[pinkfloyd4ever]

I've been thinking...(my first problem, haha) that my Chromecast Audio may be the weak link in my C&C system.
So I found this https://darko.audio/2018/07/letters-to-the-editor-3-ways-to-juice-your-chromecast-audio/ and was considering doing it, along with maybe adding the iFi S/PDIF iPurifier. But then I'm wondering, is it worth dropping $150ish on upgrades to a $30 device? That still won't do gapless playback?

So what other options are there in the $100-$200 range? I'd like something that works with both Spotify and Tidal, uses WiFi (not Bluetooth), is easy to connect and stay connected, and has an good control app/user interface. Oh and gapless playback would be AWESOME. Am I asking too much at this price? Doesn't need to have its own onboard DAC, but it's fine if it does.

I'm open to looking at the used market.

So far I've found the
NuPrime WR-100
Definitive Technology W Adapt
Arcam rPlay

But there's not a whole lot out there written about any of these. Who has experience with any of these? Any others I'm missing in this price range?

Or, if not of the 3 above offer gapless playback, has anyone applied all the above mentioned upgrades to the CCA and found them worthwhile?

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Hmm maybe my first step is to get out the ol' laptop & USB cable to feed my DAC directly from the computer and see if I do hear a difference.

[Shakeydeal]

Allo Digione

[Mortsnets]

I use a Raspberry Pi with Allo Boss DAC which I prefer to CCA optical out to DAC.

[envydd]

I use my youtube red subscription with CCA. I bought the iFI power adapter for 50 to power my 30 buck CCA. The sound is possibly a little better.  I also have a daphile box that can use a CCA as an end point. Hence I have multiple CCAs in the house and I use ipeng+ app to redirect internet radio or my HDtracks ...

Sorry don't listen to pandora/tidal/qobuz ....

CCA is amazingly good for its price. It makes me wonder I should not go deep into the audiophile hobby (am a newbie here). I think CCA + an entry level NuPrime integrated amp IDA6 + KEF Q100 is a great combo 

Check some of the new reviews https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/9h84qw/audio_science_review_measured_the_chromecast_audio/

[Shakeydeal]

This is what I was referring to.


https://www.allo.com/sparky/digione-signature-player.html

[Shakeydeal]

I use my youtube red subscription with CCA. I bought the iFI power adapter for 50 to power my 30 buck CCA. The sound is possibly a little better.  I also have a daphile box that can use a CCA as an end point. Hence I have multiple CCAs in the house and I use ipeng+ app to redirect internet radio or my HDtracks ...

Sorry don't listen to pandora/tidal/qobuz ....

CCA is amazingly good for its price. It makes me wonder I should not go deep into the audiophile hobby (am a newbie here). I think CCA + an entry level NuPrime integrated amp IDA6 + KEF Q100 is a great combo 

Check some of the new reviews https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/9h84qw/audio_science_review_measured_the_chromecast_audio/

I had a Squeezebox Touch with outboard Channel Island Audio PS. I replaced it with CCA and it was a nice improvement. Not too long after that I replaced the CCA with the Allo Digione running Picoreplayer. HUGE improvement. Even better when you hard wire it to your network.

Shakey

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I had a Squeezebox Touch with outboard Channel Island Audio PS. I replaced it with CCA and it was a nice improvement. Not too long after that I replaced the CCA with the Allo Digione running Picoreplayer. HUGE improvement. Even better when you hard wire it to your network.

Shakey

I'm not too familiar with these Raspberry Pi setups. I just know you're like the 5469th person I've seen say they sound amazing for the money, so maybe it's about time I looked into them in more detail.

How do you stream Spotify or Tidal to them? I don’t have a hard drive full of FLAC files or anything, so I don't have any interest in having to use Roon. This would only be used for streaming Spotify Premium and Tidal Hi-Fi. Will the RPi-based options do what I'm wanting?
Do they have to be hooked up to a PC still or do they operate on a standalone basis? And can I interface with it only using my smartphone or tablet?

Do they do gapless playback?

Whoa! $330+ for the Digione!? I swear I looked it up last night and it was like $100??

[WC]

There is the digione and the digione signature. You can also get them as players (includes raspberry pi, Power supply, case, micro sd card). So prices are $100 to $315 depending on what you want. I have a digione that I use as a airport endpoint to my AV receiver. Works well, but I haven't tried spotify connect or tidal through it. Looks like you could get plugins for Volumio for tidal or Spotify.

[Shakeydeal]

I use Logitech  Media Server as the interface. Spotify and Tidal have plug ins available. I know people who have used Tidal with Raspberry Pis, but I have not used this.

Shakey

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Man this all sounds far more complicated than what I'm wanting. It's in my living room where it also gets used by my wife and occasionally our friends so I want to be as simple (and universally understood) to use as it is now.

Maybe I'll just go back to the original idea of adding an iPurifier and better PS to the CCA

[Shakeydeal]

I guess a lot depends on how much importance is placed on sound quality vs. convenience. A Bluesound Node 2 would be an easier one box solution. Most devices are going to sound better than chromecast.

Shakey