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The Chromecast Audio device... Able to do hi-res streaming?

hnash53

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I've read/heard that the Chromecast Audio device is not capable of doing hi-res/CD quality such as Amazon HD.
Is that true?
Thanks.
 

Jimbob54

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I've read/heard that the Chromecast Audio device is not capable of doing hi-res/CD quality such as Amazon HD.
Is that true?
Thanks.
It won't do hi res amazon. But think that's the amazon servers, not the device capability. It just reports 16/44.1 but don't know if that is lossless or some lossy file type Qobuz does up to 96khz
 
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hnash53

hnash53

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I think I found out....yes!!
Some dingdongs in another audio forum (not audio science) say it doesn't.
 

Open Mind Audio

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My ancient Chromecast Audio (hockey puck-dongle circa 2016-17) streams 24/96 just fine, picking up high-res files via WiFi. It does not go higher in resolution nor does it play DSD. No complaints otherwise. It's a handy way to stream to a preamp/amp combo in the bedroom. Roon spots it as well, making it an easy user experience, complete with Roon's basic room correction.

PS - Have not tried Amazon hi-res on the Chromecast Audio dongle. Seems odd it would deliver hi-res via Roon but not Amazon.
 
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hnash53

hnash53

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Now I'm confused...
 

Jimbob54

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Again, the issue is what the streaming service elects to send to the Chromecast Audio. The CCA capability isn't the issue. Does not matter what roon, qobuz or anything else can send to it if the service in question is something else. Amazon HD was mentioned in the OP.
 
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hnash53

hnash53

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This is a bit maddening to me. The CCA device does have hi res capability... but now I'm hearing/reading that the Amazon HD service won't work with the CCA device.
Excuse me, but WTF?
 

Phorize

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This is a bit maddening to me. The CCA device does have hi res capability... but now I'm hearing/reading that the Amazon HD service won't work with the CCA device.
Excuse me, but WTF?
I think the Amazon hd service came online after Google had deprecated the cca, in which case the lack of supported may be expected.
 

Open Mind Audio

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This is a bit maddening to me. The CCA device does have hi res capability... but now I'm hearing/reading that the Amazon HD service won't work with the CCA device.
Excuse me, but WTF?

That is maddening, even if CCA has been out of commission since 2019. To be precise, Amazon HD, which tops out at CD quality lossless 16-bit / 44.1 Hz, does work on CCA playing Amazon Music, at least on my system, which I just verified. The path showed consistent 16/44.1 from my iPhone, cast to CCA, and played on my bedroom system. But Amazon Ultra HD does not work: It deprecates from 24-bit / 96 Hz down to the 16 / 44.1 CD quality. Not bad, but not high-res. And as stated before, it's especially unfortunate given that CCA plays 24/96 files faithfully via Roon (provided you have CCA volume at 100).
 
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hnash53

hnash53

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That is maddening, even if CCA has been out of commission since 2019. To be precise, Amazon HD, which tops out at CD quality lossless 16-bit / 44.1 Hz, does work on CCA playing Amazon Music, at least on my system, which I just verified. The path showed consistent 16/44.1 from my iPhone, cast to CCA, and played on my bedroom system. But Amazon Ultra HD does not work: It deprecates from 24-bit / 96 Hz down to the 16 / 44.1 CD quality. Not bad, but not high-res. And as stated before, it's especially unfortunate given that CCA plays 24/96 files faithfully via Roon (provided you have CCA volume at 100).
CD quality is fine for me. Thanks for verifying the CCA's performance.
I did not know that CD quality is NOT considered "hi-res." I've been in error assuming that it was so... So thanks for that clarification.

Is there a simple way or an app that can show me the audio quality when I'm streaming?
 

Open Mind Audio

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Is there a simple way or an app that can show me the audio quality when I'm streaming?

Others may have additional suggestions, but I'm aware only of how you can do this within certain apps. On Amazon Music, if you click on the "HD" symbol (or "Ultra HD" or "SD" if that one exists), a pop-up window will show you the signal path including the bits and resolution. The three apps I use most often also do this -- Roon, Qobuz, and JRiver (and they play higher res files and DSD, in addition to Roon being tons more adept and enjoyable than Amazon Music). I imagine plenty of other streaming apps can also do this, though I have not seen it on Spotify mobile, which is popular with others in our household.
 

Open Mind Audio

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CD quality is fine for me. Thanks for verifying the CCA's performance.
I did not know that CD quality is NOT considered "hi-res." I've been in error assuming that it was so... So thanks for that clarification.

Is there a simple way or an app that can show me the audio quality when I'm streaming?
PS - Plenty of streaming services market CD-quality as "high-res," I guess to distinguish themselves for the old-fashioned 192 kHz mp3 level of streaming. But yes, most of us would define it as 24/96 or DSD/SACD at a minimum, or perhaps if we feel generous, as 24/48.
 

threni

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PS - Plenty of streaming services market CD-quality as "high-res," I guess to distinguish themselves for the old-fashioned 192 kHz mp3 level of streaming. But yes, most of us would define it as 24/96 or DSD/SACD at a minimum, or perhaps if we feel generous, as 24/48.
To make it more confusing, CD-quality is lossless - otherwise it wouldn't be the same quality as the original CD. But "high-res" includes lossy formats. It's just meaningless; a marketing phrase that's either referring to something audibly identical to CD-quality, or actually inferior to "standard-res".
 

Open Mind Audio

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Is the CCA's analog output the same using it's own built-in DAC?
Yes. You can bypass its built-in DAC using the Toslink output. (My understanding is you're asking: Does the CCA's analog output mean you are engaging the CCA's DAC, and the answer is yes, you are in this case relying on the CCA's DAC for digital-to-analog conversion.)

PS - Here's an explanation, in case I'm responding in a confusing way!
https://www.soundstagehifi.com/inde...gital-output-from-a-chromecast-audio-streamer
 
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hnash53

hnash53

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Guess I was unclear. I want to know if the analog output of the CCA device is CD quality or higher?
I'm not interested in getting an external DAC.

staticV3 says the analog output is lossy.

Holdt says it's capable of 24/96.
 
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