It may have appeared to be in sync to you, but chromecast casting isn't synced.
To be synced, they would have to operate from a synchronised clock source. The way shairport-sync does.
If you have, for example, two CC Audio devices in close proximity, given network levels will be similar, they will be very close in sync, could actually be perfectly in sync, not because of inherent synchronisation protocols, but because there's not enough of a delay to show up.
That group casting has the option to induce a delay per speaker to adjust for synchronisation issues shows that this is the case.
But.... it is walks like a duck and quacks
For all intents and purposes it's in sync. That's good tto know.
To be synced, they would have to operate from a synchronised clock source. The way shairport-sync does.
If you have, for example, two CC Audio devices in close proximity, given network levels will be similar, they will be very close in sync, could actually be perfectly in sync, not because of inherent synchronisation protocols, but because there's not enough of a delay to show up.
That group casting has the option to induce a delay per speaker to adjust for synchronisation issues shows that this is the case.
But.... it is walks like a duck and quacks
For all intents and purposes it's in sync. That's good tto know.
I'm typically late to the party..
Here's a pic of my recent 'expensive' Chromecast Audio digital front end
What a 1.5" disc can do!
Using optical output into DIYaudio's own Nick's Najda DSP whizz.
First up was to feed it a nice linear 5Vdc supply.
That improved things a lot.
Much better overall sound and less pronounced siblance that I was getting on the supplied USB power supply.
I tried battery too, a 20000mAh phone supply. Preferred the linear PSU. But I never really seem to get on with battery power..
After being pretty impressed with CCA on Spotify Premium, I tried Tidal HiFi.
A significant step up in SQ for me!
Removed a certain congestion artifact surrounding the vocals frequencies, gave the bass more punch, general more clarity, dynamics and more engaging too.
After that I wondered if streaming via Ethernet rather than WiFi would be an improvement.
I have an excellent WiFi set up. A second chained router in my music room. So just 6' from the router to CCA.
But in the name of experimenting I got a Google CCA Ethernet to USB converter.
Plugging that in re-introduced the same nasty PSU sound traits I first had!
So next up was a little cut and shut or Frankenstein of the adapter to remove the mains to 5vdc module and give it a nice linear supply to the Ethernet module and into the CCA unit.
This mod sounds rather good! Not clearly better than over WiFi but I'm still evaluating at the moment.
Here's the standard PSU board fished out.
Here's the 5vdc input to the Ethernet module.
Here's my quick fix to connect up to my linear PSU
Have others done more mods to the CCA unit itself?
Here's a pic of my recent 'expensive' Chromecast Audio digital front end
What a 1.5" disc can do!
Using optical output into DIYaudio's own Nick's Najda DSP whizz.
First up was to feed it a nice linear 5Vdc supply.
That improved things a lot.
Much better overall sound and less pronounced siblance that I was getting on the supplied USB power supply.
I tried battery too, a 20000mAh phone supply. Preferred the linear PSU. But I never really seem to get on with battery power..
After being pretty impressed with CCA on Spotify Premium, I tried Tidal HiFi.
A significant step up in SQ for me!
Removed a certain congestion artifact surrounding the vocals frequencies, gave the bass more punch, general more clarity, dynamics and more engaging too.
After that I wondered if streaming via Ethernet rather than WiFi would be an improvement.
I have an excellent WiFi set up. A second chained router in my music room. So just 6' from the router to CCA.
But in the name of experimenting I got a Google CCA Ethernet to USB converter.
Plugging that in re-introduced the same nasty PSU sound traits I first had!
So next up was a little cut and shut or Frankenstein of the adapter to remove the mains to 5vdc module and give it a nice linear supply to the Ethernet module and into the CCA unit.
This mod sounds rather good! Not clearly better than over WiFi but I'm still evaluating at the moment.
Here's the standard PSU board fished out.
Here's the 5vdc input to the Ethernet module.
Here's my quick fix to connect up to my linear PSU
Have others done more mods to the CCA unit itself?
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I have original Chromecast which I've been using through an audio extractor to give coaxial digital output. It keeps dropping out, anyone else had this problem?
I'm thinking of getting new chromecast, it will be for audio, but which to get Chromecast Audio or Chromecast 2, any ideas/experience?
I'm thinking of getting new chromecast, it will be for audio, but which to get Chromecast Audio or Chromecast 2, any ideas/experience?
I have a Chromecast on a TV, a Chromecast 2 on another TV and the Audio on my HiFi.
Not sure how the extractor you mention works..
The Audio is the only one to have a 3.5mm output jack which doubles as an optical output to feed into your DAC of choice. You need a 3.5mm optical to toslink cable of course.
To get the best out of it into HiFi the latter is a must!
If it's just for a radio the 3.5mm output is fine. You can try the high quality setting in the Google home app. With optical it's default is high quality.
The original Chromecast had much more buffer memory and is better for dodgy WiFi areas.
The 2 has a bit faster stream start times. I've had the 2 loose connection when not in use a couple of times and need a full setup again, not so the original.
All stream faultlessly once going I've found.
The Audio takes about 10 secs to find the network. I always power that one down when I'm not using the HiFi.
The others I leave running.
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Thanks for the info. This is the extractor Audio De-Embedder with 3D Support
I would need an optical to coax converter if I bought the Chromecast Audio, can you recommend one?
I would need an optical to coax converter if I bought the Chromecast Audio, can you recommend one?
I've had a good deal of trouble casting and streaming Chromecast Audio, on 24/88, 24/96 and DSD files, 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. I appreciate CCA for what it does right, but I'm fed up with the above. I've ordered a Raspberry Pi for my secondary system to replace Chromecast Audio. I am still using CCA with internal DAC in a third system for background listening. I've ordered three new units for my grown children.
Chromecast Audio is great value, but the mediocre sounding internal DAC and poor hi-rez streaming with an external DAC limit it to low-fi use.
If I use the CCA internal DAC, all of my files play reliably, including hi-rez. I appreciate CCA for what it does right, but I'm fed up with the above. I've ordered a Raspberry Pi for my secondary system to replace Chromecast Audio. I am still using CCA with internal DAC in a third system for background listening. I've ordered three new units for my grown children.
Chromecast Audio is great value, but the mediocre sounding internal DAC and poor hi-rez streaming with an external DAC limit it to low-fi use.
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As a power supply, I use the ifi usb 2.0 which has two USB connectors filtered and very well regulated.
I compared cca with tidal to my computer setup (audiophilleo 1 with purepower (battery) and wireworld platinum usb cable and running j-river mc24 with fidelizer optimizer).
I did some A / B and I did not hear anything significant between the two options.
I compared cca with tidal to my computer setup (audiophilleo 1 with purepower (battery) and wireworld platinum usb cable and running j-river mc24 with fidelizer optimizer).
I did some A / B and I did not hear anything significant between the two options.
Any subjective opinions on the CCA from Rpi users. I have ran out of patience with my admittedly brief experience with a Rasberry.
The CCA seems to work pretty reliably and sounds very acceptable for 30gbp played via optical into my stock standard Cambridge DAC Magic. It also played a hi bit rate file without hiccup streamed via upnp.
Why should I persevere with Rpi?
The CCA seems to work pretty reliably and sounds very acceptable for 30gbp played via optical into my stock standard Cambridge DAC Magic. It also played a hi bit rate file without hiccup streamed via upnp.
Why should I persevere with Rpi?
I've recently been through just this.
I have only recent got my RPi + Kali reclocker to play properly into the I2S input of my Nanda DSP XO dac..
I'd say comparing using Spotify, the RPi is slightly more lively and dynamic.
Not much in it though..
I connected a usb drive to my router and play some FLACs that Spotify is missing (some hi-res), into the RPi that way.
That gives extremely solid results.
Better than my Laptop / Jriver / USB / WaveIO ->I2S into Najda.
I haven't tried Tidal on RPi.
My trial period came to an end before I could and I'd need to buy Volumio too I think.
With the RPi and Spotify the SQ is sufficient Just like Rolls Royce state of their Automobiles performance
I have only recent got my RPi + Kali reclocker to play properly into the I2S input of my Nanda DSP XO dac..
I'd say comparing using Spotify, the RPi is slightly more lively and dynamic.
Not much in it though..
I connected a usb drive to my router and play some FLACs that Spotify is missing (some hi-res), into the RPi that way.
That gives extremely solid results.
Better than my Laptop / Jriver / USB / WaveIO ->I2S into Najda.
I haven't tried Tidal on RPi.
My trial period came to an end before I could and I'd need to buy Volumio too I think.
With the RPi and Spotify the SQ is sufficient
Just like Rolls Royce state of their Automobiles performance 
You shouldn't!
There are a million options out there. Choose the one that suits your requirements the best.
Hehe, I did if it's off a usb charger.. can be white and black or red and black. Measure polarity with multimeter to be safe..
I've found my RPi very stable once on a good clean power supply. I leave it on all the time and it's always ready.
I do get the odd drop out with CCA. But nothing too serious. I can't say if WiFi route is worse for this, as I have had it on Lan most of the time.
One RPi advantage is that even with a long internet outage we suffered yesterday, I could play FLACs from my router networked USB drive, until streaming was available again.
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Why destroy the Chromecast Audio cable? Any cable with USB micro-B plug will connect to the CCA streamer.
I don't use Tidal, I like Google Play Music and YouTube Music. Mostly I stream my own ripped CD's and LP's.
My TP-Link Archer router uses the original SMPS. I don't think there would be any benefit to changing it. In my main system, I connect a SOTM sms-200 via wi-fi to my DAC. This setup sounds exactly the same whether streaming or playing a CD from the DAC's integrated CD tray.
I may try that CCA ethernet adapter in a third system. For my secondary system, I've replaced CCA with a Pi 3 B+ and it is rock solid; no dropouts or interruptions, even with hi-rez material. Sound quality wasn't impressive into the iFi iOne DAC until I added a dual head cable and fed the DAC separately with an iPower 5V SMPS. This setup sounds better than CCA with the 5V iPower, IMO. It seems the RPI USB bus is as bad as people say.
I'd be interested to hear about any inexpensive but good quality 5V 1A LPS.
Not wanting to spoil the CCA thread but I came here having being disheartened with Rpi with Volumio. Spent a testing afternoon today loading Moode and it seems to work, albeit I keep getting a crackly static noise.
But after all the effort....not sure it's good enough to warrant over a CCA.
Full disclosure.....CCA into a stock Cambridge DAC magic.....Rpi with a berry dac+ pro
I am still a CCA proponent!
But after all the effort....not sure it's good enough to warrant over a CCA.
Full disclosure.....CCA into a stock Cambridge DAC magic.....Rpi with a berry dac+ pro
I am still a CCA proponent!
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