Should I trust movers with my equipment?

OMG, it's unanimous. Yep, I guess I brought us all together for a moment. OK, I guess there's a truck or, as I like to call it, a Ford Exhibitionist in my future.

Give it to the movers only if you want your stuff trashed!!

avoid at all costs if possible.

I've moved three times in the past 15 years and with the exception of the turntable and computers I've entrusted my audio/video equipment with professional movers. Not a single problem. Pack the equipment just like you're going to ship it via UPS and have a detailed discussion with the movers. Ideally you want a single load truck with the same crew at each end.

I agree with Onhwy61. I also let my movers move my (extremely well-packed in original packing) equipment, save for my turntable/arm/cartridge, which I brought myself principally because I had a new cartridge installed after the movers had taken everything. The key here was that while the move was 400 miles, I used a local, family-run company that was highly recommended, got to talk with the movers who were very nice and had them realize that this stuff was not to be handled roughly. No problems at all. I might have had second thoughts with a large chain company, but after talking with the people who were actually doing the moving I had no qualms.