advertisement


Chromecast Audio.... where to next?

BigBlue2020 said:
I am in the process of trying the same change, as comments on another forum suggested that the CCA can be improved on
Click to expand...

So far using wireless technology -

1. Tried a Cambridge CXN V2 - bluetooth was clearly inferior, the chromecast function was about the same, but the CCA edged it by going into a better DAC on my Marantz SA14 CD player. Sold the CXN V2

2. Thought hmmm, maybe i shouldn't have sold the Cambridge but maybe i should try something different - bought a sh Bluesound Node 2i. Using the internal DAC and i think the wireless network connection (why didn't i try that on the Cambridge?!) it was about the same as CCA - but again i thought the CCA just edged it. More listening required.

Next steps -
3. I have bought a plug in network extender to try a wired usb connection into the Bluesound

4. I'll try the Bluesound into a good DAC

The CCA still provides a very good/excellent sound to my ears and I don't so far understand why people spend £thousands on dedicated streamers
 
BigBlue2020 said:
So far using wireless technology -

1. Tried a Cambridge CXN V2 - bluetooth was clearly inferior, the chromecast function was about the same, but the CCA edged it by going into a better DAC on my Marantz SA14 CD player. Sold the CXN V2

2. Thought hmmm, maybe i shouldn't have sold the Cambridge but maybe i should try something different - bought a sh Bluesound Node 2i. Using the internal DAC and i think the wireless network connection (why didn't i try that on the Cambridge?!) it was about the same as CCA - but again i thought the CCA just edged it. More listening required.

Next steps -
3. I have bought a plug in network extender to try a wired usb connection into the Bluesound

4. I'll try the Bluesound into a good DAC

The CCA still provides a very good/excellent sound to my ears and I don't so far understand why people spend £thousands on dedicated streamers
Click to expand...

This is invaluable Buh-Buh. Thank you very much for sharing. I started this thread because I have had the same struggle to improve on the CCA. Its great to hear that you are on the same journey. We might have to look at some of the alternatives suggested in this thread.
 
Hi Darren

I still use my CCA (into a more basic Soncoz) in my workshop, it is excellent and always will be. In my main system I use an SOtM SMS-200 USB player into a DAC (SMSL M-400, which actually has pretty decent Bluetooth built in by the way). It's quite the step up from CCA, even the basic SMS-200. It's controlled by Bubble UPnP control app on my phone. Music files are either a local NAS or a steaming service, Bubble is capable of feeding almost anything to the SMS-200.

I used a friend's tweaked pi a while back, and couldn't really tell much difference (I'm sorry but I cannot remember exactly what it was, although we also controlled it from Bubble). In both cases, the players were accepting Ethernet and outputting USB, no wireless.
 
That Yamaha streamer looks interesting. Shame it doesn't have digi out but going by reviews it doesn't really need it at that cost.
 
I just popped into town there and bought a Bluesound Node 2i. It's just finished updating its software so I should be all set to take it for a test drive and see how it gets on. As long as it can play gapless via USB or network then it should be a keeper. Fwiw, I'm sending audio to my Qutest although I might try its own DAC at some point. That's not that important but gapless playback is the key thing it has to get right if its to stay put.
 
windhoek said:
I just popped into town there and bought a Bluesound Node 2i. It's just finished updating its software so I should be all set to take it for a test drive and see how it gets on. As long as it can play gapless via USB or network then it should be a keeper. Fwiw, I'm sending audio to my Qutest although I might try its own DAC at some point. That's not that important but gapless playback is the key thing it has to get right if its to stay put.
Click to expand...
Do please let me know how you go Dezza.
 
RoA said:
That Yamaha streamer looks interesting. Shame it doesn't have digi out but going by reviews it doesn't really need it at that cost.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure the Yamaha WXC 50 does have digi out ROA
 
windhoek said:
I just popped into town there and bought a Bluesound Node 2i. It's just finished updating its software so I should be all set to take it for a test drive and see how it gets on. As long as it can play gapless via USB or network then it should be a keeper. Fwiw, I'm sending audio to my Qutest although I might try its own DAC at some point. That's not that important but gapless playback is the key thing it has to get right if its to stay put.
Click to expand...

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner: the Bluesound Node 2i does gapless playback via USB !!!
 
If you power off or put the Node into vacation mode, bear with it as it will have to reindex the files connected via USB. USB is regarded as temporary so the index get lost. However if you music is stored on a network share then there is no issue.
 
Darren said:
I'm pretty sure the Yamaha WXC 50 does have digi out ROA
Click to expand...

It does, coax and optical. I have one and see no reason to spend any more. Decent Tidal integration, will play from upnp sources on the network, the Musiccast app is OK.
 
Alan Brown said:
Hi Darren

I still use my CCA (into a more basic Soncoz) in my workshop, it is excellent and always will be. In my main system I use an SOtM SMS-200 USB player into a DAC (SMSL M-400, which actually has pretty decent Bluetooth built in by the way). It's quite the step up from CCA, even the basic SMS-200. It's controlled by Bubble UPnP control app on my phone. Music files are either a local NAS or a steaming service, Bubble is capable of feeding almost anything to the SMS-200.

I used a friend's tweaked pi a while back, and couldn't really tell much difference (I'm sorry but I cannot remember exactly what it was, although we also controlled it from Bubble). In both cases, the players were accepting Ethernet and outputting USB, no wireless.
Click to expand...


This is what I use and I'm happy with it, so another vote. I haven't compared to the CCA though.
 
windhoek said:
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner: the Bluesound Node 2i does gapless playback via USB !!!
Click to expand...

But I can't get the thing to access the files on my Nvidia Shield TV (the files are on a USB drive attached to the Shield TV). It is the case that the Bluesound will re-index music on a USB drive every time the device wakes up from sleep so you have to wait untill it's finished before you can play anything. I've got the USB drive connected to my Nvidia Shield TV so that PLEX Server can serve up files to my Chromecast Audio (how I had things working until recently), but Bluesound doesn't work with PLEX and I can't seem to manually enter the correct network sharing info so that it can see the USB drive over the network.

Unless I can figure it out, I'll either have to leave the Node on all the time or just be patient whenever I want to use the thing. I know it's not a major issue, but I want to be able to use the USB drive connected to my Shield TV as source files. If nothing else than because the Node won't re-index those files whenever it wakes up from a nap.
 
sideshowbob said:
It does, coax and optical. I have one and see no reason to spend any more. Decent Tidal integration, will play from upnp sources on the network, the Musiccast app is OK.
Click to expand...
Thanks SSB. I'm liking the yamaha thing.
 
windhoek said:
This is where I'm at as well. I absolutely want gapless streaming of local files (or via USB drive) and that's where the CCA obviously fails. I've been using the USB input on my OPPO 103D recently as it can do gapless but I'd prefer not to use my OPPO for this. I've been looking at the Bluesound Node 2i myself and have been giving it some serious consideration. I don't do music over the internet so it would just be for streaming files from a USB drive. Apparently, the Node 2i (and possibly the newer Node) requires that attached USB drives are formatted as FAT32 or NFTS. No exfat support.
Click to expand...

I’ve a 256gb USB memory stick connected to my Node2i and it sounds superb via an external DAC.

Assume my Oppo UDP203 also would serve the same purpose though not tried it!
 
windhoek said:
It is the case that the Bluesound will re-index music on a USB drive every time the device wakes up from sleep so you have to wait untill it's finished before you can play anything.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure that the Node only re-indexes if you physically remove the usb drive and then reconnect or you put the Node in vacation mode.
I leave mine on all the time but it automatically goes to standby mode when its been idle for 15 minutes.
 
JezmondTutu said:
I’ve a 256gb USB memory stick connected to my Node2i and it sounds superb via an external DAC.

Assume my Oppo UDP203 also would serve the same purpose though not tried it!
Click to expand...

I'm sure your OPPO would work as well if not better than my 103D in that regard. My OPPO has SACD ripping capabilities so I really only want to use it for blu rays and ripping SACDs. I know reading files from a USB drive is hardly taxing for it, but I want my OPPO to last as long as possible and easy use is still some form of use.
 
webster said:
I'm pretty sure that the Node only re-indexes if you physically remove the usb drive and then reconnect or you put the Node in vacation mode.
I leave mine on all the time but it automatically goes to standby mode when its been idle for 15 minutes.
Click to expand...

By vacation mode, do you mean when you long-hold the Play button to put it to sleep? That's the sleep I'm talking about.
 
windhoek said:
By vacation mode, do you mean when you long-hold the Play button to put it to sleep? That's the sleep I'm talking about.
Click to expand...
Your Node 2i will automatically go into sleep mode if you don't use it for 15 minutes.
By putting it into vacation mode you're effectively cutting the network connection hence the reason it wants to re-index each time you power back up.
 
webster said:
Your Node 2i will automatically go into sleep mode if you don't use it for 15 minutes.
By putting it into vacation mode you're effectively cutting the network connection hence the reason it wants to re-index each time you power back up.
Click to expand...

Ah, good to know. I thought you had to put it to sleep or else it would 'stay awake' all the time. Magic :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top