I once bought an amp from a heavy smoker on Audiogon who claimed the amp was in "near-mint" condition and did not divulge that the amp was exposed to a lot of smoking. I'm telling you, the thing reeked and was disgusting. I had to take it all apart and clean it the best I could. I couldn't believe all the brown tar that came off it -- including the connectors... It was really upsetting.
Is Smoking Really That Bad For Audio Equipment?
I have my friends over periodically, and some of them smoke. At the moment, I ask them to go outside to have a cigarette because I'm concerned that smoke will be bad for stereo equipment. I don't worry much about the smell because I have hardwood floors and minimal furniture, so there's not much to trap the smell. Does cigarette smoke damage speakers or does it get into audio equipment and leave residue on electrical connections, etc? I am curious whether there have been any incidents where cigarette smoke actually harmed someone's equipment?