Best Sound Quaility From Phone to Amp.

[cmr_for3]

I have a Chromecast audio connected to my amp. The quality is fine but my preferred app on my phone often disconnects when using it. (I cast the whole phone's output as the app itself is not cast enabled).

I can use Bluetooth but this does lead to a loss in quality (in theory)


I was considering a physical connection to the amp via one of the inputs. Would a DAC be better in terms of sound quality, or am I talking rot?

Basically I want to know if there is any benefit to acquiring a shiny new toy!

[richardfinegold]

I have never used Chromecast. My understanding however is that it can attach to the aux input of a pre amp, and also has a toslink digital output. It would seem to me that if you use the analog output, then the DAC being used is the DAC in the phone, and the digital output the digital to audio conversion will be done by whatever DAC is on the other end.
Which will sound better? Does your phone have a killer DAC? If you buy an external DAC, will it be a dCS Rossini or a 10 pound special from Tesco? The Devil is in the Details.

[MrGongGong]

I would get something like this

https://focusrite.com/en/ios-audio-interface/itrack/itrack-solo

[Dave2002]

I would get something like this

https://focusrite.com/en/ios-audio-i...ck/itrack-solo

Maybe, but seems only to have a USB 3 input/output. I was tripped up today by a phone which only has a USB C cable - I suspect most new ones are like that.

Re Chromecast audio it doesn’t work quite as one might think, depending on the data source. If the data source is web based -e.g. a streaming site - then the Chromecast audio device connects direct to the site. If the output is via the headphone connection than the DAC is in the Chromecast unit, but if the optical out is used to an external DAC, then the digital conversion is done in the external DAC.

Richard is right in msg 2.

If the data source is from audio files stored on the phone - I’m not sure if that’s what’s being done - then this needs more thought.

I have used a Chromecast audio unit, and it has been good for streaming R3, both to a DAC and via the headphone output. I’m not sure that I can configure it (say) to connect my CD player to a DAC.

If streaming then the limitations may be in the phone or broadband network, rather in the audio connections and devices - e.g. dropouts, buffering etc.

[Pianoman]

I used a Chromecast audio some time ago but gave up because it didn't do gapless playback, a non-starter in classical for me; maybe it does now ?

[gradus]

I used a Chromecast audio some time ago but gave up because it didn't do gapless playback, a non-starter in classical for me; maybe it does now ?

I didn't know that but for R3 streaming, it works very well indeed in conjunction with my cheapo android phone.