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Now what kind of question is that? Would you let a teenager take your '65 AC Cobra to the 7-11 to get milk? Would you let you neighbor educate your children in his religion? Would you let a stray dog lick your hamburger before you have the first bite? Did you really expect any other answer? These are OUR audio systems! Our investments and only WE, ONLY WE have the ability to operate such complicated, sophisticated, specially-assembled equipment. NO I SAY! Stay away from my stereo! DO NOT TOUCH!! One question that I would like to ask Stereophile, though. Do you think the barbed wire and electric fence might be contibuting to the RF hum in my phono section?

My wife has full access, but the young'ns are not even allowed in the music room by themselves.

Actually my stereo system is very simple to use: Four on/off buttons for the amps and one for the preamp. Then the turntable. My wife can easily do that and she's quite good at queiueing records. My kids, however, are confined to the HT where, being kids, they are quite adept at hitting all the right buttons for the video switcher, audio decoder, TV, amps, remotes, etc, etc...

and that is my final answer.

Of course, but I have no vinyl in my system. My kids have used the system from the time they could reach the buttons. They haven't destroyed a single item, apart from some fingerprints on some CDs. If my children didn't benefit from listening on my system, I would not hesitate to sell it!

My wife of course uses my audio ystem as I do.

NO ONE, BUT NO ONE TOUCHES MY TNT! [or the LP's]

How did you start? Being frustrated by your father's injunctions? "Don't touch this, don't put your fingers here, listen to the music and shut up" are not the typical encouraging sentences. When I've friends at home, if they want to use my gear, I show them, and when I leave for holiday, I have a cousin who can play my system for his own friends. And guess what? This young, 29-year-old guy loves vinyl enough to ask me for a special music party. Know a better way to make high-end more accessible?

My wife will turn things off if I leave something on. My son, now 20 and away at school, has one of the systems on at all times. My vinyl collection is fair game when he is home and if some CD apeals to him he may slip it into his carring case. In his defense, his collection now more than doubles my library and is open to me when he is home. He has opened me up to several areas I had not explored (ie jazz and bluegrass). And with the resources he has at school, his ability to find new sources of music is wonderful.

Because my wife and daughter are much more coordinated than I am, they are encouraged to cue up their own vinyl. They are also much less likely to scratch and ding equipment and recordings. I guess I'm a little ham-fisted, but I really do appreciate solid construction in audio equipment (especially when compared with the flimsy construction of PCs and peripherals that are as substantial as lace doilies). However, as the "resident male" in the house, I am the only one who sets up the equipment and related tweaks. Although my daughter has been showing an interest in loudspeaker cables and interconnects since I got the purple ones!

My two channel is generally reserved for my use only. Once in a while when a fellow enthusiast visits I let them check things out to see what they think. The wife never touches it for fear she may mess something up although I tell her it can all be replaced she still does not touch it because she does not want to take the chance of having that kind of expense in our budget do to something she did. I don't know, let me see, I have a new 911/996 in the driveway? Sure, everyone come on over and I'll let you take it for a spin, NOT!

I'll let my wife load a CD and that is it(and that is her CD not mine).I've spent to much time and money on my Rotel/B&K/SL3 system to watch it go up in smoke.

Living on my own at the moment, so there aren't very many other users. You can't be precious about your hi-fi as long as people use it carefully. Spread the joy!

Mostly because I have few friends who wish to do it in the first place. This is called respect for other people's property.

I don't loan out any vinyl either. People loved giving me vinyl however, they got it back cleaner than new.

Everyone uses it. It's a listening room, not a museum.

Unfortunately My friends don"t share my love of critical listening.

Only my wife and one friend (both certified audiophiles).

When Folks Come Over For A Listen, Most Are Content To Sit Back And Listen. Its the music they want to borrow.

My girlfriend is every bit the old vinyl junkie that I am. Her motivation may be a bit different than mine, but the end result is the same, so she and my Music Hall turntable are good friends.

I am willing to share but with the exception of my seven-year-old son no one else is interested. My son is going to be an audiophile as he gets older. Who needs a remote when he is around? We haven't gotten to having him cue up the turntable just yet, though. He told me just yesterday that LPs sound better than CDs. That was without coaching!

It's my baby and nobody touches my baby. End of story! If someone else wants to lay down to cash for equipment for my system then they are more than welcome. Otherwise, hands off, bucko!

My wife and daughter use it when I am at work or away. My son is still too young. What's the point if the family can't enjoy it too??

My room mate only uses it by remote control for 2 ch audio from the digital cable box. He could use it for CD's, but doesn't. He wouldn't touch my turntable mainly because he doesn't understand vinyl.

A hands-on demo of the Naim 3.5, with a brief discussion of the consequences of clipping (8Bs), then I hand over the controls. Sharing is cool and your friends love it!

Since I build my own electronics, nobody else knows how to operate my system, though I dont think that worries anyone!

I don't have a problem with other family members using my system as long as they know what they are doing. Unfortunately for them, I have made it so difficult for them when using the system, they don't want to deal with it! LOL!

My fifteen-year-old daughter has complete access to the family's music room with both analog and digital source components. She navigates a separate power amp, preamp, phono preamp, CD transport and DAC with ease. She learned to handle and play LPs at the age of twelve when she grew tall enough to reach the top of the wall-mounted turntable stand. She loves and appreciates the sound of vinyl without any prompting on my part. She has been very responsible about handling LPs and CDs, though not as good about returning them to the shelves after listening sessions. I am very happy to be able to share the reproduction of musical performances with her. Here's a guide to knowing if you have gone off the deep end as an audiophile: your system is too complicated and esoteric if you can't explain its setup and operation to another (reasonably intelligent) human being.

Wife sometimes, son is content with his boombox. Not sure if the music he listens to would sound any better on audiophile components?

I'm the only person who loves (more) music