Review and Measurements of Chromecast Audio Digital Output

[staticV3]

How do you test what streaming quality the CCA is receiving?

My plan was to record the CCA's SPDIF output and compare it to the stream played back via Windows, using Deltawave.

If they null nicely, then we can assume that casting to the CCA does not affect audio fidelity.

 

[Soniclife]

Yes, volume at 100%, no tone controls applied. Even AirPlay from mconnect via ifi ZEN Stream passes the 44.1kHz/16-bit test.

What does the roon signal path show?

 

[mSpot]

The Chromecast icon appears in Chrome on my PC and I can click it to cast to my CCA, but no matter what I try it does not play.
Casting other sources works just fine, so not sure what is causing this.

I'm seeing a strange result for casting NPO Klassiek to CCA from either Windows or Android. The web player in both cases says it's casting, and the Android Home app says the CCA is playing a stream, but my DAC doesn't detect any input from the CCA. As I start and stop casting on the Windows or Android web player, the casting status also changes on the Android Home app. And vice-versa as well — if I end the casting from the Android Home app, the web player changes to stopped mode. The CCA is apparently reporting status as though the casting is working, but nothing is passing through to the DAC. Do you happen to have a Chromecast TV? I wonder if casting is working in that case.

 

[Willem]

Thank you! Do the Chromecast devices reduce the stream quality?

No. They are bit perfect and retain the original resolution.

 

[Willem]

I'm seeing a strange result for casting NPO Klassiek to CCA from either Windows or Android. The web player in both cases says it's casting, and the Android Home app says the CCA is playing a stream, but my DAC doesn't detect any input from the CCA. As I start and stop casting on the Windows or Android web player, the casting status also changes on the Android Home app. And vice-versa as well — if I end the casting from the Android Home app, the web player changes to stopped mode. The CCA is apparently reporting status as though the casting is working, but nothing is passing through to the DAC. Do you happen to have a Chromecast TV? I wonder if casting is working in that case.

Don't use the web player, it is sonically worse. Just use something like TuneIn and stream to the CCA.

 

[staticV3]

Do you happen to have a Chromecast TV? I wonder if casting is working in that case.

Yes. Casting NPO Klassiek to my CC Ultra works fine, though there is no video, only audio.

 

[mSpot]

Don't use the web player, it is sonically worse. Just use something like TuneIn and stream to the CCA.

That depends on what the Chromecast icon in the web player does. I presumed (but I could be wrong) that it would initiate a connection between the CCA and the radio station, not simply send the web browser's audio to the CCA.

 

[agnarok]

For it to be a pissing competition there would have to be a competitive element. Yes, you are sharing your thoughts/beliefs/perceptions, but as they are totally subjective and unverified, they are not very useful to anyone else.

They are useful to me

 

[Julf]

They are useful to me

Did you join (create the account) just to say that?

 

[agnarok]

Did you join (create the account) just to say that?

Yes, I did. I read all 50 pages yesterday and found it very interesting. Just felt the need to say what I said. So I did

 

[Julf]

Yes, I did. I read all 50 pages yesterday and found it very interesting. Just felt the need to say what I said. So I did

Great. I hope you keep reading more threads to experience more if the "Science" side of the "Audio Science Review" name.

 

[RosalieTheDog]

I figured I'd ask this question in this only corner of the internet where the CCA is still discussed.

My CCA recently disconnected from the home network. It sometimes happened before; a reboot was all that was needed. However, a reboot doesn't cut it anyore. Does anyone have recent experience setting it up again?

I am fearful this is a question of Google no longer supporting the Chromecast audio. The new Google home app no longer finds it. I do notice the device is still sending out its own Wifi signal (ChromecastAudio4734.a). I used to be able to configure it on my laptop through https://www.google.com/chromecast/setup/ or https://www.google.com/cast/setup/, connecting to that network and configuring it to connect to the home wifi. However, those weblinks simply forward you to configure the Chromecast via the Google Home app on your phone (which doesn't work).

It might be time to replace it with a Wiim, but it's a bit sour since I believe there is nothing wrong with the hardware.

 

[staticV3]

I figured I'd ask this question in this only corner of the internet where the CCA is still discussed.

My CCA recently disconnected from the home network. It sometimes happened before; a reboot was all that was needed. However, a reboot doesn't cut it anyore. Does anyone have recent experience setting it up again?

I am fearful this is a question of Google no longer supporting the Chromecast audio. The new Google home app no longer finds it. I do notice the device is still sending out its own Wifi signal (ChromecastAudio4734.a). I used to be able to configure it on my laptop through https://www.google.com/chromecast/setup/ or https://www.google.com/cast/setup/, connecting to that network and configuring it to connect to the home wifi. However, those weblinks simply forward you to configure the Chromecast via the Google Home app on your phone (which doesn't work).

It might be time to replace it with a Wiim, but it's a bit sour since I believe there is nothing wrong with the hardware.

My CCA still perfectly connects to the Google Home App.

 

[Jimbob54]

My CCA still perfectly connects to the Google Home App.

Ditto .

Set reset and set up one just last week .

 

[RosalieTheDog]

Thanks ... Turns out I had to 'remove' the device from the list of devices to be able to reinstall it. CCA still going strong.

 

[Jimbob54]

Thanks ... Turns out I had to 'remove' the device from the list of devices to be able to reinstall it. CCA still going strong.

There's a hard reset too which I think is holding the little button on the side for quite some time .

 

[Willem]

Mine are still working perfectly fine as well.

 

[VientoB]

Mine are too although one has a problem with the Topping D50 III using the optical input - 44.1kHz tracks have drop outs.

 

[gvl]

There’s one issue I haven’t found a solution for. Qobuz hires stutters, I’d happily use 44.1khz sampling but there isn’t a way to limit the quality for Chromecast. Iirc it used to work, now it will always play at the max up to 96khz even if limited to CD quality for WiFi in the app. Many new albums are hires only, and they stutter. Anyone here can play Qobuz @96khz without issues?

 

[capslock]

I had similar problems with Qobuz two years ago. Got rid of them both for this problem and because their catalogue was slow in getting filled.

Tried Tidal, Deezer, Amazon music, currently with Amazon, the catalogue and user interface have improved a lot. I get occasional drop outs with all three, but there seems to be no correlation with the bit rate (Amazon has some high res stuf now).

I wonder if Wiim Pro (Plus) is more robust?