I ask them what they would like to hear and I play that. Easy to do with streaming, odds are it will have what they want. It is absolutely pointless to play them something they don't care for even if to your ears it is the best sounding record ever. Lesson learned.
What selections do you play when showing off your system to others?
I find that when I'm having someone listen to my system that I usually play the same 4 or 5 selections. I tend to lean towards vocals and acoustic presentations. Mine are as follows:
Hold That Line- Tedeschi Trucks Band
Roadhouse and Automobiles- Chris Jones
The Hunter- Jennifer Warnes
River Blues- Eric Bibb
Flight of the Hippo- Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
It's All in the Game- Merle Haggard
Your Bright Baby Blues- Jackson Browne
What are yours?