AUDIOBOOK PRODUCTION

Author-narrated: $79/hr (or $70/hr with 15-hr prepay). Typical 50k-word book: ~ $3.2k

Audiobook Production in Sydney


Record a professional audiobook in Sydney (Ultimo) with an engineer-led session and platform-ready delivery. Whether you’re self-narrating or you want voice talent, we handle recording, editing, mastering, QC, and final file delivery.

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Audiobook Recording and Production

Safe House Studios provides end-to-end audiobook production—built for authors and publishers who want clean, consistent narration and a smooth upload process. Choose the level of support you need:

  • Author self-narration (in-studio, Ultimo): engineer-led recording with coaching and performance direction

  • Full-service production: edit, proof/listen QC, mastering, and chapter file preparation

  • Voice talent option: casting + production management available for projects that need a narrator

Open book with headphones placed on top, on a wooden surface.
Pricing Estimates & Calculator

Pricing (Per Finished Hour)

Most audiobook projects can be priced Per Finished Hour (PFH)—a flat rate based on the final duration of the audiobook, so you can budget upfront.

Quick estimate (Professional narration pace):
Word count ÷ 9,300 = estimated finished hours

Quick estimate (Self-narration pace — more realistic for first-time authors):
Word count ÷ 6,000 = estimated finished hours

Example (50,000 words):

  • Pro pace: 50,000 ÷ 9,300 ≈ 5.4 finished hours

  • Self-narration pace: 50,000 ÷ 6,000 ≈ 8.3 finished hours

Important: If you’re self-narrating, we still price hourly (because pickups and session time vary). The self-narration calculator on our pricing page is the most accurate way to estimate your project cost.

The Process

  1. Pre-production – word count, platform goals, pronunciations, chapter map

  2. Recording – in-studio (Ultimo) with engineer direction

  3. Editing – cleanup, pacing, consistency, removals of mistakes/outtakes

  4. QC / Proof listen – verify accuracy and continuity across chapters

  5. Mastering + Delivery – final levels, export, file naming, upload-ready package

Open book with black headphones placed on it, on a dark wooden surface.

ACX/Audible-Ready Delivery + QC

We deliver chapter files that meet common ACX/Audible submission standards, including:

  • 44.1 kHz, MP3, Constant Bit Rate (CBR) 192 kbps+ ACX+1

  • Loudness within –23 dB to –18 dB RMS, peaks not exceeding –3 dB, and noise floor ≤ –60 dB ACX+1

  • Retail sample (1–5 minutes) and correct credits formatting ACX+1

Studio Location (Ultimo, Sydney)

Safe House Studios is located in Ultimo—convenient for Sydney CBD, Inner West, and surrounding suburbs. Sessions are engineer-led in a controlled recording environment focused on clean narration and consistency across long-form reads.

Author-Narrated

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ACX/Audible-Ready Delivery

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AI-Narrated

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Editing

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Author-Narrated 🎧 ACX/Audible-Ready Delivery 🎧 AI-Narrated 🎧 Editing 🎧

  • Most professional projects are quoted Per Finished Hour (PFH). In Australia, a common fully-finished benchmark is AUD $300–$400 PFH, depending on scope and talent. If you’re self-narrating as a first-timer, hourly pricing is usually more accurate because pacing and pickups vary.

  • PFH means Per Finished Hour—a flat rate based on the final duration of the audiobook (after editing and mastering).

  • A common rule of thumb is 9,300 words per finished hour. Divide your manuscript word count by 9,300 to estimate your finished hours.

  • Yes. We offer engineer-led sessions with coaching and direction so your performance stays consistent across long-form narration. Self-narrated projects are typically quoted hourly.

  • Yes. We can do post-production only as long as we can review a short sample first to confirm noise, consistency, and editing workload.

FAQs

  • Punch-and-roll is a recording method that fixes mistakes in the moment, keeping the audio cleaner and drastically reducing edit time. It’s recommended for PFH projects.

  • Yes. We deliver chapter MP3s and a retail sample aligned with common ACX requirements, including CBR MP3 (192 kbps+ at 44.1 kHz) and the standard loudness/peak/noise limits. ACX+1

  • ACX commonly expects RMS between –23 dB and –18 dB, peaks no higher than –3 dB, and noise floor ≤ –60 dB. ACX+1

  • ACX’s guidance is a retail sample between 1 and 5 minutes.

  • Typically: chapter/section MP3s, opening/closing credits, and a retail sample, with clear file naming and chapter splits for upload.

  • It depends on word count, narration complexity, and pickups. After we review your manuscript and a short audio sample (if supplied), we’ll confirm a timeline.

  • Word count, manuscript, genre, target platform (ACX/Audible etc.), whether you’re self-narrating or using a narrator, and whether audio will be punch-and-roll/clean.

  • Yes—your package includes a defined pickup allowance (we’ll specify it in writing). Additional pickups are billed hourly.

  • Optional. Quoted separately depending on whether it’s a standard audiobook or a more produced “audio drama” style.

  • Yes—your package will specify what’s included (pickups, corrections, and final approvals).

  • Yes. If you prepay 15 hours, your project is billed at $70/hr, and any additional hours (“top-ups”) are also $70/hr.