$1500 system for a friend

Schiit Audio. would be another good place to look. 

Saga ss preamp($299) and Vidar amp ($699) brings you to $1000 that leaves $500 for speakers, cables. 

not hard to find good speakers used for that. or new for that mater. 

 I would suggest loading your CD's on a computer and add an inexpensive DAC later (like the Schiit modi ($99) or Audioquest black or similar). he could also go for one of the above mentioned CD players. 

 Also for an entry level system don't worry to much about expensive cables, power cords and room treatment, that can come later. focus on speakers amp and source for now. Really you can get good cables from many places that are not expensive. anti cables for example.  Or roll your own by buying cable from a place like Parts connexion. 

Vintage as some have mentioned is another worthwhile route. 

1- forget about used

2- I have interconnect and power cables I can give to my friend and for speaker cable blue jeans will fill the bill

3- speakers- my thoughts run to Elac 

4- Onkyo or perhaps NAD

5- electronics- how much is a Rega Brio? 

1 - Done

2 - Great for your friend

3 - One of many good choices at there price point. Hard to recommend speakers due to subjectivity and environmental conditions. Is interest towards stand mount or tower type? How about room size? 

4- I recently purchased a Yamaha A-S701 integrated amplifier for a secondary system. It has coax and optical digital inputs, internal phonostage input, and 3 line level inputs. Subwoofer output, headphone jack, and outputs for 2 speaker pairs. Rated at 100wpc 8ohms. This amp is in current production and can be had for $700 (likely less). I find it to be very tonal neutral and with high resolution at it's price point. Manual provides rating into 4 and 2 ohm loads, I forget actual specs. Would drive Elacs well I believe. I have used mine with B&W 685s and CM5s. 
       I suggested the Onkyo 7030 CD player based on feedback from others, low price and robust build. Thinking of getting one to use as stand alone and as transport into the Yamaha's coax input.

5 - The Brio is a fine product, have heard one at a dealer a few years back. Don't remember the price. 

 

If the friend has CDs, he has a CD player, and that CD player will be fine. If no CD player, then CDs can be stored in the attic.

Then: 

*Outlaw RR2160 Receiver ($800)
*Elac bookshelf speakers ($200) connected with whatever lamp cord, etc.
*Audioengine B1 Bluetooth music receiver ($200) + Spotify Premium and
*Spotify iPhone app as remote control (presuming WiFi access) (free)
*Hsu Research subwoofer ($350) + a few cheap RCA cables ($50)

Total $1600

Rock on!

I realize many of you have vast experience, but as a fellow newbie I would approach this in a slightly different manner. I dont want to argue cables and their value- but my hope is that some would agree that cables may not be as apparent on a lesser system. I would put my biggest chunk on one used component that had more winshield than the others- possibly$1200 to a really nice pair of used higher end speakers- like Vandersteens, NHT, or Klipsch or Ohms- with rubber surrounds. The remainder on a used NAD receiver and CD player- I  see a used T-753 and T-534 CD on auction for $150. That leaves some coin for a few CD's to actually enjoy.  If he gets into it, he will eventually upgrade but a decent set of speakers can hang around for a long time. That' what I just did. I could afford much more but I spent $2k on speakers, $750 on an amp, and bought an older high end transport/dac for CDs. I made my own cables and recapped the amp because I like to see how things work ($100 for good solder, iron, and sucker, another $27 in nichicon gold caps) Totally pleased with how it sounds and I now have a better idea what to look for inside components.

Again, you guys are pros at this, but at first I just wanted decent sounding music that didnt come from a Sonos.