Chromecast Audio Guides

View Comments

• flac player with chrome cast audio........ from windows (not loading from chrome in the url bar), from android, ios from nas . what are the possibilities for flac

  • Plex is probably the best solution. Check this guide (it works for music as well).

• Can I control multiple Chromecast Audios from one device?

  May be a silly question but is it possible to select a playlist to play on one Chromecast Audio, then from the same device select a second Chromecast Audio and play a second playlist - but still retain the ability to control the first again. Whenever I try from Google Music I can only control the last Chromecast Audio/ Playlist I started?

  • Of course, you can. In Chromecast App, all available Chromecast devices are listed under device tab. You can manage them and control them individually.

    When you tap cast icon in the supported apps, you will have to select a Chromecast device. So, you can choose different Chromecast device for each app.

    But in most Android devices, you cannot run 2 or more copies of the same app. So, you cannot use the same app for different Chromecast devices. This is what you experienced in Google Play music.

    If you want to stream music to 2 Chromecast Audio, you have to: 1). use two different music playing apps; or 2). use two different devices.

• Hi Simon, thanks for the reply - pretty much what I thought! I'm wondering when the multiroom update comes out what new features that will bring i.e. will it allow simultaneous control of different Chromecast audios in different rooms or just allow grouping of 2 or more devices to play the same thing in multiple rooms.

  Having been a long time user of the old Chromecast, you can get that to play different media in different rooms at the same time from the same app but typically only because the Chromecast devices seem to loose contact with the controlling device frequently. So for example you can start a stream from PLEX in the front room, then once the controller disconnects you can start another stream in another room. Obviously the tricky thing is then trying to re-take control of the first stream! Seems you can do the same with Chromecast audio but it disconnnects less frequently.

  • Not much detailed info on the update.

    Thank you for sharing the trick of casting to 2 devices from same app on one device.

• as soon as Audirvana can cast - and the puck can handle 24/96 (or even better up to 24/192) - I'm in! One wonders why Apple has not bumped the bit-perfect Airport Express to 24/96 long ago. Again, the competitors are filling the gaps that Apple exposes...

• Does using optical output/Toslink bypass the Chromecast DAC and allow me to use an external DAC? If so, this would be superior wireless solution to Bluetooth Aptx, right?

  • Yes, you are right. For digital output, the audio quality depends on the music source and your HiFi system. Chromecast audio mainly just fetch the digital contents for you.

    Actually, the DAC in Chromecast audio is quite good for most users.

    Chromecast doesn't compress your music. It's always better than Bluetooth.

• If I'm streaming something (say from Netflix) to my Chromecast on TV, is there any way I can also connect to my two Chromecast Audios, which are plugged into two separate speakers, and have the audio through these as well?

  • No, you cannot.

    Only Chromecast Audio can form groups with Chromecast Audio. Chromecast cannot.

    Chromecast Audio does not fetch video contents.

• Hey, thanks for all of this info. A question remains unanswered though. Is it possible to use Chromecast and Chromecast Audio at the same time?

  Thank you

  • Yes, you have to select Chromecast devices in each app individuality.

• Hi. Is there a way to hook chromecast audio up to older speakers without RCA or a 3.5 AUX connection? My speakers are connected by bare wires. Can you hook it up through the receiver somehow? And if so, would I still be able to play through those speakers from a phone or computer?

  • You need to find an adapter or a receiver that can connect to your speaker. Chromecast audio itself only accept 3 goes types of different downstream connection.

    As long as Chromecast audio is setup, any devices in the same network can play to it and control it. Please note, Chromecast audio is mainly for streaming.

• Can Chromecast Audio handle an app that has equalizer and tone controls? The ‘paid-for’ version of BubbleUpnP allows these sort of controls but I’m not sure if the Chromecast Audio can deal with them. Thanks.

  • Most of them will be simply ignored by Chromecast Audio.

    • Thanks. I had a feeling that that would be the case.

• Using Google Home app on Android device the Chromecast Audio shows that it's ready to cast. I choose say Spotify and choose the Chromecast Audio device and it then says "connecting" and eventually connects after a very long time but sometimes doesn't and reverts back to the device. Connection to Google Home is instant. What do you recommend?

  • Did you try Google play music or other services? Sometimes, the slow connecting is due to network connection from Chromecast audio to Spotify server.

• Thanks for the idea. Don't think it's connection to Spotify as music continues to play when trying to change devices. Contrary to what I said before, it happens when changing to Google Home too. All I get is a message "connecting" when trying to switch playback device. Even happens if using a multi group device of two (Chromecast Audio hooked to speakers & Google Home) and trying to switch to just one.

  • Do you mean you get the problem only when switching devices? If you open Spotify app, cast to Google home or Chromecast audio (not switching), do you have any issues?

    Yes, switching devices during casting is tricky and relies on the music providers' server. Some don't support it at all.

• Question 11 - how to cast local files to chromecast. easy access to locally stored music with easy to use apps that allow searching a NAS for files and setup playlists etc. It currently looks like sonos has the advantage over google in this respect.

  • Chromecast Audio was designed as a streaming device, not a media player. It requires a remote (or local) server to feed the stream. So, you need a local server if you need play local media files.

    Sonos and some other manufactures usually include a local player.

• I’m trying to configure Chromecast Audio with my Samsung Smart TV using the TV speakers but during set up I can’t hear the sound, which I’m assuming Google Home app isn’t connecting. I bought a 3mm male to male RCA adapter and connected it to audio in. Is this the right cable for this? What am I doing wrong? Do I need the optical cable? Very confused!,,

  • The cable is not an issue. The audio-in in a TV usually is for DVD players. If this is the case, you need to power on the TV, and select the input source to DVD player using your TV remote.

    Depending on TV model, the speaker may not work if no video input is detected.

    Anyway, people seldom use the TV speaker for Chromecast because 1). wiring of TV speaker depends on manufacturer and the model. It’s not standardized. 2). Most speakers are not good. 3). TV speaker normally doesn't work if the screen is off (in standby mode). It’s better to connect your Chromecast Audio to a sound bar or a dumb speaker.

• I got a brand new chromecast audio this week, and connected to my Onkyo 5.1 receiver. The sound is great, but I am not seeing any output on the passive subwoofer. Adjusting subwoofer level from receiver menu seems to have zero effect. I have even tried switching inputs, but with no change - the system works 2.0 mode!
  Is there a work around? ..or do I have to ditch the chromecast audio?
  Thanks
  Anand

  • If the passive subwoofer is hooked to the receiver, there should be no issues for Chromecast Audio. The handling of subwoofer is the job of the receiver. Chromecast Audio should send 2.1 audio to the receiver.

    Did you try different music or different cables?

    You can also test the subwoofer by connecting your phone (if it has a 3.5mm jack) to the receiver with the same cable. Then you play music on the phone and check the subwoofer.

    • Thank you Simon. So I rechecked the subwoofer and found it to be working when running the DVD player.
      I now discovered that the Google Home app has an option to enable "full dynamic range" (for some reason this is not selected by default). Once I selected this option, boom, everything work nows.!

      • Thank you for sharing the update. Enjoying casting.

• I purchased a CCA a few weeks ago via an Ebay seller but the supplied 3.5mm yellow cable has developed a fault so cannot use CCA with the genuine cable now.The seller does not have a spare and I cannot see replacements advertised online.
  Can you please help us with a sourcing a replacement cable?

  • I don't think Google sells this cable. The audio cable is a generic one. You just need to get a quality cable from the local audio shops. Amazon also sells such cables. The length of the cable is not an issue.

• How does one cast from a PC and keep the PC audio output (to powered speakers) working and playing the same program as the speaker group(s)? I generally use Pandora for streaming music and would like to play it both in the same room as the PC and in other rooms.

  • You cannot group your PC speaker (unless it is also connected to a Chromecast device) with other Chromecast Audio connected speakers.

    When you casting to a Chromecast/Google Home device, you can use another tab to play anything to your PC. Of course, you cannot sync it with the Chromecast. Also, most streaming service providers only allow one session per account.

    • Thank you very much for a great guide. Super insightful and practical.