Chromecast Audio (Analog and Digital Outputs) $35

[Rexp]

Agreed. It doesn't help that the 'should' is often difficult if not impossible to varify.

I'm more interested in you're actual listening experiences rather than any pointless theorising, what is your experience using different servers with the CCA?

[Snowmonkey]

I'm more interested in you're actual listening experiences rather than any pointless theorising, what is your experience using different servers with the CCA?

Well I wouldn't call myself an objectivist, but without a bit of "pointless" theorising no-one would have invented the CCA, nor any other digital music device.

[tgb]

Hello,

did anyone compare the CCA thru wifi vs the ethernet adapter sold by Google ?

=> https://store.google.com/product/ethernet_adapter_for_chromecast

if yes, any SQ diffrence ?

 

I use now the CCA thru wifi, and had a nice improvement (small but not 0) by powering the CCA with a stabilized PS.

So, I'm wondering if cutting the wifi and using the RJ45 adapter could bring another improvement... given the rather low price of the adapter I may have a try

by the way I think I would open that adapter to get rid of the AC/DC transformer & power it externaly with clean power ; but if the RJ45 adapter as itself brings an improvement that could be interesting ;-)

Thanks & Rgds

[lmitche]

Hello,

did anyone compare the CCA thru wifi vs the ethernet adapter sold by Google ?

=> https://store.google.com/product/ethernet_adapter_for_chromecast

if yes, any SQ diffrence ?

 

I use now the CCA thru wifi, and had a nice improvement (small but not 0) by powering the CCA with a stabilized PS.

So, I'm wondering if cutting the wifi and using the RJ45 adapter could bring another improvement... given the rather low price of the adapter I may have a try

by the way I think I would open that adapter to get rid of the AC/DC transformer & power it externaly with clean power ; but if the RJ45 adapter as itself brings an improvement that could be interesting ;-)

Thanks & Rgds

Hmmm, so the CCA is an USB input DAC wrapped in an Ethernet input DAC?

 

I wonder if the USB input of the HDMI Chromecast is enabled and works with the Ethernet gadget as well. Anyone know?

[Snowmonkey]

I wonder if the USB input of the HDMI Chromecast is enabled and works with the Ethernet gadget as well. Anyone know?

Yes it does. The link provided by tgb actually specifies the standard Chromecast and doesn't mention the CCA, though it clearly works with that as well.

[lmitche]

So in each case the USB input jack of the Chromecast must be configured as an addressable device, so can't be power only. I wonder where the IP stack runs, in the Chromecast or CCA or the $15 adapter.

[tgb]

As it is an "adapter" it should not have any IP, like a FMC within an optical network. The IP is given to the end-device : the CCA (I think...).

It should use the 4 wires in the USB cable as :

- 2 power wires to power the CCA

- 2 data wires to carry the data received from the network (don't know how it works)

 

It works with the CCA, not only the chromecast HDMI ; some people use it that way but I wonder if there is a SQ diff.

 

My concern is more about the power supply. As I got an improvement with a stabilized PS on my CCA thru wifi, I'll have to open that tiny box to see what is inside to squeeze the AC input current.

 

I finally bought the adapter to have a try. I'll post feedback about this 19eur test (not too expensive anyhow)

Rgds

[Snowmonkey]

The "IP stack" is a protocol and presuming the CCA uses TCP/IP, it must reside in the device itself, since it is able to communicate over WiFi. As this article explains, Ethernet devices are able to communicate over USB ports using a simple adaptor.

[Rexp]

As it is an "adapter" it should not have any IP, like a FMC within an optical network. The IP is given to the end-device : the CCA (I think...).

It should use the 4 wires in the USB cable as :

- 2 power wires to power the CCA

- 2 data wires to carry the data received from the network (don't know how it works)

 

It works with the CCA, not only the chromecast HDMI ; some people use it that way but I wonder if there is a SQ diff.

 

My concern is more about the power supply. As I got an improvement with a stabilized PS on my CCA thru wifi, I'll have to open that tiny box to see what is inside to squeeze the AC input current.

 

I finally bought the adapter to have a try. I'll post feedback about this 19eur test (not too expensive anyhow)

Rgds

Look foward to your findings! Also interested to know if you a preferred file server for the CCA (NAS, Phone, Cloud, PC)?

[Rexp]

New Airfoil software allows casting audio from Mac to CCA, anyone tried it, and is it gapless?

 

 

https://weblog.rogueamoeba.com/2016/10/28/airfoil-5-5-now-playing-on-chromecast/

[Cebolla]

So long as Airfoil just captures the Mac's audio output when casting to the Chromecast Audio, as it does for AirPlay, then of course it'll be gapless - assuming the source music file player application (eg, iTunes) can play its music file tracks gaplessly!

 

The CCA does not support gapless playback when presented with the actual individual music file tracks themselves, one after the other. This won't change unless Google have a rethink and correct the issue that the Google Cast SDK team closed (WontFix) way back in March:

https://code.google.com/p/google-cast-sdk/issues/detail?id=745

[Sam Lord]

I've had quite a bit of trouble using Pandora with the CCA and an iphone. The installation videos, like so many in this business, are poor. I *do* like the device, Tidal works great through the CCA on my android phone. I think that this inexpensive gadget is brilliant, though it follows the Google pattern (IME) of being somewhat rough and unfinished in its introduction.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[Rexp]

Another option for using a Windows device with CCA is a new media player called Duplex Media Player. It's not gapless but sounds really good.

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

Thanks for the info. Windows 10 only though.

[tgb]

Hi,

FIY I just posted there => http://forum-hifi.fr/thread-575-post-487310.html#pid487310

a teardown of a CCA, with voltages on the PCB, useful before modifications ahead.

Cdt

 

PS : it's in French but the relevant info is the last picture with review of voltages of the main (the biggest ! ) capacitors.