Would you trust a local dealer to help you put

a dealer can tell you what you like. there is no substitute for experimentation.

After 40 years I now know that speakers only let you know what your amp sounds like. In a 10K system I'd spend at least half on amp.

If I had any sense I'd buy a Rega Brio-R intergated,Rega Apollo CD and a pr of Rega RS3 speaker with DNM Reson wire
for about 3k and be done with it.
Thats at least 85% of whats possible and thats from someone
who has spent at leasr 150K over the years.

Tennis- I think you meant 'can't.'
Schubert- yes, there is something appealing about that, including the idea
of an integrated amp today when, 20 years ago, it would likely have been a
compromise. I suspect though, that you are only at the point where you are
now, having been through the thoroughbred stuff. It's sort of like seeing the
appeal of a Dino 246- not a macho car, but after you've had your share of
those, you get the idea of its beauty and its limitations are far more in
proportion to real world driving than a modern-ish supercar.

True, remember that a wise man learns from other's mistakes.
Actually I do have just that Rega system in my 13x11 den and it sounds VERY natural and captures both the dynamic range and low-level dynamics of the acoustic music I listen to.
In a big room I'd only need switch to RS-5's perhaps-there is a great synergy in a all Rega sytem, they know of what they do.
Don't tell the wife but on all but the largest symphonic works, I actually prefer it to my Belles/Maggy 3.6 rig in fsmily room.
The RS-3 is star on vocals,but probaly not a rockers dish which is irrelevant to me.

Dealer disclaimer:

After reading most of you guys posts, I thought to myself what a bunch of cynical, bull.

I have worked in the NYC market for 17 years, before opening my own shop, and I worked for two of the biggest high end audio dealers in the city, and over the years there were many excellent salesman and many happy and satisfied customers.

As with purchasing anything there are good dealerships and salespeople and bad dealers and bad salesman.

A good dealer is one that is trying to do right by their clients and put together a magical system for the client no matter what the price point is.

A bad dealer is one who sells their overstock stuff or pushes equipment that is in stock to the wrong client and is serving themselves.

A good dealer will have a wide selection of equipment and will spend the time to educate a prospective client and provide expert setup and installation services.

Yes it is true that only the client will know what sounds good to them but without having the ability to be educated

and experience the difference that changing electronics, or a digital source or cabling will make a neophyte can find the entire process extremely challenging to nearly impossible and that is what a good dealer is all about.

If this gentleman has a good local dealer or dealers then he should bring some music and start demoing and maybe he will put together a great system and become a happy audiophile instead of someone who can't stop upgrading because their systems that they put together themselves sound dreadful.