Best temperature for optimum tube performance


Is there an optimum temperature range in which tubes perform best?
I've been running tube amps/preamps for over 40 years and have always placed a small, quiet fan in front of them to prevent excessive heat build-up (a modified, two-door antique silver cabinet is where they reside).
I'm aware that electrical resistance increases in proportion to increasing temperature, but am I somehow decreasing the optimum performance of my tube components with this strategy?
128x128rettrussell

Showing 2 responses by ieales

For not lowering my standards enough, I do apologize. Will try to do better, by which I mean worse, going forward.  
Not possible
It takes very little air flow to cool a chassis significantly. I've been doing it since the 70's. A couple of 12v 60mm PC cooler fans running on 3.5v are completely silent and cool the internal chassis from 50°C to 30°C on my tweeter PrimaLuna PL-5. Ditto a 100mm on midrange VTA M-125s.
PL-5: http://ielogical.com/assets/WinterBlues/PL5_Fans.jpg
M-125: http://ielogical.com/assets/M-125/BindingPost.jpg - note fan under tubes at front.