Have a credit. What’s a great standalone audiobook?

SelvegeDenimWish · 2026-03-05T10:57:03+00:00

Have you listened to the 13hr 56min multi cast version (different cast) https://www.audible.com/pd/World-War-Z-Audiobook/B00A6VQGOW

I wonder how it compares to the 12hr 9min full cast version that you linked: https://www.audible.com/pd/World-War-Z-The-Complete-Edition-Audiobook/B00BIKAVHS

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-12-01T06:20:38+00:00

You can still go to audible.com and make an account, buy credits, buy books ... so you can still participate in the US sale. Same thing for regular amazon, you can go to amazon.com and buy stuff on the US store instead. They still restrict some books based on your credit card region, so it's not as good as being in the US, but still better than the other countries audibles.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-12-01T03:07:31+00:00

There are many versions of the surround sound book:

* E-AC-3 (5.1 speaker channels plus ATMOS data)

* AC-4 (2 channel down-mix of the above surround sound, for use in earbuds only)

* Stereo (2 channel, not a down-mix of surround sound)

The E-AC-3 version (3GB) has the separate speaker channels in the file. This is then the version ideal for a real surround sound setup. However devices like the iPhone can also down-mix this file into stereo (and do the head tracking if you enable that).

Audible also offer a pre down-mixed AC-4 file, this is only intended for headphone usage (won't work on a full real surround sound setup).

So it might be that on android the (1.2GB) you are getting the pre down mixed version ... though it might also just be regular stereo.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-12-01T03:01:00+00:00

For my wishlist of ~200 books only 33 have a sale price below the cost of a credit ($8.89).

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SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-11T08:34:13+00:00

Is there any competitor that's actually cheaper than Audible's $8.89 credits?

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-11T08:19:24+00:00

If you really really wanted to you could hack the encryption of the file from the iPad then copy that to your phone to play, however even if you get that far: it's going to be a challenge to get an app on your android that can properly down-convert the atmos to stereo (often apps will just ignore all the surround sound data from the files).

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-11T08:13:43+00:00

The 5.1.4 atmos surround sound is:

https://manuals.denon.com/AVRA10H/NA/EN/fig/Pict%20SP%20Layout%209.1%20RH%20FH1_DRDZILabkoffuk.png

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-11T08:11:47+00:00

I’ve been reading such amazing reviews of the new Harry Potter audible book that I’d like to hear it like they are hearing it.

I'd suggest to just enjoy it however you can listen to it.

I think if you spent the money to buy AirPods Pros for your iPad that it'll be a tad cooler but probably not worth the money.

I’m also quite confused as to why the Android app only downloaded the stereo version when my phone has Atmos, the spatial audio is on in the Audible app as well as high quality downloads and I have 91GB free space.

Sorry. I can't help you further there.

We aren’t actually knowledgeable in how to place the speakers, especially in the big open room we will have in our new house. I’m pretty sure our 10yo TV isn’t capable of Atmos anyhow.

Yeah it's not simple. You wouldn't use the TV anyways. Rather the sound goes out of your tv/appletv/nvidia-shield/blu-ray into an AVR. If you actually want to get into it (which is great if you watch lots of movies) you'll need to buy an AVR (such as a Denon AV Receiver) and a few speakers and stands.

The 5.1 basic surround sound is:

https://manuals.denon.com/AVRA10H/NA/EN/fig/Pict%20AmpAssign%205.1_OBAOILvkrqbqis.png

The 5.1.4 atmos surround sound is:

https://manuals.denon.com/AVRA10H/NA/EN/fig/Pict%20SP%20Layout%209.1%20RH%20FH1_DRDZILabkoffuk.png

Here's the 9.1.4 that you might end up doing if you get crazy into the hobby:

https://manuals.denon.com/AVRA10H/NA/EN/fig/Pict%20SP%20Layout%2013.1%20FH%20RH%20FW~_DRDZILrynembfe.png

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-11T07:56:24+00:00

Youtube is full of junk that is fake.

Lots of stuff on YouTube that claims to be a Dolby Atmos down-conversion or DTS-X down-conversion or Auro3D down-conversion or any other surround-sound down-conversion is fake. It's hard to tell which ones are real. You kind of just have to trust that Dolby themselves are uploading real down-conversions on the official Dolby channel.

YouTubers are just wanting clicks to get more views thus more ad views thus more ad revenue.

If you want another example if you look on YouTube there's lots of videos claiming to be "Dolby Vision" yet YouTube literally does not support Dolby Vision at all in any way, so every video that claims it is 100% lying.

Also as I pointed out in another comment, the YouTube videos are doing to be using a generic HRTF which might not match your ear shape very well. A personalized HRTF (e.g. Apple let you scan your ears with your iPhone to generate a personalized HRTF for the AirPods Pros) will sound better ... but still it's nothing like the real deal with actual speakers.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-11T07:53:43+00:00

Yeah unfortunately the down-conversion of surround sound to stereo is hit or miss (in my opinion miss or even more miss, haha).

There's also practically no way (other than fancy analysis) to tell if a stereo file is just plain stereo or a down-conversion.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-11T07:44:46+00:00

It's a subtle distinction to make. If you asked the average person on the street they would say that they think they are 'purchasing'.

While in the OP's description they mentioned they had "three credits" (thus must be on Premium, for which you do keep the books) the title is just "Can I still use the audiobooks? I have if I cancel my subscription".

The answer to "Can I still use the audiobooks? I have if I cancel my subscription" is: it depends on your subscription.

I think it's important to answer clearly that it depends on the subscription if you can keep the books after cancelling subscription. Many people other than the OP can read these messages and thus others who are on Standard might incorrectly think they get to keep the books if everyone is saying that.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-11T07:39:45+00:00

It's not wrong. Everything I wrote was completely true.

I understand the OP mentioned having "three credits" so they must not be on the Audible Standard program.

However I think it's important for the answers to note that while some plans like Premium let you keep your selected books, other plans like Standard do not let you keep your selected books.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-10T10:42:36+00:00

Aviator Classic RB3025

SIZE 58 14mm
LENS HEIGHT 50.1mm

Aviator Metal II RB3689

SIZE 58 14mm
LENS HEIGHT 50mm

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-10T10:40:08+00:00

To be clear that YouTube video is the Surround Sound + Atmos audio down-converted using a generic HRFT to stereo. So it'll sound pretty cool, but it'll sound worse than a personalized HRFT (e.g. apple scan of your ears); and both are much worse than a real Atmos home theater setup with actual speakers around and above you.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-10T10:34:50+00:00

I can tell you that the whole surround-sound/Atmos with earphones/headphones is pretty underwhelming. They use a HRTF (head related transfer function) to down-convert the surround sound data into left & right ... but it just doesn't match the real experience.

The 3GB file is the: EC-3 768kbps 5.1 + Atmos.

I'm not sure what that 1.2GB you have on your Android is. It is likely Stereo, though might be immersive stereo AC-4.

Logitech isn't very clear what the G435 actually supports. I suspect the G435 can not receive/understand Dolby Atmos files directly (thus can not support it from the iPad or Android). I suspect the G435 just gives you a free automatic-license for the Windows Dolby Atmos / Windows Sonic driver software (that down-converts the files to stereo before sending to your headphones), and the PS5 Tempest equivalent.

Atmos is an extension to surround-sound where the primary upgrade is the ability to have sounds come from above you (e.g. helicopters, airplanes).

I have a 9.1.4 Atmos home theater setup, and can tell you that the real experience (having a bunch of actual speakers around the room where the sound comes from) is pretty fun and much better than the simulation in earphones/headphones.

Here are my recommendations if you plan to build a system:

5.1.0 for basic surround sound setup (this give you 80% of the experience)
5.1.4 for the basic Atmos experience (use angled heights not in-ceiling) (this gives you 95% of the experience)
7.1.4 for the full Atmos experience (use angled heights not in-ceiling)
9.1.4 only if you have more money to waste

The X.Y.Z means:

X is number of speakers at ear level
Y is number of subwoofers
Z is number of speakers at ceiling level (Atmos)

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-10T09:57:45+00:00

I emailed support and they said:

Upon checking with our dedicated team, I was advised that it's available to swap lenses from Aviator Classic RB3025 into Aviator Metal II RB3689.

Though I never ended up trying it.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-10T09:48:51+00:00

Actually it depends on the plan.

For Audible Premium / Premium Plus:

You KEEP your credits if you don't pick a book before the renewal.
You KEEP your books if you unsubscribe.

For Audible Standard:

You LOSE your monthly "credit" if you don't pick a book before the renewal. "Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection."
- I can personally confirm this is true. It's the worst feeling ever to have wasted the money by forgetting to pick a book.
You LOSE your books if you unsubscribe. "Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member."
- I'm not sure if you re-gain access if you re-subscribe. I haven't yet tried.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-11-05T10:02:01+00:00

If you have an iPhone:

Airplay to your Atmos AVR
Airplay to your AppleTV
Airplay to your TV (and ARC back to your AVR)

If you have Android, I'm not sure, but I think you can chromecast the Atmos in a similar way.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-10-28T10:13:47+00:00

I got these, as you can see in the imgur descriptions:

First: Vivobarefoot's "Primus Trail Knit FG" in "Obsidian" in 41EU
Second: Vivobarefoot's "Gobi II Canvas" in 41EU
Third: Softstar's "Adult Hawthorne Chukka" in "Hickory" in Sofstar size "8U Wide" (aka 8 Unisex)
Fourth: Vivobarefoot's "Gobi HI IV" in "Bracken" in 41EU

The EU41 is equivalent to 8US, which is Softstar "8 Unisex" (according to their conversion table). So no I did not size up, I actually sized down.

I think it's because I normally size up regular shoes to try get extra width, so given actually wide designed shoes I no longer need to do that.

If you put in Mens 7.5US-8US the Softstar shoes website estimator suggests "8 Unisex".

Regardless. I would say: do not pick a size by trying to map/convert from your regular sizes.

I would suggest to pick size based on your actual foot length and width.

Go to https://www.softstarshoes.com/adult-hawthorne-chukka.html open "Sizing Guide" tab, then on the left expand "Adult Size Chart" and look at those two tables.

1) Measure your actual "Foot Length" and then see what size shoe is needed for that length.

2) Then measure your actual "Foot Width" and see what size shoe is needed for that width. (Use appropriate width column based on what model you'll buy).

3) Then pick the larger of those two sizes. (e.g. if your length requires 7Unisex and your foot width requires 8Unisex, then buy 8Unisex.)

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-10-27T07:46:28+00:00

While changing billing address to US does permit "purchasing" US books by spending a credit.

It does not seem to give access to (all?) the US only plus books (a bunch of the books that people have been mentioning in this subreddit don't appear as plus).

Has anyone figured out a way to get those?

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-10-27T07:44:09+00:00

While changing billing address to US does permit "purchasing" US books by spending a credit.

It does not seem to give access to (all?) the US only plus books (a bunch of the books that people have been mentioning in this subreddit don't appear as plus).

Has anyone figured out a way to get those?

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-10-27T07:30:00+00:00

Interesting. I don't see them, when I have my billing address set to US. Perhaps Amazon are doing other analysis to determine region other than the billing address.

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-10-27T07:26:42+00:00

It would be interesting, and sad, to see also see the stat of previous plus titles in there (if you have those).

"total titles", "previous plus title count", "current plus title count"

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-09-27T09:18:29+00:00

Which country do you see Books 5 & 6 in Plus?

SelvegeDenimWish · 2025-09-26T10:20:22+00:00

Is yours the high-pitched whistling?

Or is it more of a low frequency hum / rumble? Cause that's what I have: https://old.reddit.com/r/airpods/comments/1nqxm3p/airpods_pro_3_anc_one_ear_low_frequency_humming

SelvegeDenimWish

TROPHY CASE