AVIA disk, I began to see a subtlety of color and 3-dimensionality that made my plasma look like a comic book! This is a 6 year old TV set! Real blacks, not stretched blacks. As silly as it sounds, I am dying to have it professionally calibrated to see what it is really capable of doing.

I had long given up on CRT TV sets as being a virtually extinct technology; destined to take its place along side the Edison Cylinder and the whale-oil lamp. Like rediscovering vinyl recordings after years of listening to CD's, there is just something so organic about watching this TV. It's hard to explain, but it gives nothing away to the plasma, and brings a depth and subtlety to TV vewing that I either had never seen before, or forgot completely!

I'd be interested to see who else out there has these a Loewe TV set, and what their impressions are. I know that the early sets had power supply issues, so I am praying that mine is past those problems. I realize that a 38" TV set won't change your life, but finding something this good for so little is a terrific surprise!

thumbsup:I have the 30" version; hands down: BEST HDTV picture I've ever seen!
It buries my KD34XBR960/Sony, which was voted the best CRT ever.
The guy who calibrated both my sets, explained that the electronics, in the Loewe, are far superior, to even the Sony.
Supposedly, there's a built in transformer, or other device, that enhances the color.
Most natural perfect picture you'll ever see.
They discontinued them in the U.S. because nobody sane would spend $3,000 for a 30" TV
Just watch Seabiscuit, the movie
Even the DVD looks incredible
The reds are so extraordinary, that it's almost 3D
Live baseball, & football games are amazing; better than being there.

I have a 30" Loewe Aventos, purchased new in December of 2003 for a slight discount ($1950 at Magnolia), shortly before Loewe abandoned the American market. It has been the main TV in the house ever since. I agree with you about CRT technology (and especially Loewe's CRTs): there's an organic quality to the picture that LCDs and plasmas just don't capture. We have gotten endless hours of enjoyment from it.

There are a few disadvantages to these TVs, though. They're HEAVY (mine is about 112 lbs.) and bulky. They predate HDMI technology, so if you want to watch Blu-ray discs, you'll have to jump through some fairly expensive hoops involving converters. But broadcast HD looks about as good on this TV as it does on anything I've seen. My DVD player doesn't do progressive scan but I don't think you can actually see the difference with Loewe's display. The inputs have some limitations. There's only one component video input on mine, for example, no DVI or HDMI at all. There is, however a VGA input that can be adapted to an RGB source. Getting everything hooked up and working correctly is quite a chore. The other disadvantage is that periodically, you have to have it calibrated (in my case, after about 3 1/2 years of pretty heavy use), and finding somebody authorized to do that might be kind of difficult.

I do envy you finding this amazing bargain, and hope you get as much enjoyment out of watching your Loewe TV as we do ours.

I was interested in this set a few years ago but never was able to see one local. I ended up getting a Sony KD 36xs955. Kept it for a few years and gave it to my father in law. In my man cave which is in the basement and very dark, I have been through 2 Plasma sets and 1 Lcd set before giving my Plasma to my father in law and getting back the 36xs955. That is the only set that could give me the black levels I could stomach. I did look at the latest Kuros. After two Plasmas and looking at the Kuro Elite at BB and having them Demo BR and HD broadcast, I just do not like the PQ. Now I have a Samsung 5265f in my living room with much ambient light and I love that set.

This tv uses the same CRT as the RCA F38310

me too saw it