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

This is interesting.
We also had this problem.
Someone traded in a pair of Maggies to us around 1991 that had this problem,
but it was with cigarette smoke. It was an enlightening experience, especially since these were the first Maggies we/I had ever had. When they arrived we opened the boxes the same day.
When the flaps of the box opened it literally smelled like the box was used as an ash tray.
Trust me, if this problem exists you will know it right when that box is opened.

We took the speakers, and the boxes, and put them outside (not stacked on each other) for 3 weeks. Brought them in every night due to the worry of the morning dew (and whatever else).
After 1 day it did nothing. After about a week they seemed a bit better. 2 weeks not much better. 3 weeks seemed to be when they improved. We had to toss the boxes in hopes that new smoke free boxes would help. We tried lightly sprinkling some scent free carpet powder on them and vacuuming it off but you have to be so careful and apply so little that it didn't seem to help. If you try that be CAREFUL! If this happened to us again we might also consider buying a fan and placing them in front of them at an angle (OUTSIDE).

There's also an issue about the tar from the smoke settling on the many contacts that ribbon speakers use. Maybe AgN should add a check off box for "Smoke Free" or "Smoke environment" for classified (and demo) ads.

JJ:
----> "coffee grinds in the can (before Starbucks), cut apple slices and lay on top of the coffee"
Well, that's interesting, but where on the Maggies do you place the can?
;-)

Brian@Hello.lt

Very lightly try spraying or really misting Fabreze in front of panels.The stuff works great on clothes by oxidyzing ordors.If you want a clean house you could try one of thos expensive ionizers sold by the Sharper Image or a simmilar product.Particulates,which dust,smoke,and odors are, can be ionized and fall to ground or in the case of the Sharper Image product get collected on a strip.if you are in a warm climate the fabreze and putting them out in sun/fresh air might help.But I would be concerned with build up inside as somebody else noted.

Dan Heather -
http://www.magnepan.com/1-800-474-1646/index.html

To contact us at MAGNEPAN please call 1-800-474-1646 Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 4PM CT, or write:

MAGNEPAN
1645 Ninth Street,
White Bear, MN 55110
USA

why don't you contact the manufacturer and see what the experts say?

and you raised a really interesting point that I have not thought of when "screening" gear before buying - ask if the gear has been exposed to cigarette or cigar smoke.

best of luck to you... I can't believe that this is the first time that they (magnepan) would have ever been asked or faced.
-aj

UPDATE...

I've got them in the garage airing out. I've added a couple of high velocity fans (one for each) blowing up at them 24hrs. It seems to be working. I'm going to look into the OZONE idea that Sean recommended, but need to talk to Magnepan first.

I don't think that there was any malicious intent on the part of the seller and i think that it would be a very valuable tool for AudiogoN to include a check box for equipment being sold by a smoker. That way, non-disclosure could be proved as intentional. It would certainly be helpful for unwary buyers. From now on, I will advertise my gear as being from a non-smoker and, when buying gear, will definitely remember to ask the seller to disclose the same.

I'll keep you updated.

Danheather,

I had the same experience except the ones I bought reeked of cigarette smoke. Brian hit it right on. . .you know it immediately. I emailed the seller about his failure to disclose and he never even responded. Anyway, I called Maggie and followed thier advice. I removed the cloth socks and washed them twice, letting them line-dry each time. That took the smell out of the cloth. I then CAREFULLY sprayed the wood frame with Fabreeze. I let the panels air without the socks on for a few days.

This process removed about 90% of the odor so I repeated the whole thing a few weeks later. That about took care of it. I ended up selling them and disclosed the now gone odor problem. I ended up paying for a new pair of socks and shipping them to my buyer just to make sure he was happy.

Anyway, the socks wash easily (at least my white ones did).

Good luck!