Finally set up my Chromecast Audio

[wgscott]

"Problem #3 is finding a cable with a Toslink connector on one end and a mini-Toslink on the other (to go into the 1/8" hybrid output jack). Best Buy doesn't carry them, and neither does any other retail outlet in Philly that I could find. I foolishly assumed that the Apple store would have one, since they pioneered use of the hybrid optical/analog "headphone" jack - but they do not. I finally ordered one from Amazon."

 

You don't need to get a special cable. You can get a small adapter that fits over the end of a Toslink cable. It has a 1/8 connector on it, but there's a small hole in the middle so the light can pass through it. Shouldn't have any problems finding it at Radio Shack. They look like this.

 

https://www.google.com/#q=toslink+adapter&tbm=shop&spd=6720703778633089543

 

 

I've purchased piles of them from Amazon, and you can also get an adaptor for about $0.02, if you want to use it with your favorite optical cable. All it does is aim the laser through the hole in the middle of the adaptor, so it will be lossless.

 

Also, the glass one I liked comes with the mini toslink version.

[qdwieertteyrujpo]

I "deeply pondered" the question of using Plex overnight, and gave it a try: boy I am glad I did.

I just bought another CCA as well as a CC, which allows me to very easily enjoy my movies through Plex as well.

Great advice from Snowmonkey!

[zyberguran]

I've purchased piles of them from Amazon, and you can also get an adaptor for about $0.02, if you want to use it with your favorite optical cable. All it does is aim the laser through the hole in the middle of the adaptor, so it will be lossless.

 

Also, the glass one I liked comes with the mini toslink version.

I bought my toslink cable at https://store.google.com/product/optical_cable_chromecast_audio

Works just fine and has a nice colour, too ?

 

Sent from my SM-T230 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[Rexp]

I can stream from my NAS, with Plex Media Server installed to my Chromecast using the Plex Web app from my Macbook Air. It should work just as well with the Media Server installed on the Macbook.

I tried Bubble Server for Windows and app and the sound was a tad diffuse compared to the sound capture devices, my preferred connection is via AirParrot so far.

[bluesman]

You don't need to get a special cable. You can get a small adapter that fits over the end of a Toslink cable.

I saw them on Amazon and will (assuming a local RS has store stock) pick up one or two to keep on hand in case I need them. I didn't know the Shack carried them - thanks for the tip! I did get a very nice 3' cable from Amazon for $7 that seems well made and does the job.

[Cebolla]

I tried Bubble Server for Windows and app and the sound was a tad diffuse compared to the sound capture devices, my preferred connection is via AirParrot so far.

Too much missing info to assess your comparison, I think, eg:

 

What is the 'app' you were referring to in the BubbleUPnP Server method and how did you use it (ie just to control the playback via a UPnP/DLNA or OpenHome control point, or, additionally to provide the music files via a UPnP/DLNA media server)?

 

If the 'app' you mentioned in the BubbleUPnP Server method didn't include a UPnP/DLNA media server, what UPnP/DLNA media server did you use?

 

What music file types were you using in your comparison of the BubbleUPnP Server and AirParrot methods?

 

In the BubbleUPnP Server method, were any of the music files being transcoded (either by the UPnP/DLNA media server or the BubbleUPnP Server) and if so what music file types were being transcoded?

 

What music file playing software were you using in the Airparrot sound capture method and were you altering the sound in any way (eg applying any DSP, equalization, etc) in that music player application?

[Snowmonkey]

Correct me if I am over-simplifying here, but assuming the music files are being delivered bit-perfect to the CCA, the only variable would be the rate at which they were being delivered. I would have thought there would be no room for subtle variations in sound quality there. Either the wifi transfer would be fast enough or if not, there would be obvious gaps in the playback.

[Rexp]

Too much missing info to assess your comparison, I think, eg:

 

What is the 'app' you were referring to in the BubbleUPnP Server method and how did you use it (ie just to control the playback via a UPnP/DLNA or OpenHome control point, or, additionally to provide the music files via a UPnP/DLNA media server)?

 

If the 'app' you mentioned in the BubbleUPnP Server method didn't include a UPnP/DLNA media server, what UPnP/DLNA media server did you use?

 

What music file types were you using in your comparison of the BubbleUPnP Server and AirParrot methods?

 

In the BubbleUPnP Server method, were any of the music files being transcoded (either by the UPnP/DLNA media server or the BubbleUPnP Server) and if so what music file types were being transcoded?

 

What music file playing software were you using in the Airparrot sound capture method and were you altering the sound in any way (eg applying any DSP, equalization, etc) in that music player application?

To be more specific, my method below:

1. Installed BubbleUPnP Server on Windows10 laptop

2. Installed BubbleUPnP App on Android phone

3. Used App to access and play media stored on laptop.

4. Used WAV files to compare Bubble to AirParrot

5. When using AirParrot, played files with Foobar (no upsampling/DSP). Also tried Audiogate Player and Tidal.

 

No idea why there is a big difference in sound....anyone care to speculate?

[Cebolla]

Correct me if I am over-simplifying here, but assuming the music files are being delivered bit-perfect to the CCA, the only variable would be the rate at which they were being delivered. I would have thought there would be no room for subtle variations in sound quality there. Either the wifi transfer would be fast enough or if not, there would be obvious gaps in the playback.

Are they actually being delivered bit-perfectly, or more to the point, is what the CCA is receiving from some method of sound capture of a music file, being played by some software, exactly the same as receiving supposedly the music file itself from some media server? There's certainly scope for variations in both methods.

[Rexp]

Are they actually being delivered bit-perfectly, or more to the point, is what the CCA is receiving from some method of sound capture of a music file, being played by some software, exactly the same as receiving supposedly the music file itself from some media server? There's certainly scope for variations in both methods.

Yes a few variables. I did also use Foobar with the UPnP plugin and it sounded similar to the Bubble Player ie not great.

[Cebolla]

The BubbleUPnP Android app used in the way you mentioned in point 3 of your previous post (as a UPnP control point) doesn't actually 'play' anything. It just tells the CCA which files to fetch (ie stream) from the UPnP/DLNA media server over the network (presumably the Windows' built-in one as you didn't mention using a specific one for the laptop). It's the CCA that's doing the actual playing, though you can control the playback of the CCA with the app, eg play, pause, stop, etc.

 

Which UPnP plugin did you try for Foobar2000, the foo_upnp (UPnP/DLNA Server, Renderer, Control Point) or the foo_out_upnp (UPnP MediaRenderer Output)?

[Snowmonkey]

Are they actually being delivered bit-perfectly, or more to the point, is what the CCA is receiving from some method of sound capture of a music file, being played by some software, exactly the same as receiving supposedly the music file itself from some media server? There's certainly scope for variations in both methods.

I didn't know that the CCA could play anything other than an intact music file.

[bluesman]

I did also use Foobar with the UPnP plugin and it sounded similar to the Bubble Player ie not great.

I used Foobar with upnp plugins for a few years and was very happy with the SQ through all my systems and devices (on my LAN/WLAN, in my office, or on mobiles). The only reason I don't still use it is that I bought a JRMC Linux dev license early on to see what the fuss was about. I liked it and have taken advantage of the periodic deep discounts they offered to move up to a master license - JRMC is now the default player throughout my system. I also bought JRemote in response to a thread praising it over Gizmo (excellent and free browser-based remote programs), and continue to use it because 1) I paid for it, and 2) it offers excellent control over zones, and Gizmo doesn't. I still use Foobar to rip CDs as I acquire them.

 

But if JRMC didn't exist or was more expensive, I'd happily still be using F2k with foo_upnp, foo_out_upnp, & Gizmo / Webgizmo. Perhaps there are preference settings you could have tweaked to solve sonic mismatches or inadvertent compromises. As Cebolla points out, Bubble UPNP server is a bolt-on that lets your players act as zones for programs that use zone management (like JRMC) with access to your music library through the upnp file server(s) in your system - in your NAS, PCs etc. It's not a renderer and should not affect SQ at all because it doesn't enter or alter the stream (at least, that's how I understand it). The upnp renderer is the program that actually plays the file.

[Cebolla]

I didn't know that the CCA could play anything other than an intact music file.

It's not that the CCA may be receiving a file that's not intact. I was referring to the music file that has been deliberately altered to a different resolution and/or even a different audio file type altogether (eg lossless wav to lossy mp3) - ie still 'intact', by the sending media server on the fly while streaming - aka transcoding.

 

Some media servers have been designed to allow the user full control in setting the transcoder, others haven't, or don't make it obvious that it will automatically (& therefore unexpectedly) transcode under certain circumstances. For example, the Windows built-in/WMP DLNA server is known for being transcoder trigger-happy.

[Cebolla]

No idea why there is a big difference in sound....anyone care to speculate?

I've just had a thought about this. Could it be that the CCA is still at its default disabled Full Dynamic Range setting? Google in their wisdom have set this off by default to compensate for using the CCA with devices that don't work well with a large dynamic range. It would almost certainly compromise your listening of decent quality music files with the CCA into decent kit, if the Full Dynamic Range setting isn't switched on.

[Rexp]

I've just had a thought about this. Could it be that the CCA is still at its default disabled Full Dynamic Range setting? Google in their wisdom have set this off by default to compensate for using the CCA with devices having a poor dynamic range. It would almost certainly compromise your listening of decent quality music files with the CCA into decent kit, if the Full Dynamic Range setting isn't switched on.

 

Nope, full dynamic is on. I tried Minimserver and got similar results, no transcoding,

[Cebolla]

Very odd. Ok, how about a bit of lateral thinking and actually getting MinimServer to transcode the WAV files to mp3, say? Who knows what the AirParrot is actually sending and may be 'less is more' as far as your CCA is concerned?

[wgscott]

5. When using AirParrot, played files with Foobar (no upsampling/DSP). Also tried Audiogate Player and Tidal.

 

No idea why there is a big difference in sound....anyone care to speculate?

 

After reading this I downloaded AirParrot2 for Mac OS X and gave it a try. All other things being equal, it was significantly louder than the Soundcast app you previously suggested. So either Soundcast is attenuating the signal or AirParrot is augmenting it. They can't both be bit-perfect and deliver such differences in volume.

[wgscott]

I've just had a thought about this. Could it be that the CCA is still at its default disabled Full Dynamic Range setting? Google in their wisdom have set this off by default to compensate for using the CCA with devices that don't work well with a large dynamic range. It would almost certainly compromise your listening of decent quality music files with the CCA into decent kit, if the Full Dynamic Range setting isn't switched on.

 

I did noticed by default it isn't set to full volume. If I set it to full volume, does that enable Full Dynamic Range? If not, how do I do it (Mac OSX or iOS?)

[bluesman]

I did noticed by default it isn't set to full volume. If I set it to full volume, does that enable Full Dynamic Range? If not, how do I do it (Mac OSX or iOS?)

Direct from the Chromecast's mouth: "When Chromecast Audio is connected through an optical interface, it will always use Full Dynamic Range." You can't turn it off unless you're using the analog output, in which case it's off by default and has to be switched on from the GoogleCast app. HERE's the relevant page from Google.

 

They actually offer a very good reason for the default off setting: "Many common speaker systems such as desktop computer speakers, docking speakers, portable and Bluetooth speakers are not built to support such a full dynamic range, causing the volume level to be very loud and sound to be somewhat distorted. Please avoid turning this setting on in those cases."

[wgscott]

Direct from the Chromecast's mouth: "When Chromecast Audio is connected through an optical interface, it will always use Full Dynamic Range." You can't turn it off unless you're using the analog output, in which case it's off by default and has to be switched on from the GoogleCast app. HERE's the relevant page from Google.

 

They actually offer a very good reason for the default off setting: "Many common speaker systems such as desktop computer speakers, docking speakers, portable and Bluetooth speakers are not built to support such a full dynamic range, causing the volume level to be very loud and sound to be somewhat distorted. Please avoid turning this setting on in those cases."

 

It does have a volume control that works with optical out, at least on iOS and OS X. It can't attenuate the volume unless it resamples and decimates the dynamic range.

 

Edit: This isn't exactly right. On my chromecast app, I cannot even opt to set the full dynamic range, presumably because it is plugged into optical. Same with volume. However, controlling from within a casting app such as Spotify or Tunein, the volume is accessible, and is not at max by default. So it is the individual casting app responsible for decimation of the dynamic range, at least in my case.

[bluesman]

It does have a volume control that works with optical out, at least on iOS and OS X. It can't attenuate the volume unless it resamples and decimates the dynamic range.

I could be wrong, but I don't think the FDR setting is synonymous with "volume control".

[Rexp]

After reading this I downloaded AirParrot2 for Mac OS X and gave it a try. All other things being equal, it was significantly louder than the Soundcast app you previously suggested. So either Soundcast is attenuating the signal or AirParrot is augmenting it. They can't both be bit-perfect and deliver such differences in volume.

Looks like Soundcast is compressing the signal prior to transmission which would explain the superiority of AirParrot.

[Rexp]

Very odd. Ok, how about a bit of lateral thinking and actually getting MinimServer to transcode the WAV files to mp3, say? Who knows what the AirParrot is actually sending and may be 'less is more' as far as your CCA is concerned?

More likely CCA doesn't work so well with DLNA, apparently CCA uses a different protocol called DIAL:

https://www.quora.com/Will-the-Chromecast-device-support-DLNA-or-any-other-streaming-protocols

[Snowmonkey]

It does have a volume control that works with optical out, at least on iOS and OS X. It can't attenuate the volume unless it resamples and decimates the dynamic range.

 

Edit: This isn't exactly right. On my chromecast app, I cannot even opt to set the full dynamic range, presumably because it is plugged into optical. Same with volume. However, controlling from within a casting app such as Spotify or Tunein, the volume is accessible, and is not at max by default. So it is the individual casting app responsible for decimation of the dynamic range, at least in my case.

 

Google Cast (Android or IOS) will not show a volume control unless a file is actually being cast to the CCA. If you move the volume slider in the Google Cast app, the change will show up in the casting app and vice versa, so it appears that the volume is actually being attenuated in the CCA and the various apps are reading the setting.