Yes. If you're already comfortable with podcasts at 2× speed, there's a good chance you'll be able to listen to many audiobooks at that speed too. Whether you'll understand them just as well depends on the type of book and what you're trying to get from it.
In general:
- Narrative fiction often works well at 1.75×–2× once you're used to the narrator's voice. Some listeners even go faster for straightforward stories.
- Memoirs and conversational nonfiction also tend to be easy at 2× because they're written in a more natural speaking style.
- Dense nonfiction (history, philosophy, science, technical books) may benefit from slowing down to around 1.25×–1.75×, especially when the material introduces new concepts or lots of names and dates.
- Books you want to savor—especially those with beautiful prose or dramatic performances—can lose some of their impact at higher speeds.
One difference from podcasts is that audiobooks usually have:
- Longer, more complex sentences.
- Fewer conversational cues and repetitions.
- More sustained attention demands over many hours.
A simple way to gauge your comprehension is to pause every 15–20 minutes and see if you can summarize the main points or recent events without rewinding. If you consistently can, the speed is probably appropriate. If you're frequently backing up or realizing you've missed key details, dropping to 1.75× or 1.5× may actually help you finish the book faster overall.
Many experienced audiobook listeners also vary the speed:
- 2× for familiar or lighter material.
- 1.5×–1.75× for challenging sections.
- 1×–1.25× for passages they really want to absorb or enjoy.
If 2× podcasts already feel natural to you, it's reasonable to start your first audiobook at 2× and adjust based on how often you need to rewind rather than assuming you need to slow down from the start.
