I agree with Shadorne - there is something about this situation that doesn't add up. Anyone who had personally selected this gear for their own musical pleasure would not be asking a family friend for replacement suggestions. They'd be out selecting the new round of gear themselves.
Besides having possibly acquired it through divorce or death of a husband, another possibility is she was someone with a lot of money and it was selected for her by a high-end store (in much the same way some wealthy people are told which artwork to buy to impress others.)
If she is driven by sound quality, she'll need to hear the replacements herself. People trigger off different aspects of sound (just look at the debates that take place here among the enthusiasts) and the qualities that send the family friend to nirvana may do nothing for her. If she is driven by decor, she'll need to see the stuff in person. If she is driven by status, the question then centers around whom she is trying to impress.
Until the mix of those influences is clear, any suggestions are simply shots in the dark.
Besides having possibly acquired it through divorce or death of a husband, another possibility is she was someone with a lot of money and it was selected for her by a high-end store (in much the same way some wealthy people are told which artwork to buy to impress others.)
If she is driven by sound quality, she'll need to hear the replacements herself. People trigger off different aspects of sound (just look at the debates that take place here among the enthusiasts) and the qualities that send the family friend to nirvana may do nothing for her. If she is driven by decor, she'll need to see the stuff in person. If she is driven by status, the question then centers around whom she is trying to impress.
Until the mix of those influences is clear, any suggestions are simply shots in the dark.