Help My friend wants to go with some DQ-10s

which were probably good back in the days of cheesy disco...but these things sound like a wet towel has been placed over them...and the bass...well..it is slower than a broken down bus...and the dealer is asking $500 for the pair! To be fair, they image pretty good...but so does every other decent speaker nowadays...this is his first attempt at entering the world of hifi...and as a friend...think he can do much better...I have tried to enlighten him...but he is mystified my the Dq-10 heritage...and a smooth sales rep...any thoughts on persuading him to a modern design?