Audiobooks discussion
Technical stuff
>
What do you use to listen to audiobooks?
message 301:
by
Robin P
(new)
Nov 17, 2020 11:49AM
Another benefit of the wired ones is that I never have to charge them. I like being able to hit on/off & volume on the cord as well. I'm not sure how that works on cordless ones. Actually, that's a good point about puppies, or small children - individual EarPods could possibly be chewed and/or swallowed. It would be more noticeable if they had to handle a bunch of cord as well
reply
|
flag
Robin P wrote: "Another benefit of the wired ones is that I never have to charge them. I like being able to hit on/off & volume on the cord as well. I'm not sure how that works on cordless ones. Actually, that's a..."When I use wired (non-Bluetooth) earbuds, I'm always getting the cord caught on things -- door knobs, bushes, whatever. It's really annoying, and the cords end up shorting out very quickly. My last pair lasted about a week.
As for volume -- my corded Bluetooth earbuds have on/off/volume buttons on the part of the cord that plugs into the charger, just behind the right earpiece. I dunno how the completely wireless ones handle volume.
I've got a set of the wireless earbuds. All the commands play/pause, skip forward/back, volume etc are each a certain number of touches on one of the earbuds. So for up volume you tap three times on the right ear bud, volume down three taps on the left. Skip forward a track is two taps, one tap pauses.Long press turns it on or off.
It's ok, you get used to it after a bit. The thing that bothers me is, I have long hair and just my hair touching one will turn it off.
The set I have was about $25 so maybe a more expensive one would be a little more reliable. I also notice it has a massively shorter range than the even cheaper corded bluetooth set I had previously.
I mainly ise my iPhone and a cheap pair of wireless earbuds for listening to my audio books.
I recently got a pair of wireless earbuds that come with a nice charging case which doubles as a powerbank for my phone. Excellent sound, a comfortable fit and touch controls for volume, skip forward and back, pause/play etc simply by tapping a number of times. No issues with them whatsoever and they have a good charge life.I was lucky enough to get them free in return for an honest review but I'd happily buy another set if anything happens to these.
Brad wrote: "I recently got a pair of wireless earbuds that come with a nice charging case which doubles as a powerbank for my phone. Excellent sound, a comfortable fit and touch controls for volume, skip forwa..."It's okay to let us know the exact model.
Sorry, yep, maybe that would help, D'oh! Sonru TWS-i9 True Wireless Earbuds.
I listen to audiobooks on my watch when I am running or anytime I want. I listen to Audible books. What about you guys? But I do not like the limits of Audible. So I have to convert AAX and remove DRM and I use aax converter(TunesKit Audible AA/AAX Converter) to do this, to mp3, m4a, m4b... I can divide them into chapters and it is very fast. What useful methods you use to make listening audiobooks less troublesome. Although I think my method is good enough.
Just curious what limits of Audible you are referring to? I am spoiled because I only need 1 step to download my Audible books to iTunes. I don’t use the app. For other audiobook services, I have to use a app, or if I can download to a computer, I have to move and label each chapter. The annoyance of that is why I stuck to cassettes so long.
After many years I'm still using a Sansa Clip+ with a wired Sennheiser PMX 685i Sports In-Ear Neckband Headphones. Both are discontinued by the mfg but continue to be available on Amazon. This doesn't matter much because they've been so reliable that I've only had to order replacements a few times (last was a new set of Sennheisers in May 2020).The Clip+ is a great little MP3 player. Small, light, easy navigation wheel. The screen is a bit on the small side but still legible for a pair of old eyes behind progressive lenses.
The only drawback is more of an issue with Audible than the Clip+. That's the fact that the chapters of Audible audiobooks downloaded to the Clip+ are too long. I jump through a few loops to transcribe the AAX files to MP3 files so I can set the chapter length down to 5 minutes. That's the only hassle I have with the Clip+/Audible combo but worth the extra effort.
Fortunately for this old dog, the old tricks still work.
Interesting as I prefer my mp3 conversions at roughly an hour per part (CD length). Even if they're just under or over that, the device's Part X/Y display tells me where I am in the book easily that way.
5 minutes seems to be the ideal chapter length for me, given both how I listen to audiobooks and the state of my wetbrain memory. If I lose track of what's going on, restarting the last few chapters does the trick without having to search using REW/FF trying to find out where I lost track of things. Audible chapters typically run at least 30 minutes, which is too large a span (for me anyway) for such random searching.Not sure what you mean by a Part X/Y display. Are you talking about the Clip+ here? If so what is the Part X/Y display and how do I access it?
While the book is playing on my clip+ the display clearly shows X/Y (as numbers).
Sorry, my misunderstanding. For me the X/Y numbers mean Current Chapter/Last Chapter, where the Current Chapters are numbered in 5 minute increments. I should have added that in my setup, audiobooks are albums of 5 minute tracks, one file per track. Thus Current Chapter is also the number of the file in the album (I use MP3 Splitter freeware to split the original audiobook into files of 5 minutes each.)
I like the following apps:Libby for library books and
Audible for my books.
I listen with my phone and my PC depending what I'm doing that day.
Minor crisis earlier this week when the power button on my iPod Nano 6th gen became totally stuck. It could still start playing if plugged into computer or power but not really functional. I looked up online and found multiple videos about how to fix this. All involved opening the device, which is less than 2 inches square and somehow having the right tools and dexterity to remove parts and jimmy the button back in place. No way I could do that. Luckily I have a backup, so I had to retire my beloved "Pinky" (named by me for its color) and revert to my other model "Silver Boy". Out of curiosity I went to eBay to see if these models are still available. Lots of them are, so I bought another (which I will call "Greenie" - how original) for under $50. Most pleasure in the world per ounce/inch has come to me from these tiny machines. I think that at some point Audible will no longer support easy downloads and I will need to use a phone or other device, but since I have over 100 TBL already on my computer, plus possibility to relisten to others, I will still get use from iPods for a long time.
Robin P wrote: "Most pleasure in the world per ounce/inch has come to me from these tiny machines."Same here, I can't bear to be without a backup player.
aprilla wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Most pleasure in the world per ounce/inch has come to me from these tiny machines."Same here. I also can't bear to be without a backup player.... major panic!
iPhone with pods if I am moving about, otherwise I listen with a jam box.
I don't like listening with my phone. It is too big!
the iphone air pod pros are great. They are a little stubbier than the earlier generation of pods. My little *invention* here. Then I use a sound protection head-gear stuffed with kleenex over these to keep them in place when working out. The kleenex sucks up sweat in the summer and keeps ears warm in winter.
Kajero wrote: "I don't like listening with my phone. It is too big!"That's what I think too. And the battery isn't good enough either, I love the little clip players 👍
Yes, Me three! I guess Apple wants us to use the watch for this purpose, but I would find that uncomfortable as well as expensive.
I skimmed through this thread, so sorry if I missed this being asked before.I like to listen to the audiobooks I own outright through the Bookmobile app on my iPhone12. I like the ease of loading my books on through the browser with drag/drop. But....I don't think the app is being supported anymore and it is getting more glitchy every time I use it and support does not reply to my emails.
Does anyone know of something similar? I used to buy mp3 cd's and have dozens that I have copied to my laptop. Now the tracks may or may not load in order and can't be resorted. Sometimes it completely loses the bookmarks making it hard to find where I left off. Thanks in advance!
My beloved sandisk clips and fuzes are no longer holding their battery charge. I thought I would simply buy a replacement. The new Sandisk MP3 players are not even close to the older ones in how they operate for audiobooks. I am so disappointed. I am at a loss as to what to buy now. Is anyone else using an MP3 player that they love for audiobooks that is still available to buy? I would love some recommendations. I prefer the small size of these to using my phone. Thanks.
If you love something that’s no longer made, check eBay for used ones. I have bought extra iPod nano’s which I think are similar (small players that you load from your computer). I imagine someone is selling the San disks. Back in the day I bought extra Walkman cassette players that way.
I have done this before, but now the prices are way overpriced and no guarantee they will hold a charge anymore. I am trying some off brands, but if they don't work I may have to resort to this.
Pamela wrote: "My beloved sandisk clips and fuzes are no longer holding their battery charge. I thought I would simply buy a replacement. The new Sandisk MP3 players are not even close to the older ones in how th..."Yeah, same here. I was given a Sansa Sport Pro and really didn't like it after loving my Clip+ but when the Sport Pro gave some trouble I tried two more, different brands, which were recommended and liked them even less. So the Sport Pro might suit, though they are also discontinued now with prices going up. Maybe the Go is worth a try, with slightly lowered expectations.
I 95% of the time use My iPad and my cell phone sometimes when walking.
Janet wrote: "Have you tried this one? I have tried this one. I thought there was something wrong with it and got a replacement. They changed the operating system or format and it is pretty bad now. I contacted the company and all of their MP3 players operate the same. I just got a Chinese knock off and it is better, but not as good as the old clip. It may have to do.
aprilla I just got a Victure MP3 player that seems to be better than the Go. I keep jumping ahead or behind in parts of book and hope as I get used to it I stop doing that. I use it while gardening and every little bump causes this too. Maybe I’ll look for a lock on it. I really miss that Clip plus.There s another one I am waiting for on Amazon I would like to try with good reviews for audiobooks. It’s not available at this time.
Pamela wrote: "aprilla I just got a Victure MP3 player that seems to be better than the Go. I keep jumping ahead or behind in parts of book and hope as I get used to it I stop doing that. I use it while gardening..."I nearly got the Victure but I got a different one, Oakcastle. I think there are a few of them that are basically the same but with different branding. Anyway I preferred the Sports Pro. The other I tried was the Sony Walkman NWZ B183. Again I preferred the Sports Pro. Which one are you thinking of trying? I haven't looked around at them for ages, it gets to be a bit of a chore :(
aprilla wrote: "Pamela wrote: "aprilla I just got a Victure MP3 player that seems to be better than the Go. I keep jumping ahead or behind in parts of book and hope as I get used to it I stop doing that. I use it ..."I am returning the Victure. I was going to try the Oakcastle next. I tried the Clip Sport Go by Sandisk. It was terrible at playing audiobooks. If I wanted to go back to different part that I may have missed, it was a mess doing that, then it didn't play normally from there. It would go to wherever I was in the part I left instead of starting from the beginning. I found others complaining about how it played audiobooks too. Sandisk said they are all the same.
I think my next option is to see about replacing the batteries on my Fuzes and Clip+. They still work, just not as long as I would like them to. That is why I am sending the Victure back. It was supposed to have a 20 hour battery life and is only about 10-12 out of the box.
Pamela wrote: "aprilla wrote: "Pamela wrote: "aprilla I just got a Victure MP3 player that seems to be better than the Go. I keep jumping ahead or behind in parts of book and hope as I get used to it I stop doing..."Yeah, the Oakcastle was a bit flaky too, I wasn't a fan. With the Sansa Sport I've taken to splitting my mp3 audio books into 1/2 hr parts (if they aren't already in multiple parts) and sequentially numbering them, so I can always get to an acceptable place. My Sansa (maybe all of them?) makes a *.POS file for each file played to keep track of where you are. If I get into a muddle I plug the player into a computer and delete the POS files for that book and start again at the time that suits. It sounds complicated but once I got used to it it really isn't. I love my audiobooks and listen all the time so this bit of effort is worth it for me.
aprilla wrote: a *.POS file for each file played to keep track of where you are. If I get into a muddle I plug the player into a computer and delete the POS files for that book and start again at the time that suits. I don't know how to do anything with the files in the Sansa MP3 players. Most of the books I listen to I download from Overdrive. I have tinnitus, so I listen to my audiobooks when I go to sleep to help mask that. My listening style doesn't help. I fall asleep and when I wake up I want to go back to where I fell asleep. It was easy to do with the Clip+. I was expecting improvements when I bought my new MP3 player.
Is there a post on the internet explaining how to do what you do with your files?
Pamela wrote: "aprilla wrote: a *.POS file for each file played to keep track of where you are. If I get into a muddle I plug the player into a computer and delete the POS files for that book and start again at t..."I fall asleep with mine playing too. That's something I really liked in the Clip+, it was so easy to use the sleep function even while listening.
I like computers and my books so I just figured it out to suit me... I was desperate. Can you plug your player into your computer and navigate to see your book files? I'm using a Windows desktop and don't know how it would work for any other device. Audacity (free) lets you split the files (if needed) and then I use Mp3tag (free) to rename and number the files as I like to see the player display things. There are probably loads of programs that do the same. It took me a couple of goes to see which tags showed where on the player display but trial and error got me there. The process takes me only a couple of minutes now, well worth it, but I also enjoy doing it. The POS files show up in my Windows File Explorer when I connect the player to the computer, I just delete them.When they are gone the player doesn't know you've listened to anything so it's a clean slate. :)
I have been really happy with my switch to my android phone and using the Smart Audio book app. Much easier than dealing with iTunes.What I really like is the Open Audible app for downloading from Audible and converting to MP3. That is the cat's meow.
For me and some others, phones are just too big to be comfortable for using during activities. The phone is ok for driving, for instance, I drove 6 hours this week and just kept my phone plugged in and listened to a book, but it's bulky while walking or exercising compared to the tiny clip-style players. It's too bad no manufacturers see a market for that.
Has anyone used an app called BookPlayer on their phone?
I use iBooks on my iPad to listen to audio books. I will admit that I download all my audiobooks and manage them through iTunes on my laptop.I don't have iTunes on my phone or tablet, just iBooks. They play just fine, run on bluetooth if I want them to, and remember where I stop.
aprilla wrote: "Pamela wrote: "aprilla wrote: a *.POS file for each file played to keep track of where you are. If I get into a muddle I plug the player into a computer and delete the POS files for that book and s..."Thanks for the convo. I am just going to nurse my old mp3s along and hope that sandisk fixes the problem. They supposedly forwarded my complaint to engineering and somewhere else. I will listen to one until it dies and switch to the other one. Keeping my fingers crossed that someone comes out with something good in the near future.
I was an ipod fan because they were small and I put up with itunes. But the newer cars don't work with them. Another Apple solution was expensive and an android solution was actually easier to use than itunes. That's how I made the switch. I had to do something about music as well so I bought MediaMonkey for that. I could actually use MediaMonkey for books to, but I like Smart Audio book and its cheap.
For those using "Open Audible" the new edition now comes with a $20 price tag. It was worth it for me. Also for those using this app, do you keep the AAX file after it has been converted to a MP3 file. I have never deleted. I guess I wasn't sure what would happen during the sync.
My latest iPod was having issues and seems to have died. Went on eBay and bought another (nano 6th gen), maybe my 5th. I ran over one with my car (it must have dropped out of my hand or purse when getting in and I didn't notice), dropped one in toilet (aargh!) and just wore out a couple more. Totally worth the $50-60 they usually go for. Fortunately, there still seem to be a lot of those used ones on the market. So I'll use my phone for a while instead. Above I mentioned the phone is bulky while walking or doing house work, but I recently fractured a small bone in the ankle and have to stay off it and wear a boot when moving through the house. So no walking and hardly any housework. While sitting and lying around, the phone will work fine.
Michelle wrote: "I think the Chirp app is great! https://www.chirpbooks.com/home"So are the downloaded books MP3? If so that might be a source for me. I could download and listen with Smart Audio Book Player.
Bill (Just a) wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I think the Chirp app is great! https://www.chirpbooks.com/home"So are the downloaded books MP3? If so that might be a source for me. I could download and listen with Smart Audio..."
You can't actually download the Chirp files -- they are in-app only, as I understand it.
Bill (Just a) wrote: "For those using "Open Audible" the new edition now comes with a $20 price tag. It was worth it for me. Also for those using this app, do you keep the AAX file after it has been converted to a MP3 f..."I haven't used that app for awhile -- I got too lazy to keep converting my files -- but I kept all my aax files. And I'd be happy to pay $20 to start using it again -- it's an incredibly helpful app.
Contrarius wrote: " I got too lazy to keep converting my files..."I have all my aax files as well but I deleted them from my backup. But I don't know why I kept them. The MP3 will play on anything including Itunes.
The nice thing about the software is they convert my files automatically. I just run it every time I buy books. It does the download and convert by itself.
Audiobooks
Books mentioned in this topic
Becoming (other topics)On Basilisk Station (other topics)
