Dac for chromecast

[drummerman]

I like how the Chromecast (Audio) sounds straight into my cyrus system.

Still, keeping in the spirit of a stupendous value item (and cheapskate that I am) I've ordered a 'Hifime optical/spdif' DAC. Grand total of £48.00 plus shipping. Uses ESS latest 9018 K2M chip and the company has a decent reputation.

Nice compact hide away as per CCA and technically, it should make this dirt cheap streamer as good as the most expensive ones on the market for just over £60 the pair ... . Ahem.

I'll report back on any improvements or list the DAC on the bay shortly thereafter.

 

[jonathanRD]

Let's hope it sounds good too!

I've been trying to find a way of connecting my CCA to the usb type B connection on my dac module but I failed so far. I'm not sure whether it will work, so the above might be an alternative option to improve the sound from the CCA.

 

[drummerman]

I let you know

 

[drummerman]

I let you know

 

[drummerman]

I let you know

 

[chebby]

I let you know

Let us know.

 

[muljao]

I did have the Chromecast plugged in to my SMSL dac and it all sounded good.

I then donated the cc to my father and it's plugged directly into his amp. It's not a direct comparison but I can't say my dac improved it at all, but then I suppose it's down to the external dac that you use

 

[muljao]

I did have the Chromecast plugged in to my SMSL dac and it all sounded good.

I then donated the cc to my father and it's plugged directly into his amp. It's not a direct comparison but I can't say my dac improved it at all, but then I suppose it's down to the external dac that you use

 

[muljao]

I did have the Chromecast plugged in to my SMSL dac and it all sounded good.

I then donated the cc to my father and it's plugged directly into his amp. It's not a direct comparison but I can't say my dac improved it at all, but then I suppose it's down to the external dac that you use

 

[muljao]

I did have the Chromecast plugged in to my SMSL dac and it all sounded good.

I then donated the cc to my father and it's plugged directly into his amp. It's not a direct comparison but I can't say my dac improved it at all, but then I suppose it's down to the external dac that you use

 

[muljao]

I did have the Chromecast plugged in to my SMSL dac and it all sounded good.

I then donated the cc to my father and it's plugged directly into his amp. It's not a direct comparison but I can't say my dac improved it at all, but then I suppose it's down to the external dac that you use

 

[muljao]

oops x5, thought my phone was acting up,now see there was some forum problems

 

[muljao]

multi posted

 

[muljao]

multipost

 

[rmatthew]

How did you get on with the DAC? I have a CCA, big improvement going from analogue to optical via DAC. I've just got an iFi SPDIF iPurifier which sits between the CCA and DAC, that also made an additional big improvement.

 

[drummerman]

Funny this, I received the Hifime today, a few hours ago. Courier didn't knock the door, just left it in the hallway. Good enough I guess.

Tiny plastic thing but the 'good things' are, as Hifime states, inside.

Just had a listen (Tidal) using the enclosed flimsy and cheap looking optical cable, its about a milimeter thick. In all fairness, Hifime does say to use a sturdier (see what I did there?) one but it gets you going. Got the QED Graphite so that will be next but it'll be tomorrow or the day after. Film night tonight.

The answer to its effectiveness is probably twofold; In combination with the recently acquired QED Revelation Signature speaker cable the combination is clear. Everything there, no harshness, very tight and lovely highs. Good focus. In short, everything Hifi probably should be in the context of my system and within the 'limitations' of the source and/or, more likely, my system again.

Now, the QED, whilst absolutely not a 'bright' cable, has definitively brought its own 'flavour'. It has better control in the bass (than the NACA5), tigthening everything up a tadio more. As always with cables, no 'night'n day' difference, noticeable nevertheless. Thing is, my cyrus amplifier already has a well controlled bass, due to no small part because of the PSX-R.

The little Hifime again adds a little more bass control than taking the output of the CCA directly to the amp. Together, it all adds up to superbly delineated bass of the sort so beloved at Hifi shows and Dealer demos.

Problem is, that might be desirable at normal to high volume but most of my listening is done at probably well below average loudness. At those levels the human ear, my ears, are less sensitive to Bass and Treble. - So whilst I appreciate the little bit more clarity/snap in the middle and extension in the highs the bass is probably a smidgen under nourished (for me). I like a tiny bit of bloom at those low volumes.

Long story short, for most, the Hifime will be a worthwile and very cost effective addition to a CCA (which most will have bought because its a cost effective solution). It does improve on most aspects of the CCA but the differences are subtle and again, far from night and day which I guess says quite a bit about the quality of the DAC and stage of the CCA.

If you have a system that benefits from a well controlled yet dynamic sound, the Hifime is, I think, the most affordable 'serious' addition to a Chromecast and/or perhaps another source with optical out. I dont know of to many others that use an ESS at this price.

It also hangs happily of the back and out of sight.

Will try with the Graphite next and perhaps swap my speaker cables.

Cheers

 

[insider9]

Nice one. Good write up and glad you found it worthwhile.

I was hoping there would be an improvement. I bought CCA few months ago and returned it next day. The sonic differences between it's dac and Burr Brown 1792 I had in Asus Xonar Essence STX were too big for me to find acceptable. Especially in bass where it would make Zensors 3 boomy. I haven't had a plug in Dac at that point to compare and wanted something so I didn't have to turn on PC every time I wanted to listen to music. On top of that it would drop signal occasionally but I guess it's down to poor wifi.

Since buying Yamaha it's all good. I wonder how big of the difference would be between Hifime higher end ESS Sabre dac and that of Yamaha. It's pretty amazing what you can get for the money these days.

 

[drummerman]

Little add-on to yesterday. Using the QED Graphite as opposed to the anorexic freebie spaghetti thing that came with it made an audible difference. Now, I'm kind of a bit hesitant to elaborate too much on it but having used it immediately after the Hifime cable, there is a more rounded bass. Its not deeper (it was plenty deep enough) but now a cello has that lovely wooden sound rather than being starved incremently the further the hand moves down. I'd go a little further and say trumpets have a more creamy texture ... things flow. To use another phrasing, it sounds less hifi and more musical (to me).

The freebie had an adaptor as the CCA to Hifime DAC is Mini to Mini Toslink. The QED is terminated correctly for the use, no adaptor needed.

I'll be darned. This made the combination better. Even taking the cost of all components into equation, CCA + Hifime + QED, it still comes in at well under £100 with enough to spare for a meal out minus the alcohol!

'appy.