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Review and Measurements of Chromecast Audio Digital Output

Julf

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Curious whether anyone has any thoughts on if an ethernet adapter like the below could impact the Chromecast Audio's digital and analog output for the worse.
There should definitely not be any impact on the digital output. With analog there is always the theoretical possibility of noise, but WiFi is probably worse in that sense.
 

adam2434

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I think this "official" Google ethernet adapter for the CC Ultra linked below (I believe these were standard issue with the Ultra) would also work with the CC Audio. The non-Google adapters (like the UGREEN one I have) are advertised to work with the CC Ultra and CC Audio, so seems like the one below should work for both also.

I may pick one of these up to try, since I have multiple CC Audio pucks in the house.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2841637717...MIsfCuhPTC9AIVhnZvBB1g7wnXEAQYAiABEgIsp_D_BwE
 

adam2434

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The CC Ultra power supply and ethernet adapter in the ebay link above does work with the CC Audio too, as expected.
 

adam2434

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@amirm

If I bought you one of the CC Ultra power supply/ethernet adapters in the ebay link a couple posts above, would you have any interest testing the CC Audio analog and digital performance using it with ethernet?

If not, no worries.
 

adam2434

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Just FYI - I am having one of the CC Ultra power supply/ethernet adapters (eBay link a few posts back) sent to Amir for analog and digital performance testing with the CC Audio.
 

adam2434

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I have read the first 30 pages of this thread, and don't see that the following has been confirmed.

Using Tidal HiFi (FLAC at 16/44.1) and casting to a CC Audio via the Tidal Android app, is the digital output bit-perfect when set to 100% volume?

Seems like it should be bit-perfect (and exactly the same as a local FLAC 16/44.1 rip of the exact same track), but not sure if this has been confirmed, or whether there is even a good way to confirm this.

Given Tidal's fairly recent tier pricing changes with the "HiFi" tier with FLAC 16/44.1 at only $10/month, if this is bit-perfect with the CC Audio digital output, what a inexpensive and convenient way to stream Redbook quality from both a streaming service and hardware standpoint...assuming it works bit-perfectly!
 

Jimbob54

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I have read the first 30 pages of this thread, and don't see that the following has been confirmed.

Using Tidal HiFi (FLAC at 16/44.1) and casting to a CC Audio via the Tidal Android app, is the digital output bit-perfect when set to 100% volume?

Seems like it should be bit-perfect (and exactly the same as a local FLAC 16/44.1 rip of the exact same track), but not sure if this has been confirmed, or whether there is even a good way to confirm this.

Given Tidal's fairly recent tier pricing changes with the "HiFi" tier with FLAC 16/44.1 at only $10/month, if this is bit-perfect with the CC Audio digital output, what a inexpensive and convenient way to stream Redbook quality from both a streaming service and hardware standpoint...assuming it works bit-perfectly!
It is.
 

adam2434

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Good to know.

Could you please point me to a test that shows this, if you have that handy?

I finished reading this thread and found no mention of specific data on this (Tidal FLAC 16/44.1 bit-perfect through CC Audio optical out).
 

Transmaniacon

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Good to know.

Could you please point me to a test that shows this, if you have that handy?

I finished reading this thread and found no mention of specific data on this (Tidal FLAC 16/44.1 bit-perfect through CC Audio optical out).
The issue though is Tidal is not lossless. There is a big thread about this but a lot of their songs are just the MQA versions without the necessary MQA unfolding. I’m sure some of their catalogue is true lossless red book, but not all of it. I think you’d be better off with Qobuz or Apple Music.
 

Jimbob54

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The issue though is Tidal is not lossless. There is a big thread about this but a lot of their songs are just the MQA versions without the necessary MQA unfolding. I’m sure some of their catalogue is true lossless red book, but not all of it. I think you’d be better off with Qobuz or Apple Music.
He asked if tidal to CCA was bit perfect. As in does the casting protocol get affected in the digital. Not if the tidal content was lossless. No need for another mqa rehash.
 

Jimbob54

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adam2434

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I was asking whether Tidal FLAC 16/44.1 (not MQA) was bit-perfect vs. the same FLAC 16/44.1 track streamed from a local CD rip.

I know that the CCA is capable of bit-perfect.

I certainly hope that a FLAC 16/44.1 stream pulled from Tidal routed to the CCA would be identical to the same FLAC 16/44.1 track ripped from a CD and played from a local server to the CCA.
 
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adam2434

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For example, take a new release CD (one that has not been remastered with multiple versions of the same CD) and rip a track to FLAC.

Play that ripped local FLAC track and the same track on Tidal HiFi (FLAC) at 100% volume on the CCA.

Would the bitstreams be identical from the CCA's digital output?

Not sure if there is an easy way to test this...
 

Jimbob54

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I was asking whether Tidal FLAC 16/44.1 (not MQA) was bit-perfect vs. the same FLAC 16/44.1 track streamed from a local CD rip.

I know that the CCA is capable of bit-perfect.

I certainly hope that a FLAC 16/44.1 stream pulled from Tidal routed to the CCA would be identical to the same FLAC 16/44.1 track ripped from a CD and played from a local server to the CCA.
If the FLAC file in each case is the same, then yes, it will be. If you're happy CCA is bit perfect, what's left to worry about?
 

adam2434

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If the FLAC file in each case is the same, then yes, it will be. If you're happy CCA is bit perfect, what's left to worry about?
That if is the if... :)

...if
a Tidal FLAC stream is the same as a local FLAC rip of the same track in terms of what the CCA is receiving and subsequently outputting via optical. I'm defining bit perfect to mean that a local FLAC CD rip and Tidal FLAC stream of the same track would be bit-for-bit identical.

This is more of a question (not a worry) regarding the Tidal FLAC stream bitstream quality vs. a CD FLAC rip, not a question on the CCA's capabilities per se.
 

Jimbob54

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That if is the if...:)

...if
a Tidal FLAC stream is the same as a local FLAC rip of the same track in terms of what the CCA is receiving and subsequently outputting via optical. I'm defining bit perfect to mean that a local FLAC CD rip and Tidal FLAC stream of the same track would be bit-for-bit identical.

This is more of a question (not a worry) regarding the Tidal FLAC stream bitstream quality vs. a CD FLAC rip, not a question on the CCA's capabilities per se.
Does it really matter? Could you tell them apart even if they could be discerned by equipment?
 

adam2434

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Does it really matter? Could you tell them apart even if they could be discerned by equipment?
I don't know, but that would be a moot question if they were known to be bit-for-bit identical.

Not trying to start a debate on the audibility of this or that.

This is a pretty simple question - is a Tidal FLAC 16/44.1 stream bit-for-bit identical to a local FLAC CD rip of the same track as played through the CCA?

A simple question for which there may not be an answer, and that's ok.
 
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