Product Description

Now in MP3 format - The NIV Audio Bible is more than a Bible you listen to. It’s an experience that helps you enter into God’s Word . . . So God’s Word can enter into you. Read by professional readers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23053 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-01
• Formats: Unabridged, MP3 Audio
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Audio CD

Features

• ISBN13: 9780310922643
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Back Cover
The complete Bible—6 disk MP3 set includes both Old and New Testaments

Features:

• New International Version—today’s most read, most trusted translation

• Multiple-voice dramatization brings the Bible to life with world-class narration and colorful, true-to-the-text character renderings

• Fully orchestrated background with sound effects provides maximum enhancement of the text reading

• Digital engineering from start to finish delivers the ultimate in clarity and listening enjoyment

• Brief book introductions give you a quick, preparatory overview of each book of the Bible

• Running time 76 hours

Customer Reviews

The whole Bible on just 6 CDs
This is the complete New International Version of the Bible in a compressed MP3 format. This format has both advantages and disadvantages. The greatest advantage is that you get the entire Bible on just six CDs. It even comes with a nice fabric CD holder to keep them from getting scratched. The entire Bible can be placed in a common 6 CD changer and listened to at your convenience. The down side of the MP3 format is a problem with the format itself. If you are traveling short distances or only listening for a short while then each time you start to listen it begins at the start of that MP3 track. As a result I found myself often having to listen to the same verses over and over because I didn't listen to it long enough to go to the next track. The Zondervan company has done a good job of ameliorating this problem to some extent by putting each chapter on its own track, but some chapters are long and so it is still a problem at times. With a true audio CD my player will pick up in the middle of a song or wherever I left off, not so with the MP3 format.

The actual dramatized reading of the Bible is excellently done and I am very impressed with it. My experience with similar products from other publishers has been that the dramatization is highly overacted and includes background music that more suited to a Cecil B. DeMille movie than an audio Bible. Zondervan strikes a perfect balance between the dramatization and the reading such that it is a joy to listen to and effectively pulls the listener into the story.

This is the perfect choice for those who plan to listen to it for at least half an hour or more at a time. If you plan to listen for shorter periods of time you may be better off choosing the much larger 64 CD audio product. The perfect combination of size and dramatization makes the NIV Audio Bible: Dramatized a highly recommended choice.

Good, but needs improvement in key areas.
SUMMARY
=======

A useful product, with some caveats. Not really a replacement for careful study of the Word.

PROS
====

1. An good way to be in the Word when you're able to listen intently but reading is not practical (e.g. when driving or walking abbout).

2. Hearing the Word read aloud can help you notice things you wouldn't if you were just reading.

3. In general, good voice acting quality (but see commments below).

4. Compact format: the whole Bible on just 6 discs. Comes with its own CD wallet which is slim and fits easily in a glove compartment.

5. Interesting and sometimes meaningful book summaries (but see below).


CONS
====

1. Lack of footnotes discussing textual variants, etc., is absent, which can sometimes impact the interpretation of a text.

2. Voice acting quality varies. Some readers have a style that you might not like. I felt the reader for 1-2 Peter, for example, was too dogmatic. Also, voice acting necessarily requires interpretation on the part of the reader in terms of tone, stress, and inflection. This has the potential to affect your understanding of the Bible's message.

3. Introductions reflect a clear evangelical bias (this may be a pro depending on your background)

4. Background music and sound effects feel budget. Background music feels like elevator music in that it lacks emotive movement to accompany the feel of the passage. Sound effects lack variety.

5. MAJOR: All MP3's are strung together into one long list. This makes navigation of the discs a pain. It's not a big deal if you're using a computer, but it's definitely a pain if you're using the CD in a car. If you want to listen to Jude, for example, you have to insert the Acts-Revelation disc, then click the fast foward button repeatedly until you reach the book you want. That's a LOT of clicking and a waste of time. Not to mention a dangerous distraction while you're driving.

[Note: This can be remedied by doing the following:

1) Copy the files to a hard drive.
2) Make folders for each book of the Bible.
3) Move the files into the appropriate folders.
4) Burn new CD's.

Why it is incumbent upon the end user to do this, I don't understand; it's something that the publisher should've done.]

Finally on MP3
Out of all of the NIV audio Bibles this is won of the best. I have had the 64 cd set but it is extreamly cumbersom. It is wonderful to finally have it on MP3 in only 6 discs. The actors are great, for example the one who does the Pauline Epistles (the letters written by the apostle Paul). Its wonderful having different voices for various characters, especially have female voices for the female ones, instead of all males. This is great!