f you want to ensure that your expensive electronic components enjoy a long and full product life cycle, you must make sure to keep them operating at a comfortable, cool temperature. The number one factor that kills electronic components is overheating. Even short of an outright meltdown, excessive heat causes electronic components to function less reliably and reduces their overall life span.

Stay below 85^o F

To achieve optimum performance and optimum equipment life, it is recommended that you keep your system operating at a standard temperature below 85^o F. Most studies show that every 10 degree increase over 85^o F leads to a whopping 40% reduction in your equipment’s life span.

Computer microprocessors are more sensitive to heat than traditional A/V equipment. All microprocessors have a maximum allowable temperature, beyond which they burn out. With the increasing use of microprocessors in A/V components, sound system owners nowadays have to contend with the same heat sensitivity problems that computer owners have for decades.

Where does the heat come from?

Ironically, the heat that threatens to kill your components is produced by the components themselves. As you use your entertainment system to watch movies or play music, most of the components convert 100% of the power they consume into heat. The more high-powered your components, the more heat they generate.

The main exception is your amplifier. The heat output of amplifiers depends on a range of factors relating to their design and use. Traditionally, amplifiers have always been the great heat producers in any sound system. But microprocessors, which are becoming integral to most components, are not only the most sensitive to heat; they are also great heat producers themselves. The faster they are, the more power they consume and the more heat they produce. This means that amplifiers are being joined by more and more components that generate large amounts of heat.

Heat building factors

How fast heat builds up in your sound system, and how high temperatures it will reach, depends on a variety of interrelated factors.

• The wattage of your electronics. The amount of power your system consumes directly determines how much heat it generates.
• The size of the cabinet that houses your system.
• The amount of airflow and air turbulence in the cabinet.
• The density of electronics in the cabinet (i.e., how much free air is left between components and shelves)

Airflow is the key

As long as the heat can dissipate, your equipment is safe. Heat buildup has never been a problem with the traditional open stereo rack. However, audio/video cabinet enclosures, such as StudioTech’s Ultra cabinets, are becoming increasingly popular. The risk of placing equipment in an enclosure is that hot air may get trapped if it cannot escape fast enough, which will result in a continuous increase in temperature.

The key element to keeping your components cool in a cabinet-based system is airflow. A steady inbound flow of cool air and outbound flow of warm air is the key to keeping component temperature down.