What is Chromecast Audio?
Chromecast Audio is a little device that gets connected to your speakers. It helps the speakers to stream music and sound programming remotely from different online-based sources and several different devices.
Let us not confuse Chromecast Audio with Chromecast. Chromecast Audio deals with audio-only while Chromecast deals with both audio and video when connected to devices.
Old speakers are not able to directly stream audio and music content, some speakers are ‘smart’ and can easily connect to the internet and wirelessly stream music. This is where the Chromecast Audio comes in.
High-quality speakers are cheaper nowadays and their sound quality has improved over the years. Recently, wireless music streaming has taken the world by storm and this functionality is usually found in newer speakers as well. Internet-connected ‘smart speakers’ are new inline such as Google Home, Amazon Echo, etc.
Chromecast Audio’s goal was to carry music streaming to your offline speakers and intensifiers. The gadget interfaces with your Wi-Fi streams straightforwardly from the web and is constrained by cell phones, tablets, and PCs.
A little larger than an Oreo cookie, the Chromecast Audio is the product made by the union between a disk made of vulcanized rubber and a 7-inch record. Released in 2015, this device promised to keep getting better and it keeps improving in every way. Let us not forget it is not so heavy on the pocket!
What is Bluetooth audio?
Bluetooth audio has gone from a “nice to have” feature into something that is almost necessary for any new product. It can be considered as a necessity these days. Bluetooth was not initially made for music streaming, however, its initial purpose was to connect headsets and speakerphones. Its design had a narrow bandwidth and maybe that is why some oppose it and think it is actually great for conversations and not music streaming.
Whereas, we are very much familiar with Bluetooth and how it works. It is a wireless technology standard utilized for transferring information among cell phones and such gadgets over a limited distance and it uses short-frequency UHF radio waves. Bluetooth works on wireless earphones and speakers and lets you remotely connect your sound system to your cell phone and its wide streaming services.
Bluetooth audio offers comfort and by using it, the content can be streamed from a distance and that depends on the device one has to stream the content on. Bluetooth audio is not new to this world but it keeps getting the upgrades it needs.
These days Bluetooth 5.0 is in almost every mobile phone we see, and even in wireless speakers. Many people have always preferred using Bluetooth in order to stream videos or to stream music. However, the real question is that is it enough, and does it fulfill the needs of the people?
Introduced somewhere in 2000, Bluetooth has the people’s trust of wirelessly getting their content processed, shared, and streamed but now, music streaming with great quality is what every person wants these days.
Chromecast Audio VS Bluetooth
Many people want to know the pros and cons of Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth, and their similarities right after Chromecast Audio launched.
This is a very logical question because Bluetooth speakers are available in almost all countries and regions. Most people have a few Bluetooth speakers, which are now even given as a gift for free when purchasing some expensive home appliances; we are very familiar with that.
The following points compare the potential and limitations of Bluetooth and Chromecast Audio:
• When streaming music via Bluetooth, there is a need to compress the sound to reduce data. This eventually degrades sound quality. On the other hand, Chromecast Audio does not compress any data, as there is no pressure in transmitting. Sound quality is just constrained by the music source and the nature of your speaker.
• The 802.11ac Wi-Fi connection in Chromecast Audio is unquestionably more than adequate for lossless sounds unlike the Bluetooth 2.0/2.1+EDR used by Bluetooth devices. In addition, SBC is adequate for calls and online gatherings. However, for music, it is normally not sufficient.
• The content is transmitted from your phone to your Bluetooth speakers, which leads to draining a lot of battery life. However, Chromecast Audio does not deplete your phone’s battery. Instead, your phone is more like a remote control that is used only to change or control the content that is being streamed.
• Chromecast Audio requires Wi-Fi and does not connect until it can access the web. If the internet is not available, Chromecast assumes it is not ready yet. This is one of the major differences and gives a plus point to Bluetooth as compared to Chromecast audio.
This is because Bluetooth audio does not require internet or access to the web. It only requires a short distance and Bluetooth compatibility on both sides, the device, and the speaker must have Bluetooth functioning properly.
• Both Chromecast Audio and Bluetooth have points of interest regarding streaming music. The most significant measures are probably going to be the sound quality and the effect on the battery.
• A phone is used mostly to stream music. It is in this manner significant that the technology utilized ensures the battery. Here, as well, the Chromecast has the edge, since it deals with the playing of the music itself and in this way utilizes less battery.
• The most significant point where Bluetooth is better is the ease of use. It does not need to connect to anything, but can be turned on and used. So it is less complicated as compared to Chromecast Audio as that is a separate device.
• Therefore, the Chromecast Audio is more qualified for music streaming. However, if you would prefer not to purchase an extra device, you can likewise work with regular Bluetooth.
I’m sorry but there are definitely misconceptions in this article. CD quality is 44,100 kbps. Bluetooth 2.1+EDR can transmit it up to 3 megabites per second. 44.1k is less then half of 1 megabit. I’ve recently discovered through a lot of research that Bluetooth 2.1+EDR is still the current standard for home audio and is more than enough for very high quality audio. Meaning, even higher than CD quality ( this depends on a lot of factors including the app and the data transmission of the music.) There is a misconception that the higher the version number of Bluetooth, the better the quality. I used to think this myself. Those version increases have to do with a lot of compatibility and connection issues and yes, sometimes there is a higher bit rate involved, but, we are not talking about video transmission here. We are talking about audio. I went through a whole ordeal myself or I felt that I had to get the Chromecast audio in order to get better audio quality because my Bluetooth in my Yamaha integrated amplifier receiver wasn’t enough. But I was wrong. It’s more than enough. Chromecast audio is totally awesome. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve wanted one for a long time. And even at this date of 2022, it still works even though they stop selling them. However, it’s not like you have a huge advantage and audio Fidelity when you are using Chromecast audio over Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. As you stated in the article, yes there are pros and cons however it’s a misconception for you to say compressed audio. It’s only compressed audio if it’s over 3 mb per second. I would think it’s safe to assume that most streaming music apps aren’t utilizing full 16-bit 44.1 CD quality. Yes, some are and some extend beyond that. However, again, even though I think Chromecast audio is awesome, it also has its limits. Bottom line, you are not sacrificing much if you have Bluetooth 2.1+EDR or higher. And if you want the best quality, you can always download FLAC Files, DSD or just buy the CD or Vinyl 🙂