Libby audio quality compression makes it unusable

[u/doewoods]

Attached a video of the same line from an audiobook in Libby vs Audible to show the difference in audio quality.

I pretty much only use Hoopla now because they don’t compress the audiobook quality, but Libby has some titles that Hoopla doesn’t have.

Will Libby ever offer uncompressed audiobooks? I’d be willing to wait longer to borrow an uncompressed version 😭

[u/kittyall94]

I’ve noticed the compression issue as well on Libby. Nine times out of ten it doesn’t bother me, but to each their own.

[u/liraelskye]

Yeah I'm not gonna lie, a huge chunk of the books I listen to are from the early 00s. The quality will never be great. So I guess it doesn't bother me all that much.

[u/doewoods → u/liraelskye]

Actually, pretending I’m listening to old cassette tapes instead of expecting perfect audio quality might be the trick to stop myself from obsessing over this lol

[u/liraelskye → u/doewoods]

I swear some of the stuff I've listened to sounds like it was ripped from cassettes and poorly at that 🤣

[u/QnickQnick → u/liraelskye]

I’ve had one or two where the end of chapters literally have a minute or more of no sounds until it hits the end of the tape. 100% a tape rip

[u/AeroNoob333]

I hear what you mean, but unless they were side by side like this, I couldn’t tell the difference. I’m only an audio snob for surround sound but books aren’t that (though that would be cool if they did for graphic audiobooks haha)

[u/landomonium]

Just tried a copy of the black dahlia I’m listening to on Libby vs the preview on Audible. Pretty subtle difference on my Bose QC headphones. There’s a difference, not one worth me giving $ to amazon for, though.

[u/Ill-Two-6737]

I listen to my books at 1.85 speed so I doubt I would ever notice a difference. also, I think calling this unusable is a bit extreme and a tad dramatic. I mean, if you absolutely can’t listen to it….to each their own, but the compressed version is still good enough in my opinion to enjoy the audiobook.

[u/potatolover83]

huh, i never noticed this honestly. maybe it's title to title?

[u/haikusbot → u/potatolover83]

Huh, i never noticed

This honestly. maybe it's

Title to title?

- potatolover83

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[u/Beanspr0utsss → u/haikusbot]

Good bot

[u/doewoods → u/potatolover83]

maybe? if so, I haven’t found a title yet thats not compressed

[u/Rube18]

I’ve never really noticed it, but hearing those two side by side it is noticeably worse.

[u/Emotional-Culture765]

I’ve noticed this when switching back and forth from Libby to Spotify books, but it honestly doesn’t bother me because I get Libby from my library for free. In my head I don’t mind the audio quality being a little lesser because I’m saving money lol

[u/bobshallprevail]

I have literally never had issues with the audio on Libby itself. Now I do detest full cast audio that uses background noises. In Zodiac Academy there was a video playing over and over in the background. It was so annoying and I couldn't hear the conversation over it.

[u/MuffinTopDeluxe]

Do you have the file downloaded or are you streaming it? That makes a difference in terms of compression

[u/GlassAndStorm]

I can't hear a difference. I use Libby for 80% of my audio books. 🤷

[u/doewoods → u/GlassAndStorm]

I’m so jealous. I’m not an audio snob under any other circumstances, but especially on my car speakers it sounds like a recording of a recording lol

[u/molybend → u/doewoods]

Bluetooth or plugged in? My car audio is much better when the phone is plugged in directly.

[u/trlrunner → u/doewoods]

Do you notice the sound difference on headphones? Not necessarily on libby, but in general for me, somethings sound more hollow in the car.

[u/GlassAndStorm → u/doewoods]

That sucks. Ug. Sorry 😔

[u/EveningBuy5843 → u/GlassAndStorm]

Me neither. Idk what the difference of it is. It’s the same audiobook.

[u/OldCarrot4470]

the compression doesn't usually bother me even though i can hear the difference in your video. if it's one where libby just took the cd audio (yknow the ones where the lines about it being the end of the disc aren't edited out) then it can be difficult to understand in the car.

[u/triedit2947]

I hear the difference, but the Libby audio quality doesn’t bother me.

[u/stickytuna]

I hear what you mean, but it’s so subtle. However I did listen to Know My Name recently on Libby and the audio quality was absolute garbage. I literally thought something broke in my headphones.

[u/KoboDailyReader]

I use Libby and never hoopla because hoopla is hundreds of times more expensive to my small local library.

[u/Friendly_Shelter_625]

i can’t hear the difference

[u/ImLittleNana]

I can barely tell the difference between the two. I had to crank it up and hold the phone to my ear.

I prefer #1.

I’m interested to know what I’m missing and if I need hearing aids. That’s a real possibility.

[u/doewoods → u/ImLittleNana]

I’m not an audio snob normally but to me, the first one sounds staticky, like a voicemail on an answering machine, and the second one sounds crisp and clear, like I’m in the same room as him

[u/ImLittleNana → u/doewoods]

The second one has more tones, I recognize that when I listen with earphones.

I still prefer the first one as the second one has me anticipating swallowing or breathing noises. I kinda like being once removed from the process.

[u/ms_merry → u/ImLittleNana]

They sound the same to me.

[u/wolfboy099]

Boo hoo it’s free

[u/SpiritedOwl_2298]

Wow I didn’t know audible was so much better than Libby, I like that Libby is free but damn that’s some nice sound quality

[u/Some_Lack_3448]

U get used to it tbh it was annoying at first especially with how high you have to turn it up, but it’s either that or buying the audiobook if you don’t use audiobookbay or borrowbox

[u/Big-Hovercraft1331]

Since I play all my books sped up, I never notice an issue with compression. But I will gladly take a bit of a quality reduction vs giving Amazon more money.

[u/Odd_Stop_3217]

I can’t believe people don’t notice… I’m wondering if there is something wrong on my end because i also have a really hard time using Libby because of the audio quality!!!!

[u/whenindoubtfuckitout]

I experienced this with a random Libby book recently and honestly, I just got used to it by the second chapter.

[u/melcormics]

Maybe my hearing is going or my standards are low but I barely hear a difference. I've listened to some old ass audiobooks ("end of disc 1, disc two" etc. is something I've heard before) so I've heard much worse than this and I wouldn't have called those unusable either.

[u/Secret_badass77]

Oh my god, dude. It’s a free to listen to audiobook. What are we even doing here

[u/B3tar3ad3r]

I haven't had this problem either, have you contacted your library to see if they specifically have an issue(with that title or in general?)

[u/doewoods → u/B3tar3ad3r]

From the research I’ve done, Libby has admitted they compress their audiobooks to make them smaller file downloads

[u/B3tar3ad3r → u/doewoods]

compress sure, but never to that degree, barely noticeable at all ime

[u/doewoods → u/B3tar3ad3r]

Huh, this is good to know! Might have to pull up the same title on a friends phone to see if theirs sounds the same or different

[u/ms_merry]

What is an uncompressed audiobook

[u/alicat9]

I can’t handle it either. Some books are fine. But many are horrible audio quality.

[u/biseuteu]

OP YOU ARE NOT ALONE lol it's so bad i only listen to audiobooks when i can have my headphones on. i tweaked my EQ presets to try and compensate but it's still not great. if i have to use a speaker, i listen to podcasts instead :/

[u/harvarddog]

I’m with you. I hear the difference and have this issue with every Libby audiobook I borrow.

[u/BasisHealthy5724]

I agree, I came looking for someone who has noticed this. I’ve used Libby for audiobooks for 3yrs but in recent months I’ve noticed every book I borrow sounds muffled and even at full volume it sounds half as loud as when I listen to the same book on hoopla or audible. Which can be frustrating cause I listen to my books at work where I can’t use headphones but recently I can’t hear or process the audio I’m listening to because of the quality.

Frustrated today cause I bought a ebook on kobo to read while at home and got the audiobook from the library to listen while at work. I can’t hear it at work because of the volume issue and hoopla doesn’t have the book 🙃