Reviewing the, a small round dongle that plugs into your speakers and essentially turns them into wireless ones capable of streaming music over Wi-Fi, didn't start with a bang. My problem was finding a non-wireless speaker to connect Google’s new dongle to. Like so many millennials, I own a Bluetooth speaker. (Several, actually). When I'm at home, and I'm feeling like turning it up, I stream music from my phone to a Bluetooth speaker or blast it loud from my laptop's speakers.
Who doesn't already own a wireless speaker these days? See also: The Chromecast Audio has pretty much the same shape as the new.
You can tell the difference between the two simply by the Chromecast Audio’s vinyl record design. Instead of an HDMI plug, it comes with a yellow 3.5mm auxiliary cable, which is rather short (7 inches end-to-end).
There really isn't much to using the dongle. Most people will connect the Chromecast Audio to speakers using the 3.5mm auxiliary jack. It also works with RCA and optical input, but you'll need your own cables if you go those routes. Getting started Setting up the Google Chromecast Audio is super simple. Image: Raymond Wong/Mashable Chromecast Audio supports most major music-streaming services like Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Rdio, Google Play Music, Deezer, and Soundcloud. The only big ones that aren't available are Apple Music, Tidal and Amazon Prime Music — which really blows if you use any of them. I listen mostly to Spotify and Pandora these days.
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Pandora works great — all you have to do is hit the Cast button on the app and it'll start streaming the song right to your Chromecast Audio-connected speaker. In the case of Spotify, you will need to have a premium (translation: paid) account in order to use it with Chromecast Audio. Interestingly enough, you don't need a premium Spotify account to stream music to a regular Chromecast connected to a TV. To start casting music, just hit the 'Cast' icon (upper right on this app). Image: Raymond Wong/Mashable Friends and guests can cast their own music to the Chromecast Audio-connected speaker, too, with their own devices. It's a fun little party trick, but I've honestly never cared for these social 'DJing' features.
Nobody really wants to be the DJ at a party; it's extra work. Sound quality Audiophiles will argue the sound quality of music streamed over Wi-Fi is superior to those streamed over Bluetooth, but that’s a huge nerdy rabbit hole I'm not going to go down.
There are too many variables including bit-rates, compression, etc. Frankly, I couldn't hear much of an audible difference while listening to music streamed over Google Play Music to the Chromecast Audio connected to an old stereo speaker versus music streamed wirelessly to the new. The sound quality on Bluetooth speakers (especially the new ones) have improved so much in the last few years that distortion isn't much of an issue if you've got a decent one.
Now, if you've got a $20 one from your local drug store, the quality will be night and day compared to a nice home theater speaker connected to a Chromecast Audio. Image: Raymond Wong/Mashable Chromecast Audio works as advertised: It lets you stream music to your non-wireless speakers, using your phone or tablet as the control. It works really well, and I didn't experience any connection issues at home or at the office. Your experience may vary if you've got poor Wi-Fi, though. At $35, it's an inexpensive way to breathe new life into an old speaker, although the similarly priced does more or less the same thing. It's not for everyone, of course, and you could just as easily put the $35 toward a portable wireless Bluetooth speaker.
But if you've got a non-wireless speaker you just can't seem to let go of, this dongle is a good investment to bring it into Internet era.