How do I start streaming music?

The CCA’s beauty, is that it takes over the stream, once cast from the browser and or app. If you use a chrome browser, there should not be any issues. Once cast from the bowser, the network stream will be between the internet source and the CCA. Just make sure the CCA has good access to the Wifi and you’ll be good. Once you get this setup, you can improve the building block as you seem fit.
 
The CCA’s beauty, is that it takes over the stream, once cast from the browser and or app. If you use a chrome browser, there should not be any issues. Once cast from the bowser, the network stream will be between the internet source and the CCA. Just make sure the CCA has good access to the Wifi and you’ll be good. Once you get this setup, you can improve the building block as you seem fit.

Yep. I'd also recommend getting an Android tablet so you can control everything from the sweet spot. A nice Samsung Tab can be had for around $130. Music on PCs is SO last decade.
 
True, as Cast is native to android. An Android tablet would be all you need to add. Then you could play with Roon, an excellent music manager and Spotify for high-end digital music. On the cheap, I find google play music fine for casual listening, if you don’t mind advertising .. kinda like listing to radio :). Else pay 10/month for no advertising.

The rabbit hole is deep :)
 
Rick,
You need little to nothing. Your Pre has a built in DAC. All you need is a USB cable from your computer to your pre. It could be your desktop if its nearby or a laptop. Even a smartphone will work. Pick your service, I use tidal ( i do find the artist radio stations repeat) Blame AI with little imagination but you can pick nearly any artist and any album. The interface is pretty user friendly. If you have Amazon Prime, you get amazon music. I have it but never tried. But it is pretty simple. If you need more guidance as you go, just ask.
 
little to nothing

I don't want to run a cable, it would have to pass through 2 doorways. I don't have a laptop or a smartphone. What I am going to check into is the Mrs. has a laptop that is actually called a Chromebook, which may be an alternative to downloading Chrome on the PC. But she is somewhat protective of it, she must be on Ashley Madison, so if it interrupts her use of it at all it's going to be a big no-go.
Spending a few bucks to get set up isn't that big of a deal. If I get some new music discoveries out of it and the SQ is good, well hey, it's just the price of admission. It looks like a hundred bucks will get me started.
I was joking about the dating site. She's golden.
 
Chromebook is from Google, as is Android. No personal experience, but it should cast to CCA without issue, given a good WiFi signal.
 
Yep. I'd also recommend getting an Android tablet so you can control everything from the sweet spot. A nice Samsung Tab can be had for around $130. Music on PCs is SO last decade.
Amazon has been blowing out their 8” Fire HD tablets for around fifty bucks (newer version on the way). Out of the box, you can’t install Google stuff on it, but it’s very easy for anyone comfortable with computers to modify so that you can.
 
The CCA or this cable? Thanks

You need the Chromecast Audio.

https://store.google.com/gb/product/chromecast_audio

It has a 3.5mm stereo analogue headphone socket, which also contains a TOSlink optical SPDIF port. You don't want the Chromecast with a fixed HDMI cable on it.

The cable you posted is the type you want (3.5mm mini TOSlink to TOSlink), but you do not need gold plating (since the signal is optical, so electrical conductivity is utterly irrelevant). I would also suggest you don't want metal connectors, since most TOSlink ports on equipment are plastic, and you don't want your disposable cable to be harder than your fixed connections on your end equipment (ask yourself which is going to be harder/more expensive to replace when it wears out: the cable, or the equipment?).
 
The CCA’s beauty, is that it takes over the stream, once cast from the browser and or app. If you use a chrome browser, there should not be any issues. Once cast from the bowser, the network stream will be between the internet source and the CCA. Just make sure the CCA has good access to the Wifi and you’ll be good. Once you get this setup, you can improve the building block as you seem fit.
With my CCA, when I cast from my laptop using a Chrome Browser - the browser must remain open from the casting source.

If I close that browser session or shutdown the laptop, the stream is no longer sent to my CCA.
 
Further to my earlier suggestion of using a RaspberryPi as a means to get a USB signal to your McIntosh, it would seem that the RPi is quite happy to work in this manner. Google 'RPi USB DAC' for plenty of hits. This one looked an interesting discussion:

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/...ing-usb-dac-how-to-stream-audirvana-and-roon/

PC->router->WiFi->RPi->USB->McIntosh

Volumio running on an RPi3 will connect to your router using its on-board WiFi, support USB DACs in 'asynchronous mode' and there's a Spotify plug-in...
 
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Amazon has been blowing out their 8” Fire HD tablets for around fifty bucks (newer version on the way). Out of the box, you can’t install Google stuff on it, but it’s very easy for anyone comfortable with computers to modify so that you can.

I have Tidal, Spotify, of course Amazon music plus a couple other streaming apps on my 5 yr old Fire. Controls my CCA great. As do my iPhone, iPad and laptop.
 
Thanks for starting this discussion Rick. I'm in the same boat, playing catch up. I'm going to pick up a Chromecast Audio locally today ( I've noticed everyone prices them at $35). I'm hoping my router will work OK in the dungeon(basement).
 
Further to my earlier suggestion of using a RaspberryPi as a means to get a USB signal to your McIntosh, it would seem that the RPi is quite happy to work in this manner.

Having this morning received both an I2S DAC (PiFI DAC+, £14.50), and a USB DAC (generic, based on BB PCM2704, with h/phone, coax & optical SPIF o/ps, £5.50), I can confirm that Volumio on an RPi will drive this USB DAC. Since it has no volume control on the DAC, I set the 'Mixer Type' to 'None', rebooted Volumio, and it played to the selected USB DAC. Volumio drives the I2S PiFI DAC+ perfectly well, too, with hardware volume control on the BB PCM5122 DAC...

So that's about £30 for the RPi 3+, £5.50 for the USB DAC, and a 5V uUSB PSU, and you have a wireless music player you can control from any device on your home network that runs a web browser.

My RPi Volumio accesses my music library on my NAS. You'd have to decide how you wanted to access your music that's currently on your PC. Routers often have a USB socket that they can use to both create a file server and a media server from a connected USB HDD. Your PC and RPi Volumio could both then access this "poor man's NAS".
 
Having this morning received both an I2S DAC (PiFI DAC+, £14.50), and a USB DAC (generic, based on BB PCM2704, with h/phone, coax & optical SPIF o/ps, £5.50), I can confirm that Volumio on an RPi will drive this USB DAC. Since it has no volume control on the DAC, I set the 'Mixer Type' to 'None', rebooted Volumio, and it played to the selected USB DAC. Volumio drives the I2S PiFI DAC+ perfectly well, too, with hardware volume control on the BB PCM5122 DAC...

So that's about £30 for the RPi 3+, £5.50 for the USB DAC, and a 5V uUSB PSU, and you have a wireless music player you can control from any device on your home network that runs a web browser.

My RPi Volumio accesses my music library on my NAS. You'd have to decide how you wanted to access your music that's currently on your PC. Routers often have a USB socket that they can use to both create a file server and a media server from a connected USB HDD. Your PC and RPi Volumio could both then access this "poor man's NAS".

Good stuff. With that said the OP is just "dipping his toe" with streaming. This is more like "diving in head first". Let's help him walk before he runs.
 
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