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Loewe Opta type 3732w - Printable Version

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Loewe Opta type 3732w - GarySP - 08-23-2013

I just saw this radio at a garage sale. Owner doesn't know if it works, and I begged him not to plug it in to find out. Cabinet is showroom condition. He wants over $100.00 for it. Anyone know anything about these German sets? Not sure it I want to take a chance on it or not. Take care, Gary

RE: Loewe Opta type 3732w - Paul Philco322 - 08-23-2013

If you can get him down a bit go for it, it is an 8 tube two speaker set. Germans engineered sets to sound super with the fewest tubes possible. In a higher tube count set you should get excellent results, could be a superb player.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/autophon_furka_3d.html

Link is to some details, I have a Grundig that is among my best sets, do not have one of these but they were a pretty good make.

Paul

RE: Loewe Opta type 3732w - Arran - 08-27-2013

Because they are German people often think they are worth ridiculous amounts of money, including the floor model ones. An 8 tube model is pretty middle of the road so $100 is a little much, if it were one with 12 tubes and motorized tuning it might be a different story. I don't really find that the average German set performs any better then a typical North American AC radio of the same period, I've never seen one with a tuned amplifier stage for the AM bands or extra IF amps for the same, most of the extra tubes in there are for the FM and audio circuits. Also just like the German cars many are also a real A-hole to work on, the main Achilles heel is those piano key bandswitches which they stupidly use to turn the set on and off. If you really like it I wouldn't go over $50 for it, but I would try to get it for less.
Regards
Arran

RE: Loewe Opta type 3732w - GarySP - 08-29-2013

Thanks for the input everyone. The seller wouldn't budge on the price, and it wasn't from the time period I prefer. The post-war sets just don't have the same allure to me that 30's and 40's sets do. I thanked him for letting me see the set, and walked on. Take care, Gary

RE: Loewe Opta type 3732w - Arran - 08-31-2013

I can't really see the point in putting something out at a garage sale if you aren't going to budge on the price, especially if they don't know whether it works or not, people go to garage sales to find bargains not pay antique store prices. In any event you get to keep your money and he gets to continue with his delusion that he has something special. There are so many pre war sets out there that you can find for the same money, if not less, and they are usually much easier to work on.
Regards
Arran