Friends hi-fi system not very good, what do you do or say?

@daniel25 

Very insightful.  It's all about the ego isn't it. People love to put other people down it's resisting this temptation that proves most challenging. We as humans tend to be very judgmental about what people do …

If someone 45 years ago bought a Pinto or something else equally disturbing, it would be very troubling.  

Every few days I see a Tesla cyber truck parked in front of my house and it's really cool looking and there's only about 3000 of them that were made. I don't know if this is a DeLorean experience being repeated but they are super cool to look at 

And lest we forget, "No good deed goes unpunished."  Attributed to the Bible and other sources.

I usually either find "better friends" or bring a bottle of tequila to inhance the listening experience. 

The other option is to tell him he needs a sub woofer....everyone can relate to that. 

I always try to be diplomatic, keeping my own HiFi journey in mind—the decades it has taken, like for most of us, to get to where we are. With that perspective, I make thoughtful suggestions that align with incremental financial steps, understanding the costs involved. I also highlight the value of the used market and recommend brands that hold their resale value, so if something doesn’t work for their space, they can easily try something else. It’s about planting seeds to help them begin their audiophile journey. 

Of course, there are caveats. If something sounds genuinely bad—like a blown tweeter or another serious issue—I’ll point it out. But if it sounds decent, I’ll encourage them by focusing on what’s good. Ultimately, if it’s a friend, they’ll probably end up at my house for a demo anyway.

My mother used to often tell me "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all".

Do you tell people that they are less attractive than you are?  That their car or house isn't as good as yours?  Why do you need to say anything?

If they ask about improving their system, then offer helpful advice.