[Hard Head]

But they sound GREAT!!  (Made ya look!) 

 
Here's my issue, and hopefully some of you other Head-Fi'ers have encountered this problem before, and can offer some tried-and-true advice...
 
I recently purchased what was described as a "New-other" "only taken out of the box to look at" D5000.  Bullshevik....  These (although, they are in beautiful shape) have been used, and not only that, by a SMOKER.  I don't smoke, and none of my family or friends do, so I'm able to sniff it out immediately.  The seller tried to mask it by wiping the leather down with what I'm pretty sure was Meguiar's leather wipes (great on leather upholstery, not so great on headphones), but now that scent has dissipated, and all that's left is the scent of stale cigarette smoke.
 
I wiped everything down (even pulled ear pads) with some disinfecting wipes, even put the 'phones in a zip-loc bag with a dryer sheet for a day, but the smoky smell actually seems to be getting more noticeable as the other smells fade.
 
Anybody have a sure-fire cure for making a D5000 smell as good as they sound? 

 

[Katun]

Is it just the pads or the headphone itself? The pads most likely absorbed the smell into it's fibers, so maybe just a replacement set would do the trick. J$ pads perhaps?
 
I don't think you'll ever get the "new box smell" again. That smell doesn't last that long anyway...

 

[Hard Head]

It's everything.  Pads, headband, foam under the pads, most likely even the microfiber diaphragms. 
 
I'm not worried about it never having that "brand new" smell, and I'm not really even disappointed that these were not the "new" headphones they were advertised to be.  I look at it this way:  I have to spend less time burning them in than I would if they were unused.  In all other respects, they're "as new".  They're just stinky. 
 
I'm thinking of trying something radical:  putting them in my clothes dryer.  Now, before anybody has a heart-attack, my dryer has a shoe rack that can be put in place so shoes (or headphones) can sit on it, and not tumble.  Perhaps some time on air-dry (no heat) and it'll hasten their "airing out".
 

 

[Katun]

Hmm, forgot about the headband. It would be interesting if they drivers sustained the smell too, being microfiber and all.
 
Guess you could always give that a shot. Hope all goes well if you do.

 

[shadow419]

Charcoal absorbs odors extremely well.  Never hurts to try right?

 

[Noone025]

Maybe try a purpose designed deodoriser. I'm sure dry cleaners deal with this all the time.

 

[Hard Head]

Quote:

Charcoal absorbs odors extremely well.  Never hurts to try right?

 
That's a good idea!  I'll see if I can find some activated charcoal odor absorber, and bag the headphones with it for a couple days.  Might do the trick!

 

[DenonBeaver]

I had the same issue but trust me mine were worse, there is no way anyone could smoke more then the guy i bought my d5000's from. I would take them off and my hair would smell like smoke, it was that bad! A few months later and it only has the faintest scent of smoke, most people that i let listen to them can't even smell it.
 
Here is what I did:
Remove the pads so you can get behind the pads really good and wipe down every piece on those can's with Murphy Wood Cleaning Wipes. I'm talking the headband, the metal pieces, everything. I was freaked at first that the cleaner might damage the leather or metal pieces so i would do just a small section and wait a day to see what happened. Trust me it doesn't hurt any part of those headphones wipe away! The trick is wipe every part down each day let them air out and repeat. You could do multiple applications per day if you really want to speed up the process. After a few weeks of this they will be a ton better. Prior to taking this approach I let them sit in a sealed bin with charcoal, coffee grounds, dryer sheets for weeks and it didn't do ****, just made them smell like smoke and whatever i put in that bin. Don't waste your time, wipe those things down!

 

[DenonBeaver]

Also forgot to mention, hit the cord really hard as well. Being cloth is absorbs more smoke then any other part on those cans.

 

[pp312]

Quote:

 I look at it this way:  I have to spend less time burning them in than I would if they were unused. 

 
I'd have thought after all those cigarettes they'd be well burned in already.
 
(sorry)

 

[Hard Head]

Quote:

 
I'd have thought after all those cigarettes they'd be well burned in already.
 
(sorry)

The evenings entertainment arrived much too late!  (Good one!)
 

 
Thanks for the suggestions, fellow Head-Fi'ers!

 

[Todd R]

I've heard you can seal them up in a bag with a rag soaked in Fabreeze, a box of baking soda, or some kind of odor absorbing substance of your choice. 

 

[Lorspeaker]

or find an ozonator n zap it for a day in a bag