eYup. This stuff all runs on magic smoke. If you let it escape, it'll never work right again.
Magic smoke smells like singed hair, burning plastic, and ozone -that's the easiest way to recognize it when you see it. Of course, by then it's faaaar too late.
Unless it's an old-school silicone rectifier. That smells like... nevermind!
Once the magic smoke is out, you have to replace the smoke capsule. Sometimes it takes several.