Don't worry about the 'brightness', he probably can't hear above 12-15k anyway, that just comes with age, unfortunately I KNOW!
I would actually suggest a single-driver speaker that is going to lean toward a wonderful mid-range, which he could probably appreciate the most, especially if your adding a sub, and take 'minimal' power. And don't forget an FM tuner if he lives somewhere with a good signal, a nice vintage piece can easily be picked up for $150, probably less.
I would actually suggest a single-driver speaker that is going to lean toward a wonderful mid-range, which he could probably appreciate the most, especially if your adding a sub, and take 'minimal' power. And don't forget an FM tuner if he lives somewhere with a good signal, a nice vintage piece can easily be picked up for $150, probably less.