Key takeaways
- Most people and most books land between 1x and 2x. The right speed depends on the book, the narrator and what you want from it.
- A 2022 UCLA study in Applied Cognitive Psychology found that watching lectures at up to 2x did not significantly reduce comprehension, immediately or a week later.
- That study used lectures and factual tests. In fiction, tone, pauses and stress carry meaning, so faster speeds can cost some of the feeling even when you keep the facts.
- Rough guide: non-fiction 1.5x to 2x, plot-driven fiction 1.2x to 1.5x, literary fiction and poetry 1x to 1.25x, language learning 0.75x to 1x.
- Start at 1x and go up in small steps. You have gone too far when you start rewinding. Reading along with highlighted text, as in HushBook, helps catch words at higher speeds.
Somewhere between 1x and 2x, for most people and most books. Where you land in that range depends on the book, the narrator and what you want out of it.
That's the short answer. The longer one is more interesting, because the research on fast listening is better than you'd expect, and it doesn't say what most people assume.
Does listening faster hurt comprehension?
Less than you'd think, up to a point.
The study people cite most is from UCLA. In 2022, Dillon Murphy and colleagues published a paper in Applied Cognitive Psychology called "Learning in double time". Students watched recorded lectures at normal speed, 1.5x, 2x or 2.5x, without pausing or taking notes, then took a test. Watching at up to 2x didn't significantly reduce comprehension, either straight away or a week later. Students who watched twice at 2x often did as well as, or better than, students who watched once at normal speed.
Two caveats before you set everything to 2x.
- It was lectures, not novels. The tests asked about facts. The authors themselves say slower pacing may still be needed for complex or technical material.
- Fiction carries meaning in the voice. A narrator's pauses, stress and tone tell you when a character is lying, joking or about to cry. Speed that up and you keep the facts but can lose some of the feeling. Smaller studies of sped-up speech point the same way, though they're less solid than the UCLA work.
So a reasonable reading of the evidence: fast listening is fine for information. For stories, the cost is subtler and depends on you.
A practical guide by book type
- Non-fiction, self-help, business: 1.5x to 2x is comfortable for many listeners. Slow down for chapters with numbers, arguments or anything you want to remember.
- Thrillers and plot-driven fiction: 1.2x to 1.5x. You keep the momentum and don't lose much of the narrator's performance.
- Literary fiction and poetry: 1x to 1.25x. Much of what you're there for is the sound of the language.
- Full-cast productions, comedy, memoirs read by the author: close to 1x. Timing is part of the content.
- Books in a language you're learning: 0.75x to 1x. Slower is better while you're still matching sounds to words.
How to find your speed
Start at 1x for the first chapter. Narrators vary a lot. Some read so slowly that 1.3x sounds natural, and others are already brisk at normal speed.
Then go up in small steps, about 0.1x or 0.25x at a time. You've gone too far when you start rewinding to catch things. That's the real signal, more than any number.
You'll also adapt. A speed that sounds frantic in week one can feel normal by week four, because your ear gets used to it. It's fine to creep up over time.
And if your mind keeps wandering, speed isn't always the fix. Sometimes it's the book, the time of day or what you're doing while you listen. We put together a guide to focusing on audiobooks for that.
Does reading along help at higher speeds?
Seeing the words gives you a second channel. If a fast narrator slurs a name or you miss a word, it's right there on screen.
That's how HushBook works. It transcribes your audiobook on your phone and highlights each word as the narrator reads it, at whatever speed you choose. You can pick a preset from 0.5x to 3x, or set your own speed in 0.05x steps. The highlighting stays in sync, so you can push the speed up and still see exactly where the narrator is.
It works with audiobook files you can legally import, such as MP3 and M4B, and with free public domain books from the built-in LibriVox and Internet Archive store. It can't import protected files, such as Audible downloads, and since the text comes from speech recognition, unusual names can come out wrong.
Is it "cheating" to listen fast?
No. You heard every word. Whether a book at 2x still feels like the same book to you is a matter of taste, not rules. Plenty of people speed through non-fiction and slow right down for the novels they love. That seems like a sensible way to do it.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What speed should I listen to audiobooks at?
Start at 1x for a chapter, then raise it in small steps until you start missing things. Most people settle between 1x and 2x, faster for non-fiction and slower for literary fiction.
Is listening to audiobooks at 2x bad?
Not for facts. A 2022 UCLA study found lectures at up to 2x did not significantly reduce comprehension. For fiction you may lose some of the narrator's tone and timing.
What is the best speed for non-fiction audiobooks?
Many listeners are comfortable at 1.5x to 2x. Slow down for chapters with numbers, arguments or anything you want to remember.
Can you get used to faster audiobook speeds?
Yes. Your ear adapts, so a speed that sounds rushed at first can feel normal after a few weeks. Raise it gradually.
Does reading along help at faster speeds?
It can. If a fast narrator slurs a word, you can see it on screen. HushBook highlights each word in sync at speeds from 0.5x to 3x.
Is listening at high speed cheating?
No. You heard every word. Whether a book at 2x feels the same is a matter of taste.
Try read-along on a recording you own
Import an MP3 or M4B audiobook, let HushBook create the transcript on your phone, and follow every word with the narrator. Free to download, with optional Pro.