Chromecast Audio sound quality

All I can say is that I went from bluesound node 2i streamer to the new Metrum Ambre and there was a very noticeable difference and this is using the same internal Rotel 1572 DAC

Notice it’s always the people who have used the CCA tell you that. You never hear anyone who’s had a very good streamer mention that, at least I haven’t read such.

It always sounds good until you hear better.

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The only tests I’m aware of are these. Apparently the optical digital output is pretty jittery, but inaudibly so. I’d worry more about the network connection. Though there is a $15 Ethernet adapter to allay such worries.

That being said, I’ve listened to a lot of music analogized via the CCA’s DAC, and did so with great enjoyment.

If someone out there understands how jitter can affect the quality of the sound coming from a DAC, could they share what they know? I ask partly out of personal interest, but I think it might contribute to the discussion.

Jitter effects the audio signal going into a DAC. The cleaner the signal the better the sound.

https://samplerateconverter.com/educational/jitter-audio

Thanks for the link, that helps. But it gives me the impression there’s nothing a DAC can do to mitigate jitter. A few people in this thread believe some DACs are more sensitive to jitter than others. I’m interested in understanding the mechanism by which jitter can make a difference, and how some DACs might find a way around it.

@John_Webb: Well, the article itself says that with regard to the CCA, even with the increased jitter, it’s still so low it’s not an audible (SQ) issue. And some people in this thread are right; newer input chips (which read the signal in via optical or coax) boast newer reclocker circuits which fix the input jitter. So newer DACs benefit from technology progress. But anything in the last two or three years bought new should not have jitter issues. Read the comments, too. They discuss all of this.

@Chrislayeruk: You know a lot more about this than I ever will. But: unless you are working with old equipment, jitter is apparently not a real concern any more. Things get better!

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That is true, Jitter is well understood and decent kit has it tamed, I’d like to think.

I use CCA as my main Roon endpoint now. It’s great with 44.1 Flac files and using optical output feeding my DAC.

Seems to respond well to an upgrade in power supply too. I’m now using a sonore LPS1.2 and Ethernet and am very happy.

From all the comments here, plus the measurements from Amir and Archimago, CCA is all we need.

Everyone that spends anywhere from $500 to $2,500 for a different streamer is clearly an audiophool wasting money.

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Yep. Well, as long as you’re happy with the supported bit rates. I upgraded to a $60 Raspberry Pi box because I wanted to feed my DAC with USB.

That’s a bit harsh. I’d rather say that they’re paying for something other than functionality.

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allo have DigiOne and DigiOne Signature for same functions, so why two products?

You mean like jewelry?

Well my Meridian 218 is a more expensive streamer…What do I get? Compatibility with Meridian Coms to integrate my older 500 series kit with my DSP5200SE speakers. Analog, digital Coax/ optical and speakerlink inputs allowing me to further add to and integrate my system, full MQA decoding, upsampling and apodising for other digital inputs. Multi room capability and a bloody good DAC should I ever need it. The Meridian IP app for system control and configuration. The ability to pause play etc from my MSR+ remote control unit.
Oh, I forgot, a sound to die for :joy:

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There should be no difference in SQ between your Meridian and Chromecast Audio. If they measure the same, all should sound the same.

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You need to come over and listen lol Don’t forget all the other benefits that one has to pay for :sunglasses:

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Anyone here using Chromecast audio for 24 bit 96 and 192 and not getting dropouts at least now and then? Even with ethernet now it still drops now and then. The iMac it streams from is not running any other stuff to strain CPU

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Sorry I know you’re looking for people without the dropouts, but I get them too. I think it has something to do with the Chromecast, because I was using a Sonore MicroRendu with separate DAC on the same network and there were never dropouts.

Well, something to do with the CCA and your network, perhaps. Probably different buffering strategies in the microRendu and the CCA, so given a particular network you might get dropouts with one and not the other. Diffferent protocols, too, I think. I see no dropouts with a WiFi-connected CCA, but I only (mainly) do 16/44, and it’s 8 feet from my pretty powerful WiFi modem.

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This thread about Chromecast Audio Dropouts from last summer indicates the dropouts using the CCA’s toslink ( optical ) output are due to a bug in Google’s code.

Tim

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Perhaps the very new DACs have perfected jitter rejection. However, my somewhat old Dangerous Music Source and Emotiva DC-1 sound different between inputs and transports used. I think these were launched around early 2010s. With both of these, I definitely prefer my Bryston BDP-1 feeding AES over the optical output from various Samsung TVs, IPTV, or PS3, or Marantz CD5004 coax output. The BDP sounds slower and locked in and lets me listen longer without fatigue. The other devices including USB from MacBook Pro and iMac with or without Jitterbug doesn’t quite get there in long term listening. They get fatiguing or I lose interest over time.

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