Well actually, electronics components function optimally when their temperature STABILIZES. Rate of electron conductance is affected by temperature. It is not exactly true that semiconductors MUST be hot to achieve their best operational state, what IS important is that they have achieved stability at an operational temperature that IS NO LONGER CHANGING. So, if no cooling fans are employed, the semiconductors and to a lesser degree inductors and capacitors do achieve a level of temperature stability with cooling provided by the heat sinks and the outside case. This temperature is going to be very warm especially in Class A operation, and yes Schiit has designed very robust devices that can survive at these elevated temperatures, but that in no way implies that they HAVE TO run at these elevated temperatures in order to work optimally. The life and robust survival of semiconductors is seriously enhanced by running at lower temperatures over their lifetime.
As long as they have achieved STABILITY of operating temperature, they are in their happy spot (NPN and PNP junctions specifically) but also transformers and capacitors such that when they have stopped experiencing temperature delta, in other words, rate of change of temperature has approached zero. This can be at elevated temps such as when no external cooling is provided, and the amp will run hot. OR it can be at lower temps such as when external aids to cooling (a fan) are employed. Then, semiconductors and related components will operate at their best, AND also will do so for years of reliable service due to not having to run closer to the breakdown temperatures.
So, the misconception that these devices MUST run at greatly elevated temperatures to function at their best, is false. This is why I used a liquid cooling cooling system on my CPU when I built my computers. And the cases of computers (usually) have more than one cooling fan, especially GPUs, especially the high-end Nvidia and similar cards. Because the intent and necessity is to control excessive operating temperatures. So using a fan to help quell excessive temps from heat sinks helps draw the heat away at a faster rate, the components inside the case do achieve a temperature delta near zero much quicker (rate of change diminishes to near zero) and the semiconductors especially but also everything else inside the case runs happily ever after with much greater reliability. Think about it. IF heat was not mitigated at all, (no heat sinks etc.) the transistors would rapidly approach melt-down. Right? Enough heat conductance ensures that does not happen. Better heat conductance ensures that everything runs cooler and thus can operate near indefinitely AND optimally within that design. OK enough re-iteration on that.
I will happily continue using my little fan to keep those heat sinks and everything inside my amp running cooler. Temperature stability at lower temperatures ensures my amplifier provides awesome music for a long long time. And that makes me very happy. LOL
