How To Identify And Avoid Unpleasant Sibilance And Plosives When Choosing Audiobook Narrators
Listening to an audiobook should be an immersive experience, but sharp “s” sounds and popping “p” noises can quickly break your focus. These audio artifacts, known as sibilance and plosives, are common complaints among listeners. Learning how to spot them before you commit to a book can save you from ear fatigue and help you find narrators whose voices feel smooth and natural.
Understand What You Are Listening For
Sibilance refers to high-frequency hissing sounds produced by letters like “s,” “sh,” “ch,” and “z.” When a narrator has prominent sibilance, these sounds can sound piercing or buzzy, often described as sounding like air escaping a balloon. Plosives, on the other hand, are explosive bursts of air created by hard consonants such as “p,” “b,” and “t.” A strong plosive can sound like a small pop or thud that disrupts the rhythm of the sentence.
While some sibilance is natural in speech, excessive amounts can become grating over a long listening session. Similarly, pronounced plosives can feel jarring if they occur frequently throughout a chapter. Recognizing the difference between natural emphasis and irritating artifacts is the first step toward curating a better listening library.
Use Sample Clips Strategically
Most audiobook platforms provide free sample clips, usually lasting one to three minutes. Do not just listen to the content of the sample; pay close attention to the audio quality and the narrator’s delivery. Start with the beginning of the clip, where narration is often clearest, and then skip to the middle and end to check for consistency.
Listen specifically for harsh “s” sounds. If you find yourself wincing or reaching to lower the volume when the narrator says words like “silence” or “she sells seashells,” that narrator likely has problematic sibilance. For plosives, listen for words starting with “p” or “b.” If the audio sounds muddy or overly percussive on these consonants, it may indicate poor microphone technique or mixing choices that could become annoying over hours of listening.
Check Reviews and Community Feedback
Reader reviews often contain valuable insights about narrator performance that you might miss in a short sample. Search for keywords like “harsh,” “hissing,” “grating,” “popping,” or “ear fatigue” within the review section. Many listeners are very specific about their dislikes and will mention if a narrator’s voice feels abrasive.
Social media groups and forums dedicated to audiobook enthusiasts are also excellent resources. Users frequently discuss specific narrators, creating informal guides that highlight who has pleasant voices and who tends to trigger sensory issues. These communal recommendations can help you avoid well-known pitfalls before you press play.
Adjust Your Playback Settings
Even if you choose a narrator with minor sibilance issues, you can often mitigate the problem through your device settings. Many audiobook apps allow you to adjust equalization presets. Switching to a “spoken word” or “voice” mode often reduces high-frequency peaks, softening harsh “s” sounds without making the narration sound muffled.
Additionally, using high-quality headphones or earbuds with good noise isolation can improve clarity. Cheaper earbuds sometimes amplify high frequencies disproportionately, making sibilance more pronounced. Investing in balanced, neutral-sounding audio gear can reveal the true texture of a narrator’s voice and help you make more informed choices about future selections.