Would you trust a local dealer to help you put

the answer is no. the dealer's ears and brain is not my ears and brain.

i am an empiricist.

i would rather listen to different components without dealer input.

experience is the best teacher in audio.

Thanks for the responses, everyone. But of course, a dealer can make suggestions/recommendations, but the ears and judgement of the customer is the final arbiter and decision maker on what sounds good or not good. I suppose one simply trusts the dealer to make reasonable recommendations.

Maybe. If I got some good word of mouth feedback from other audio buffs in the area I'd go talk to the local dealer. It would also depend on the vibe I got when walking into the dealer. Most of the time I've seen some of what Elizabeth details. That or the place just wanted a big $20,000+ HT build. If you just wanted to buy a couple of pieces of equipment they really wouldn't want to talk to you.

The best dealer in the world doesn't have your ears,taste or room.
I have been an audiopile for over 40 yrs during which time I've lived in 12 major metros and have yet to find a dealer that knows much about classical music .
Any dealer HAS to sell what he has to stay open, unless
they are spoiled trust fund kids,(common in audio) ,since they aren't worried about money- but for the same reason those types usually are so arrogant they make Dick Cheney seem humble.

If a dealer told me 10K was too much to spend on a mid sized roon, I might just listen to what he or she has to offer. No tweeks (tricks) now.