Does cigarette smoke damage speakers?

[george_k]

My brother recently started smoking again, came home from work and our place stunk.

Tomorrow my brand spanking new 703's will be delivered and I'm wondering if I'd be better off placing them in my room instead of the living area. Does cigarette smoke affect the speaker cone/surround, wood finish or any other part?

[linuxtx]

It can certainly effect resale value, but I dont know of any effects to the actual sound over time.

[jjahshik32]

I know with computers and laptops and electrical stuff smoke can harm it in unknown ways.. for some reason my cousin is a heavy smoker and his laptops always die on him in 3-4 years and its not because he doesnt know how to take care of it.. I have the same computer and laptops as he does.. but i'm not a smoker and my stuff works like its still brand new.. Another note is that my friends are heavy smokers and their stuff seems to be working ok on the electronics side.. but their stuff does seem older or as aging faster.. but then my personal opinion is not to smoke near it.. i'm sure it will do some harm especially the wood on these beautiful speakers..

[linuxtx]

Smoke doesn't harm electronics in "unknown ways". The reasons with computers and the like are well known. That nasty film that you get on windows, walls, and everywhere else is also on the electronic parts in your PCs thanks to fans.... Over time this layer builds up, and traps in heat. The heat is what causes the components to fail. However, this is not a problem with speakers (though receivers and such could be effected).

[RedWolf]

the bottom line
Smoking affects practically all parts of your body, and your sexual and reproductive systems are no exception. Smoking can cause problems that can ruin your sex life. It may also interfere with your ability to father a child, and it increases your chances of developing cancer of the p****s. Who cares about what it will do to the speakers, think about your party life.

[jjahshik32]

easier said than done.. i'm not a smoker so I dont know what its like.. but I've known friends and ex girl friends that would stomp over you to get a cigarette... so pretty much all I know is that its very VERY VERY VERY impossibly hard to quit smoking.. and i'm pretty damned sure your brother will quit in 1 weeks time or 2 months and be proud and then go back to smoking.. sadly that's how almost everyone I know who smokes is like... but I can tell you is dont let your beautiful speakers get near the smoke!!

[pbarach]

My brother recently started smoking again, came home from work and our place stunk.

Tomorrow my brand spanking new 703's will be delivered and I'm wondering if I'd be better off placing them in my room instead of the living area. Does cigarette smoke affect the speaker cone/surround, wood finish or any other part?

It will affect the cone/surround and wood finish of your lungs; isn't that bad enough? Don't let this guy poison you!

[dknightd]

Can you ask your brother to smoke outside? Tell him the smell bothers you. I'd worry more about your lungs than the speakers (Yes I'm a smoker, but I don't smoke inside anymore - not since we had kids)

[WI Rotel]

Can you ask your brother to smoke outside? Tell him the smell bothers you. I'd worry more about your lungs than the speakers (Yes I'm a smoker, but I don't smoke inside anymore - not since we had kids)

Same here!

[RNKC]

From a resale perspective, I do not buy stuff from smokers. I did once and it was a mistake that I've never repeated. I bought an amp and it smelled horrible from the moment I took it out of the box. It was coated in an odd film that I had trouble wiping off. There was even little bits of ash inside that I had to vaccum off (they guy probably smoked while packing the unit).

It was a nice amp (Proceed amp2) but I just couldn't stand the smell even after I had cleaned it. Sold it quickly thereafter and from then on I only buy used equipment if it's lived in a smoke-free environment.

I would imagine smoking speaker would be much worse than a smoking amp because of all the wood that can and will absorb the smoke smell.

[george_k]

because of all the wood that can and will absorb the smoke smell.

I imagine that the kevlar cones will absorb as well. Which is why I'm wondering if the units will get damaged more than just from a cosmetics perspective.

I seldom get exposed to 2nd hand smoke. Either I'm away from home or I'm in my bedroom on the computer. But with the speakers its another issue once they have been put in place they remain there.

[misterdoggy]

How about just vacuuming the material and leaving some baking soda around for 24 hours

No smell and no evidence

You could clean and make smell smell free and no one would know the difference

Yes smoking will make a film after many hours and can actually make white curtains yellow, but I don't see anything permanent happening to the interior of my amps.

[RebelMan]

I'm not so sure about that doggy. My dad was a heavy smoker too. He wiped out numerous PC's. The cooling fans were gummed up causing the system to overheat and lockup, permanently. I know this because I had to troubleshoot his problems which required getting inside the box. Furthermore, the smoke infiltrated into EVERYTHING. Where there is air there is smoke.

When my dad passed away (take a guess) I labored for days masking the stains and stench that covered the interior of his mobile home. It is not an easy task to be sure and I didn't get it all but enough to "get by". Keep in mind that equipment and speakers, especially speakers, need to breath. Smoke will find its way in to nooks and crannies that you would have no access to. It would be impossible to remove any traces of smoke in audio and video equipment.

george_k, if your brother respects you he will respect your speakers and smoke outside. Don't think for a minute that keeping your toys behind closed doors protects them. It doesn't!

[gerardhn]

I do smoke.
It will mess up your curtains, your windows, your ceilings, your luxaflex lamelles, and so it will deposit on anything. If smokers do not belife this? Let them paint and clean themselfes.
That's why I smoke my cigaret outside. No problems. No smell, no dirt, no ash, no fire holes in the carpet and clean spekers.
Everybody happy.

[Indytown]

The film that developes from smokers inside your place is unbelievable.