As the resident fan of Tivoli products, +1.
And their radio receivers even have a little bit of that "old-time" radio feel to them; with the wooden cabinet, big analog tuner knob, and simple operation. He might like that, if he listens to the radio at all. And a complete Tivoli setup with Radio + CD + sub isn't much more than a B{l}ose Wave Radio. And it will (does, from experience) sound fantastic as a small Bedroom|Den|Office system.
http://www.tivoliaudio.com/home.phpBut....This is a tough one.
I can completely understand the, "Bose is crap. You must steer him towards something good," argument. I would make it myself, and have with several friends & family members over the years, usually with good results.
But having dealt with {grand}parents of that age, I can also completely understand the, "He's 85 and he wants a Bose system. Happiness is important," stance. If it's what he wants, then perhaps that's what you should get him. My grandfather always drove Buicks. Even during the dark days of Buick, when the competition was so much better. I used to ask, "why do you drive a Buick when you could get a Cadillac, or a Mercedes, or a Lincoln, or {whatever}?". With {whatever} being the latest luxury car that the likes of
Car & Driver or
Automobile had favorably reviewed. Because he always drove Buick's, and that's what made him happy. I used to not understand it, but I think I do now. That's worth something. Sometimes the superior choice isn't the right one.
But then again, friends don't let friends buy Bose. So ...
