How To Improve Chromecast Audio With External DAC

Chromecast Audio is a great way to play audio from your mobile device or PC on your home stereo system. While listening to FLAC files, for example, the internal DAC may not be up to the task, hence an external DAC is required.

But how can connecting an external DAC help the sound quality of Chromecast Audio? In this article, we’ll go over the simple procedures required to upgrade your Chromecast’s audio with an external DAC. Keep reading if that’s the kind of data you’re interested in!

How To Improve Chromecast Audio With External DAC

To improve Chromecast Audio with an external DAC, connect Chromecast to a USB-C hub and link your DAC to the hub. Next, connect your phone or computer and  Chromecast Audio to the same Wi-Fi network. Finally, open the Google Home app and cast audio from your device to Chromecast.

Understand What a DAC Does

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to listen to audio using Chromecast only to have a blank screen appear instead.

Nevertheless, that’s not Chromecast’s only flaw; the device often has trouble with audio quality as well.

It is the job of a digital-to-analog converter, as the name suggests, to transform digital audio signals into analog signals that your speakers can process.

Digital music is the norm when listening via smartphone or computer.

But, an analog signal is required by your speakers to play the music.

An analog-to-digital converter is useful for this purpose. As a result of its superior processing of digital audio signals and reduced noise, an external DAC significantly enhances audio quality.

Choose a DAC Compatible With Your Chromecast Audio

There are a lot of DACs out there, but not all of them are compatible with Chromecast Audio.

It is recommended that you search for a DAC that has either a digital optical input or a 3.5 mm (0.14 in) auxiliary input. Your Chromecast Audio will connect to the DAC via one of these inputs.

To avoid this, you can use a USB-C hub to link a DAC with USB ports to Chromecast, as I will show you below.

As a starting point, you may check out this Fosi Audio Q4 Headphone Amplifier that is available on Amazon.com. This adapter is ideal for usage with Chromecast Audio because to its USB, 3.5mm (0.14 in), RCA, and optical inputs.

For further information on whether or not the DAC is compatible with Chromecast Audio, you can also consult the DAC’s manual or the manufacturer’s website.

Connect Your Chromecast Audio to the DAC

Once you have a DAC that is compatible with your Chromecast Audio, it’s time to start setting everything up.

1. Connect your Chromecast Audio to a powered USB-C hub.
2. Connect your DAC to the USB-C hub using USB cables.

Connect the DAC to Your Speakers

After hooking up your Chromecast Audio to the DAC, you’ll have to link the DAC to your speakers.

1. Connect the DAC to the speakers with a 3.5mm (0.14 in) auxiliary cord if the speakers have an auxiliary input.
2. If your speakers have an optical digital input, you can use that.
3. If their plugs are not standard RCA or XLR, then you will need to find a suitable cable.

Set Up Your Chromecast Audio, DAC, and Wi-Fi 

Now that you have your components assembled, you can set up your Chromecast Audio and digital audio converter. Below is the procedure:

1. Turn on your Chromecast Audio by connecting it to an electrical socket.
2. To use your DAC with Chromecast Audio, power it on and make sure it’s connected to the right input.
3. The Wi-Fi settings on your mobile device or computer can be used to join the network broadcasting from your Chromecast Audio.
4. After you’ve joined the same network, your Chromecast Audio and DAC will be able to receive music streams from your mobile device or PC.

Download the Google Home App

You’ll want the Google Home app in order to set up and manage your Chromecast Audio. There is no cost to download the software from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

Learn how to get the Google Home app on your iOS smartphone by reading this guide.

1. Open the App Store.
2. Tap the search icon in the top right corner of the screen.
3. Type “Google Home” into the search bar and tap the search button.
4. Tap the “Get” button next to the Google Home app.
5. Enter your Apple ID password or use Touch ID to confirm the download.
6. Once the app has finished downloading, tap the “Open” button to launch it.

To get the Google Home app on an Android device, follow these steps:

1.  Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
2. Tap the search icon in the top right corner of the screen.
3. Type “Google Home” into the search bar and tap the search button.
4. Tap the “Install” button next to the Google Home app.
5. Accept the permissions request.
6. Once the app is installed, tap the “Open” button to launch it.

Extra Step: After opening the app, follow the prompts to set up Chromecast Audio. Here’s a quick video demo on how to set up Google Chromecast:

Cast Music to Your Chromecast Audio

The setup is complete; you may now stream music using Chromecast Audio, your DAC, and the Google Home app. You may “cast” music from your mobile device or computer to your home stereo system with Chromecast Audio.

You can use the Cast function in music streaming apps like Spotify or Pandora, or the Google Home app.

Adjust the Volume and Sound Settings

If you want the highest possible sound quality from your Chromecast Audio and DAC streaming music, you may tweak the volume and sound settings once you’ve begun playing music.

Use the Google Home app or your speakers’ volume settings to achieve this. With the app, you can also tweak the equalizer and activate any additional sonic capabilities your DAC may offer.

Additional Tip: Try out a few different streaming services until you find one that you like. It’s a good idea to test out a few different services before settling on one because some of them might offer better sound quality or a wider variety of songs.

Final Thoughts on How To Improve Chromecast Audio With External DAC

This concludes the discussion on using an external DAC to enhance Chromecast audio. Although the process of building a great home audio system may seem daunting at first, it’s actually rather simple with the correct tools and a little bit of time invested.

For this reason, it is imperative that you check that you have all the necessary cables and adapters on hand before beginning. Don’t be afraid to look up the Chromecast Audio and DAC’s user manual or give your neighborhood audio expert a call if you get stuck during setup.