Review and Measurements of Chromecast Audio Digital Output

[MenloBob]

Hmm, not sure why mine is having trouble.

I use Roon with a dozen different CCAs playing Qobuz content all the time, sometimes all perfectly synchronized at up to 96/24. I'd be willing to bet the problem is spotty WiFi. I have an Orbi mesh system with really rock solid connections.

 

[Jimbob54]

I use Roon with a dozen different CCAs playing Qobuz content all the time, sometimes all perfectly synchronized at up to 96/24. I'd be willing to bet the problem is spotty WiFi. I have an Orbi mesh system with really rock solid connections.

Yes, the CCA really doesn't like staying connected in less than good WiFi spots. That it is usually stuck behind racks /kit and in room corners doesn't help.

 

[RosalieTheDog]

Still rocking a CCA, mostly from Tidal app for Android. It works like a charm.

However, with all the working at home of these months I've been also sending music from the Tidal and Qobuz apps on my windows PCs. For some reason, CCA is very often not recognized by those windows apps (on the same wifi netwerk as Android phone). Anyone else with this experience?

 

[Undefinition]

Still rocking a CCA, mostly from Tidal app for Android. It works like a charm.

However, with all the working at home of these months I've been also sending music from the Tidal and Qobuz apps on my windows PCs. For some reason, CCA is very often not recognized by those windows apps (on the same wifi netwerk as Android phone). Anyone else with this experience?

Yes, sadly, as time goes on, I'm noticing less and less apps recognizing the ChromeCast audios in my house. The regular ChromeCasts always show up, though.

So it goes.

 

[Taddpole]

Yes, sadly, as time goes on, I'm noticing less and less apps recognizing the ChromeCast audios in my house. The regular ChromeCasts always show up, though.

So it goes.

I've not had this with any apps I've used so far

 

[ahofer]

Yes, sadly, as time goes on, I'm noticing less and less apps recognizing the ChromeCast audios in my house. The regular ChromeCasts always show up, though.

So it goes.

I don’t have that problem, but I do have an issue with CC, CC Audio, and even Google Max/Home endpoints disappearing and reappearing (within the context of mesh wifi that is stable for everything else).

 

[Acerun]

Due to Android resampling one must use UAPP to achieve bit perfect output.

And UAPP has PEQ

 

[Rottmannash]

And UAPP has PEQ

If one chooses to utilize it then the output is most definitely not bit-perfect but each to his/her own.

 

[mccririck]

I've used Bubble uPnP for years with my CCA supplying a Chord Mojo - is that still a good app to use for bit-perfect performance?

 

[Jmudrick]

I've used Bubble uPnP for years with my CCA supplying a Chord Mojo - is that still a good app to use for bit-perfect performance?

Ain't broke and keeps getting better IMHO. I love the new Audio Cast feature though it will down sample high rez to 16/44.1.

 

[MrOtto]

When casting to Chromecast, the Tidal and Chromecast volume controls are tied together and don't operate independently. Chromecast pulls the stream directly from the Tidal server, and volume in the Tidal app is like a remote control of the Chromecast.

When using Chromecast Audio's optical output (connected to an external DAC), set volume on the Tidal app and Google Home app to maximum, to best preserve the digital stream sent to your DAC. Then control the volume using only your amplifier.

If connecting Chromecast Audio's analog output directly to an amplifier, there is a possibility that the output of the Chromecast may clip during loud passages with the volume turned up. Set the Chromecast volume to a level somewhere in the middle where you can get a wide volume range using your amplifier's volume control. Basically set the Chromecast volume so that its output is approximately like a line level signal expected by the amplifier.

Any one else thinking 0dbfs volume from toslink CCA to DAC (for me Topping E30) is very loud input volume? I can't turn my amp higher than 25%, resulting in very high listening voulme, I also have to turn volume up when using other sources, because the volume is too low, then when I use the CCA again, volume is extremely loud. For me 50-75%% CCA volume is more in sync with outer input sources.

 

[Taddpole]

Any one else thinking 0dbfs volume from toslink CCA to DAC (for me Topping E30) is very loud input volume? I can't turn my amp higher than 25%, resulting in very high listening voulme, I also have to turn volume up when using other sources, because the volume is too low, then when I use the CCA again, volume is extremely loud. For me 50-75%% CCA volume is more in sync with outer input sources.

Better to be too loud than not loud enough?

 

[SMc]

Any one else thinking 0dbfs volume from toslink CCA to DAC (for me Topping E30) is very loud input volume? I can't turn my amp higher than 25%, resulting in very high listening voulme, I also have to turn volume up when using other sources, because the volume is too low, then when I use the CCA again, volume is extremely loud. For me 50-75%% CCA volume is more in sync with outer input sources.

I use the CCA analog output connected an amp with a JDS Labs OL Switcher to control volume. Yes, that volume control is set rather low but the same setting works for the full output of the other sources, a Squeezebox Touch and a disc player. I guess if I wanted to turn the volume knob higher I could change to the lower output level but then the other sources would be too loud.

Enough about me, your problem is the Topping DAC output level. Why is it so much louder than the other sources? Do they have variable outputs? Or are they digital sources connected to the Topping? Is it an integrated amp? Or a receiver which can change input levels?

I assume the E30 fixed level output is max volume. If you really want to use more amp volume knob, try reducing the level in the DAC preamp mode instead of the CCA to match the other sources. I can't promise it will sound better as such but it should have a better chip for volume.

 

[RosalieTheDog]

A new Chromecast Audio could be in the works, even amidst Google’s legal battles with Sonos

The Chromecast Audio, while not as popular as the standard Chromecast, was still quite popular with niche users, and especially with audiophiles. I remember back when I worked at Best Buy as a Google Expert, there were many people who came in and bought several of them at a time just to have...

chromeunboxed.com

Somewhat old news, but big if true!

 

[Jimster480]

A new Chromecast Audio could be in the works, even amidst Google’s legal battles with Sonos

The Chromecast Audio, while not as popular as the standard Chromecast, was still quite popular with niche users, and especially with audiophiles. I remember back when I worked at Best Buy as a Google Expert, there were many people who came in and bought several of them at a time just to have...

chromeunboxed.com

Somewhat old news, but big if true!

That would be pretty awesome. I figure with all of the losses that Google is taking they probably need to win and this is why they are considering it

 

[ah-ra]

I stumbled across this year old discussion today after I re-installed an old CCA which was just laying around to have a cheap streaming solution for my second system. I connected it via toslink to my pro-ject DAC.

After reading through almost all pages of the discussion, I still don't know whether I get a bit-perfect stream (up to 96/24 which seems to bei the Google cast protocol limit) when using the Qobuz-App directly and the implemented Google cast feature or If I would have to use something like Roon (as Amir did in 2018) to get full quality. Can someone please clarify? Even after allt hese years?

 

[staticV3]

I still don't know whether I get a bit-perfect stream when using the Qobuz-App directly and the implemented Google cast feature or If I would have to use something like Roon to get full quality. Can someone please clarify? Even after allt hese years?

You can test it yourself using something like this and free software like REW and Deltawave.

 

[dweekie]

I stumbled across this year old discussion today after I re-installed an old CCA which was just laying around to have a cheap streaming solution for my second system. I connected it via toslink to my pro-ject DAC.

After reading through almost all pages of the discussion, I still don't know whether I get a bit-perfect stream (up to 96/24 which seems to bei the Google cast protocol limit) when using the Qobuz-App directly and the implemented Google cast feature or If I would have to use something like Roon (as Amir did in 2018) to get full quality. Can someone please clarify? Even after allt hese years?

The qobuz app itself tells you what file quality is streaming as far as I know. Hits 24/96 for me from qobuz to cca on Android. What's horrible is that YouTube Music to CCA sounds atrocious; something is definitely broken there.

 

[ah-ra]

The qobuz app itself tells you what file quality is streaming as far as I know. Hits 24/96 for me from qobuz to cca on Android. What's horrible is that YouTube Music to CCA sounds atrocious; something is definitely broken there.

Yes, I know. The Qobuz app seems to show the actual quality of the stream to CCA, so it was my assumption too that ist's only limited to 96/24, which isn't a big deal for me. I was just confused reading through this discussion here, as it seemed to be unclear whether it's bit-perfect and Amir's conclusion (No. 3 + 4) only applies to Roon and similar solutions but maybe not for the original implementations within the Qobuz-App. So I guess using the Google Cast solution within the Qobuz-App ist bit-perfect too.

This leads me to the question.... Why it doesn't everyone Just use this little inexpensive dongle....? (Yes, I know it's no longer available.).

 

[Julf]

This leads me to the question.... Why it doesn't everyone Just use this little inexpensive dongle....? (Yes, I know it's no longer available.).

Because it is too cheap, looks like a toy and brings no audiophile bragging rights.