Looking for a very high quality upgrade for a clock radio

I don't know that this exists...This is the only thing that comes to mind that fits your size requirements. But I have never heard it and I suspect it may be more "show" than "go."

Keep your Bose.

Seriously, I suspect the Bose (or its Cambridge Soundworks equivalent) is about as good as you can do can do with a box that size. Physics is your enemy here.

Use the Bose until it dies.... it's just a clock radio. Sorry to say that anyone that can invest <$2500 for a clock radio needs a sanity/reality check. For that amount of $$, you can get a $5 alarm clock at Walmart and real nice sound system for < $2495.

But the latter won't fit on his shelf.

Then spend $995 for a sound system, $5 for an alarm clock and $1500 for a carpenter.

EDIT:
Contact Bose. I bet they may be able to provide a replacement/repair recommendation for less than $2500.

Take a look at Tivoli, Geneva Sound or B&O.

The Henry Kloss Model One Table Radio is probably what you want.

It has now been put back into production as the Tivoli Model One Table Radio, and is available from Amazon for only $145.

In addition to having a very good AM/FM tuner, it has a very nice speaker and amplifier and an external 3.5 mm input jack for other music sources. You can plug into it and get nice sound.

It also has a nice-looking wood cabinet.

You could also just plug your cable into a pair of powered speakers such as the Audioengine 2 speakers, but the volume control is on the rear of one speaker, which might not be convenient. They will easily fit your space and cost $200. I have a pair connected to my computer, and the sound quality is very good.

My wife has a Nakamichi TM-1 radio in her room. It is out of production, but if you could find a used one, it is probably the best unit of this type ever made. Maybe one is on e-bay?

It has an excellent tuner, a true high-fidelity power amplifier, and an excellent 5-inch speaker. It cost around $300 when they were making it, plus there was a matching second powered speaker as an accessory for another $150 if you wanted stereo.

Update- I just looked on E-bay and there is one available for $125 complete with the companion stereo speaker. Each unit is 10.5 inches wide, so you wouldn't care about the second speaker unless you have a another place to put it somewhere in the room. In any case it is a very fine single-channel unit by itself and highly recommended.

They have it listed as "Nakamichi Clock Radio 1".




Edited by commsysman - 8/9/12 at 4:58pm

The problem you are also having is that people are turning away from clock radios to using their phones and/or with docks. Do you have an iPhone or iPod Touch for the alarm clock? If so, looks like the Peachtree musicBox Amplifier might fit your space. Then get whatever tiny speakers you want to go with it: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PTMUBOX1

Just took a look at the Tivoli Audio site. They have a broader product range than the last time I came across them. You might find something that works for you there.

And give the balance of your $2495 to Oxfam.

This isn't a website about expensive gear. It's a website about good gear. You seem confused about the distinction.

Check out the Yamaha TSX-120 or 130. These are very nice looking, high end clock radios with iPod dock and mp3 inputs. They are available on fleabay for less than $300.00.

I use a Yamaha MCR-040 in my bedroom and it is really nice sounding, much better than the Bose Wave II that I borrowed from my girlfriend.

Actually, good and even excellent is often not very expensive at all.

But we weren't really trying to tell you how to spend your money. We were telling you that you couldn't spend that much on what you wanted if you tried. Nor would it make any sense to. Given your size constraints, all the money in the world can't overcome the compromises that Bose and the other companies we suggested make.

that's why there are contractors.... to build enclosures to accomdate your hardware, as opposed to buying expensive hardware to accomodate the enclosures.

I agree, my Yamaha micro system sounds better than the Bose, but they are different systems. The Bose is very good for what it does but it is pretty expensive. Your size constraints are a serious constraint to good sound quality.

 

Quite a bit overpriced is more like it, relatively speaking.

The only clock radio that I know of that's in that price range of $2500 is the Meridian M-80. Plays CD's,DVD's,AM,FM and has an I-Pod. Also has an alarm clock function. Cost $3000. It's just a bit larger than the Bose Wave Radio.For me my $20 buzzer is just fine.

Relative to what? Its direct competitors seem to be in the same ballpark.

I stand corrected. I didn't think any company could be dumb enough to believe that any consumer would be dumb enough to spend that much on a clock radio.

Manufacturers rarely underestimate consumer's lack of common sense and those with an expendible budget.

Come on I know ypu really want one.

Couldn't I just have the money, Dad?

Right.  I have the predecessor F80 and it has outstanding sound for its size and package.  Because of that, it should not be compared to any component systems which are, unquestionably, better value. 

Perhaps something from Grace Digital would do the trick:
http://www.gracedigitalaudio.com/internet-radios-c-2.html