It's no secret that Chromecast has been a big success for Google. The streaming stick's low price and ease of use has made the Chromecast a bigger and bigger part of the average living room — and it doesn't look like Google is about to slow down anytime soon. Alongside the announcement of a new Chromecast model, Google announced the Chromecast Audio.

At its core, the Chromecast Audio is an expansion of the same idea behind the original Chromecast: it's a way to make streaming media easy enough for anyone to use. For a long time, anyone who wanted to listen to something on their phone through a speaker would either have to buy an expensive peripheral or find another way to play it.

The Chromecast Audio ditches all of that in favor of using the speakers you already have to play the music from the device you choose: simply plug the dongle into the 3.5mm jack on your speakers, sync it up with your device and you're ready to go.

In retrospect, it's surprising that something like this hasn't already come along. Buying smartphone speakers can be an absolute nightmare, as many are either ridiculously expensive or frustratingly difficult to use (or both). With the Chromecast Audio, however, there's no more worrying about buying another set of speakers or hoping that your device is compatible with the sound system: it's straight-up plug-and-play, and something that audiophiles should definitely be excited for.

If you've been looking for a better way to stream your music, Google's got you covered. Better yet, there's absolutely no wait to get your hands on it: Google announced that the Chromecast Audio would be available starting today, for the standard Chromecast price of just $35.

For more on Tuesday's event, just take a look at our Google Nexus Event hub!