Different Audiobook or Spoken Word Formats
Listen to Audio Books in CD, Cassette Tape, MP3 and Digital Formats
Feb 9, 2009
There are many different formats of audiobook available. Whereas at one time there was a very limited choice, today there are a variety of formats for many different listening devices. This gives a wide range of options that makes audiobooks widely accessible.
The main audiobook formats are:
Cassette Tapes
Audio cassette tapes were the main audiobook format for many years. Audio cassette tapes typically hold forty five minutes of audio per side and therefore an unabridged audiobook can spread over many cassettes. Audio cassettes are still available and while the choice of new audiobooks on tape may becoming more limited, audiobook cassette tapes are still widely available from libraries and second hand or used tapes can frequently be found for sale at bargain prices.
Features of Cassette Tape Audiobooks
- Becoming less popular and therefore new titles in cassette format are not as prevalent as other formats
- Difficult to fast forward or backwards through the tape
- Cassette tapes can become damaged
- Variable sound quality
Compact Disc
Many audiobooks are available in cd format. Compact discs or cd recordings are high quality and give a better listening experience than many cassette tapes. A single compact disc typically holds less audio than both sides of a cassette tape, however the size and convenience of a cd outweighs any negatives that this brings. Compact disc audiobooks are widely available and include many bestsellers and latest releases.
Features of Compact Discs
- Wide range of audiobooks available and easy to find
- Easy to fast forward through in sections or to new chapters
- Good quality recordings
- Arguably more robust than cassette tapes
- Cd players are widely available
- Easy to use
MP3 Discs
MP3 discs are a cross between digital MP3 formats and compact discs and feature many of the benefits of both formats. MP3 discs contain much more audio than compact discs and this means that an unabridged audiobook may be recorded onto two or three MP3 discs rather than eight or nine cds. This is a reasonably new audiobook format and while it is growing in popularity, there is currently a relatively limited choice.
Features of MP3 Discs
- They can only be played on a disc player that can play this format
- Good quality recordings
- Convenient for traveling
Digital Downloads
This is a growth area for audiobook delivery. Instead of delivering audiobooks on discs or tapes, digital downloads are, as the name suggests, digitally downloaded to a computer for copying onto a compatible listening device.
Features of Digital Downloads
- Fast, almost instant delivery
- Convenient for listening to on the move
- Many books can be held on a single listening device
- Can be played on a wide range of compatible listening devices
- DRM (digital rights management) free formats allow the files to be played on any device, DRM protected files can only be played on specific devices. Check with the retailer for more information.
Other Formats
The advent of new technologies has meant that there are many other exciting ways of delivering audiobook content. The availability of low cost and high capacity sd cards, for instance, has made the delivery of audiobook on these tiny cards an option. These can be played in any compatible player.
While the future may be digital, the wide range of formats means that there is an audiobook option available for people with many different needs and requirements. Not everyone is comfortable with digital downloads and new technologies and this means that more traditional formats still have an important place in the audiobook market.
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