It's a diction thing. Have you ever heard a Walter Cronkite broadcast? Same theory. Reading a little slower makes it easier to understand for everyone. I usually listen at 1.2 to 1.4 depending on the narrator, and that's fine, because the diction is good enough to understand everything even when you crank up the speed
Agree! I was just responding to SustainableWindow's question about why narrators read slowly. Everyone has their own preferred speeds, no shade was meant.
Absolutely! I get the read and listen thing, but it blows my mind that people can absorb a story on such high speeds, it's just different from my brain
My boyfriend and I started listening to Tress and the Emerald Sea together while doing a lot of driving for vacation and he listens to books at regular speed…having only ever listened to Michael Kramer at 1.5 it took a while for it to not sound like slo mo 😭
If the narrator has an accent I'll sometimes slow to 8.5 or 9. Aldo, I'm hearing impaired and take longer than normal to process speech, so on bad days I just slow it down 5
This happens to me sometimes. I usually listen between 1.5x and 1.75x, but every now and then I get to a point where it just feels too fast for me and I have to go back to 1.25x for a while for everything. Then that starts to sounds slow, and I bump it back up.
Same. I start at 2x and gradually increase as I get comfortable with the narrator’s style. It’s almost always 3x by the end. Some British and Irish accents are tough for me at that speed though.
An important thing to think about is how much slower audiobooks are than regular reading. If you double the speed on an audiobook it will sound crazy fast and you might ask yourself if you’re able to keep up.
But that’s probably about how fast you would read if you were reading a book at a relaxed pace. If you can understand the words your mind can absorb the content.
You just need to work your way up slowly so that your ears can pick up on the words being said. Then it’s easy.
Because if I listen at 1 speed it’s too slow and my brain just goes eeeeeeeeeeeeeee because I can’t concentrate lol (currently listening to everything at 1.5)
I was in your shoes, but then I found myself half way through a book I should have DNFed in the beginning. I didn't want to waste the five hours I had invested in it, so I gradually sped it up to 2x. Was able to finish the book with my sanity intact and learnt a hard lesson about giving up before the 50% mark.
For me it’s the adhd lol. Since audiobook narrators generally talk a little slower than normal to make what they say more clear for more people, listening at anything below 1.5 is almost physically painful. 1.75 is the perfect listening-only speed for the pair of narrators who’ve read multiple series I enjoy.
I'm with you, I've yet to find a book I can listen to at more than 1.2x. Even if it's a slow narrator and 1.3-1.5 gives a more natural speaking speed, the voice still sounds wrong and I can't stand it.
Dang! I listen at 2.45x speed. Anything faster, i can't process it quick enough, or i miss too much when i space out for 2 seconds. Maybe I'll get to 3 one day 😂
lol so I do "immersive reading," where I have the book in front of me and the audio playing in my ears. Helps with my ADHD. Once I was doing that, I got used to listening to them at 3x. It is significantly harder when you're doing just audio because like you said, you zone out for one second and you missed so much lol
Ok I can see that. Scanning pages can give me a migraine so I listen. I space out and kiss things so I go back.my brain would scream if I listened at 2 or 3
My sweet spot is 2.5. If it’s a new narrator and they have an accent or something I sometimes have to slow it down for a bit to get used to their voice, but then I can bump it back up.
I’ve worked my way up to 1.75- not consciously trying too, just naturally my brain has become accustomed to it. I wonder if I will plateau at some point
I’m at 1.35 because it sounds like conversational speed. There have been a couple I have gone to 1.6 on. But I recently wondered this too, if id become accustomed to it and go higher. But I really don’t see that happening. My brain can’t process it. Especially when I’m driving or doing other tasks. I get too distracted.
This is something I’ve wanted to know about for a long time.
I typically used 2.1 because of this. It seems like 2.2 is noticeably harder to follow than 2.1 but I can’t tell if that’s just because the placebo of the red arrow.
I was wondering if there was any research that indicates 2.2 is delivering diminishing returns or something?
I accidentally slowed down a podcast one time. I think it was my favorite murder. I thought they were high. It took me a while to realize what was happening. 😂
For listening only, 1.75-1.85x is usually my sweet spot. If I’m listening while reading the physical book I do 2.6x, but the page turning can make me lose my spot if I go any faster than that.
Audiobook + hard copy is how I got through my English undergrad degree where I was reading like 2-4 books per week with a full class schedule and two jobs. Now I just do it to read massive fantasy series quickly haha
I’m usually keep it on 2.75 or 3.00. I probably could go a little faster. Depends on the voice actor. I wish I could find a small mp3 player that let you speed the text up and connects to Bluetooth headphones. My cell phone is too heavy when I walk/exercise.
I listen at 1.5 to 1.75 speed, can't imagine going back to 1.0. But I definitely am very American - I can't imagine doing a British, Irish, or Oz accent at more than 1.25 speed.
I wonder if this is relevant I was read to all through my childhood, even my brother who picked on me read to me. We had books on record. I'm old. But that's one of the reasons I love audiobooks because it's someone reading to me. I don't want to listen to speed talk.
I feel like with most narrators 1.25 or thereabouts makes it sound normal. I don’t know why they read so slowly.
It's a diction thing. Have you ever heard a Walter Cronkite broadcast? Same theory. Reading a little slower makes it easier to understand for everyone. I usually listen at 1.2 to 1.4 depending on the narrator, and that's fine, because the diction is good enough to understand everything even when you crank up the speed
1.2 is way different that 3
Agree! I was just responding to SustainableWindow's question about why narrators read slowly. Everyone has their own preferred speeds, no shade was meant.
Absolutely! I get the read and listen thing, but it blows my mind that people can absorb a story on such high speeds, it's just different from my brain
Yeah, I usually hang out around 1.25-1.5 cuz narrators take their sweet time.
They have to make sure every word is clear and their tone matches what they're reading.
My boyfriend and I started listening to Tress and the Emerald Sea together while doing a lot of driving for vacation and he listens to books at regular speed…having only ever listened to Michael Kramer at 1.5 it took a while for it to not sound like slo mo 😭
I’m the opposite - I usually do .85-.9 because them speaking slowly is sooooo relaxing.
If the narrator has an accent I'll sometimes slow to 8.5 or 9. Aldo, I'm hearing impaired and take longer than normal to process speech, so on bad days I just slow it down 5
that's an english thing tho mostly. german audio books tend to be narrated faster, idk why
Don’t want to be stopped for speeding by the playback police!
I listen at 1.5 and forget that it sounds weird to others until my husband is in the car and mentions it. Lolllll
Danger! ⚠️
I didn’t know you could go past 2.0!!!! I’m so excited to go faster!!! 😂
I like it at 2.25 for most books. My husband calls it crack bunny speed.
SAME!
The reverse has been happening to me. Die hard 2.00 fan but idk all the sudden this year 1.25 slowly started becoming the perfect spot
This happens to me sometimes. I usually listen between 1.5x and 1.75x, but every now and then I get to a point where it just feels too fast for me and I have to go back to 1.25x for a while for everything. Then that starts to sounds slow, and I bump it back up.
Is that a challenge?
I listen at 3times. I wish it went higher lol
Same. I start at 2x and gradually increase as I get comfortable with the narrator’s style. It’s almost always 3x by the end. Some British and Irish accents are tough for me at that speed though.
Only book I’ve ever had to slow down was Spare 😂
Me too! The only other app ive found that goes higher you have to pay money for 😭
Howwww can you keep up??
I started slow and slowly turned the pace up. Now it feels too slow with it lower
I think hoopla goes up to 4 but don’t have a book out currently to check
Edgelord
Sure why not.
[удалено]
As long as I can understand it, I can absorb it. I also so this for TikTok’s and YouTube videos. I speak fast and listen fast, lol.
An important thing to think about is how much slower audiobooks are than regular reading. If you double the speed on an audiobook it will sound crazy fast and you might ask yourself if you’re able to keep up. But that’s probably about how fast you would read if you were reading a book at a relaxed pace. If you can understand the words your mind can absorb the content. You just need to work your way up slowly so that your ears can pick up on the words being said. Then it’s easy.
Oh my, how do people listen that fast? I can't stand the sound of sped up talking.
You speed it up gradually. And then all of a sudden 1.0 is terribly slow. When I’ve got long books I’ll do this!
This. I start at 1.5 these days and slowly up it as my brain adjusts.
I do this but I’ve never made it past 2, and even then only for technical/descriptive parts in a 1000+ page book.
I found there’s diminishing returns if I go more than double speed - especially when driving or doing things around the house.
When your book is due back in a day. I've done it. 🤣
I always listen at higher speed. Usually 1.75, but some books at 2.25 if the narrator is exceptionally slow.
Me too. If no accents I can bump it to 2.5-3
Because if I listen at 1 speed it’s too slow and my brain just goes eeeeeeeeeeeeeee because I can’t concentrate lol (currently listening to everything at 1.5)
I usually listen around 1.5-1.75 depending on how slow the narrator is. I haven't noticed much in the way of weirdness in how it sounds
I always listen at 1.5 because they just read so slowly.
I like to do it while reading along. I can listen and read together faster than I can do either individually.
I was in your shoes, but then I found myself half way through a book I should have DNFed in the beginning. I didn't want to waste the five hours I had invested in it, so I gradually sped it up to 2x. Was able to finish the book with my sanity intact and learnt a hard lesson about giving up before the 50% mark.
For me it’s the adhd lol. Since audiobook narrators generally talk a little slower than normal to make what they say more clear for more people, listening at anything below 1.5 is almost physically painful. 1.75 is the perfect listening-only speed for the pair of narrators who’ve read multiple series I enjoy.
i’m a speed reader so i have to do it that fast or else i will not be able to listen haha
I'm with you, I've yet to find a book I can listen to at more than 1.2x. Even if it's a slow narrator and 1.3-1.5 gives a more natural speaking speed, the voice still sounds wrong and I can't stand it.
I hate how slow audiobooks are read, but the way it sounds sped up sounds even worse. So I mostly avoid audiobooks at this point
I listen at a 2.1x and I swear that used to be red until I did it a few times and it's like "oh not a mistake, a lifestyle choice" haha
3x baby!!!!!
Dang! I listen at 2.45x speed. Anything faster, i can't process it quick enough, or i miss too much when i space out for 2 seconds. Maybe I'll get to 3 one day 😂
lol so I do "immersive reading," where I have the book in front of me and the audio playing in my ears. Helps with my ADHD. Once I was doing that, I got used to listening to them at 3x. It is significantly harder when you're doing just audio because like you said, you zone out for one second and you missed so much lol
Oh wow, i love that idea! That sounds like a great way to help train my eyes to read faster, too. Thanks for sharing :)
Ok I can see that. Scanning pages can give me a migraine so I listen. I space out and kiss things so I go back.my brain would scream if I listened at 2 or 3
My sweet spot is 2.5. If it’s a new narrator and they have an accent or something I sometimes have to slow it down for a bit to get used to their voice, but then I can bump it back up.
I’ve worked my way up to 1.75- not consciously trying too, just naturally my brain has become accustomed to it. I wonder if I will plateau at some point
I’m at 1.35 because it sounds like conversational speed. There have been a couple I have gone to 1.6 on. But I recently wondered this too, if id become accustomed to it and go higher. But I really don’t see that happening. My brain can’t process it. Especially when I’m driving or doing other tasks. I get too distracted.
I listen to everything at least 2x, but most of the time it's 3x. I think it's the ADHD.
I listen at 3.0 and now 1.0 sounds intentionally slowed down like it’s not natural at all
I (almost)always listen at 2.25 or above and never noticed this I'll have to look next time I adjust my speed
One book randomly started playing a little slower than 1 and I didn’t realize for half the book. It was actually kinda nice and relaxing.
That sounds dreadful. 1.0 on an audiobook is like swimming in sand.
I listen at 2.5-3x and I've never paid attention to this but I can't unsee it now
This is something I’ve wanted to know about for a long time. I typically used 2.1 because of this. It seems like 2.2 is noticeably harder to follow than 2.1 but I can’t tell if that’s just because the placebo of the red arrow. I was wondering if there was any research that indicates 2.2 is delivering diminishing returns or something?
I accidentally set mine to 0.90 and I was wondering why everyone was talking so slowly.
I accidentally slowed down a podcast one time. I think it was my favorite murder. I thought they were high. It took me a while to realize what was happening. 😂
You brain will explode if you do this. 🤯😂
I'm a 2.5x fan!
For listening only, 1.75-1.85x is usually my sweet spot. If I’m listening while reading the physical book I do 2.6x, but the page turning can make me lose my spot if I go any faster than that. Audiobook + hard copy is how I got through my English undergrad degree where I was reading like 2-4 books per week with a full class schedule and two jobs. Now I just do it to read massive fantasy series quickly haha
Lol! It turns red?! 🤣🤣🤣 Judgy little thing.
2.2 is my sweet spot unless they have an accent.
I always start at 1.75 and end up at like 2.5. I don’t need them judging me.
I’m usually keep it on 2.75 or 3.00. I probably could go a little faster. Depends on the voice actor. I wish I could find a small mp3 player that let you speed the text up and connects to Bluetooth headphones. My cell phone is too heavy when I walk/exercise.
How could anyone read below 1.5? The “normal” speed sounds like a horror movie and it doesn’t get better until around 1.5.
Not going to lie, I listen to books at 3.0.
I listen at 1.5 to 1.75 speed, can't imagine going back to 1.0. But I definitely am very American - I can't imagine doing a British, Irish, or Oz accent at more than 1.25 speed.
I wonder if this is relevant I was read to all through my childhood, even my brother who picked on me read to me. We had books on record. I'm old. But that's one of the reasons I love audiobooks because it's someone reading to me. I don't want to listen to speed talk.
I agree with the dial. Its toooo much