This is a natural question because Bluetooth speaker is readily available in all countries and regions. Most families have a few Bluetooth speakers, which may be given free when purchasing some expensive home appliances.
Chromecast Audio is new, although Chromecast is about 2 years old. Even some Chromecast owners may have some misunderstandings about Chromecast Audio.
If you are not sure about the difference between Chromecast and Chromecast Audio, or you are not sure about how Chromecast Audio streams music, you may check our Chromecast Audio guides page.
This post focuses on comparing Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth to help you understand the advantages and limitations of Chromecast Audio. And therefore, you can make a better decision on whether you should get a Chromecast Audio, or whether you can live with Bluetooth, or whether and how you can use both of them within your budget.
Bluetooth usually has terrible audio quality because Bluetooth is designed as a low-power, short-range personal area network (PAN). The speed is far lower than that of WiFi. Even for the latest Bluetooth 4.2, the maximum speed is capped at 24Mbps, which is half of that of the old 2.4Ghz 802.11g WiFi connection.
Most Bluetooth speakers are still using Bluetooth 2.0/2.1+EDR, whose maximum data rate is only 3Mbps. The actual streaming rate is even far lower.
So, when streaming music, audio must be compressed (to reduce data) on your mobile device, transmitted in the air, and then decompressed on the speaker. This usually degrades the audio quality significantly.
The most common compressing and decompressing algorithm (codec), and the default for most Bluetooth devices, is SBC (Low Complexity Subband Coding). SBC is sufficient for phone calls and online meetings. But for music, it is usually not good enough.
To address this issue, some vendors implemented aptX, a new proprietary codec for wireless audio (now owned by Qualcomm). Although aptX probably uses a better algorithm and noticeably improves the audio quality, it is far from what they claimed: “lossless.”
Due to the limitations of the design and implementation of Bluetooth, it is hard to get “lossless” audio through Bluetooth. Very often, aptX actually is just a hit-or-miss: sometimes you get far better quality than using SBC; sometimes, you get as poor audio quality as through SBC. Obviously, the gain from aptX highly depends on the individual music file.
To make it worse, aptX is not widely available.
To benefit from aptX, you need a device (for example, a mobile phone) that supports aptX AND a Bluetooth speaker that also supports aptX. Currently, only a few flagship smartphones released this year and last year may support aptX. For Bluetooth speakers due to licensing costs, most Bluetooth speakers cheaper than $100 do not support aptX at all.
Just for your reference, Apple does not support aptX in iOS at all. So you cannot get aptX on iPhone or iPad. Licensing cost is probably one consideration.
There are some Hi-Res Wireless Audio codecs, e.g., LDAC, LHDC, SCL6, and LC3plus. But hardware support is very limited. This guide explains the Bluetooth codecs for audio.
For Chromecast Audio (or Chromecast), there is no compression in transmitting. Audio quality is only limited by the music source and the quality of your speaker. The 802.11ac WiFi connection is far more than sufficient for lossless audio.
If you use the analog output in Chromecast Audio, the DAC (Digital-to-analog converter) in Chromecast Audio is also a decent one, although not a high-end one.
So, if you compare Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth, Chromecast Audio is definitely a winner in audio quality.
Of course, the audio quality also depends on the music source and your speaker. Chromecast Audio is usually not the bottleneck. But Bluetooth is usually the bottleneck for audio quality.
When you compare the mobile device dependency of Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth, it is very clear that both Chromecast Audio and Bluetooth require a second device in addition to the speaker.
But the role of the other device is totally different for Chromecast Audio and Bluetooth.
For Bluetooth, the device must pair with a Bluetooth-enabled speaker. The music and audio are simply transferred from the device’s speaker to the Bluetooth speaker. For example, after you pair your phone with a Bluetooth speaker, by default, all audio output will be transferred to the Bluetooth speaker. All operations, for example, playing music connecting to the internet if streaming, are all handled by the phone.
This can drain the battery of your mobile device significantly, especially for internet streaming.
As a comparison, Chromecast Audio works differently. For internet streaming, Chromecast Audio will fetch the content and play it by itself. Your mobile phone is just a remote control. Once streaming starts, you can even switch off your phone. You only need the phone when you want to stop streaming
or change the playlist.This means for internet streaming, Chromecast Audio will handle it by itself except for the initial stage of setting up the streaming/playlist. So, once streaming starts, your phone does nothing for internet streaming.
For streaming local music through Chromecast Audio, it depends on the methods you are using. If you are playing a local music library on a PC or NAS server with Plex or VLC player, it works similarly to internet streaming, except the traffic is routed through your local network.
If you are using the casting audio/screen option and are playing local music to Chromecast Audio, it works like Bluetooth, except it is through a WiFi network, not through Bluetooth. Only in this scenario battery consumption on the mobile device is similar to that using Bluetooth.
So, in most cases, especially for internet streaming, Bluetooth will drain far more battery on your mobile device than using Chromecast Audio.
By comparing battery usage on mobile devices using Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth, Chromecast Audio is a clear winner again.
Both Chromecast Audio and Bluetooth have some requirements. Now, let’s compare the requirements of Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth.
For Chromecast Audio, you need:
For Bluetooth, the requirements are simpler:
So, for the requirements comparison of Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth, Bluetooth is the winner.
Chromecast Audio and Bluetooth are actually NOT mutually exclusive. You can get them both within your budget.
The best and cheapest solution is to get a Bluetooth speaker with AUX input. You can use the speaker for both Bluetooth and Chromecast Audio.
Please note if audio quality is a big concern for you, it is better to get a high-quality speaker within your budget for Chromecast Audio. You can then spend an additional $20-$30 for a Bluetooth receiver for the speaker if you need Bluetooth as well. Most high-end speakers with Bluetooth connections are overpriced for the Bluetooth feature.
On the other hand, most Bluetooth speakers, especially unknown brands, are designed and tuned for “Bluetooth” quality. The AUX input may have a similar audio quality as Bluetooth. You should avoid them if you need audio quality.
If you do not care too much about music details, a decent Bluetooth speaker with AUX input (within your budget) is probably sufficient.
Anyway, as I always said, trust your ears, not the price tag.
Google discontinued Chromecast Audio in early 2019. But this does not mean you only have the Bluetooth solution.
As explained in this guide, you can use Chromecast (or Chromecast Ultra) to replace Chromecast Audio. And you will get comparable or better audio quality than using Chromecast Audio.
If your AV receiver or speaker supports HDMI input, then you can directly hook Chromecast into the receiver or the speaker. You will get the best possible audio quality from streaming in this configuration.
If your AV receiver or speaker does not support an HDMI input, you need to add an HDMI audio extractor to Chromecast. You can then use the normal analogue or digital input in your receiver or speaker. You should be able to get comparable or better audio quality compared to using a Chromecast Audio.
Please refer to this guide for detailed explanations for replacing Chromecast Audio with Chromecast.
Anyway, without Chromecast Audio, our recommendation is Chromecast (plus an HDMI audio extractor).
If you have any comments or questions on comparing Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth, please let us know in the comment box below.
The community will try to help you find the answer and benefit from your thoughts.
For more Chromecast Audio guides, please visit the Chromecast Audio guide page.
If your question is on Chromecast, including both 1st generation Chromecast, new Chromecast (aka Chromecast 2015), Chromecast 3rd gen (Chromecast 2018), and Chromecast Ultra, please visit Chromecast how-to guides page.
This post was last modified on November 18, 2023 2:17 pm
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View Comments
Aaaahhh.. so much to learn and understand.. it is a very well written article.. thx a lot
Thank you for your encouraging words. Enjoy casting.
I love your article. I bought the Amazon Bluetooth receiver for my home office and generally like it. The one thing I do not like about the Bluetooth option is that my iPad and iPhone automatically connect to it if it's in range, so if I'm in the living room and want to watch a video on my phone I have to turn off the devices Bluetooth to do so. It's a bit inconvenient at best.
I've had the same issue with my Bluetooth-enabled PA speaker at a concert, where my phone started playing the ringtone through the while I was playing.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Auto connection actually depends on devices. In old devices, you usually have the option to disable auto connection. But it seems most vendors don't offer the option. You have to disable Bluetooth on your mobile devices if the connection is not wanted.
Thanks for an awesome artical,that will help a lot for people confuse between the two formats,I just got my Chromecast Audio a few days ago after setting up with Toslink output to my input Hifi Preamp the sound was outstanding I would say its sound better than my CD by comparison, interms of audio details and wide dynamic range,my Preamp does shown 96kHz 24, while playing Spotify app , if you're using just RCA instead of Toslink you'll get 44khz 16 CD quality sound,I would suggest using this method to take advantage of Chromecast Audio HDR and set it to on in the setting ,without using these methods the HDR music gets loud,audio lost details and distorted.
I used to own Bluetooth 4.1 with Aptx build in, with Coaxial Digital out put and input its to my 12 year olds Yamaha to stream musics and thanks God its has Optical & Coaxial Digital input the sound was very good then, not until this Chromecast Audio blew them out of the water in comparison, like others said in this artical the bandwidth of Bluetooth is very small and weak vs.Wifi 801.1ac or even 801.1n.
Happy Streaming.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience.
I have a belkin Bluetooth receiver linked to a Denon dm39 through an optical cable and it sounds decently. But when I begin listening, I hear a clearer sound for just few milliseconds, and it becomes a little muted immediately. Is this due to the compression factor or maybe is an equalizing setting which begins to be applied?
if you are using Chromecast Audio, you do not need Bluetooth receiver.
The quality of Bluetooth receiver varies significantly. It also depends on the playing device. For your problem, it can also be caused by the optical cable. Did you try 3.5mm audio cable?
I have Sony STR DN1050 receiver with bluetooth in it. I think bluetooth is making very good job. Are those bluetooth receivers better then?
The problem with Bluetooth is due to the compression when transmission. When you transmit music from your phone to the receiver, compression is always applied. This is how Bluetooth works nicely with relatively low bandwidth and low throughput. For music, it is hard to find a "lossless" compression. No matter how good the speaker is, the quality of compressed music usually degrades.
Although the vendor may claim how good the AptX (or some other features) is, the truth is it depends on music itself. For some music, you may not notice the difference due to compression. But for other music files, you can easily feel the difference.
Anyway, it also depends on listener's ears. My recommendation is to get something "good enough" for your ears within your budget.
I think another disadvantage with the Chromecast audio is it must be plugged into a power source. If you want to say, take your battery powered speaker outside but are still within the WiFi "umbrella", you would still have to use bluetooth or stay close to a power source. I do like the option of using a good quality Bluetooth speaker in conjunction with the Chromecast audio to have either option.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You can use a power bank (preferably with 1A current output)
I actually had not thought of that. I ultimately bought a wirless bluetooth speaker that had a usb charging port. It works like a charm! I have not yet had a chance to test the battery life with the chrome attached.
Never mind on that. The power coming from the usb cannot sustain the chromecast audio unless the unit is plugged in. So... back to the power bank...
Thank you for sharing it. The Chromecast Audio need a power source with 1~1.5A current output.
If I use Chromcast Audio toslink out to a Peachtree Nova65se toslink input and stream Google music from my iphone 6s plus will I be limited to the lower bit rate apple uses? Or the higher bit rate that Google Music has over itunes/apple?
It is only limited by Google Pay music. When streaming, Chromecast Audio connects to the music source directly. Your iPhone only pass the resource details to Chromecast Audio.
But Google play music may adjust the quality based on your internet connection speed.
There is one very important point which you have missed. A lot of people carry bluetooth speakers around with them when travelling. It's very portable. You can't do the same with chromecast audio. Even if you connect it to a battery powered portable speaker, it needs a proper wifi connection to work.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Hi there. Can I use Chromecast Audio with a 2018 LG Smart TV like UK6300 somehow? I mean stream from the TV to the CA?
No, you cannot. The operating system of the smart TV is webOS. You cannot install Google Home app on it. Even if your TV states it supports Chromecast, very likely, it can only work as the stream destination. In this case, you don't need any Chromecast devices.
You can use your mobile phone (android or iphone) to stream to Chromecast Audio.
Hi there! This Chromecast audio seems a revelation for web streaming hi-fi enthusiasts going wireless and cheap :)) . This article is great! Thank you simon!
There is though, at least for me, an unclear detail concerning the locally stored audio files (probably among others, as I never streamed anything):
- If the bluetooth transmission compresses and decompresses the signal, what happens through wi-fi? The sure thing is that, at the optical end, it must be PCM, right?
The streaming is through WiFi, not Bluetooth. When streaming through WiFi, the digital signal can be transmitted in original format without compressing or altering depending on software and hardware.
You forgot to compare useful range and whole house audio. With my chromecast, I can cast and control any speaker or group of speakers from anywhere in my wifi bubble. I can also set a stream in motion, leave the house with my phone and come back later to my music still playing. and while I'm gone my girlfriend can control the chromecast from her phone.. or the kitchen tablet .. or the pc. I can't believe Google has discontinued it. There is no substitute.
I'll be fine with the 10 Chromecast Audio units I have as long as google keeps supporting them. If they suddenly stop functioning, I'll be lost.. and livid :(
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the advantage of Chromecast (vs Bluetooth).
Unfortunately, in Jan 2019, Google confirmed that Chromecast Audio has been discontinued. All the units in the market are the last batch you can get. Most Chromecast Audio users cannot understand the reason. But Google is Google: they made the smartest decisions sometimes, and also dumbest decisions sometimes.
My guess is that more and more middle-range and high-end speakers and soundbars now support Chromecast Audio. And these manufacturers may press Google to stop selling standalone Chromecast Audio devices so that they can compete better with others without Chromecast Audio. For Google, the profit from Chromecast Audio is not significant (due to its affordable base price of $35 although the profit margin is high).
Of course, it is a bad decision for consumers.
Hello
I want to buy an amplifier with built-in chromecast. Will this still work within several years? I mean.. After updates in the future?
I don't want to spend money on something that won't work after a time. Thanks. Filip