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Chromecast Audio (Analog and Digital Outputs) $35


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Also, a good Toslink cable to an external DAC (I'm using Lifatec and recommend it) works out much better.

 

Coincidently, that is the only one I could find around the house. The irony of using this thing with a cable costing over twice its price is not lost on me.

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Have you tried powering the CCA with a power pack and listening via analog out (with the 'full dynamic range' setting on)? Would be interested in a comparison with your DAC. TIA!

 

Have not used a powerbank with it. The internal DAC though I've used and found it to be better than Sonos, Sony Dock and similar portable/Bluetooth speakers and devices. It even sounded better than the DAC of my Onkyo AVR (its 7-8 years old), but not so much with more modern AVRs from Yamaha and Pioneer.

 

Personally I've found budget DACs from SMSL and Schiit to be much better than analog from CCA and that's how I use it.

 

Coincidently, that is the only one I could find around the house. The irony of using this thing with a cable costing over twice its price is not lost on me.

 

Well at least we are not talking of LPS here.

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world - Martin Luther

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Have not used a powerbank with it. The internal DAC though I've used and found it to be better than Sonos, Sony Dock and similar portable/Bluetooth speakers and devices. It even sounded better than the DAC of my Onkyo AVR (its 7-8 years old), but not so much with more modern AVRs from Yamaha and Pioneer.

 

Personally I've found budget DACs from SMSL and Schiit to be much better than analog from CCA and that's how I use it.

 

 

 

Well at least we are not talking of LPS here.

 

5V TeraDak is a good option and not outrageous price. So yep I'm talking LPS [emoji6]

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  • 2 weeks later...

After playing with CCA for a few days, my order of preference in how to feed it is:

 

1. PC with AirParrot>CCA = Good clear, detailed sound.

2. Phone>CCA =More rounded, less detailed sound but listenable.

3. PC with UpNP>CCA = Not as clear/detailed, boring sound.

 

This is using a powerbank and analog out, next step is to try a few DAC's.

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After playing with CCA for a few days, my order of preference in how to feed it is:

 

1. PC with AirParrot>CCA = Good clear, detailed sound.

2. Phone>CCA =More rounded, less detailed sound but listenable.

3. PC with UpNP>CCA = Not as clear/detailed, boring sound.

 

This is using a powerbank and analog out, next step is to try a few DAC's.

 

Isn't AirParrot the same as DLNA/UPnP? Unless its using a different technology...

 

I found wireless streaming to CCA to be the same across the board... from PC via Foobar, from Pi via MinimServer, from Synology NAS via MinimServer and AudioStation, and Aries Mini.

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world - Martin Luther

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Isn't AirParrot the same as DLNA/UPnP? Unless its using a different technology...

 

I found wireless streaming to CCA to be the same across the board... from PC via Foobar, from Pi via MinimServer, from Synology NAS via MinimServer and AudioStation, and Aries Mini.

I'm not surprised as all your methods are DLNA/UPnP aren't they?

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I'm not surprised as all your methods are DLNA/UPnP aren't they?

 

Yes they are, all are running a DLNA/UPnP media server. Just wondering how AirParrot differs? Might give it a try.

 

BTW I use an external DAC, Lifatec Toslink cable to a Schiit. Don't really use the internal DAC of the CCA. You'd get better SQ by moving to Toslink from analog... get the mini-Toslink to Toslink adapter or cable.

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world - Martin Luther

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It's the CCA that is processing these music files. As Cebolla has pointed out (and I agree), the only way there would logically be a difference in sound quality from different sources is if the casting software is compressing or otherwise degrading the file which it is sending.

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

- Einstein

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Yes they are, all are running a DLNA/UPnP media server. Just wondering how AirParrot differs? Might give it a try.

 

BTW I use an external DAC, Lifatec Toslink cable to a Schiit. Don't really use the internal DAC of the CCA. You'd get better SQ by moving to Toslink from analog... get the mini-Toslink to Toslink adapter or cable.

Thanks for the tip, yes do try AirParrot, don't know the tech so can't help there, also try casting directly from your phone using a cast friendly app like Tidal/Qobuz.

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I've posted on this site very little in the past but I'm curious and wanted to bring up some options.

I use the CCA sort of backwards to the way its being purposed here. The CCA is being used as an access to Tidal. I have a cheap Android smart phone which has ChromeCast and Bubble UPnP loaded. I have two systems: one has a renderer of a RPi3 running Moode Audio to an iFi micro DSD configured to resample to 32bit/384 khz and the other renderer is a pc running JRMC V21 resampling to DSD 56mhz 1 bit through a Korg DAC. There is a WD MYCLOUD NAS on the network and it can be utilized by both systems. Tidal is streamed through the CCA and connects to the network through wifi only. The Android phone is used to direct that stream to either of the renderers. Playback is also set on the phone as a remote and determined by the renderers only as to resolution, choice of material, order,etc. I connect via a pc occassionally to Tidal to make changes to My Music because the phone screen is tiny but the stream doesn't normally go there unless selected as a renderer. Moode and JRMC are of course utilized as DLNA/UPnP servers. But there is no hardwired connection to the CCA jut wifi and this network is very stable and quite good sounding and relatively inexpensive.

 

Larry

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Hi Larry

 

I'm a bit confused as to how you are using the Chromecast Audio in your setup - "the CCA is being used as an access to Tidal", especially as it shouldn't have anything to do with streaming Tidal via the two UPnP/DLNA supporting renderers you mentioned (Moode Audio on the RPi and JRMC on the pc). The BubbleUPnP Android app that you also mentioned using is the only thing in your setup (assuming I've figured it out correctly) that enables Mood Audio and JRMC to access & stream from Tidal and the CCA has nothing to do with that mechanism.

 

Think of the CCA as just another music file streamer like the Mood Audio and the JRMC being used as renderers. The main difference is that the CCA is incompatible with UPnP/DLNA streaming, so requires specialised software like the BubbleUPnP Android app to translate or provide a bridge between the two systems. The BubbleUPnP Android app then allows the CCA to stream anything the UPnP/DLNA renderers can when using the same app, eg, tracks from Tidal or music files from a UPnP/DLNA media server on the network.

 

Incidentally, have you actually tried connecting the CCA's output (either analogue or digital optical) to the rest of your audio system, so therefore actually listened to the CCA's own streaming & playback of tracks from Tidal or music files from a UPnP/DLNA media server when using the CCA with the BubbleUPnP Android app?

 

John

We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.

-- Jo Cox

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Hi John:

The reason that Tidal works so well on my home network is a result of following this video

The Cast application is perhaps what you may have overlooked. You do need to configure that to use the CCA to reach the cloud or the NAS.

I have tried using the CCA's output as matter of fact that is a selectable setting in Bubble UPnP. The DAC is not bad but not as good as either the iFi or Korg.

Larry

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That video is showing precisely what I mentioned in the second paragraph of my last post! The Google Cast application is just used to configure the Chromecast devices themselves (getting it to connect to you network in the first place - so that it's useable, audio settings, etc), so not really ovelooked but assumed that it has already been used.

 

If you look at what device the guy on the video is selecting in the BubbleUPnP Android app, you'll notice that the CCA has been selected from the list of available renderers on the network. In other words the BubbleUPnP app is making the CCA appear as if it is just another UPnP/DLNA renderer (like Moode Audio & JRMC in your setup), so that it can be used in exactly the same way as those renderers. This allows you to use the CCA to stream from any of the sources (cloud ones like Tidal, Qobuz, Google Music, Amazon Drive, etc, as well as bog standard UPnP/DLNA media servers), just like the UPnP/DLNA renderers can with the app.

 

The 'normal' UPnP/DLNA renderers had that ability before the beta version of the BubbleUPnP Android app mentioned in the video, so long before the BubbleUPnP Android app could use the CCA. For example, here's @bubbleguuum (BubbleUPnP's developer) thread announcing that the Qobuz music service had been just added to the officialy released BubbleUPnP Android app - notice that Tidal is already mentioned as available:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f22-networking-networked-audio-and-streaming/play-qobuz-any-streamer-bubbleupnp-android-25075/

BTW, the info in the video is quite old and the official released version has supported Chromecast for some time now, so need for any beta version.

We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.

-- Jo Cox

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In use, one launches the Cast application which directs things to the CCA and thence the cloud. The Bubble UPnP is then launched and the next selection is which local Renderer to direct the stream to use (upper right hand Corner,). Next the Library you want to play from must be selected (Upper Left Corner.) Frankly, this works pretty much flawlessly.

 

Larry

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Larry,

 

The point is that the Google Cast app is not required (not even run once) to get BubbleUPnP Android app to connect to the cloud services (Tidal or otherwise) in order for the selected renderer to stream from those services. That is what the BubbleUPnP Android app already does, by itself.

 

The Google Cast app is there to configure the CCA to connect to your home network. It should only be need to run once per Chromecast device to connect it to the network, unless the chromecast is reset. This then allows you to use the Chromecast devices with any third party (ie non Google) Chromecast supporting application running on any device on the network, such as the BubbleUPnP Android app on your phone.

We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.

-- Jo Cox

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Hi John:

The reason that Tidal works so well on my home network is a result of following this video

The Cast application is perhaps what you may have overlooked. You do need to configure that to use the CCA to reach the cloud or the NAS.

I have tried using the CCA's output as matter of fact that is a selectable setting in Bubble UPnP. The DAC is not bad but not as good as either the iFi or Korg.

Larry

I tried a few DACs , schiit modi, ifi micro, chord Hugo and moon 280d and didn't think any were a significant upgrade to the CCA analog out (when using a power bank). Have you tried using a power bank? Also make sure 'full dynamic range' is turned on in settings.

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I tried a few DACs , schiit modi, ifi micro, chord Hugo and moon 280d and didn't think any were a significant upgrade to the CCA analog out (when using a power bank). Have you tried using a power bank? Also make sure 'full dynamic range' is turned on in settings.

 

I've both a Yamaha and an Onkyo and tried both Toslink and analog and the CCA surprisingly holds its own very well via analog output. Even more surprising when you consider its $35 against $800 to $1200 AVRs though they are from 2012-13. However, not so much against my Gumby.

 

Its a good thing the advances in tech are giving us more bang for the buck. Hopefully the next gen CC devices will have USB C and the audio manufacturers support it.

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world - Martin Luther

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When playing back through either of my systems, the resolution is set to a resampled value, which is much higher than Red Book, 32/384 in the case of the iFi micro DSD and DSD 64 khz in the case of the Korg. This is true whether the program material is from my local NAS or from Tidal. I realize that there are many who don't hold w/ resampleing but not me.

Am I sure that playback is at those resolutions? The hardware and the software are also indicating those levels. I've come to prefer playback at those levels of resolution.

Larry

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It struck as a very powerful thing that one could acquire a stream of music w/ a $30-35 device and then be able to resample it to any level you choose and for only a cost of $20 a month. That stream is only limited to those selections available on Tidal- not that big a limitation.

It would be a tragedy if Tidal is ever acquired by Apple and it gets turned into trash.

 

Larry

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It struck as a very powerful thing that one could acquire a stream of music w/ a $30-35 device and then be able to resample it to any level you choose and for only a cost of $20 a month. That stream is only limited to those selections available on Tidal- not that big a limitation.

It would be a tragedy if Tidal is ever acquired by Apple and it gets turned into trash.

 

Larry

As has been mentioned you don't need CCA to access Tidal, just your Android phone and Bubble UPnP app....

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I've both a Yamaha and an Onkyo and tried both Toslink and analog and the CCA surprisingly holds its own very well via analog output. Even more surprising when you consider its $35 against $800 to $1200 AVRs though they are from 2012-13. However, not so much against my Gumby.

 

Its a good thing the advances in tech are giving us more bang for the buck. Hopefully the next gen CC devices will have USB C and the audio manufacturers support it.

I thought the Schiit Modi sounded a bit better tha CCA analog out so the Gumby could be the way to go, hard to audition for me though. Will try a few more DAC's and apparently Airfoil will be CCA ready soon so will see if that is better than Airparrot.

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