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Cigar Smell...How to get out of Maggies??

Hello all,

I just bought a pair of Magnepan 1.6s from a seller who did not disclose that he smoked cigars in his listening room!!

Now, I enjoy a good cigar as much as the next guy, but not in the house...and certainly not around my equipment.

What do I do? I can't spray the speakers with Lysol as I'm sure the moisture would not be good for the panels. Likewise, a powder (Carpet Fresh or the like) would also penetrate the grill cloth and get on the panels.

Currently, I have them sitting in the garage "airing" out.
danheather
jeffloistarca
1,004 posts
 
Dan, if they're good Cubans or Dominicans they wouldn't make everything stink. Jeez I hate people that smoke cheap cigars. Cigar stores often keep a bowl of cigar cuttings around, somehow it absorbs the smell. You may want to put them in an enclosed space with some cuttings? The other thing that comes to mind is Febreeze, lighly mist the Febreeze in the air near the speakers and let it settle on the fabric? Hey, if it works on my hockey equipment it can kill ANY smell!
audiopath
92 posts
 
Dan,

Lay them flat on a counter or workbench and apply a thin layer of baking soda on the fabric. Let it stand for 24 hours and then vacuum it off using a round brush attachment. Turn over and repeat the process. If it doesn't work, then you may have to have them recovered at Magnapan.

audiopath
gthrush1
241 posts
 
There are two problems here, and the one you mention is the least important of the two.

#1 Any kind of smoke will leave a greasy film on membranes found in electrostatics and ribbons. In my opinion, this is VERY likely to render the panels worthless in terms of performing to specification.

#2 The smell _may_ be eliminated by having the grille cloths replaced, as another poster mentioned.

I'd ask the seller to reverse the deal and eat shipping costs, due to nondisclosure.
rosstaman
455 posts
 
I agree with Gthrush1. All tobacco smoke is bad for electronic equipment. The computer industry knows this, as they were one of the first industries to ban smoking in the workplace because of the damage the tars and 4,000 other chemicals cause on keyboards and circuits.

Besides, the Maggies are probably going through nicotine withdrawal won't be able to perform as they should.
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