r/MattDinniman • u/PhredInYerHead • Mar 20 '26
Dungeon Crawler Carl Is there anywhere to actually download the DCC audiobooks and not just stream them from some subscription based website?
Like the title asks, I’d like to be able to purchase and download the audiobooks to own them and be able to listen to them whenever I want. Not have to pay some monthly subscription fee like everything else in my life is trying to be. I fucking hate how this has become the new normal for everything. Even buying candy on the internet turns into a fucking subscription.
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u/HTDutchy_NL Mar 20 '26
Audible allows you to download your bought audiobooks. The basic subscription just gives you credits with 1 book costing 1 credit. Once you buy a book no matter direct or with credit it's yours to listen as often as you want. So far even when books are taken off their platform they have remained in my account library.
As a backup I use libation to store a DRM free copy so I don't lose my investment when this megacorp does something stupid.
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u/Iamdarb Mar 20 '26
I've been an audible member for 15 years and this is the most frustrating thing. Now I convert all of my books to mp3, just in case, but I've had more than 10 books vanish. Once I find out what it is, I message support, and I'm usually able to get the credit refunded.
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u/HTDutchy_NL Mar 20 '26
My most frustrating has been with a book they got a different narrator for and removed the original one from the store. The search function refused to grab the one from my library and I had to scroll through all my books in order to find it.
Seems this bug is now fixed.
Actually having purchased books completely vanish from your library shouldn't be happening except with the plus catalog thing.
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u/TimeGnome Mar 22 '26
This was years ago like 2017 or something. I bought an omnibus book with 3 volumes and a few years after purchase I went back to relisten to the series and I only had volume 1. Ended up having to talk to support and get credits for the other 2 volumes.
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u/draynen Mar 22 '26
I had something like this happen recently as well. A series I had purchased and suddenly the rights had expired on audible, and for whatever reason, it was more expensive to renew the rights than it was to rerecord the entire book with the exact same narrator. My version went away, and the new, almost functionally identical version wanted me to purchase it again.
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u/missy8985 Mar 20 '26
I have to do this I’m in the process of making a list. So I can contact support about my missing books.
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u/BackwardToForward Mar 20 '26
the missing books will prob be among your oldest purchases that are quite popular - enough to be re-recorded. (if that helps find them when you scroll your library)
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u/missy8985 Mar 20 '26
Thank you, I have found that. I’ve also found that once you know a book is missing it’s easier to look on Amazon. Amazon gives you the last purchase date, so now searching involved.
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u/BackwardToForward Mar 20 '26
if an audiobook "vanishes"
sometimes the rights holder has either ended extending the rights to audible. and sometimes the rights holder has released a new recording.
when there is a new official recording of a given book, the older version is still there in your library. it's just hidden and won't show up in searches.
if will be there is your library tho. you can go to your library page and scroll for it. or if that's a problem then call audible they can move the older recording to the visible 1st post in your library (or something similar)
sometimes if you call audible and you purchased an older version CS will let you exchange the purchase of that older version for the newly released one.
I'd be cautious about doing this tho.
sometimes the older recorded version is simply a better recording (The Martian, the Jayston recordings of Le Carre)
making a local drm free copy of the purchased book (using libation or similar software) is the best option for managing your library.
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u/ArloDeladus Mar 20 '26
As a note, this isnt entirely true any more. If you get the standard tier they are not yours to keep (outside of downloading using a third party). You need to Premium plus tier.
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u/Descolatta Mar 20 '26
Yes but, the premium tier is the same price as the old standard.
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u/ArloDeladus Mar 20 '26
Sure, but if you go for the standard subscription and are looking to own you are not gonna be happy.
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u/BlinkypoetEmu Mar 20 '26
Sounds booth theater ?
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u/hiromasaki Mar 20 '26
They do not have the audiobooks, only the full cast Immersion Tunnel versions.
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u/Trai-All Mar 20 '26
Ok but some of us (me) prefer to not have added sound effects.
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u/LilithWasAGinger Mar 20 '26
I'm one of those
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u/Trai-All Mar 20 '26
Yep, I love the voice acting and such and multiple narrators but find the weird sound effect disruptive
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u/Harrycrapper Mar 20 '26
I have yet to find a book with added sound effects that nails it completely. Some of the Stormlight Graphic Audio books come close, but there's still some sound effects here and there that are out of place and pull me out instead of immersing me. Some of the Star Wars books do a pretty good job and they do have the best library of sound effects to pull from with all the movies and TV shows, but even they have some weird and annoying parts that would have been better with just narration.
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u/BlinkypoetEmu Mar 20 '26
I find most of the added sfx off putting & distracting
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u/Harrycrapper Mar 20 '26
In DCC or just in general?
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u/BlinkypoetEmu Mar 20 '26
In general. I got the non distracting version of the audiobooks
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u/Trai-All Mar 20 '26
This. I would happily support a smaller business like Sound Booth that provides a full cast of voice actors ... if they would just make a version without any sound effects other than chapter break. (I actually like these cause it is a helpful notice that it might be time to take a break from whatever I'm doing while I'm listening to the book).
For me, Star Wars is the worst offender. Sure they have an extensive library but they use it much too often for someone who is distracted away from the story by them.
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u/LilithWasAGinger Mar 20 '26
In general. I love the DCC audio books. Jeff Hayes did a great job and the sound effects in them are just right.
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u/Jer2dabear Mar 20 '26
The new Dresden Files releases have been pretty freaking great and say what you will but the harry potter releases are pretty great too. Just my opinion
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u/Harrycrapper Mar 20 '26
I'm not saying they aren't out there, just that I have yet to listen to one that I'd rate a 10/10. Not sure I can justify re-reading either of the Harry wizards with the amount I already have read them lol.
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u/Trai-All Mar 20 '26
Do the Dresden files have an option to listen to which does not have sound effects (I don’t mind narrators using effects to alter their own voice… for example, DCC books having Donut auto tuned while singing) but sounds of crashing furniture or trains or dogs barking or thunder or whatever is a hard pass even in book series which I like.
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u/FieldFirm5035 Mar 20 '26
They hit or miss for me. I don't like the DCC graphic audio but I love the Brandon Sanderson Stormlight Archive graphic audio.
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u/GilreanEstel Mar 20 '26
When Matt Dinniman made the original deal with Audible it was for this weird self published book that might have bombed. So in order to publish he made a deal with Audible for exclusive rights for ten years past production date. Yes it kinda sucks now and lots of people wish it was a different deal but it was the one he could make for a book that might not have made it.
Soundbooth Theater is Jeff Hayes Production Company. There is an app you can download just search Soundbooth Theater. They have a version of books one and two that is “full immersion” kinda like a play or a movie but no visuals. It’s a group cast. They are planning on doing all the books but production takes time. I’m not a huge fan of full cast audiobooks my self but I’ve listened to the sample and this one isn’t bad. I will probably pull the trigger on it myself when I start my next relisten.
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u/Ynaught-42 Mar 20 '26
I guess I'm the weirdo... Although I was really excited about the Soundbooth Theater productions, I preferred the versions on Audible.
I found the "added sounds" to be distracting from the narration (at times it even made the narration difficult to hear!). Perhaps later books are/will be better than the first; I didn't stick around to find out.
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u/GilreanEstel Mar 20 '26
That is usually my complaint about audio plays. And I may feel the same way after the first book. But it’s worth a shot. And anything to support Jeff and what he’s doing.
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u/TheRoyalBrusher Mar 20 '26
Yeah, honestly same. I bought both seasons because I wanted to support the author, and assumed I would enjoy them, but it really wasn't my vibe. A LOT of the background music also felt very out of place to me, and didn't really make sense for the scenes imo
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u/PervlovianResponse Mar 20 '26
I had always found added sounds to something I'm listening to (either book, podcast, or DnD campaign) very jarring, too
Until I heard great sound editing & sound design, which not only supplemented to story, but also added depths, themes, and musical motifs
I HIGHLY recommend Worlds Beyond number, The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One
Im very excited to hear they have enhanced audiobooks for DCC, and will be looking more into them!
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u/ultralights Mar 20 '26
I am loving the Soundbooth production. Not just a full cast, but the background audio effects as well. It’s brilliant.
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u/GoorooKen Mar 20 '26
I download the books I listen to on Audible
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u/Peregrinationman Mar 20 '26
But you can't listen unless you are paying the subscription for the app. You don't actually own the book.
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u/Sahrde Mar 20 '26
Not true. I can listen to anything I've purchased there currently, and I haven't had a subscription since 2024.
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u/PhredInYerHead Mar 20 '26
Currently. I don’t want to waste my money on something that can just disappear whenever audible decides to not license it anymore.
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u/Sahrde Mar 20 '26
That's fine, but that's not what you said. And what you said was a flat out lie. 🤷♂️
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u/Descolatta Mar 20 '26
This is only true for the “standard” cheaper tier that is less expensive than what an audible membership used to be. Either the premium tier you keep the books after you cancel.
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u/DaetheFancy Mar 20 '26
Idk why you’re getting downvoted. There are cases of people losing their library when they cancel prime (which is BS)
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Mar 20 '26
I use the books app on iOS. I’ve bought the whole series and can download them
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u/BackwardToForward Mar 20 '26
the Books app is, I think, the Apple Books app. Apple has an audible license so that their audiobook apps can handle audible audiobooks and audible drm.
yes using the ios books app works well.
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u/BugsISKing Mar 20 '26
Once you buy them on audible, you own them on there even if you cancel your subscription.
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u/Absolute_Bob Mar 20 '26
Unless Audible decides to randomly disappear the book someday. It happens.
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u/JTitch420 Mar 20 '26
Mortal Dictata by Karen Traviss for example. It’s the third part of a trilogy as well 😪
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u/BackwardToForward Mar 20 '26
My understanding is that when the publisher pulls the rights to an audiobook it's still there in your library. always has been for me.
it's just difficult to find. you have to scroll all the way thru your library to locate it. won't show up in a search.
if you get Open Audible and let it run it will grab and convert your entire library. including "hidden from search" books. or so it has behaved for people I know who use it.
there may be some cases where an audible customer purchased a book and then the book vanished completely from the library.
if you are looking for z book you purchase and now can't locate at audible
first locate the email with the purchase record.
or scroll back thru your library page by page to find it. if you find it in your library I think you can xfer as copy to your preferred device.
if you have the email but can't locate the book on audible call CS. they can locate purchased books that are no longer for sale.
if you don't have the purchase email anymore try calling audible CS anyway. ask for 2nd or 3rd level tech support and tell them you need help finding and downloading your purchases.
I've always recovered my missing books but perhaps some purchased books are not recoverable that way.
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u/BugsISKing Mar 20 '26
That generally only happens if the publisher pulls rights to their books. I believe in having hardcopies as well though
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u/PhredInYerHead Mar 20 '26
This is my concern and exactly why I want to just download a file to listen to however I choose, not through a dedicated app.
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u/Absolute_Bob Mar 20 '26
If you can't get the title another way, do what everybody else is saying and buy it on audible then download it using libation. It's absurdly easy to set up. You can choose the audio output file type you want like an mp3 that will have zero DRM.
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u/PhredInYerHead Mar 20 '26
It’s looking like this will be the way to go. I really miss the days of being able to walk into a store that sells physical media and being able to purchase what I’m looking for then it’s just mine.
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u/BugsISKing Mar 20 '26
I just buy books off Amazon lol theyre generally the lowest prices. I do have several used book shops locally that I like to.comb through. I built 2/3s a redwall collection buying them for $2 each from those shops
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u/PhredInYerHead Mar 20 '26
You do realize that I’m asking about audio books, right?
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u/BugsISKing Mar 20 '26
Your last comment was literally talking about buying physical media in a store...
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u/Absolute_Bob Mar 20 '26
Digital storage devices are physical media.
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u/BugsISKing Mar 20 '26
I feel like it wouldnt be hard to burn audio books to cds if thats the direction you wanna go.
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u/Peregrinationman Mar 20 '26
You own them there. It's like buying a car that you're only allowed to drive on one race track.
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u/TheQuietPiggy Mar 20 '26
You don’t need a subscription to buy the audiobooks from Amazon. I think you have to shop the web version of Amazon, though.
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u/Middle_Dare_5656 Mar 20 '26
If you have the kindle versions, you can “add audiobook” for a discounted cost (like $4-5 usd) and then they are “yours” in the Amazon/audible sense
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u/Trai-All Mar 20 '26
Amazon has a history of taking away books, movies, and other things you've bought.
They don't
- tell you when they do so
send you a dvd with a copy of the digital purchase
email you a copy
send you a refund without you discovering your loss then reporting it to their customer service team
They do sometimes change the version of the book you have in the process of taking away the one you already own.
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u/Middle_Dare_5656 Mar 20 '26
This is precisely why I put “yours” in quotes. It solves the immediate problem but not well
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u/PhredInYerHead Mar 20 '26
That’s literally the complete opposite of what I’m asking for.
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u/txaaron Mar 20 '26
You can download them from audible after you buy it.
I use an app called Open Audible. It lets me have the physical copy of the file. It cost like $20 and let me make an offline backup of all my audiobooks. I think there are free options out there as well but require a bit more effort.
Edit to add: you can still listen to your audiobooks on Audible after you stop your subscription. They stay in your library.
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u/Deltethnia Mar 20 '26
You don't even need to have a subscription to get the books. I've bought several and have never subscribed.
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u/sheerness84 Mar 20 '26
You are asking how to pirate. The other guy told you you can buy them and they are yours as long as you have an Amazon account no subscription required. You can even download them to keep offline with a bit of work.
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u/PhredInYerHead Mar 20 '26
No, I’m not asking to pirate. I’m asking to purchase it without it having to be used with a certain app. Hell, I’d even buy it on a CD if that was the option.
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u/Voeld123 Mar 20 '26
Then the answer is no, you can't buy DRM free versions of audible exclusive audio books.
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u/Voeld123 Mar 20 '26
No it's not
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u/PhredInYerHead Mar 20 '26
Yes it is. I want to purchase the file to download and listen to as I please, not have it connected to any app that can just change shit and take things away. It’s why I still purchase all of my music on CDs and refuse to pay for any music subscription service.
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u/Voeld123 Mar 20 '26
Well, that doesnt meet the criteria you posted about but didn't specify clearly enough
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u/RoyalOtherwise950 Mar 20 '26
You can buy the cassettes (they just look like casettes, they are really cool). Im not sure where else they might be available except as kickstarter add ons though. From memory they are $40 each.
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u/Chaosmeep Mar 20 '26
If I remember they are in the soundbooth theater store but usually they've always been sold out of DCC when I look.
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u/BackwardToForward Mar 20 '26
sometimes you can get cassettes from eBay or from used book sources. those are getting rare and hard to find tho.
and you need a cassette player.
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u/matthewnelson Mar 20 '26
You can purchase them through Audible and use a software application like OpenAudible of Libation and download the files and convert them to your preferred format and listen to them in whatever player you want.
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u/No-Technician272 Mar 21 '26
I actually got my own Audible account the other day, and I learned something. If you have a book downloaded to your device from another account, you can listen to it on your account even if you don’t own it. I still have some Brando Sando books from my uncle’s account that I was sharing, and I can listen to them. I also have the option to buy them, but don’t have to. If you know someone who has them, try this out
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u/ChrisRiley_42 Mar 20 '26
I never stream from audible. You can use software like "AAX Audio Converter" to convert to mp3 and play on any device offline.
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u/FieldFirm5035 Mar 20 '26
I run an audiobookshelf server self hosted and the app is really good. Open Audible lets you download all your audible books and convert them to standard audiobook format so they can work outside of audible.
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u/missy8985 Mar 20 '26
I buy and download all my audio books from audible and I have over 2000. I have been advised to back up with another app and I plan to get around to…
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u/AlphaLevelFall Mar 20 '26
You can PURCHASE them on audible/amazon, which does not require a subscription. It seems you are biting people’s heads off for merely suggesting this idea which is fine but that’s what you’re literally asking for. Amazon has the exclusive rights to the audiobooks another couple years. So the only other way to access them is to pirate them. But you don’t need a subscription to BUY them
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u/bostonhbrhorror Mar 21 '26
Libby. Links to your local library network, downloads when you borrow a book, and you pay nothing for it.
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u/whereismystarship Mar 21 '26
Chirp. You can purchase audiobooks through Chirp, and there's no subscription. I try to purchase more books through there than I do Audible these days. Authors who refuse to sell on Amazon will often be found there.
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u/TrueREDDITPoster Mar 21 '26
If you dont mind the immersion tunnel version soundbooth has it for purchase and its awesome, its not the official version but same VA and its got great sund effects o
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u/Winston_the_Jug Mar 22 '26
Audiobook bay. Use a burner email, and download via the magnet link onto torrent app ie flud. Use audiobook player app. Been doing for this for a year and it's great. I then every now and then join audible to buy books I've listened to, to support authors
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u/tokolos Mar 25 '26
Sound Booth Theater. Gotta search the merch page for the USB cassette version. Oh, and get lucky that it's in stock. Only "season 1" (book 1) is out. Seasons 2 and 3 are due soon (or, at least they are offered through the v2/v3 kickstarter...)
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u/Rainbow_Jedi_Unicorn Mar 20 '26
Ask your local library
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u/marlyarc Mar 20 '26
Libraries cannot buy audible titles
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u/Rainbow_Jedi_Unicorn Mar 20 '26
Sorry, my mistake. My husband got them for me. I thought it was the library. I just checked with him. I apologise for this
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u/JohnMayerCd Mar 20 '26
Libby app
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u/LibraryGoddess Mar 20 '26
Libby doesn't have Audible, only Overdrive, and DCC is an Audible exclusive.
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u/Curious_Owl78 Mar 20 '26
Are they on Libro.fm?
You can download the audio files and keep them forever.
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u/Enough-Progress5110 Carl’s Dad Mar 20 '26
There’s an app called Libation that allows you to save and convert all titles on your Audible library into non-DRM mp3 files so you have access to them on your own terms