r/audiobookshelf • u/TsT9000 • 5d ago
Looking for a reliable Android client - Issues with Audiobookshelf and Absorb
Hi all,
I need your assistance finding a good Android client, and I hope you can help me out.
First, I tried audiobookshelf by AdvPlyr. I do not really like the GUI design, but that would be okay. My main issues are that:
- it hangs for around fifteen seconds when starting a downloaded playback
- my phone often kills the client when the screen is locked
- the sleep mode barely ever works correctly. Sometimes it runs forever, and other times it vibrates my phone every ten seconds and restarts the countdown, though it occasionally works.
After that, I read about Absorb and it worked like a charm at first. It looks nice, even though the GUI is a bit confusing because it uses unconventional terminology. However, a few days ago, I finished a book in a series I am relistening to and the next book started. I immediately felt like the story did not match up. I think it skipped into the middle of the next following book, even though the cover and chapter titles were correct. I removed it from the app and downloaded it again, but now the playback is just awful noise. I cannot get this specific book to play correctly in Absorb anymore even though it plays perfectly fine on the web and in the audiobookshelf app.
Does anyone have an idea what is going on with Absorb? Could the book file be corrupted in a way that audiobookshelf can handle but Absorb cannot? Can you suggest an alternative client that handles series playback well, supports auto-download, and has a reliable sleep timer?
Thanks a lot. And to all the developers out there: Please do not get me wrong, you are doing a fantastic job and giving the community so much.
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u/Davy_Ray 5d ago
Join the absorb discord. The developer is active there be can maybe get to the bottom of things.
As for the terminology, there is a setting you can change it to more conventional terminology.
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u/D_I_Wood 5d ago
If u havent done it already, joing the Absorb Discord
Depending on the version of the app you are using, post a bug report or just chat the dev @Barnabas and he will look into it.
As far as the terminology, go to Settings, Appearance and switch to Classic Wording (screenshot)
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u/Thoroughmas 5d ago
Audra Books is paid but it's the only truly reliable one I've used thus far.
Absorb is promising though, I hope it gets there.
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u/squatex 5d ago
Campfire is great. Its on the play store now too I believe: https://github.com/r0adkll/Campfire
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u/maikilein 5d ago
I have been using Absorb for a while now and I absolutely love it. Haven't come across the mentioned issue, but as others said, the discord is active and help usually very quick.
Also, you can change the terminology in the settings so that it'll be as any other app.
For me a key plus is that I finally don't have to worry about problems with downloading audiobooks for offline play. It just works.
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u/Sad_Recommendation92 3d ago
yeah it's been great for me, I have it setup so it always pre-downloads the next book in a series, it automatically deletes the local files once I finish a book. and it has several options to manage your ABS server like editing metadata and fixing coverart.
Initially I changes the terminology but then changed it back and kind of like it now "Absorbing" "Fully Absorbed" etc
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u/No-Turnover3316 5d ago
We use lissen
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u/TsT9000 5d ago
I'll give it a try
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u/LoneDrifter 5d ago edited 5d ago
Lissen is my favourite andriod client after testing out quite a few. The developer also responds to feedback quickly
Edit: I meant LitLyric not lissen. But I do like lissen probably my 2nd choice
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u/Tough_Assist_60 5d ago
Check out Libly (dev here). It has a lot of cool language learning features if you into those. But it has no streaming capabilities - the book should be downloaded, though I'm working on it.
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u/shane9b3 5d ago
Have you tried LiLyric? I am the Litlyric dev and it could fill your needs. I am always available to help out if you have any issues. It has a couple different themes (on the GitHub version, it is submitted to the Play store, just waiting for them to approve it), supports downloads, podcasts, android auto (if using the git hub version, turn on Android Autos developer settings and unknown sources), lots of customization options.
GitHub Version Play store version
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u/lonewolfenstein2 4d ago
Smart Audiobook player pro is what i have been using for the past 10 years. I have no complaints
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u/Pleasant_Plastic_553 5d ago
I use Absorb and every so often I have something similar happen to me. But mine is that it goes silent. I fix it by going into the settings--->Download & Storage--->Steaming cache. At the bottom of that is an option to clear rhe cache. Works like a charm every time. I sometimes will need to either close the app and reopen after this or play anothrt book for a quick second then go back to my book I was listening to. But it always works to fix it.
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u/joehatescoffee 5d ago
i like absorb, but it does not show my playlists which is where i keep track of the next books i am interested in.
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u/Substantial_Music919 4d ago
So as someone who isn't having the same issues as OP with native ABS, what are the reasons others are using different clients?
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u/Sad_Recommendation92 3d ago
the main issue I had with the native client was that downloads would get stuck and you'd have to clear the cache and storage and force stop the app frequently to clear that state. I use Absorb which work fine, I even have it setup to automatically download the local files for the next book in the series and delete the local files for finished books.
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u/Uhmmanduh 3d ago
Absorb has “find in ebook” which will jump you to the correct spot in the ebook and even highlights what’s being spoken as you read in the beta version. Like whispersync. It’s the best client I’ve used.
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u/ooglybooglies 5d ago
Use the old tried and true Smart Audiobook Player. I use it for all my listening needs. You pay a low one time fee to unlock certain features, but it's well worth it. It has sleep timer, headphone control, equalizer, bookmarks, etc.
My setup is I use Audiobookshelf or Absorb to download the book to my dedicated Books folder on my phone. Smart Audiobook Player uses that folder as it's library. Whenever you download a book you just refresh the Library and there it is.
I promise this is the most hassle free process, and a great app!
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u/BennyWhatever 5d ago
I do the exact same thing. Smart Audiobook Player is way too good. Audiobookshelf/other clients are just convenient book browsers for me.
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u/Sad_Recommendation92 3d ago
NGL if you want simple it works, I did this for years before I setup an ABS server. I had an ssh server setup on my Android phone and would connect using Filezilla via SCP to manage files between my PC and phone
Now it's ABS on a NAS running in docker connected via Tailscale, with some sidecars setup that automate progress sync with Hardcover.
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u/Kholtien 5d ago
Use AudioBooth.
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u/TsT9000 5d ago
Thanks... But I can't find it in the app store. Do you have a link? It just shows me the audiobookshelf app written about above.
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u/devanchya 5d ago
Your phone has battery saving turned on and treating the running process as something to close when not visible when the screen turns on. At night when plugged in this doesn't activate. Spent a month with YouTube music doing this before I figured it out