Helping friends/relatives with system purchases, your experience.

system suggestion is difficult....many components sound different when connected to different components.  I would suggest them listening themselves and have them select on their own experiences.

It seldom works out for me. Most people just want a simple music system and they don't really care what it sounds like. I ask about their budget and they say 500 dollars. I say we can find some 500 dollar speakers, I guess. They say no, that's for everything! . 

Most of my friends/relatives love to come over and listen to my system.

However, most of them don’t realize that there is some commitment involved (room setup, WAF, space required, acoustic treatments involved, etc....). And that all rooms sound different.

They also don’t realize that what I like, may not be long term what they like.

I do (and have) lent them some equipment I have laying around for them to try out.