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Google Chromecast Audio with Multi-room Support Review Updated

Overview of Google Chromecast Audio

Music and high quality audio playback has been a passion of mine for many years. I started collecting compact discs in the ’80s. I later imported them in Apple Lossless format into iTunes. That way, I could create custom playlists while preserving the original audio quality.

Apple Alternatives

For many years, we used Apple’s Airport Express units to distribute music via Airplay throughout our home. For its time, this was a pretty elegant solution, supporting both lossless audio and synchronized multi-room audio. The Airport Express can output both in analog and optical audio formats.

However, Apple’s solution wasn’t perfect:

  • the last Airport Express units were based on obsolete Wireless-N technology,
  • audio synchronization didn’t persist across lengthier periods of time, leading to the ‘warehouse echo’ effect across rooms,
  • Airplay targets could randomly drop out,
  • Airplay doesn’t support the concept of zones or device groups, and
  • you could only start muti-room playback from your Mac, not your iPhone.

For a while, you could buy Airplay-enabled standalone speakers, but these were limited to Wireless-G technology (making them even more susceptible to audio dropouts). Frankly, I never understood why Apple didn’t evolve its Airplay solution, given both the competitive product threats from Sonos and Google and the strategic value of reinforcing the iPhone as the ‘first screen’.

Bluetooth Alternatives

Bluetooth-enabled speakers take up whole aisles of your local electronics or big-box store. Bluetooth technology is universal to all phones and, therefore, all music services. This means that you don’t have to worry about which ecosystem (Apple, Google or Amazon) in which your personal music library is stored. However, Bluetooth audio transmission is a 1:1 solution, not a multi-room solution. It is notably lower sonic quality than Apple and Google’s WiFi-based lossless audio solutions due to audio compression. Using Bluetooth usually means that all other audio (e.g. text messages, incoming phone calls, other audible alerts) are commingled (and may permanently pause) the audio source to which you were listening. Finally, Bluetooth usually has a much more limited range than WiFi and depends on the mobile phone remaining powered up, serving audio, within in that range.

Google Cast

Google’s multi-room audio distribution technology is based on the success of their video casting platform, Chromecast. In its second iteration, Google upgraded the video version of Chromecast to include Wireless-AC technology. Additionally, it released a new, audio-specific Chromecast device. Like the Airport Express, it supports both optical and analog audio out. Unlike the Airport Express, it is based on Wireless-AC audio and is much more error-resilient. And, it costs as little as $25 on sale, a quarter of the price of the AE.

Like Sonos, the Chromecast Audio device now supports multi-room audio including audio zones/device groups. Unlike Sonos, almost any music streaming mobile app (other than Apple’s and Amazon’s) can cast to an audio Chromecast device. Examples include Google Play Music, Youtube Music/Red, Spotify, Pandora, Tune In, NPR One, iHeart Radio, and Deezer.

The lack of iTunes support is important because none of the cloud-based music streaming services support lossless audio. So, if you are an audiophile, you won’t be able to listen to your CD collection throughout your house in its original sonic fidelity. However, you can import your collection into Google Play Music and then play a high quality but still lossy MP3 version of your songs. In theory, Google Chromecast can support 24-bit/96kHz audio streaming but I don’t know of any audio streaming source in this format.

The Google Cast mobile application (now known as Google Home) is available on both Android smartphones and iPhones. Android integrates Cast remote controls into the notifications pane, unlike the iPhone. This means that all playing audio can be controlled from an Android device by simply lifting your Android phone.

AV Receiver Integration

We have several different home theater systems in our home. Each of these has a Google Audio Chromecast connected to it via an optical cable. Monoprice sells the necessary S/PDIF Digital Optical Audio Cable, Toslink to Mini Toslink in 6ft length for less than $2.50. To power on these AV receivers, each has a Harmony Smart Control hub paired with it. I also configure the receivers to automatically power off after 20 minutes of no audio input.

Rooms with Fixed Speakers

In other locations (e.g. the garage, kitchen, and back patio), we connect Google Audio Chromecast devices via RCA cables to Audio Source AMP100VS 2 Channel Amplifiers. In addition to being cost-effective, these Audio Source amplifiers can power on/off automatically when audio is cast to them. This eliminates the need for a Logitech Harmony hub in those locations and the need for extra steps by the user. For inside locations, I prefer Polk’s ceiling speakers like the RC80i. For outdoor locations, I use JBL Control One 4 Inch Indoor/Outdoor Speakers.

Powered, standalone speaker integration

Finally, there are the rooms in our home where there are no in-wall or in-ceiling speakers or home theater systems. In those rooms, I use Google Chromecast Audio pucks with Sony SRSBTX50 speakers. These are now discontinued but their sound quality is exceptional. I first picked them up on closeout and have since bought some extra units on eBay for around $80. Their only drawback is that they do not power on automatically when you cast audio via their analog line input; you must first manually press a button to power on the Sony speaker.

Resources

Google multiroom audio FAQ

Tips

  • In the Google Home mobile app:
    • Enable playback sounds
    • Enable full dynamic range (for analog connections)
    • Uncheck the Privacy box, which uploads usage data
    • Disable Guest mode
  • The device name is critical for Google Home support.
    • For example, MBR might be shorter in the mobile app but you can’t say “Master Bedroom speaker” or “bedroom speaker” to Google Home.
  • With AV Receivers, use optical link if possible. Map it to a multichannel processing mode on AVR so you can hear surround sound and, particularly, output from your subwoofer.

Room for Improvement

  • Neither Chromecast Video nor Cast enabled Android TV devices can be part of a Cast audio group.
  • You can say “OK Google, cast [song] onto [speaker name/Cast group]” to play music in multiple rooms simultaneously but this doesn’t work consistently. (See list of voice commands supported by Google Home).
  • Every app presents Cast enabled groups and devices differently. Ideally, they would all categorize Cast devices by type (e.g. group, Google Home, Android TV, Chromecast Video and Chromecast Audio), then present in alphabetical order with appropriate icon.


Updated on December 1st, 2023