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Chromecast Audio with new Firmware
#1
Hello everyone

After the initial issues, the updated firmware 1.17a49061 fixed everything soundwise. Chromecast audio connected via Toslink is now as good as Devialet Air quality wise. I did extensive comparisons of the two and to my surprise this little device sounded as perfect as Devialet Air when streaming FLACs from NAS or stored on Google Drive (BubbleuPnP). Even HighRes up to 96kHz/24bit is possible for those who are into that. Of course it is challenging many audiophile believes, that something so cheap and low powered should sound so good. But hey for this price, everyone is able to test it

It is of course much more robust than Devialet Air, no dropouts, a large variety of apps, multiroom (have not tried that yet)...
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#2
Unfortunately, Chromecast Audio requires Chromecast app for your smart devices and Chromecast extension on Chrome browser to use. So, it is not like AIR which allows all audio output stream to our Devialet.

And, because I'm in China, all Google related website or services are blocked which rendered my Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio to be useless for now. Yes, I can download all the apps and extension using a VPN and set them up. But these apps won't stream audio to Chromecast devices with VPN on.
Before: Le200, KEF LS50, AQ Type4, NUC 5i5RYH/8GB/128GB M.2SSD, Roon, Win8.1/AIR2.1.3/RoonBridge, MM/AIR3/RoonBridge, QNAP TS-212P 5TB NAS, AQ NRG-X3

Now: KEF LS50W, NUC5i5RYH/8GB/128GB M.2SSD, Roon, QNAP TS-212P 5TB NAS,iFi iSilencer3.0+DC iPurifier+iPurifier2, Sonos ZP80+SPDIF iPurifier


Location: Cyberjaya, Malaysia
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#3
(20-Dec-2015, 01:17)hk6230 Wrote: Unfortunately, Chromecast Audio requires Chromecast app for your smart devices and Chromecast extension on Chrome browser to use. So, it is not like AIR which allows all audio output stream to our Devialet.

And, because I'm in China, all Google related website or services are blocked which rendered my Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio to be useless for now. Yes, I can download all the apps and extension using a VPN and set them up. But these apps won't stream audio to Chromecast devices with VPN on.

In Android there is a 1:1 direct audio/video output within the Chromecast app, which works also for apps that are for example only supporting Chromecast Audio in their paid version or that do not support it at all.

For Windows there is also a solution to act as virtual soundcard:
https://github.com/acidhax/chromecast-audio-stream/

For OSX:
https://github.com/andresgottlieb/soundcast

You got to love open source...
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#4
Just to mention that I have been using a Chromecast Audio to stream Qobuz with great success.  Setup was incredibly easy - just connect everything, download the Chromecast App - in my case onto an iPad, start the Qobuz App, touch the 'cast logo and the music was there straightaway. It's great that I can now stream Qobuz without having to use my Mac.

My setup is sub-optimal as I didn't have a miniToslink-Toslink cable so I used an Audioquest adapter (£5) and a Chord Optichord but the SQ is really very good and perfectly adequate for non-hypercritical listening.  

It would be interesting to try a better cable without the adapter (e.g. a Wireworld Supernova) but I would be surprised if it made much difference.
IMac macOS 10.15.3 (no link to Devialet Sad ) / MacBook Pro Retina OS X 10.14.4 / Linn LP12 / Devialet 200 Wilson Benesch Discovery. 
Qobuz Desktop Latest Version / Audirvana 3.2.18 / Audirvana Remote / iTunes 12.9 / AIR 3.0.4 / Wi-Fi / FW 8.1.0 / SAM 50%
Cambridge, UK (Updated 27th February, 2020)
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#5
(19-Dec-2015, 10:20)runlonger Wrote: Hello everyone

After the initial issues, the updated firmware 1.17a49061 fixed everything soundwise. Chromecast audio connected via Toslink is now as good as Devialet Air quality wise. I did extensive comparisons of the two and to my surprise this little device sounded as perfect as Devialet Air when streaming FLACs from NAS or stored on Google Drive (BubbleuPnP). Even HighRes up to 96kHz/24bit is possible for those who are into that. Of course it is challenging many audiophile believes, that something so cheap and low powered should sound so good. But hey for this price, everyone is able to test it

It is of course much more robust than Devialet Air, no dropouts, a large variety of apps, multiroom (have not tried that yet)...
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#6
Hey Runlonger, what device are you using to stream to the Chromecast Audio?
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#7
Are you also experiening problems with streaming certain hires (24/88k or 24/96k) files from Qobuz app (ios) via Chromecast Audio? I use Toslink output to the Dialog/Phantom and have described the streaming problems in this post: http://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?t...2#pid31832 . What is really strange is that from certain Qobuz sublime purchased albums some tracks play and some others do not within the album. When a track plays there are no dropouts or other problems. Tracks that do not stream through Chromecast stream perfectly well on the IPad once the connection to Chromecast is disconnected. So, the problem somehow has to in the Chromecast firmware or the Qobuz implementation (the part that is downloaded to Chromecast audio to stream Qobuz).
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#8
I saw this link to a teardown on ifixit of both a Chromecast and Chromecast Audio.  An amazing amount of technology in such a small and cheap device (see Step 11).  Still, I guess they're expecting to sell Millions of them... and based on my experience so they should  Smile

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Chromeca...down/50189
IMac macOS 10.15.3 (no link to Devialet Sad ) / MacBook Pro Retina OS X 10.14.4 / Linn LP12 / Devialet 200 Wilson Benesch Discovery. 
Qobuz Desktop Latest Version / Audirvana 3.2.18 / Audirvana Remote / iTunes 12.9 / AIR 3.0.4 / Wi-Fi / FW 8.1.0 / SAM 50%
Cambridge, UK (Updated 27th February, 2020)
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#9
(04-Jan-2016, 20:49)Scene11 Wrote: Hey Runlonger, what device are you using to stream to the Chromecast Audio?

Technically it's takes Wifi streams directly from my Asus Wifi-Router AC68. The main "remote Control" if we want to call it like that, is my Google Nexus 6P  and my Windows Laptop. Using Plex, BubbleuPnP or Google Music. Locally stored FLAC's are on my Synology 716+. Works great.
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#10
(05-Jan-2016, 19:26)streamy Wrote: Are you also experiening problems with streaming certain hires (24/88k or 24/96k) files from Qobuz app (ios) via Chromecast Audio? I use Toslink output to the Dialog/Phantom and have described the streaming problems in this post: http://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?t...2#pid31832 . What is really strange is that from certain Qobuz sublime purchased  albums some tracks play and some others do not within the album. When a track plays there are no dropouts or other problems. Tracks that do not stream through Chromecast stream perfectly well on the IPad once the connection to Chromecast is disconnected. So, the problem somehow has to in the Chromecast firmware or the Qobuz implementation (the part that is downloaded to Chromecast audio to stream Qobuz).

I don't use Qobuz, sorry. On computeraudiophile it was confirmed that Chromecast streams bit perfect up to 24bit/96kHz but has issues with certain non-standard flac formats. This will be fixed by firmware tough. Personally, I never had any problems using Plex with my locally stored Hires FLAC's. Nothing fancy tough, cause I hardly have anything beyond 24bit /44 kHz, as I don't hear any improvements beyond that. But that's another subject that shouldn't be discussed in this thread.

I'm sure Qobuz and the Chromecast team will fix this issue within the next weeks. In the longterm Chromecast Audio will probably be one of the most widely used streamers, therefore support will be very good.
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