[Arsis]

24/96 capable now. I was curious if anyone has tried it. I've read a few reviews but none really mention the quality of analog output. My case is a special needs situation. I have ALS and have lost the use of my hands. I control my tablet using only my eyes. I'm a former studio engineer so keeping things simple isn't my nature. I like variety but cable swapping is a thing of the past. I am currently using two of the original Chromecasts (living room and bedroom) via hdmi thru Pioneer VSX receivers. They sound fantastic but its using the Pioneer's DAC. I use Plex web app to access my movie and music libraries and cast to the Pioneers and it works beautifully. My plan is to get a few of the new Chromecast Audios for my Little Dot and powered studio monitors (Mackie HR824 and KRK V6) enabling me to switch from one to another using eye control. I'm wondering if the sound will be acceptable without an external DAC (it has optical out). Does anyone have any experience with these?







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[jmudrick]

The Chromecast Audio is a fantastic device and I recommend it highly however you plan to use it. I can't say whether or not you'd find the internal DAC acceptable, that's a matter of personal preference. I use mine with a good external DAC but many report decent playback without.

 

[Arsis]

The Chromecast Audio is a fantastic device and I recommend it highly however you plan to use it. I can't say whether or not you'd find the internal DAC acceptable, that's a matter of personal preference. I use mine with a good external DAC but many report decent playback without.

I'm using the 1st Gen. Chromecast and I am amazed at how well it works. Both the ease of use and video quality are excellent. Streaming thru Plex, even via internet from a friends library, it looks better than AppleTV 2 and Netflix.
I think I'll give the Fiio D03k DAC a try. I know I'm splitting hairs in an ultra cheap budget-fi kind of way. There maybe no discernible difference but the D03k IS a purpose built DAC with a better (24/192) chip. If nothing else it will give me something to write about.

 

[audiojun]

For $35 it solves a lot of issues. I bought one for my dad and he loves it. There is no audio difference getting s/pdif data from chromecast or any other optical source. Chromecast does have a range limitation it needs to be close to the wireless router, being farther there will be drop outs. I Wish chromecast audio had Ethernet ports.
 
The DAC inside chromecast is good, it's not an odac/modi killer but it's does a decent job when I listened to it through my crack and hd 600.

 

[RobertUSA]

How do you solve for EQ problems with CCA?
 
It looks like Google has no intent to add EQ software to the CCA device and controller software within the Chromecast app ;(

Bummer, there was so much promise for CCA streaming to self-powered monitor speakers, component power amps, headphones, and earbuds 
 
https://code.google.com/p/google-cast-sdk/issues/detail?id=705
 
Project Member #63 sya...@google.com

 Chromecast Audio was designed to provide streaming content from the service provider. Processing of that content is not part of the feature set. Chromecast Audio is designed to feed audio systems of a very broad variety, across a wide range of user tastes, and many of those provide their own post-processing feature sets. Chromecast Audio was not intended to provide redundant capabilities in that regard.

 
 
I guess we can ask the question why google play music still doesn't have EQ built in 

 

[Arsis]

I'm disappointed with Chromecast Audio.
I have two 1st Gen Chromecast s that I use all the time. ​I like that I can cue things on YouTube and then turn off my computer and they stream directly from YouTube to the Chromecast. That's not the case with the CCA. It seems to stream through my computer or ipad.

 

[officerdibble]

An ifi SPDIF purifier between chromecast and a DAC makes it audiophile quality.