Long gone are the days when my parents read me and my siblings Harry Potter aloud as a family as we sat quietly in the living room in 1998. How quaint it seems compared to Audible’s upcoming audiobook of the series, featuring movie-quality sound effects and a full cast of voice actors, a cinematic experience geared toward a new generation.
Any new Harry Potter content comes under intense scrutiny of its dedicated fanbase, who will be looking to see if it lives up to the spirit of the original. The project aims to “redefine these quintessential characters for a new generation,” says Bob Carrigan, CEO of Audible. It’s not a replacement for the “the classic recordings by Jim Dale and Stephen Fry, but rather sit[s] alongside them as another option for those who want to dive into the vast world of Harry Potter,” Amazon says.
(Credit: Audible)
I got a sneak peek at the first installment, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, at this week’s Amazon’s devices event in New York City, ahead of the Nov. 4 premiere. (They’re available for preorder now.) From what I heard in just a 10-second demo, the recording is much more like an action movie than a calm reading experience, or listening experience in the case of an audiobook. I even found it a little hard to decipher the dialogue from the background noises in the roughly 10-second clip Amazon played for us.
The demo took place in a closed space in the back corner of a long, thin room, with a prominent “no recording” sign outside and a line of about 10 people. The inability to record stood out, especially since Amazon had invited me and the other members of the press to the event with the specific intention of taking photos and videos of the new Ring doorbells, Echo speakers, and more. But this one the company wanted to keep under wraps, so I’ll have to pull out a napkin, J.K. Rowling-style, and describe it for you.
New Amazon Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio, with the Echo Show 8 and 11 in the background (Credit: Emily Forlini)
The purpose of the demo was not actually about Harry Potter, but rather to showcase Amazon’s new Echo speakers: the Echo Dot Max ($99.99) and Echo Studio ($219.99). Ben Shepherd, the director of Alexa audio entertainment, began the demonstration by playing the song “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac on the legacy Echo Dot device and then switching the audio to the new speakers. The Dot Max felt significantly louder than the original Dot, with a fuller and deeper bass. The Studio elevated sound quality to a new level, filling the room with full-bodied audio that almost mimics surround sound, yet emanates from just one speaker.
It’s possible Amazon had tweaked the new devices to have a higher volume and pumped up the bass for the demo. But based on what I heard, the new devices seemed like a real improvement.
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The Harry Potter part came when showcasing the ability to link up to five Echo Dot Max or Echo Studio devices to create a particularly immersive listening experience. Shepherd first played “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. As the spooky introduction began, we heard a door opening on an Echo Studio speaker behind us, followed by another device around the room starting to play instruments. The others chimed in with more instruments, until all of them began booming the main instrumental theme—do do, do do do.
It was impressive, but the car chase scene from the movie Ready Player One was even more so, and got my adrenaline pumping. As trucks and cars slammed into each other and zoomed around the bridge in a high-stakes chase, we could hear every bit of glass smashing and tires screeching on the road. Why ever go to the movie theater again?
Sadly, the Harry Potter demo wasn’t as good, which I suspect is because it combined all these sorts of noises with dialogue, which was hard to hear. The clip of The Sorcerer’s Stone that Shepherd played started in the middle of an intense scene, a Quidditch match. On one speaker, I heard the crowd roaring, on another the fluttering of the Snitch’s wings, and another the whoosh of broomsticks through the air. Then, weak dialogue broke through—Harry Potter yelling, “I’ve got the Snitch!” I squinted and tried to listen harder as the dialogue continued while the crowd broke out in loud applause.
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It was like making food in the kitchen while overhearing the movie playing in the living room. Before I knew it, the clip was over.
Although I was slightly disappointed, especially compared with the other demos, what I heard might not be representative of what most people will hear at home. The sound may be better on a traditional, one-dimensional home speaker. Or, it could be amazing with the five Echo Studios, but with a different sound calibration.
Either way, when the audiobooks drop next month, expect them to be more like an action movie than a physical book, but without visuals. It won’t replace the original books or audio recording, as Amazon noted, but it could make for an epic listening experience—with the right sound.
About Our Expert
Emily Forlini
Senior Reporter
Experience
As a news and features writer at PCMag, I cover the biggest tech trends that shape the way we live and work. I specialize in on-the-ground reporting, uncovering stories from the people who are at the center of change—whether that’s the CEO of a high-valued startup or an everyday person taking on Big Tech. I also cover daily tech news and breaking stories, contextualizing them so you get the full picture.
I came to journalism from a previous career working in Big Tech on the West Coast. That experience gave me an up-close view of how software works and how business strategies shift over time. Now that I have my master’s in journalism from Northwestern University, I couple my insider knowledge and reporting chops to help answer the big question: Where is this all going?
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