Review and Measurements of Chromecast Audio Digital Output

[ah-ra]

I bought one in the period they were being discontinued and only recently did I begin to use it regularly. From my phone I can use USB Audio Player Player Pro, applying PEQ for my speakers. FLAC files play at own resolution (44 mostly), radio streams at 48. From my PC, it's often not detected by Chrome, I don't know why. But for $30? Great device. There is no competition for the price. And too much of the competition is way overpriced IMO.

FWIW, I read in an article from about 4 months ago that a mkII version is rumored to be in the works, which would be great.

Yesterday I set up a DVD player to work through WiFi as an UpnP device into the coax in of my amp to see if that could work as an alternative if the CCA breaks down, especially I thought maybe that could be a way for hirez radio streams to play at native rates. Well the sound got through but slowed down to about 80% speed. UpnP protocol is new to me and I'll have to investigate that more...

I don't know how you connected the CCA, but what I know (and now has been confirmed here....) ist that via toslink CCA can also play up to 96/24, e.g. via Qobuz or Amazon HD Apps....

 

[ah-ra]

Lack of gapless playback for some.

That's true, but also the case with other (more expensive streamers). Actually I don't mind.

 

[Jimbob54]

I had one fail and take the DAC with it

Not doubting at all but how does an optical connection blow a dac? Or was it on same power strip?

 

[ahofer]

Not doubting at all but how does an optical connection blow a dac? Or was it on same power strip?

You have every reason to doubt. My considered recollection (above, but below the post to which you replied) was that was the CCA event that took out my tweeter and the DAC followed later. It was 4 years ago, and a "series of unfortunate events"

 

[Jimbob54]

You have every reason to doubt. My considered recollection (above, but below the post to which you replied) was that was the CCA event that took out my tweeter and the DAC followed later. It was 4 years ago, and a "series of unfortunate events"

I've had some of those as well. Sorry, jumped in before reading on from your post

 

[vert]

I don't know how you connected the CCA, but what I know (and now has been confirmed here....) ist that via toslink CCA can also play up to 96/24, e.g. via Qobuz or Amazon HD Apps....

I only have couple of albums over 44 resolution, they do play at 96.

 

[RosalieTheDog]

I don't know how you connected the CCA, but what I know (and now has been confirmed here....) ist that via toslink CCA can also play up to 96/24, e.g. via Qobuz or Amazon HD Apps....

The "up to 96/24" has to be qualified. My CCA works with both 41 en 96 streams from Qobuz, but not 88.2 streams (there is no sound).

 

[Chrispy]

The "up to 96/24" has to be qualified. My CCA works with both 41 en 96 streams from Qobuz, but not 88.2 streams (there is no sound).

Well 88.2 streams aren't exactly common either....

 

[morillon]

the stability of the wifi is a little capricious , with cut etc,... the wiim mini in comparison does not pose a problem... but hey, several years separate them and there has been clear progress for wifi

 

[morillon]

Manque de lecture sans interruption pour certains.

yes

 

[ah-ra]

The "up to 96/24" has to be qualified. My CCA works with both 41 en 96 streams from Qobuz, but not 88.2 streams (there is no sound).

Haven't checked that so far....

 

[ah-ra]

The "up to 96/24" has to be qualified. My CCA works with both 41 en 96 streams from Qobuz, but not 88.2 streams (there is no sound).

I checked it today with Anne Clark - Borderlands in 88.2/24 in Qobuz. It's playing flawlessly with my CCA connected to my pro-ject DAC via toslink.... Listening to it as I'm writing this...

 

[RosalieTheDog]

I checked it today with Anne Clark - Borderlands in 88.2/24 in Qobuz. It's playing flawlessly with my CCA connected to my pro-ject DAC via toslink.... Listening to it as I'm writing this...

Interesting! Handel: Salve Regina by Julie Roset and the Millenium Orchestra via CCA, casting from the Qobuz app, optical to Topping D70s: works at 44.1 setting, no sound (and no signal!) at 88.2. The Topping does play the album in 88.2 using Qobuz in UAPP and USB-out of my phone. Perhaps it's a problem of my DAC.

 

[mccririck]

The "up to 96/24" has to be qualified. My CCA works with both 41 en 96 streams from Qobuz, but not 88.2 streams (there is no sound).

Are you using the Chromecast Audio DAC? I have another DAC that it feeds digitally and 88.2 is fine.

 

[slackerpo]

the stability of the wifi is a little capricious , with cut etc,... the wiim mini in comparison does not pose a problem... but hey, several years separate them and there has been clear progress for wifi

this is super helpful to know. i've been getting tired of the wifi cuts in my multiroom set up. so im banking on replacing them with wiim minis. adding wireless mqa sounds good for me too.

 

[ajd578]

What's horrible is that YouTube Music to CCA sounds atrocious; something is definitely broken there.

Objectively measured, or listening impression? Either way, is this documented?

I’ve had my CCA forever and just now ordered an optical connect (didn’t realize it had digital out at all). My Parasound Halo Integrated’s onboard DAC claims to have a jitter eliminator.

 

[MrOtto]

Concerns about the bit perfectness of CCA and Tidal app playback:

Is Chromecast Audio Bit-Perfect? · Ivan Nikitin

nikitin.io

Any concerns about the methodology?

 

[RosalieTheDog]

Concerns about the bit perfectness of CCA and Tidal app playback:

Is Chromecast Audio Bit-Perfect? · Ivan Nikitin

nikitin.io

Any concerns about the methodology?

Someone else can comment on that, but I agree with the comment. You can do basic treble and bass equalization with chromecast audio: does leaving these settings default bypass the internal equalization or no? If not, probably not bit perfect.

 

[vkvedam]

I don't think that those settings will have an effect in digital output mode

 

[Tenfilip]

Are there any measurements of analog output? Haven't found any, and I wonder if it's worth getting a D50 just to get some improvement.