chicks
Lunatic Member
Last thing I need is another amp, but that thing is darn cute, LOL!
New Chromecast audio stick to be announced Tuesday
- Thread starter lico
- Start date
Yep I like it. They work well as Bluetooth receivers or amps.
Google should make a "Chromecast Amp" for passive speakers, with TPA3116 inside. Needs to be a heavy, flat little brick with easy connectors. Power it up, plug speakers in done. Bet it would sell like hotcakes for $50, considering all the Bluetooth speakers that sell.
chicks
Lunatic Member
60 Cycle Hum
Well-Known Member
Chicks - I know you have a sonos and have been toying with the chromecast as well. I just got a sonos (haven't even taken it out of the box yet) and was wondering with multiroom now available on the CC, what are the advantages to the sonos. Just trying to decide which route to go and any advantages of one system over the other.
chicks
Lunatic Member
Hmmm. Updated the CC app on all my phones and tablets, but the Create Group option doesn't show up on the CCA menus. Assume that the CCA firmware hasn't updated yet, will have to wait for them to dial home.
Tom, Sonos really doesn't have much to worry about. The CCA is only competition for its least-selling device, the Connect. Its speakers, sound bar and sub, all of which can be easily integrated in various ways for complete, high quality AV systems, are in no danger.
Tom, Sonos really doesn't have much to worry about. The CCA is only competition for its least-selling device, the Connect. Its speakers, sound bar and sub, all of which can be easily integrated in various ways for complete, high quality AV systems, are in no danger.
Once Chromecast gets rolling on this, Sonos should be more that a little worried I think.
http://techcrunch.com/2015/12/10/google-fires-at-sonos-adds-multi-room-support-to-chromecast-audio/
More buzz:
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/f86ee4d8-9d10-11e5-8ce1-f6219b685d74.html#axzz3tzXFcUdr
http://techcrunch.com/2015/12/10/google-fires-at-sonos-adds-multi-room-support-to-chromecast-audio/
More buzz:
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/f86ee4d8-9d10-11e5-8ce1-f6219b685d74.html#axzz3tzXFcUdr
eriathomas
Active Member
It seems they rolled out Hi-Res (24/96) too. I might need to grab one to play with. Still a little uncertain how to cast local stuff to it, I know I need to use UPNP, anyone have any good guides?
Be nice to get rid of iTunes and my airport express.
Be nice to get rid of iTunes and my airport express.
chicks
Lunatic Member
How can I avoid dropouts during group playback?
In order to ensure reliable group playback, please consider the following recommendations:
Interesting. Might be possible to get a pretty stable multi-room setup using the Ethernet adapter on at least one of the CCA's. I wonder if they set up a Sonos-like mesh when grouped?
Can I add my Google Cast speakers to a group?
We are working on adding Multi-room group playback support to all of our existing and upcoming audio devices with Google Cast built-in. This will allow you to group your Chromecast Audio devices and Google Cast speakers from different brands into one seamless experience. This feature will be rolled out to all Google Cast speakers throughout 2016.
This is when Sonos will need to start worrying. If well known quality players like B&W, PSB, etc get into the game, watch out!
In order to ensure reliable group playback, please consider the following recommendations:
- Try connecting at least one Chromecast Audio using the Ethernet Adapter for Chromecast.
- Try connecting Chromecast Audios that are close to your router to a 5GHz network.
- Try placing your Chromecast Audio closer to your router.
Interesting. Might be possible to get a pretty stable multi-room setup using the Ethernet adapter on at least one of the CCA's. I wonder if they set up a Sonos-like mesh when grouped?
Can I add my Google Cast speakers to a group?
We are working on adding Multi-room group playback support to all of our existing and upcoming audio devices with Google Cast built-in. This will allow you to group your Chromecast Audio devices and Google Cast speakers from different brands into one seamless experience. This feature will be rolled out to all Google Cast speakers throughout 2016.
This is when Sonos will need to start worrying. If well known quality players like B&W, PSB, etc get into the game, watch out!
60 Cycle Hum
Well-Known Member
If you don't see the create group setting, tell your Chromecasts to each reboot from the CC app. This seemed to push the firmware to update... worked for me anywho.
+48V
hi-fi or die
Just curious...what "different brand" speakers have Sonos built in?
chicks
Lunatic Member
None, they're a walled garden; they've upped their game considerably lately with the Play:1 and especially the Play:5, both multi-amp'd with room correction built in, and of course can integrate either with their sub and/or playbar for multi-channel AV systems.
Currently the only way to use third-party speakers is via their Connect at $350, which does basically what the CCA does (plus an analog input) for $35. So, an issue for Sonos, except that the Connect isn't their cash cow, by any means.
But, if the Goggle Cast multiroom proves to work well, becomes a standard (it already has on the streaming provider side), and is built into high quality powered speakers from well known speaker companies (only LG, Sony and Denon so far), Sonos will finally have some real competition in the wireless multi-room market they invented. So far, virtually all the multi-room competition has either failed, hasn't offered nearly the feature set (Bose, Polk, etc. multi-room speakers don't sell nearly as well and offer three or four services vs 60 or so from Sonos), or has been targeted at the tiny "high end" market.
Sonos has been hugely successful due their building-block approach, rock solid network reliability, high sound quality, simplicity, and great reviews. The ability to start casting to a new pair of speakers in five minutes sells a lot of non-technical consumers on the system. If Google's partners start offering that same experience, with perhaps even better SQ, then Sonos will have to start allowing third party licensing, lower costs, etc. Competition is good.
+48V
hi-fi or die
The "casting" aspect of Sonos is already omnipresent. The heretofore unique multi-room synced casting with Sonos is on the heels of becoming ubiquitous. So that's indeed a blow to their Connect.
Their HQ speaker line is respectable but they are indeed looking down the barrel of a concept pivot. I'm sure they know this.
Licensing what they have network and UI wise to 3rd parties in conjunction with their own line is about their only practical avenue going forward. Seamless integration, setup, and ease of use is their saving grace.
At this point I liken Sonos to TiVo competing with cable co. DVRs. Sonos, like Tivo, has veracious fans. The difference is the DVR market is pretty slim compared to the music casting biz now and forward. TiVo is holding it's own and doing reasonably well on wings and prayers. I envision the same road for Sonos if they are savvy.
Waxing on....Relatively speaking the Sonos product is the best thing since sliced bread (TiVo), but damn...it's a tough sell at 3 times a competitors price point. i.e. Sonos is now facing the the age old axiom of "if you've never eaten steak, hamburger tastes just fine". Hopefully they're marketing and affiliate depts. are on this disruptive force like stink on a monkey.
chicks
Lunatic Member
Again, only their Connect is priced too high in light of the CCA's brand new capabilities. Their speakers, which far outsell the Connect, are priced competitively, and they own the market. Even their newest speaker, released a month ago, is already in the top ten sellers. When Amazon categorized their speakers in with ALL bookshelf speakers, Sonos dominated even that list.
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-...nics/12097482011/ref=zg_bs_nav_e_4_3236451011
Only when Google Cast Audio gains some traction in the speaker-embedded form will Sonos face real competition in its real market. That will start next year. I'd love to see Paradigm Atoms, for example, with built-in biamps, room correction, stereo pairable, with Google Cast Audio built in, for a competitive price. Looking forward to the multi-room speaker market, which has been proprietary for years, being opened.
Ideally, Sonos would simply add Google Cast capability. I'm frankly surprised that they haven't already. The Google Music app has always been able to cast to Sonos, but none of the competing streaming apps with Google Cast (which is basically everyone but Apple) can do so.
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-...nics/12097482011/ref=zg_bs_nav_e_4_3236451011
Only when Google Cast Audio gains some traction in the speaker-embedded form will Sonos face real competition in its real market. That will start next year. I'd love to see Paradigm Atoms, for example, with built-in biamps, room correction, stereo pairable, with Google Cast Audio built in, for a competitive price. Looking forward to the multi-room speaker market, which has been proprietary for years, being opened.
Ideally, Sonos would simply add Google Cast capability. I'm frankly surprised that they haven't already. The Google Music app has always been able to cast to Sonos, but none of the competing streaming apps with Google Cast (which is basically everyone but Apple) can do so.
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