View Full Version : New Chromecast audio dongle
Has anyone investigated this?
https://store.google.com/product/chromecast_audio
http://www.trustedreviews.com/chromecast-audio-review
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/av-accessories/chromecast-audio-1305396/review
The analogue output from the internal DAC may be entirely acceptable, but has an optical digital output from the same 3.5mm jack socket.
And it costs £30.
Stratmangler
14-10-2015, 15:53
Hi Brian
Nice to see you back again - long time no see :)
That Chromecast device looks quite interesting.
Its usefulness would depend on whether one's preferred software media player can connect to it as a DLNA renderer, but it would enable network streaming.
What are the limitations with respect to file types and sample rates?
I haven't got that far. I have read it will handle flac natively. I have a large flac library which I play via Squeezebox, but I have it uploaded to Google Play Music. Chromecast Audio will call it back from the cloud at 320kb/s MP3. Will I ever hear the difference? Unlikely. My other use for a Chromecast Audio Dongle would be to listen to internet radio at high bitrates - that too it will do. And of course it will handle various subscription services.
It has a big advantage over Apple's system in that the dongle usually calls the stream directly from the cloud. The smartphone or tablet is not in the data routing.
I don't know how it may be set up to receive a stream from a local server.
It uses the same DAC chip as the Apple Airport express, and that is well thought of; but, unlike the latest Airport express, as an optical out to feed an external DAC.
It may well be the case the dongle could be hacked to work in ways Google never intended - and the price could be a game changer.
I had a play with a chromecast connected to an HDMI to RCA converter. It worked fine.
https://goo.gl/photos/1wVG1ci4DYzB18RA6
I expect the new audio dedicated version of the chromecast will behave the same way. That is, I wouldn't want it as a primary source, but its great for when you see something on the internet and want to hear it at a better quality than you'd get through your laptop speakers. It was great for when I was searching for new music via youtube.
To be honest, the multi-box setup I had was a bit of a pain to keep up all the time - two devices with two power supplies and quite a few wires, just for something I only used occasionally. However, the new audio chromecast looks a bit simpler and I'm very tempted to get one.
badsoden
17-10-2015, 17:56
The whole Google Cast system is becoming quite interesting. I didn't realise you could cast music to some audio devices without a Cast device.
https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/cast/audio/
Google might finally start to give Apple Airplay a run for its money.
MarginWalker
23-10-2015, 10:21
Has anyone tried one of these yet? I see the BBC iplyaer radio on Android supports this but i can't see anyehre if it is supported on the IOS version.
... I see the BBC iPlayer radio on Android supports this, but i can't see anywhere if it is supported on the IOS version....
Now why would Apple want to support this feature?
MarginWalker
23-10-2015, 13:47
Now why would Apple want to support this feature?
Dunno, but i'm pretty sure it was supported on the original chromecast.
Just popped into my local Currys to look at Android Tablet's, and spotted they had Chromecast Audios for £25. I couldn't resist.
The unit is small than I was expecting. It's not much bigger than a £2 coin.
Fitting the unit to my system was a doddle, and it was easy to set up via the chromecast app on my Android phone.
The sound quality seems to be better than I recall from my lashed up solution of HDMI chrome cast with HDMI to RCA converter. There is a very noticeable lag between the image on my laptop screen and the sound coming out of my hi-fi, but that's not an issue for me. I'd definitely recommend selecting the "High dynamic range" option on the settings - that opens the sound up nicely.
I'm currently listing to John Martyn - Couldn't love you more (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra_uv0uIY-g). This is perfect for what I want - discovering new (to me) pieces of music on youtube and soundcloud.
Does it not play music locally from your device at all?
That's not what I've bought it for so I haven't tried (I've got my Raspberry Pi and a Marantz NA7001 that I can use to play any music on my network). The apps used to stream are fairly limited.
Chromecasts don't work the same was as things like QED uplay puck bluetooth adapter (http://www.qed.co.uk/wireless_bluetooth/qed_uplay/qed_uplay_puck_wireless_bluetooth_receiver.html). The bluetooth device use the same protocols as headphone, and you stream the media from your device to them. The applications needn't know that the music is being directed to the bluetooth device via rather than your device's speakers.
With chromecast, you effectively tell the chromecast to pull media from a location. So the application you use needs to be chromecast aware, and the end point from which the chromecast pulls the media, also needs to be chromecast aware. So chromecase is less flexible.
However, it suits me. I just want to be able to send music playing in my browser to my hifi, and for that it works a treat.
robtweed
15-11-2015, 19:33
I wrote this blog article some time ago about how Chromecasts work - this was written about the original video-focused version, but still applies to the new ones (including the audio one):
https://robtweed.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/chromecast-understanding-its-potential/
It became the single most highly viewed article in my blog by a long margin! :-) Hopefully it might help folks here understand how they work (warning - it is a pretty technical article!)
Rob
I wrote this blog article
Nice!
Google might finally start to give Apple Airplay a run for its money.
That would be great. Maybe it would make Apple unlock the full potential of the protocol by lifting the 41kHz limit ?
Mark Grant
15-11-2015, 21:48
I wrote this blog article some time ago about how Chromecasts work - this was written about the original video-focused version, but still applies to the new ones (including the audio one):
https://robtweed.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/chromecast-understanding-its-potential/
It became the single most highly viewed article in my blog by a long margin! :-) Hopefully it might help folks here understand how they work (warning - it is a pretty technical article!)
Rob
Interesting, thanks !
I bought the previous version of the Chromecast to view films from my laptop to the tv. Plugged it into the USB on the telly but got a message saying my ISP (Virgin) did not support content from other media sources (or words to that effect). Took it back to John Lewis and got a refund. Is there anyway around this?
Couldn't get anywhere with it Lee, but I didn't try very hard after I got the message re not reading other media. I basically only wanted to protect my laptop onto the tv. the blurb says this is what its for.
New version of the RP app, currently in beta has 320k aac stream and most importantly a cast button.
Get the app here as not on play store yet.
http://cratorsoft.com/rpbeta
MarginWalker
10-12-2015, 19:44
Multi room and hi-res audio playback being rolled out on chrome cast audio today...
http://chrome.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/even-more-to-love-about-chromecast-audio.html?m=1
jmudrick
19-12-2015, 02:57
Working a charm feeding Tidal FLAC to my Audio-GD Reference 5 DAC. I think it will become my primary source.
badsoden
22-12-2015, 12:13
Is anyone using the RCA or optical options with one of these? Just wondering what cable options there are out there. I've seen a QED mini toslink to toslink cable but wondered what was available.
Also if anyone has does this mean you can plug it into and external DAC?
PhilofCas
22-12-2015, 17:12
Is anyone using the RCA or optical options with one of these? Just wondering what cable options there are out there. I've seen a QED mini toslink to toslink cable but wondered what was available.
Also if anyone has does this mean you can plug it into and external DAC?
Hi Chris,
I've only just bought a Chromecast Audio.
I went for the optical option, I think I read somewhere that the RCA wasn't as good. I bought one as per link below, though the 1mtr version, it was £5.98, looks like it's out of stock now (other sizes available). Plugs into my Bushmaster II and works a treat, must say the sound is very very good. Been playing Spotify pretty much constantly since getting the CCA, like Jeff on previous post, it could well replace my existing CD source, I think it would be a massive loss to be without it. Just works so well, superb.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fisual-Install-Series-Mini-Toslink-Optical/dp/B003NT6RDO/ref=pd_cp_23_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0XJV3DZ5F65RY25XB72C
badsoden
22-12-2015, 17:31
Thanks Phil that's really good to know. Need to get a cable then. Also want to try the Squeeze server bridge to see if I can get it to work with my Squeezebox's.
jmudrick
23-12-2015, 17:03
Hi Chris,
I've only just bought a Chromecast Audio.
I went for the optical option, I think I read somewhere that the RCA wasn't as good. I bought one as per link below, though the 1mtr version, it was £5.98, looks like it's out of stock now (other sizes available). Plugs into my Bushmaster II and works a treat, must say the sound is very very good. Been playing Spotify pretty much constantly since getting the CCA, like Jeff on previous post, it could well replace my existing CD source, I think it would be a massive loss to be without it. Just works so well, superb.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fisual-Install-Series-Mini-Toslink-Optical/dp/B003NT6RDO/ref=pd_cp_23_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0XJV3DZ5F65RY25XB72C
I purchased from here. Probably overkill but one almost feels guilty spending so little on the CCA.
http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html
Maybe add a Wyred Remedy in the future and then done.
PhilofCas
23-12-2015, 17:52
Nice one, overkill? no, there's nowt wrong with a bit of quality :thumbsup:
This looks interesting, I've just ordered a chromecast and a fisual cable so will have something new to play with after Christmas. Maybe this will replace the Pi/DAC as the next big thing?
PhilofCas
24-12-2015, 10:34
Lack of faff, amazing VFM, one of these with Spotify, superb!!!
Lack of faff, amazing VFM, one of these with Spotify, superb!!!
Lack of faff is very important!!
But how long before someone comes up with a regulated power supply for a Chromecast? :-)
badsoden
24-12-2015, 11:09
I went with one of these in the end so I could utilise an optical lead I already have.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0079O39NK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
PhilofCas
24-12-2015, 13:27
Slightly off on a tangent, I noted that in reviews that people advise to 'Enable High Dynamic Range' if used in a hi-fi, so I ticked that option in the settings, only to see the tick/setting to seemingly turn itself off when I later looked. I did a spot of Googling and came across the fact that using an optical connection automatically uses the Chromecast to 'High Dynamic Range', despite what the settings may say. Hope that makes sense.
All the best,
Phil.
I went for the optical option, I think I read somewhere that the RCA wasn't as good. I bought one as per link below, though the 1mtr version, it was £5.98, looks like it's out of stock now (other sizes available). Plugs into my Bushmaster II and works a treat, must say the sound is very very good. Been playing Spotify pretty much constantly since getting the CCA, like Jeff on previous post, it could well replace my existing CD source, I think it would be a massive loss to be without it. Just works so well, superb.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fisual-Install-Series-Mini-Toslink-Optical/dp/B003NT6RDO/ref=pd_cp_23_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0XJV3DZ5F65RY25XB72C
Well worth paying 3 quid more for their 'Pearl' option, I upgraded to this from the Fisual standard one and noticed a definite improvement - on a par with their top of the line Hollywood version in my view:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fisual-Pearl-Mini-Toslink-to-Toslink-Optical-Cable-0-5m-/150609709882?hash=item231109cb3a:g:PJcAAMXQVERS1TM M
PhilofCas
28-12-2015, 10:45
Hi all,
Bit of an update, I'd read the other week that you couldn't stream YouTube, reason being that no 'casting' was possible due to syncing video and sound issues. Anyway, was Googling last night and had seen someone advising that you could, through Chrome and using the Google cast extension, well, I tried it and it worked fine, was watching Beck, Live at Union Chapel, superb (watching video on laptop and listening to sound through my hi-fi).
Can't believe this is all possible for so little money, what a brilliant bit of kit, it really does work well. I use from an old phone an old tablet and my laptop, all simple and easy, a very well thought out product, can't recommend it enough.
badsoden
29-12-2015, 10:11
I've been looking at ways of streaming file based music from my server. At the moment I have Plex working. You need to install Plex media server on the computer that your music is on or one that has access to the drive where the music is stored. There are NAS and computer versions. You will then need to install the Plex app on your phone/tablet to cast the music. The app is available for Android, IOS and Windows devices. Seems to work well but I haven't had an extended listen yet.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.