heat is THE electronics killer so yes,even an aluminum can electrolytic once heated will conduct heat back the dielectric where is will overheat it,possibly damaging it.
ever see an electrolytic "ooze" ?
nasty stuff
Never really thought about that to be honest.I DO know there should be no changes in the middle part of the range but that at the abosultes-the extreme cold and extreme hot ends of the scale-you are pushing the limits of what you can expect so best not to if it can be avoided,just good practice (?)
I also know anything that runs hot on a continuous bassis will have its operational life shortened and why all the modern research/new parts from the major semiconductor manufacturers is all about reducing heat and increasing efficiency.
the "green" knucklheads have it all wrong as usual because the target of this technolgy is to get more into less (multifunction do everything cell phones/blackberries and even desk top computers) because THEY know too much heat means low relaibility and too much current draw low battery life and we can't have that.
The "greens" think is all about saving energy which when all is considered front to back is not even close to not only the truth but the reality of final energy use or trash leaking into the planet-less reliable combined with cheaper goods and an expanding population means more egarbage,more garbage means less per unit but a larger final overall quantity due to the increased content
I say the only way to KNOW is to just do it ! Should be a simple matter of using a large power resistor that the signal passes through so you have a fixed "benchmark" then increasing the current in set increments so that it heats up while you monitor the temp using a heat probe on your multimeter.
document each increase in heat then post both the "objective" numbers and your "subjective" audible findings.Only way to either PROVE or DISPROVE any "theory"
That
IS the reason and this is not subjective theory.The reason is not the heat itself but the fact that you get heat as a consequence of running everything at it LEAST efficient mode which is fully on all the time (class A) instead of either partially on (Class AB) or never on until in response to signal (Class B).
By running an amplifier FULL OUT as with class A operation 100% of the time it runs at what would only be the peak power of all other methods of amplification.
Why this is important for audio and why it sounds better in the opinion of most is the amp PASSES what is at the input rather than RESPONDS to the input signal by always being "on" and ready to go rather than "off" ready to turn on.
Class AB is a comprimise between the "full on" state so you don't lose the important low level parts and the beginning of notes and the "of" state which is reserved only for peaks (depending on just how high into A the AB stage is biased with the A=heat)
class-a is expesive because you need to cast off all that heat while class AB or B cheaper due to the relaxed heat sinking requirements and power drain of the batteries or supply.
a heat sink for a 200WPC AB power amp is usable in a pure class A amplifier of only 10-25 watts for example !
so it is not the heat that is audible but the heat being a side effect of the class A operation that is the rweason for the sonics being better