Audiobooks discussion
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Where do you buy your audio books?
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S.Z.
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Mar 10, 2013 08:47PM
Wondering where you buy your audio books from. Do you get CDs or download your books? I listen on my computer.
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Mostly I either buy and download from Audible or borrow and download from my libraries' OverDrive collections (I'm able to belong to 3 library systems). Sometimes I get audiobooks on CD from my local branch library. Tantor (dot com) also has some good bargains on either downloads or CDs at $6.99. A lot of people get audiobook downloads from Librivox, but I haven't tried that.I'm a fan of the Sansa Clip audio players; they're tiny and inexpensive (usually you can find them under $40), easy to use, and last a long time. I listen while knitting, driving, walking the dog, etc.
Audible.com; Librivox; and on Cd at my local library. I love audible but they don't support direct downloaded to my Sony Walkman so I just cancelled it.
I wasn't aware of Librivox. Audible sounds like the biggest online retailer (no pun intended!).
I mostly use Librivox and the library (both free); however I do have an Audible account also. If you like classics, Librivox is worth trying - everything is in the public domain (no longer under copyright protection) so no contemporary books.
From Audible and my local library where I borrow CDs and convert to mp3s. I also belong to 2 remote libraries where I can download audiobooks to my PC as mp3s. I believe the Library of Philadelphia offers a a remote download library for a small fee
I always comparison shop before I purchase any audiobook. I buy digital dnloads from a couple of different online sources: audible.com (subject to infrequent but always annoying blackout periods from various publishers,) eMusic.com (limited selection but every once in a while their price point wins out), iTunes (no cloud, but competitive pricing) and downpour.com (limited selection but excellent sound quality.) I used to dnload a lot of titles from weread4you.com as they had excellent sales and an ever increasing catalog. Unfortunately, their business model didn't work and they went out of business.
I will sometimes get MP3-CDs or CDs from the library, but I tend to avoid that avenue as it's time consuming to rip CDs and often the discs are in poor condition. I've tried OverDrive a couple of times, but selections for APPL devices are limited and the process for getting things properly loaded and played is Byzantine :-/
On rare occasions, I will track down a MP3-CD or CD for purchase. These are often out-of-print titles that I can't get any other way than through a secondary market (e.g. AMZN marketplace.)
I will sometimes get MP3-CDs or CDs from the library, but I tend to avoid that avenue as it's time consuming to rip CDs and often the discs are in poor condition. I've tried OverDrive a couple of times, but selections for APPL devices are limited and the process for getting things properly loaded and played is Byzantine :-/
On rare occasions, I will track down a MP3-CD or CD for purchase. These are often out-of-print titles that I can't get any other way than through a secondary market (e.g. AMZN marketplace.)
Another vote for the Audible/public library combination.
Tanya/dog eared copy wrote: "I always comparison shop before I purchase any audiobook. I buy digital dnloads from a couple of different online sources: audible.com (subject to infrequent but always annoying blackout periods fr..."What kind of devices? APPL? Do you mean Apple? I have an iphone and never did get a book downloaded to it from overdrive.
Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "What kind of devices? APPL? Do you mean Apple? I have an iphone and never did get a book downloaded to it from overdrive. "
Yes, I meant iPods and iPhones, with and without the OverDrive app. I haven't even tried any of the iPads. I'm sorry, I should have typed out Apple (and Amazon.) I got in the habit of using the stock market labels for big companies to avoid getting spammed on twitter :-/
Yes, I meant iPods and iPhones, with and without the OverDrive app. I haven't even tried any of the iPads. I'm sorry, I should have typed out Apple (and Amazon.) I got in the habit of using the stock market labels for big companies to avoid getting spammed on twitter :-/
Tanya/dog eared copy wrote: "Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "What kind of devices? APPL? Do you mean Apple? I have an iphone and never did get a book downloaded to it from overdrive. "Yes, I meant iPods and iPhones, with and without..."
I use Overdrive on my iPod Touch with no trouble at all! I have both downloaded directly to my iPod and (when first started using audiobooks), downloaded to the computer & transferred to iTunes.
Kristie wrote: "Another vote for the Audible/public library combination."Me, too
Xina Marie wrote: "Audible.com; Librivox; and on Cd at my local library. I love audible but they don't support direct downloaded to my Sony Walkman so I just cancelled it."Do you know why? I tried to download to mine and I thought the problem was me.
I get mine from the library and Books On Board
comfort wrote: "From Audible and my local library where I borrow CDs and convert to mp3s. I also belong to 2 remote libraries where I can download audiobooks to my PC as mp3s. I believe the Library of Philadelp..."
Is there a free software to convert CD to MP3?
Carolyn F. wrote: "Is there a free software to convert CD to MP3? "I just put up with iTunes, though the last couple of updates have been causing me fits, just trying to find where they moved menu choices.
I join all the CD tracks into one, then choose to have the file saved as MP3 instead of aaX (X being whatever is the current version).
I have been a big fan of audible but no experience with libraries. The major library close to me requires you to live in that city and I don't.What I have done is Crackle Barrel. You can buy a book from Crackle Barrel Resteraunt off the display rack. Seems like about $40. Then you return it for your money less a small rental fee. You can return it to any Crackle Barrel nationwide.
Bill
CatBookMom wrote: I just put up with iTunes, though the last couple of updates have been causing me fits, just trying to find where they moved men..."
Yes. I rolled back my iTunes. I was on 11 but now back on 10. Was glad to get back.
Hi CarolineApparently Audible doesn't have a deal with Sony for some strange resin. You can get around it by burning audio cs's from Audible and then import the cs's into mp3s using iTunes but it's a pain.
haha - some strange spellings there. Sorry - I'm typing on my Kindle Fire.
Tanya/dog eared copy wrote: "I always comparison shop before I purchase any audiobook. I buy digital dnloads from a couple of different online sources: audible.com (subject to infrequent but always annoying blackout periods fr..."What do you mean by blackout periods?
S.Z. wrote: "What do you mean by blackout periods?"
Every once in a while audiobooks from a certain publisher will not be available owing to contract re-negotiations between an audiobook publisher and audible.com It's happened a couple of times in the past 6+ years and varies in length from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, but it's always mildly irritating to have to wait until it all gets sorted out. If you already have purchased the book, you can dnload it; but if it's on your wish list you have to wait. I think the last time was a couple of years ago when all of the Harper Audio titles disappeared for a while :-/
Then, there are the audiobooks that for some reason or other are available at other venues but not at audible until later. Splendors and Glooms (by Laura Amy Schlitz; narrated by Davina Porter) is a recent example of this. I could get it through Recorded Books and, interestingly, iTunes, but it wasn't available at audible.com until days later.
And then, of course, there are those audiobooks that simply aren't available at audible.com at all (e.g. The Harry Potter series.)
Every once in a while audiobooks from a certain publisher will not be available owing to contract re-negotiations between an audiobook publisher and audible.com It's happened a couple of times in the past 6+ years and varies in length from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, but it's always mildly irritating to have to wait until it all gets sorted out. If you already have purchased the book, you can dnload it; but if it's on your wish list you have to wait. I think the last time was a couple of years ago when all of the Harper Audio titles disappeared for a while :-/
Then, there are the audiobooks that for some reason or other are available at other venues but not at audible until later. Splendors and Glooms (by Laura Amy Schlitz; narrated by Davina Porter) is a recent example of this. I could get it through Recorded Books and, interestingly, iTunes, but it wasn't available at audible.com until days later.
And then, of course, there are those audiobooks that simply aren't available at audible.com at all (e.g. The Harry Potter series.)
Forney_bill wrote: "CatBookMom wrote: I just put up with iTunes, though the last couple of updates have been causing me fits, just trying to find where they moved men..."
Yes. I rolled back my iTunes. I was on 11 ..."
How did you do that? Can you tell me? I liked the grid, I relate to spreadsheets.
CatBookMom wrote: "Forney_bill wrote: "CatBookMom wrote: I just put up with iTunes, though the last couple of updates have been causing me fits, just trying to find where they moved men..."
Yes. I rolled back my i..."
The help is on the apple discussion board. Look for threads by turingtest2. One thing he tells you is ...
"Do not use the consolidate/reorganize commands in iTunes 11 unless you are certain you have no desire to go back to 10.7. Once used you'll find that if you go back to an earlier build things may not be where they are expected to be."
After that, follow the instructions from this post...
https://discussions.apple.com/message...
He also helped me move my iTunes Library to an external drive which was helpful given the increasing size of my library.
Forney_bill wrote: "CatBookMom wrote: "Forney_bill wrote: "CatBookMom wrote: I just put up with iTunes, though the last couple of updates have been causing me fits, just trying to find where they moved men..."
Yes. ..."
Thank you! I don't think I've reorganized, I think all I've done is upload a couple of audiobooks from CD since the update.
CatBookMom wrote: "Forney_bill wrote: "CatBookMom wrote: "Forney_bill wrote: "CatBookMom wrote: I just put up with iTunes, though the last couple of updates have been causing me fits, just trying to find where they ..."
If you have any problem finding 10, I still have 10 for 32 bit in my download file. I can throw it up dropbox and send you a link if that is the one you need.
I've held off on updating iTunes because I've read some others comments about it . . so at least I don't have to deal with that yet . . . I wanted to read the review in MacWorld but haven't had the time . . so at least I think I'll still wait for awhile. I'm still running on v. 10.7.
In 2009, I bought my first 2 audiobooks from iTunes, then discovered Audible.com and now buy everything from them.
I have been hoping for a new production of "Lord of the Flies". I see that Martin Jarvis does one but seems only available on Amazon UK. I found it on William Golding's website so seems brand new.It isn't at audible although they have a number of Martin Jarvis narrations. So not sure where I will buy this one.
I ususally don't buy, I just borrow from my public library. They have a pretty extensive selection.
The Audiobooks group seems heavily disposed toward Amazon/Audible but there are other options. I prefer to purchase audiobooks from Blackstone Audio (http://downpour.com) because they offer MP3 files without DRM restrictions. Downpour is also increasing their catalog by merging with http://AudioGO.com, formerly BBC Audiobook America.I think their ANY695 promotion is still on, by which you can purchase any single audiobook for $6.95
