The Smell of an Amiga

[Dastardly]

Does anyone else associate a very particular smell with the Amiga?

When I got my 500 back in 1990 and during all the time I used it, I remember it had a very distinctive smell. I'm sure this was smoldering plastics and probably not very healthy at all, but I have never smelt that anywhere else and I've had a lot of computer consoles over the years. I suppose it was the Amiga's very own 'new car smell'.

I sometimes detect it when I go to retro shows and there are a load of Amigas all humming away. That smell instantly transports me back to those days like a time machine.

[E-Penguin]

My retro computer room has a distinctive odour to it, but that might just be years of dust and grime and whatever the bloody cat has hidden behind the shelves.

[Daedalus]

Not specifically the Amiga itself, but I always remember the smell of the PSU of my A1200 after several hours of use, and a separate distinct smell from the 1084S CRT (as well as the 15kHz whine I can still hear to this day). Ah, nostalgia.

[Hewitson]

I don't remember any specific smells from the Amiga, but nothing beats the smell of a brand new motherboard that's just been pulled out of the packaging. Absolutely nothing.

[Dastardly]

Originally Posted by Daedalus

Not specifically the Amiga itself, but I always remember the smell of the PSU of my A1200 after several hours of use, and a separate distinct smell from the 1084S CRT (as well as the 15kHz whine I can still hear to this day). Ah, nostalgia.

It is possible that it was the PSU that was producing the aroma.

[Anubis]

What kind of amiga you guys are dating?!


My amiga does not smell - she showers regularly...

[gimbal]

I associate the Amiga with the smell that the Amiga manual spread - the smell of old books. Because that was the only thing we had in the computer corner that really had a smell to it - plenty of old books, manuals, magazines... I smell old books now, I think of those days.

[DDNI]

Ozone. The failing microvitec multisync monitor and Amiga PSU, both fill my room with that arcing edge of death aroma ??

[saimon69]

the 500 had its distinctive plastic smell, and the 1200 was at first weird due to the slightly different plastic it was encased on; when the 1200 PSU died was able to use again the 500 one and the smell was back

[paul1981]

Not Amiga related, but my C64's have a certain smell. Get your nose well in that cartridge or cassette port hole and you'll smell one of the nicest smells ever.
Also, I have fond memories of the smell of a MicroMate power supply which when warmed up was absolutely sublime. I keep looking for a reasonably priced one on ebay!

[Coagulus]

My spectrum 128 smelt like burnt hair every time my arm hair touched the heatsink grill!

[sneckburger]

The Previous owner of my first A1200 back in the day was a heavy smoker so mine stunk of smoke. At the time I thought it was the reason it was yellowed too.

My A600 I got for Christmas a few years earlier though did have a new plastic smell similar to that found in freshly printed magazines I thought.

[DrFruit]

I still sniff mine, it’s like a legal drug for me! Just something about it, similar to the smell of a Macintosh SE/30, can’t explain it, I’m addicted!


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[Foebane]

I remember the aroma of my brand new A500 that I got at Christmas 1990, it has become an evocative memory, smelling that brand new machine whilst looking at the colour pictures of Deluxe Paint in the Amiga manual - gorgeous!

[005AGIMA]

Having not touched an actual one for years, I'll let you know in December.

But to weigh in, smells are apparently one of the most evocative senses when it comes to memory unlocking.

I was out shopping with the Mrs just the other day. I got hit by thoughts of Star Wars figures. All i can put it down to is the plastics in the shoes my wife was looking it. Same smell. I was back in BHS in my head, flicking through the figures choosing which one to hassle my mum to buy

[bni]

I don't remember the smell from back in the day. But today my A500 def has a very pleasant smell that spread in the room, evoking nostalgia.

I second on the vintage Star Wars figures, I still have a few and they have a similar smell, but not identical.

[AmigaHope]

I remember a huge difference in the smell between classic mid-late 80's Amigas and the later AGA Amigas, probably because of the factories they came from.

[Glen M]

I can honestly say I've never sniffed my Amiga, well, not when anyone's been looking...

I shall have to snort my way around my retro machines later to see which has the most pungent odor.

[markpjd]

Can't really say that my Amiga gives off a smell.

I do however miss that smell of opening a brand new sealed/boxed game and that smell of a freshly printed manual and cardboard... (not that I go around sniffing manuals and cardboard on a regular basis).