Finding Your Ideal Audio Book Player
Finding Your Ideal Audio Book Player
There is much colorful debate on finding the "best" audio book player when the most reasonable approach would be about looking for what is "ideal" for one's requirements and budgets.
A friend who had been one of the earliest devotees to audio books has an extensive collection of "vintage" audio book cassettes and plays them on an equally old cassette audio book player. Even now that there are numerous digital devices as well as newer audio book formats that could be downloaded online, this friend who has collections of these new formats as well, would rather buy recordings in a cassette format.
For him, similar to people who love their LPs, the ideal audio book player is still his old Japanese cassette recorder. Choosing the ideal audio book player is really a matter of personal preference and taste. If an old cassette works for you, then no one can tell you otherwise. But if you're just starting out and want to optimize your audio book listening experience (or if it is an important part of your education) then working with just any audio book player would certainly not do.
Ideal Audio Book Player Specifications
Expectedly, since the inception of such devices as MP3 players, audio book players per se have not evolved into a separate technical device with the exception of some players which are marketed specifically for audio books. In short, practically any MP3 player can be used to play audio books.
There is a wide selection out there to suit not only different budgets, but aesthetic considerations as well considering that such devices nowadays are also marketed as fashion or lifestyle accessories. But be informed that not all MP3 players can play audio books to the required optimal specifications of that book.
Some important facts to remember whether your MP3 can take on a new identity as an audio book player include the following:
Your MP3 conversion rate: the ideal rate should be above 16kb/s for clarity of sound.
Your MP3 Player Memory: Go for gigabytes. Some audio books in their entirety can last up to 10 hours which will not fit within a player memory that falls below 1 gigabyte.
Your MP3's loudness: This is a matter of preference or tolerance, but most MP3 players are unable to bring audio books to a sound level that can compete with outside noise. It is different with music where nuances are not as delicate as the spoken word. If this can be a problem for you, then a player that uses a covered headphone might be more appropriate.
Your MP3's software: Can you go back to a particular chapter if you suddenly run out of batteries and the player stops? Does your player have an organized system of sorting through an audio book's different chapters? These are important features that your audio book player should have. Repeating entire chapters just because your player can't find a way to resume at the point it was interrupted is a nightmare!
Finally, test your player before buying it! Do your research or have the shops allow you for a demo before making a purchase.