Any Audible users out here?

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lchiu7

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Topic # 231917 20-Mar-2018 09:54

Wasn't sure where to post this but since it's a streaming service, this seemed like a reasonable place.

Thought I would try out Audible on Amazon and downloaded two free fiction titles. But I am finding the experience less than satisfactory. This is because during lots of exposition in a book, you really have to concentrate to remember all the characters, places and scenes while in a physical book you can can re-read the section.

Just wondering what other people's experiences are. I will be cancelling my subscription.

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Reply # 1980383 20-Mar-2018 10:07

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I really enjoy audiobooks, but agree it can be tricky to retain all of it in one's head. Not only is there the issue of it being trickier to “flick through” content, but I think one is more likely to be doing something else while listening (driving, walking...) which isn’t the case with reading.

These days I tend to listen primarily to nonfiction podcasts, but I still use audiobooks especially for entertaining the kids - but I’ve just elected to use the free services provided by my local public library, eg BorrowBox. Just like the library’s ebook collection, it’s far narrower than Audible, but it comes at no cost!

mrdrifter

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Reply # 1980386 20-Mar-2018 10:12

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Audio books can take a bit of adjusting to for some people. I know some people who listen to podcasts all the time, but can't stand audio books. So it's really whatever works best for you.

I just opened up my Audible Stats to take a look at total listening time, I'm somewhere near 450 hours of listening time in Audible. I also use Smart Audio Book player for non-amazon audio books - I would estimate I'm somewhere like 500+ hours listening time in this app in addition to Audible.

I've found most of my audio books I actually end up listening at x2 speed depending on the specific narrator, but that's obviously not for everyone.

Klathman

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Reply # 1980397 20-Mar-2018 10:24

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I agree that you have to have a good situation to use them. I generally listen to music while working and couldn't do an audio book or podcasts then but if I'm driving, or doing less mental work then they're great. Every so often I get a "say what" moment and have to go back a minute or two but they're normally when the book is moving pretty fast and I missed something. That's something that will happen with a physical book for me too.

I guess that's where the trial is good. If it works for you then great, if not oh well nothing lost.

lchiu7

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Reply # 1980406 20-Mar-2018 10:32

I got into audible because I was enjoying listening to podcasts as it helps pass the time while driving, on a bus or even better, waiting for a bus. But the listening experience for a podcast is quite different for a book where in the latter you have to retain so much more. So as somebody said, the trial is good and now I can give it up as not quite suited to my listening requirements.

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xontech

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Reply # 1980424 20-Mar-2018 10:56

Has Audible improved the amount of content they have available for NZ? I gave up trialling it a few years ago when I found all the books I wanted to listen to that were available on their US site weren't available in NZ.

lchiu7

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Reply # 1980427 20-Mar-2018 11:03

xontech:
Has Audible improved the amount of content they have available for NZ? I gave up trialling it a few years ago when I found all the books I wanted to listen to that were available on their US site weren't available in NZ.

Don't know since was using the US site. Interestingly I bought the books on the site but one of them would not show up in the Audible app. Spent a lot of time in a chat session with Amazon support and we could not resolve it until they told me to make sure when I started the app to choose region audible.com when it was defaulting to audible.com.au!

So clearly one of the books I bought was US Only.

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Klathman

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Reply # 1980435 20-Mar-2018 11:30

Yeah the zones are a little naff. I'm on the AU Market. The only author I have gotten annoyed about is Daniel Suarez with only a couple of English books in the marketplace. So far newer books are all appearing in the AU market but that may not be consistent.

I did find an interesting hack the other day. I've purchased some audio upgrades and these have appeared in the US zone. So I logged off the AU zone and into the US zone to get them. All of the books I've downloaded from the AU market show up in my library. So I downloaded them and logged back in to AU and now everything is visible. Interestingly they also show up under cloud so will be interesting to see if any new US books show up.

From a cost point of view the AU market is still far cheaper so I'm not willing to change over to US at this stage.

PoHq

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Reply # 1980438 20-Mar-2018 11:33

Just joined Audible on trial specifically to listen to West Cork (which was superb)

Finished it in a couple of days so thought I'd check out some other books.

Kinda undecided if I should subscribe at the moment. Enjoying it more than I though I would.

gehenna

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Reply # 1980444 20-Mar-2018 11:55

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I love audiobooks. I listen for about an hour a day to/from work in the car. I don't find it too hard to follow the details, I've been listening to podcasts for years though and radio productions before that. Once you get used to it, audio books are great and just another way to enjoy your media. They don't replace books, but there's certain books I'd listen to over reading, and vice versa. Narrator/voice cast makes a HUGE difference though.

PoHq

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Reply # 1980448 20-Mar-2018 12:00

I have to ask if anybody has listened to West Cork and if they think Ian Bailey was the murderer or not in the unsolved case.

mclean

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Reply # 1980465 20-Mar-2018 12:32

Maybe I have restricted concentration bandwidth, but I find having a phone conversation on the hands-free phone in my car really reduces my perception of what's happening on the road. I would have thought audio books would be the same.

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KrazyKid

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Reply # 1980492 20-Mar-2018 13:54

lchiu7: I got into audible because I was enjoying listening to podcasts as it helps pass the time.

Have you tried Stitcher for podcast. Has premium version which I've never used. Can download for off-line listening on the free version.

Can find Radio NZ and lots of other podcasts.

Soundcloud and podcastle also have a good mix of podcasts.

Klathman

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Reply # 1980495 20-Mar-2018 13:57

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mclean:

Maybe I have restricted concentration bandwidth, but I find having a phone conversation on the hands-free phone in my car really reduces my perception of what's happening on the road. I would have thought audio books would be the same.

I haven't listened to any non-fiction books where I'm trying to learn something while driving but I'm fine with standard fiction books. If it were a problem then talk radio would be a major problem as well. Phone calls are quite different in my view as you're real time processing and responding.

NZSpides

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Reply # 1980507 20-Mar-2018 14:10

I have been with audible for over a year, and have 20 or so books in my library.

Love listening to them, been listening to audio books for probably over a decade now, podcasts for just under a decade (8 years maybe).

Couldn't think of not having an account, great variety, but I mostly listen to Sci Fi books.

gehenna

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Reply # 1980511 20-Mar-2018 14:12

KrazyKid:

Have you tried Stitcher for podcast. Has premium version which I've never used. Can download for off-line listening on the free version.

Funny you say, I just signed up to Stitcher Premium a few days ago to listen to the new Marvel Wolverine podcast. Then I found it has the entire back catalogue of a lot of podcasts like Smodcast and WTF. Those, along with the original story content, make it a pretty worthwhile subscription.

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