[nickv]

Amazon will ship on Dec. 2 their shot at a Chromecast Audio like Alexa device with no built in speakers: Echo Input.

Pluses over Chromecast Audio: Alexa voice control functionality (with 5 mic array), Bluetooth (both source receive and audio transmit to speakers), access to Amazon streaming music services and interfacing with Alexa multi-room audio functionality.

Not so great is no digital output (3.5mm analog only), no current access to Tidal, Deezer or any HD audio services (and of course no Google/Youtube music) On the other hand, Amazon just made available the Alexa Audio Skill API which may allow for rapid deployment of new services (or not).

Price $35...which makes one wonder about any real advantages over a sale priced or Gen 1 Dot. However...the Echo Input page now shows bundles with 5 small self powered speakers from Bose, B&O and Marshall and others...where the bundle price gives you the Echo input basically free.

What do you think?

Interesting, but with no digital out I think I'll stick with the CCA which sounds great to my ears when the DAC capabilities are managed by a Modi 3.

 

[Roscoeiii]

Interesting, but with no digital out I think I'll stick with the CCA which sounds great to my ears when the DAC capabilities are managed by a Modi 3.

Agreed. No digital output is a deal breaker for me.

 

[Edogawan77]

Interesting, but with no digital out I think I'll stick with the CCA which sounds great to my ears when the DAC capabilities are managed by a Modi 3.

It HAS digital out. You must use mini tostlink to toslink cable. I'm using GCC to connect to DAC, sound very nice.

 

[Ggroch]

It HAS digital out. You must use mini tostlink to toslink cable. I'm using GCC to connect to DAC, sound very nice.

Of course it does....the poster you quote was referring to the not yet released "Echo Input"....not the CCA. Not an auspicious first post...but welcome anyway.

I see Amazon is packaging the Input free with certain speakers. 1/2 off with others. And its not even released yet.

 

[aerospace33]

Based on https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-chromecast-audio-digital-output.4544/ it looks like the digital ouput of the chromecast can be quite good. However, Google's CAST functinality measured quite poorly, especially when compared to Roon's streamcast streaming implementation.

 

[rkw]

Based on https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-chromecast-audio-digital-output.4544/ it looks like the digital ouput of the chromecast can be quite good. However, Google's CAST functinality measured quite poorly, especially when compared to Roon's streamcast streaming implementation.

He only tested casting from a Chrome browser. He is going to test casting from Tidal app, but hasn't done it yet.

I get excellent results casting from apps (Tidal, Spotify etc). Qobuz even casts at 96k, but glitches occasionally.

 

[audiobomber]

I've had a good deal of trouble casting and streaming (DLNA) 24/88.2 files to CCA, but only when I use an outboard DAC. Sometimes I get a popping noise in the music, sometimes dropouts, sometimes complete signal loss. With 16/44.1 and lossy compressed files, it plays reliably. This gets better/worse depending on the Toslink cable. The best performance I've had is with a glass Toslink and mini-adapters.

If I use the CCA internal DAC, all of my files play reliably, including hi-rez.

 

[Ggroch]

I've had a good deal of trouble casting and streaming (DLNA) 24/88.2 files to CCA, but only when I use an outboard DAC.......

What DAC/DACs are you using?

 

[markbrauer]

Audiobomber,
"I've had a good deal of trouble casting and streaming (DLNA) 24/88.2 files to CCA, but only when I use an outboard DAC. Sometimes I get a popping noise in the music, sometimes dropouts, sometimes complete signal loss." - I have the same problem, usually short dropouts.

"With 16/44.1 and lossy compressed files, it plays reliably." - Not mine. I get dropouts with 16/44 and even 320Kbps (Spotify).

"This gets better/worse depending on the Toslink cable." - I have tried cables of varying quality and the problem persists.

"If I use the CCA internal DAC, all of my files play reliably, including hi-rez." - Same here.

I think it is my DAC. While the actual sound quality is excellent using Toslink from the CCA, the DAC evidently has trouble dealing with the CCA's relatively high jitter (as measured by Archimago) and the dropouts make the results un-listenable.. My Squeezebox Touch, using Toslink to the same DAC, has no such problems. Also, when using the CCA with a $20 optical DAC, the kind designed to convert TV optical-output to analog, I get no dropouts. The sound quality with the cheap DAC sucks but it has no dropout problems.

It seems some DACs have a low tolerance for jitter on Toslink inputs.

 

[audiobomber]

What DAC/DACs are you using?

Audiolab 8200CD and iFi Audio iOne. I also had a Sabaj D3 for a week before I returned it.

I think it is my DAC. While the actual sound quality is excellent using Toslink from the CCA, the DAC evidently has trouble dealing with the CCA's relatively high jitter (as measured by Archimago) and the dropouts make the results un-listenable.. My Squeezebox Touch, using Toslink to the same DAC, has no such problems. Also, when using the CCA with a $20 optical DAC, the kind designed to convert TV optical-output to analog, I get no dropouts. The sound quality with the cheap DAC sucks but it has no dropout problems.

It seems some DACs have a low tolerance for jitter on Toslink inputs.

Jitter is my conclusion as well, and as measured by Archimago, it's especially prominent with hi-rez files. I am told that the Audiolab DAC has three firmware settings to set tolerance levels for jitter, but raising it from the default minimum setting lowers the sound quality of the DAC.

I don't use CCA in my main system with the Audiolab anyway, it was just a test. The secondary system I use it in sounds OK with the CCA's internal DAC. I don't want to complain too much about Chromecast audio. For the price it is quite an amazing little machine. I power it with an iFi Audio iPower 5V, which makes the SQ a bit more robust.

 

[Ggroch]

Chromecast Audio is now Black Friday priced at Google, Bestbuy, and Google through eBay at $15. Shipping is free through Googles eBay store, but they charge you direct unless you order over $35.

 

[audiobomber]

Thanks for the update Ggroch. I ordered three CCA streamers two days ago from Google Store Canada. I've requested the discount. I should have thought of Black Friday when I ordered, but my main concern was the Canada Post strike.

 

[Sound Eq]

need help how to use chrome cast audio to its fullest with mac book pro and iphone xs max,

where is this dynamic setting i can not find it on google home iphone app

 

[maxh22]

CCA analog output sounds pretty remarkable when it’s fed clean power from a power bank along with some clip on ferrites on the micro usb cable .

I would take it over the Fiio x5 iii and Dragon flys any day.

But with the stock ps it sounds a little edgy in the high end which is just RF noise..

 

[buchignani]

CCA analog output sounds pretty remarkable when it’s fed clean power from a power bank along with some clip on ferrites on the micro usb cable .

I would take it over the Fiio x5 iii and Dragon flys any day.

But with the stock ps it sounds a little edgy in the high end which is just RF noise..

A quick upgrade is to add a staggered series of capacitors to the USB line between the stock power supply and the chromecast: say, 470 mF, 47 mF, 4.7 mF and a smaller good poly cap. Works great, and you can use the same cable on other power supplies.

By the way, it is important to note that the USB cable I got with the last chromecast audio I bought had ONLY the two power supply wires (and no signal wires). Obviosly you don't want to use that cable for other data operations.