CCA/DAC advice

[Beachcoma]

I was hoping for some advice regarding the CCA and a DAC for my TV. I am getting a CCA to stream music through my Rotel 1062 and Monitor Audio GR10s. I was also going to buy a very cheap DAC so I could stream the audio through my TV through the amp. My question is, am I better off buying a slightly more expensive DAC (DACMagic100?) and connecting the CCA optically through that as well. Or is the analogue out of the CCA OK?

If so any suggestions? Budget up to £150, don't mind going second hand.

 

[muljao]

What's a CCA?

 

[drummerman]

What's a CCA?

Chromecast Audio

 

[muljao]

Thanks, had no idea

 

[drummerman]

I just replied to the 'DAC' thread.

The CCA has imho a capable Dac/Output chip. Others detect 'night and day' differences. Me, compared with a Dragonfly USB DAC (ESS Sabre) can't hear much difference.

Maybe if you use a state of the art DAC with a proper power supply but I doubt you do much better than a DF (or the CCA's built in DAC) for a 150 quid.

 

[jonathanRD]

I was hoping for some advice regarding the CCA and a DAC for my TV. I am getting a CCA to stream music through my Rotel 1062 and Monitor Audio GR10s. I was also going to buy a very cheap DAC so I could stream the audio through my TV through the amp. My question is, am I better off buying a slightly more expensive DAC (DACMagic100?) and connecting the CCA optically through that as well. Or is the analogue out of the CCA OK?

If so any suggestions? Budget up to £150, don't mind going second hand.

Excuse me if I am being a bit dim, but I didn't quite understand the bit underlined in bold? What are you trying to do? Are you trying to stream from your TV into the amp, what outputs does your TV have?

I have a CCA connected by 3.5mm to RCA cable into the back of my amp. The sound quality is good, but not as good (to my ears) as a CD playing through my CDP.

 

[Beachcoma]

No that wasn't clear from me. I don't mean stream at all. My plan at the moment is this...

TV optical out into cheap DAC (Fiio D03) into amp

Source (laptop/phone) cast to CCA into amp using analogue connection

I just thought maybe I could get a DAC with more inputs and plug the TV and CCA via optical into the better DAC. I don't mind spending a bit more money (second hand DacMagic 100 can be found for around £70 if decent gains were to be had). I think I am going to go down this route.

 

[jonathanRD]

No that wasn't clear from me. I don't mean stream at all. My plan at the moment is this...

TV optical out into cheap DAC (Fiio D03) into amp

Source (laptop/phone) cast to CCA into amp using analogue connection

I just thought maybe I could get a DAC with more inputs and plug the TV and CCA via optical into the better DAC. I don't mind spending a bit more money (second hand DacMagic 100 can be found for around £70 if decent gains were to be had). I think I am going to go down this route.

Ah - that's clearer. I've had the CCA since last Christmas, and I have been toying with the idea of getting a DAC but there are so many options and it's not entirely clear how much you have to spemd to get an appreciable gain. A 2nd hand DacMagic 100 for around £70 is worth a punt.

 

[muljao]

I think it's fairly accepted that the dac in the Chromecast Audio is pretty good. I have my CCA going with an optical cable to my dac, but that was more out of convenience than anything. You'd probably have to spend a lot on a dac to hear even a marginal difference.

One thing though, if you do connect via regular line out, go to Chromecast settings and there is a setting for I think it's called"dynamic sound". Switch that to on for the best the Chromecast can give, when an optical is used this setting goes to high automatically

 

[Beachcoma]

Ah OK I'll try that first and then if it sounds good then no need to change to optical really.

 

[nopiano]

Ah OK I'll try that first and then if it sounds good then no need to change to optical really.

If you use an iThing to control it, the app can access the setting. It's called 'full dynamic range'. I think the idea is that if you listen on headphones it's a good idea to limit the volume. But on a hifi you want the full monty.