Chromecast Audio to WiiM Ultra with Multiroom - no Sound

[Asterinex]

Hello all,
First of all, I want to say that the WiiM Ultra is an awesome device, and I love its compatibility with Audio Pro speakers.
I have a Drumfire D1, two C5s, and an A15.

1. What is working great:
   My WiiM Ultra device is the primary device in a MultiRoom setup with Audio Pro speakers.
   From my smartphone, the WiiM Ultra receives audio through my Wi-Fi network and plays it on all my Audio Pro speakers via Wi-Fi (MultiRoom).
   There are no cables connected to or from the WiiM Ultra. Everything works over Wi-Fi. Great!
2. What is not working:
   On my Windows laptop, I want to cast YouTube to my WiiM Ultra device. I have the option to cast to it.
   The PC/browser shows that it is playing. In the WiiM app on my smartphone, the WiiM Ultra and all my speakers show as playing (with the moving EQ icon).
   In the Google Home app, I can see that Chromecast Audio is casting to the WiiM Ultra. However, I cannot hear any sound !
   
   Can anyone help me please ?
   
   Thx, Aster

 

[Mr Ee]

Welcome.

If the wiim is the parent of a wiim group (of other wiims) and you chromecast to the parent then it's known / expected that only the parent of the group plays the music. At least, I'm 97% sure that was my most recent experience!
However, it seems you have non-wiim (but linkplay) devices in the wiim group and nothing plays, right?

Do those audio pro speakers support chromecast? If so, use a google group instead of a wiim group. But I have a feeling one of the benefits of the wiim edition audio pros is their chromecast support (tbh, I can't remember and would have to look it up).

I don't have any non-wiim yet linkplay devices to try myself, so unless someone else chimes in I'd suggest using the More / Feedback menu in the wiim app to ask wiim themselves.

 

[Asterinex]

Yes, that's correct. I only have an Audio Pro's with Linkplay (first generation, without Chromecast) in the group.
My logic is that the WiiM Ultra receives the sound through Wi-Fi/Chromecast and then uses Linkplay Multiroom to control the Audio Pro speakers.

 

[Burnside]

Yes, that's correct. I only have an Audio Pro's with Linkplay (first generation, without Chromecast) in the group.
My logic is that the WiiM Ultra receives the sound through Wi-Fi/Chromecast and then uses Linkplay Multiroom to control the Audio Pro speakers.

As @Mr Ee says, you can’t receive a Chromecast stream and have that distributed to other non-Chromecast speakers - that’s a google Chromecast constraint, not WiiM. In order to do what you’re trying with Chromecast, all speakers must be Chromecast compatible and you’d need to group them in the Google Home app, not the WiiM app, and cast to that Chromecast group.

 

[Burnside]

Do those audio pro speakers support chromecast? If so, use a google group instead of a wiim group. But I have a feeling one of the benefits of the wiim edition audio pros is their chromecast support (tbh, I can't remember and would have to look it up).

The WiiM edition audio pro devices do support Chromecast because they’re Mkii versions of the audio pro speakers, not because they’re WiiM Editions. When audio pro brought out their MKii versions, they added Chromecast (and dropped Alexa, amongst other things).

 

[Mr Ee]

The WiiM edition audio pro devices do support Chromecast because they’re Mkii versions of the audio pro speakers, not because they’re WiiM Editions. When audio pro brought out their MKii versions, they added Chromecast (and dropped Alexa, amongst other things).

So I was right, but for the wrong reason.
I'll take that

 

[Asterinex]

Ok, thanks to everyone for the replies and help.
As a tech-noob, I understand now.

When using Multiroom, each separate speaker receives a seperate muscistream and uses its own DAC, EQ, etc.
Every speaker in the setup streams using the same streaming technology (e.g., Chromecast, Linkplay, Airplay, etc.).
This is why Chromecast didn’t work initially—my speakers don’t support Chromecast.

Now, I’ve connected the WiiM analog output to one speaker via cable, and this speaker is casting the signal to the other speakers.
Chromecast is working now because I send the signal to the WiiM, which outputs the sound analogously to my first speaker, and this speaker passes the sound to the other devices.

I got it now!

 

[Burnside]

Ok, thanks to everyone for the replies and help.
As a tech-noob, I understand now.

When using Multiroom, each separate speaker receives a seperate muscistream and uses its own DAC, EQ, etc.
Every speaker in the setup streams using the same streaming technology (e.g., Chromecast, Linkplay, Airplay, etc.).
This is why Chromecast didn’t work initially—my speakers don’t support Chromecast.

Now, I’ve connected the WiiM analog output to one speaker via cable, and this speaker is casting the signal to the other speakers.
Chromecast is working now because I send the signal to the WiiM, which outputs the sound analogously to my first speaker, and this speaker passes the sound to the other devices.

I got it now!

Great - it’s often difficult to help when we don’t know what the intention or the other kit was at the start, but glad we got to a conclusion eventually

 

[taps]

Is there a solution for synchronising the multiroom playback when using a chromecast group ?
I have a wiim pro and wiim amp in a group, when playing content via wiim multiroom, the audio is nicely in-sync, however when using google cast group the audio is not fully in sync. There is an option to set the delay in the wiim pro (audio sync), but not in the wiim amp where i'd need to set the delay to make it in sync.

 

[Burnside]

Is there a solution for synchronising the multiroom playback when using a chromecast group ?
I have a wiim pro and wiim amp in a group, when playing content via wiim multiroom, the audio is nicely in-sync, however when using google cast group the audio is not fully in sync. There is an option to set the delay in the wiim pro (audio sync), but not in the wiim amp where i'd need to set the delay to make it in sync.

You might be able to work round that by making the WiiM Pro the main device in the group I.e. select the pro, then link to the amp rather than the other way round.

 

[taps]

the thing is that the audio plays nicely when they're in a wiim group, however chromecast doesn't work in wiim group and it needs to be casted to both unit as individuals using the google cast group. so there is no main device

 

[Burnside]

the thing is that the audio plays nicely when they're in a wiim group, however chromecast doesn't work in wiim group and it needs to be casted to both unit as individuals using the google cast group. so there is no main device

Sorry, you’re correct of course, I was focussing in the WiiM group setting.

Is this advice of any use/relevance? “Open the Google Home app, select the device you're having audio delay issues with, tap the gear icon, select Audio, and select Group delay correction. Stand between the speakers that seem out of sync and adjust the time slider until the audio delay between the speakers is resolved.”

 

[taps]

That worked, many thanks