Is stock intake better on 3.1 z24?

The car is a 94 z24. The stock intake is designed to suck air from the cowl induction hood. the stock air box(not really a box) has a perfect sized hole on top that meets with a rubber gasket on the hood therefore sealing it from the warm air under the hood. If you get an aftermarket intake then the seal is gone. Now you have a metal intake that sits close to the exhaust getting hot and is sucking hot air from under the hood. Is that really better? I just put a k&N filter on my stock intake and it probably works better. PLEASE REPLY