Article: Basic Bit Perfect Testing Of The $35 Chromecast Audio

[The Computer Audiophile]

You can view the page at http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content.php?r=677-Basic-Bit-Perfect-Testing-Of-The-35-Chromecast-Audio

[wgscott]

Thanks, Chris. Very helpful review.

 

I have two very basic, stupid questions:

 

(1) Can it play apple-centric formats like ALAC and AAC?

 

(2) Does the DAC sound any better than an internal DAC on a good laptop or iMac? (I use headphones directly into my iMac's headphone analog jack at home sometimes, and find it is surprisingly good.)

[The Computer Audiophile]

Thanks, Chris. Very helpful review.

 

I have two very basic, stupid questions:

 

(1) Can it play apple-centric formats like ALAC and AAC?

 

(2) Does the DAC sound any better than an internal DAC on a good laptop or iMac? (I use headphones directly into my iMac's headphone analog jack at home sometimes, and find it is surprisingly good.)

Hey Bill - It will play ALAC but based on my testing I don't believe it's bit perfect. Haven't tried the lossy AAC but I believe it's supported. No answer for you on the DAC quality.

 

Edit: Plex is transcoding ALAC to MP3, so I am unsure what to say now :~)

 

Edit 2: Plex is capable of playing ALAC without transcoding. Now I believe the Chromecast Audio doesn't support ALAC without conversion.

[jeffmudrick]

Do you have reason to believe the CCA implementation is lacking somehow beyond the 24/96 limitations ? I wonder why it's "not remotely a high end device"?

[The Computer Audiophile]

Do you have reason to believe the CCA implementation is lacking somehow beyond the 24/96 limitations ? I wonder why it's "not remotely a high end device"?

Hi Jeff - My comments about it not being a high end device have nothing to do with the enjoyment one may receive from this device. I'd take the Chromecast Audio playing my favorite music rather than an ultra high end stereo playing Scottish nose whistle at 32/384 any day. However, it's tough to build a high end device that does what the Chromecast Audio does and sell it for $35. The high end crystal oscillators is many high end devices cost more than the entire Chromecast Audio.

 

I am trying to get the Chromecast Audio jitter tested as well.

[jeffmudrick]

Hi Jeff - My comments about it not being a high end device have nothing to do with the enjoyment one may receive from this device. I'd take the Chromecast Audio playing my favorite music rather than an ultra high end stereo playing Scottish nose whistle at 32/384 any day. However, it's tough to build a high end device that does what the Chromecast Audio does and sell it for $35. The high end crystal oscillators is many high end devices cost more than the entire Chromecast Audio.

 

I am trying to get the Chromecast Audio jitter tested as well.

 

Looking forward to your tests. I know I'm spending more time with the Chromecast than my Roon USB setup. I'd love to hear the CCA with the Wyred Remedy.

[wgscott]

Scottish nose whistle at 32/384 any day. .

 

Obviously, you just haven't heard a good nose whistle.

 

[Toolonginexile]

great review THANKS!. I had put aside my device while waiting for the update as well. A couple of questions.

 

1) How do you get to the settings page you provided in order to ensure you have the latest firmware? My settings looks nothing like yours. I only get a list with google apps feed back, privacy etc. There is a version listed as 1.136812, But there is no other page.....

 

2) Re Plex Wasnt there some talk that plex automatically down rez's files ? How can you ensure plex is playing back uncompressed?

 

I have high hopes for this thing hooked up to a dac but as you mentioned it will not be ready for prime time UNTIL THE FOLKS AT TIDAL get on board.

[pmcvicar]

This is an excellent follow-up Chris given the drastic changes the latest firmware provides. I'm very interested to hear your impressions of the performance of this device into a good DAC vs alternative streamers.

[James Cridland]

How do you get to the settings page you provided in order to ensure you have the latest firmware? My settings looks nothing like yours. I only get a list with google apps feed back, privacy etc. There is a version listed as 1.136812, But there is no other page.....

 

If you're running Android, you want to use the Chromecast app, and select 'Devices'. Then, choose the menu button (the 'kebab' button, which is three dots above one another), and choose 'Device settings'. The firmware settings are at the bottom of the page.

 

As an aside: you should also test Google Play Music, which both allows you to play from any song in its catalog (just like Spotify), but also lets you upload your own tracks to the system, so all your music is in one place. Those uploads are either matched with existing songs, or are, I believe, transcoded.

[Cebolla]

Chris, don't forget to include testing for gapless playback. I've seen mentioned that gapless is only supported when the CCA is streaming from Google Play Music and even then it's been reported that it might not be true gapless, since there may be momentary pauses going unnoticed due to the relatively faster loading and playback of much smaller MP3 files (the only file format currently supported when streaming from Google Play Music).

[Bryan]

Nice device for the times especially for younger generations we see everywhere squinting at smartphones screens giggling at whatever inane thing is tickling their fancy. Sarcasm aside, affordable digital music is a good thing.

[The Computer Audiophile]

I was just reading a bit more about the internal components of the Chromecast Audio on the ifixit site. The site mentioned the model number as RUX-J42. One commenter on the site suggests the following about this model number:

 

 

"RUX-J42 =

"R U eXperienced", and J-42 was the internal code for Midnight Lightning, a posthumous release from James Marshall Hendrix (aka. Jimi Hendrix). Looks to be a direct Hendrix reference."

 

 

[james45974]

I bought a CCA when it first came out with high hopes but in my opinion Google has not delivered a great user experience. For my low-fi listening use I keep going back to my Sonos system, as the saying goes "it just works"! No fiddling around with another program (Plex) trying to get local content to play, the casting performance was iffy at times. I have a regular ChromeCast hooked up to my TV and find that its performance is better than the CCA.

[jeffmudrick]

I bought a CCA when it first came out with high hopes but in my opinion Google has not delivered a great user experience. For my low-fi listening use I keep going back to my Sonos system, as the saying goes "it just works"! No fiddling around with another program (Plex) trying to get local content to play, the casting performance was iffy at times. I have a regular ChromeCast hooked up to my TV and find that its performance is better than the CCA.

 

Thus far the CCA is best suited to streaming services rather than local playback. I expect that will improve. The bugginess with local FLAC playback should get sorted with a firmware update . For those who listen primarily via Google Play Music, Spotify, or Tidal however, well Sonos Shmonos, the CCA is a godsend. It just works too, for $35.

[loop7]

32/384

 

Hilarious

[speavler]

Does the Tidal app work the same as the spotify app - 'cast-enabled'?

[jeffmudrick]

Does the Tidal app work the same as the spotify app - 'cast-enabled'?

 

On Android Tidal streams via BubbleUPnP. Direct integration still forthcoming.

[james45974]

Thus far the CCA is best suited to streaming services rather than local playback. I expect that will improve. The bugginess with local FLAC playback should get sorted with a firmware update . For those who listen primarily via Google Play Music, Spotify, or Tidal however, well Sonos Shmonos, the CCA is a godsend. It just works too, for $35.

 

I hope they get the bugs and user experience worked out. The prospect of passing through better than redbook resolution to my DAC as opposed to the capability of Sonos, would be great. It would take my low-fi up a notch! I don't do too much streaming, my house is internet impaired (only satellite or dial up here), but I do use TuneIn and Pandora occasionally. Playing my local content takes precedence, so CCA has a ways to go to have 'It Just Works' status.

[jeffmudrick]

I hope they get the bugs and user experience worked out. The prospect of passing through better than redbook resolution to my DAC as opposed to the capability of Sonos, would be great. It would take my low-fi up a notch! I don't do too much streaming, my house is internet impaired (only satellite or dial up here), but I do use TuneIn and Pandora occasionally. Playing my local content takes precedence, so CCA has a ways to go to have 'It Just Works' status.

 

 

I have no problems with local Redbook FLAC playback using BubbleUPnP (or Shuttle) on mobile. As Chris indicated some hirez works some doesn't. It'll get fixed.

[airdronian]

It's an interesting device for sure. Anyone try AIFF files, of any bitrate ?

[PeterR]

Thanks for the review and the well researched information - interesting reading indeed.

 

I have both Plex and Subsonic as with a 1st generation Chromecast. I find Subsonic together with DSub on my phone/tablet to be a much better audio streaming solution than Plex. I've ordered a couple of Chromecast Audio's, hopefully with be with me soon and am looking forward to testing them streaming FLAC files from Subsonic.

[endlesscycles]

would love it if Volumio would emulate a chromecast audio.

[rogerdn]

What is 'Playback Sounds/cast start and volume changes' in the Device Settings screen ?

[The Computer Audiophile]

What is 'Playback Sounds/cast start and volume changes' in the Device Settings screen ?

 

I believe that simply means a sound is played to let you know when you initially connect to Chromecast and when you change volume.