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. 

Thanks...good thoughts all. 

To make things easier and more enjoyable i suggest visiting a dealer.

I will always help during and after their choice is made, never lent equipment (bad experience). 

I helped my senior neighbor across the street with a multi-music system for his home. Casual listening in three rooms/spaces, living, dining and back deck. We shopped for a Sonos satellite speaker system and he luvs it. It all is controlled from his iphone app. Now he entertains family and friends and each area can play music.

I never have a problem making a recommendation for a choice of which is the best Alexa model.  Nobody interested in much more.  kids.

I gave up after a few tries. Everyone is so different, just let them listen.

When my sister decided she wanted a separates system all of her own, she asked me for some advice. I suggested a pair of Harbeth SLH5s after reading nothing but praise for them.
 

After a couple of careful home auditions she ended up buying a pair of original JBL L100s.

She's loved those speakers ever since.

She's also had very little respect for my opinions on audio ever since!

Apparently my tastes are a little too safe and boring.

I've given advice to friends looking to upgrade their listening system, and it's worked out fine. I generally recommend things they can listen to at a local store, or online retailers who will accept returns if necessary...

@fiesta75 +1

I have wasted time trying to recommend good budget components only to have someone buy a sound bar or Apple buds and be perfectly happy

The most difficult but most productive part for me is setting aside my own preferences and prejudices. Without that I'd tend to recommend what I would buy for myself with whatever money they have to spend.

I wouldn't.  Not only that sound is very subjective, but also you might be engaged forever or even blamed when something goes wrong, or when they hear better sounding system in friends home (what a shame  :) ).  It is a little bit like recommending stocks to friends - it won't end well.  My friend asked me once for advice.  I spent time looking for best possible solution, but he didn't listen and did it his way.

I generally don't get involved...   

It's useless . You need to suffer a good result yourself - go to the goal, conduct tests, spend money ... These people (even if the result is good) will not appreciate it - it got too easy ...