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RE: results of headed no network / headless with network

Posted by aljordan (A) on January 6, 2010 at 19:38:01

In Reply to: Did anyone get a chance to compare the same otherwise setup "headed" vs. "headless"? posted by carcass93 on January 3, 2010 at 20:08:03:

Hi,

Using my latest CMP build, I recently listened to headless, accessing music over the wired LAN with no mouse, keyboard, nor video and free vnc server running, and compared it to the same set-up accessing music on the local drive with video keyboard and mouse attached and network disabled. Please note that I didn't power the keyboard and mouse separately, just hooked them up like I would to a normal computer. So, in this manner the keyboard and mouse were probably not optimal in the CMP manner of thinking, but I am not the type to buy a separate power supply for a keyboard and a mouse.

After using the fine Recursive Cue Creator software to dump all cue sheets into a single directory, I used CMP browsing to launch CPlay. I would have used the equally fine CPlayList Editor software to create playlists and launch CPlay, but I figured I would not have that extra process running during the tests.

A little bit about my current setup. I actually have the computer in a large closet type of room outside of the main listening room, with about 5 inches of wall between the main stereo rack and the computer. I drilled my self a pretty little two inch diameter "port" through the wall between the two rooms, so I could run a meter and a half firewire cable from the computer to the DAC and keep the computer away from the stereo components and out of my site. You wouldn't believe how nice a small port from my speaker building days looks set into cherry wainscoting. My wife didn't even notice it, and as far as that is concerned, I say ignorance is bliss.

The test was in no manner blind nor a long term study, and I will admit that I was fully expecting NOT to hear any differences between the two set-ups. However, as far as my tests went, there were differences between the two set-ups. When playing music with the mouse, keyboard and video hooked up, I heard a comparative slight loss of resolution, as well as a loss of small dynamic inflections and a little more annoyance in the upper frequencies. These were not large differences, but enough to make the music less engaging when using the video set-up. I had the video very close to the computer, and maybe the differences were just due to interference from the flat screen monitor getting picked up by the firewire cable, but I thought the headless set-up sounded better.

Alan

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