I would like to understand,
surely Volumio is the best system but I don’t understand the usefulness.
Eg. I have a Chromecast AUDIO costing € 40 with the Chromecast system is the most common in the world because it simply drives from a phone by connecting “directly” to any source (Qobuz / Tidal / Spotify etc. … or Radio, Pc, Hard Drives, Nas etc.) without going through systems like Volumio!
intrigued by advertising, a few months ago I built a RaspberryPi with a DAC and a subscriber to Volumio, but goodness, before listening to music I have to go crazy, it is the most disordered and articulated system in the world.
Instead of sending the song from the source … I have to enter a Volumio system from the Telephone and then look for the Source which I then look for the Music song?! ??! … it’s absurd!
Help me figure out if I’m wrong … Thanks
I would have liked to switch to Cambridge Audio, famous for its quality which obviously uses the Chromecast system because I just want to listen to good music and VOLUMIO seems to complicate my life.
You are comparing different things, and as such, there’s no better or worse - they are intended for different purposes, even if both play music.
Volumio is more focused to be an all-round player, for both local libraries and also from streaming services. Chromecast is just a streaming device/cast protocol which relies on another player to do its job.
The way I see it, they serve different purposes. Volumio is the way to go if:
-you have a big local library, be it on a NAS or USB devices.
-if you care about sound quality and you have good audio equipment. Chromecast tops at 24/96, and Volumio goes well beyond that (and plays many more formats).
Chromecast (ideally Chromecast Audio) is nice but you depend on another player, as commented, and the library management etc relies entirely on the player. Volumio’s library management / music catalog is not as exhaustive or complete as other players out there, but once you are used to it it’s comfortable to use.
Chromecast Audio has been discontinued, and the newer Chromecast devices are not so focused on the audio side. Volumio is just focused on audio, and it’s continually in development… and it’s free.
There are many other differences, but this is what comes to my mind right now.
Ps. If you don’t want to “complicate your life” as you say, choose whatever works for you. Listening to music should be a pleasure, not a concern.
You’re right, I’m looking for a “qualitative” replacement for the small Chromecast Audio but Volumio doesn’t seem to fit my needs.
Pay attention, the practicality of the Chromecast “function” should not be underestimated because it manages the Local libraries and streeming services directly from the service itself without “necessarily” going through Volumio that is, I open the Nas folder and send, or Qobuz and send … or Better yet: Hey Google, play me Sultans Of Swing on Stereo.
As for Quality, companies like Cambridge, which also implement this function, have very performing DACs and today many systems with Audio-Cast are born.
So my consideration is that a great idea like Volumio shouldn’t rest on its laurels but see beyond the “all-round player”
Well, you’re right on some point… But
chromecast (not audio) needs a hdmi input
Volumio allows you to add features such as visual specific for RPI, such GPIO, visual output, equaliser and so on.
It is not because you don’t need or want to use Volumio that there is no interest… Some people wonder why Libreoffice because MSoffice exists…
In fact I considered Volumio a great idea, but objectively you have to admit that the Chromecast system is practical and it wouldn’t be bad to implement it.
As for the visuals and equalizer, well, you can manage them directly from the function if you send to a Chromecast
However “for me” Volumio is just a double step and I just want to listen to good music without complications …
so I move on to something else.
Good music to you all
For me, volumio is a fun activity to make my system completely to my own taste, and if you do it properly, it also sounds great.
same goes for my other raspberry pi system.
a chromecast is a chromecast and you have to do with that, at least that’s how I see it.
Hi Nettuno, you are trying to use Volumio in a very unusual way which I agree would not offer a good experience. It is a great product if used in the intended way. I have a RPi plus a small USB hard disk with my entire music collection on it, and that tiny pair of devices makes a standalone library and music playback machine capable of very quickly playing any of my music (1,500 albums) as well as hundreds of radio stations, all controllable from any web browser on the network. I couldn’t really ask for more!
With Chromecast I too can use all the radio functions, streaming services and my personal music library in a very simple and direct way, I just said that Volumio has limits for me, that is, I have to switch from Volumio to do what ChromeCast does directly by phone and this is a double step.
Good heavens, Volumio can be fine but “also” the Cast system is missing, that is to get home, open Qobuz and press Play or ask Google Home …
I’m only interested in sitting down and listening to good music and if I want to make the leap , Volumio is not ready …
If you care about such things as jitter and DSD, you wouldn’t use Chromecast [Audio]. Volumio could work at Pi with accurate digital outputs like PI2AES, and SMB-shared folders from your local audio server, which allows to use any DSD formats (and DLNA not). Volumio installation is a multifunctional hi-fi audio streamer, similar to the noted Cambridge, but much cheaper and having more abilities. Volumio also supports lossless radios, and I doubt Cambridge do it, at least my past Pioneer N-50 did not.
But using Spotify Connect, AirPlay or Blutooth at Volumio is a similar scenario for your Chromecast. And if you have some old netbooks, Volumio could alive this garbage for free.
As I wrote, I already have a Raspberry Pi3 with Volumio which is a great idea for the music archive, but when I want to listen to music, I always go back to my old ChromeCast Audio because immediate, instead with Volumio I have to do more passes.
For now Volumio gives me the idea that it is only geeks, a bit like those who believe that the LP record sounds better when in reality it is just a digital sound printed in analog on vinyl plastic.
Basically a “piece of music” is made up of many components such as the amplifier, the cables, the speakers, the listening environment but above all, the mood of the moment.
Now, I start a David Bowie song from Amazon music HD, from my phone I read the lyrics while Chromecast sends the song directly to my stereo.
if I understand correctly you use the chromecast audio because it works more conveniently and the sound sounds the same (or maybe better) as volumio?
take an example, you use spotify then you just have to open the spotify app and select volumio and press play, what is difficult about it or what is the difference with playing via the chromecast?
then this should also apply to picoreplayer / moodeaudio / runeaudio / max2play etc etc …
Since I have started to use volumio I have learned a lot of things. My listening expirences has improved a lot for me and for my family just by attaching a dsi display and an oled. I think I will sell my cca. If you do not like volumio experience just stick with cca or comercial products :). You need to choose what is best for you. Not judge. Maybe it is a little bit geecky if want more to do from volumio but also can be very easy.
Nice Pic Michael,
My curiosity, sorry for the Off-topic: did you only use the Linn case (whats’s that? A Numerik? A LKxyz?) or did you reuse any of it’s internal circuitry?).
Regards
Saverio
it is a linn kudos tuner (tuner was broken) I used part of the power board (5 volts) and toroidal transformer.
1x raspberry pi 4 (touchscreen) and pi 2b, with allo isolator versio 1 / allo boss version 2 and also an external 12 volt battery for the allo isolator.
the great thing about it is that the touchscreen fits exactly in between, I just have to place a nice cover plate in front of it so that the LED light does not shine through the edges
I don’t want to bash Chromecast but I can’t imagine using it for listening to music. I haven’t used mine for quite some time but I only then used it to cast TV and movies. It really doesn’t have the resolution or fidelity for a decent music streamer.
I have a modest setup. Nothing really fancy. I’ve got couple of class A/B tube amps with Energy 22.1’s in my office. It’s sourced by a RP 3 streamer with a HifiBerry DAC Plus compatible that runs into an Audio Control 1/2 octave EQ. It sounds amazing and I operate it from my phone or a desktop computer. The rest of the home system is similar but I’m using a 6 zone amp for the mains and subs.
I use the plugin for the amplifier turn on circuit so it’s as simple as opening my phone, selecting a playlist, music source (radio paradise, spotify or the music library) and hitting play. I’m not sure how that could be easier.
I did not use CCA since I had volumio.
