Is audio porn better than porn?

There are many things we can learn from porn. I would have missed out on many pleasurable evenings if it wasn’t for the X rated sites. Having said that, there are things not to like about mainstream porn, which audio porn does better. Many things, actually.

In fact, millions of women are ditching visual porn and turning to audio erotica instead. For example, the BKS YouTube and PornHub channels have reached multiple millions of views each. There are over 1.2 million followers on the Gone Wild Audio subreddit, a platform for NSFW audios. One of the first spicy audio creators, Yagami Yato, has north of 900,000 subscribers on YouTube. And these numbers are just scratching the surface.

Audio porn can deliver a better experience than visual porn, especially for women. The right audio has the power to touch your deepest desires and turn you on like no video can. It’s a more immersive, personal and intimate experience and the added psychological aspect can be extremely powerful.

But, like with anything, there are things to love and things to hate. Audio won’t be the right choice for everyone, so let’s try to figure this out: what’s better, mainstream visual porn or audio erotica? The answers below are the experiences of Best Kept Secret audio erotica listeners, my personal opinions and things I have seen come up in forums again and again:

Sex in audio porn is more realistic

There are chubby thighs, stretch marks and small breasts. There are occasional tears, insecurities, mess-ups and some awkwardness. Audio doesn’t shy away from representing sex the way it actually is: loving, hot, sticky and messy. Often also awkward and emotional.

In visual porn you will have slim women with curvy figures, as well as makeup, pretty lingerie, high heels, manicure and a fresh blow-dry. Audio has none of that. Audio stories are like a slice of life and it’s as real as it gets.

Audio porn allows for greater personalization

With visual porn everything is laid out for you. The actors, setting, and actions are predetermined, leaving little room for the your imagination.

On the other hand, audio porn relies on your imagination to create the visual and sensory experience. This allows for a more personalized and immersive experience, tailored to your individual preferences and desires: “The sensory stimulation provided by these experiences far surpasses what can be achieved through the consumption of visual pornography.” says BSK listener Danielle.

Oftentimes, fantasies are more arousing than seeing them unfold in real life. When the scene is set up for you, there are many things you may not like, such as actors whom you are not into, a strange setup, or unconvincing acting, just to mention a few.

In your fantasies and audio erotica the narrator guides the story, but you fill in all the important details. The intimacy of audio porn is more emotionally stimulating. Audio erotica creates a sense of closeness and connection between the listener and their partner.

Audio erotica is geared towards women

“Porn sexualizes women to an unhealthy degree, and it’s hard to find porn from a woman’s POV. Porn is catered to men’s preferences, whereas many ASMR artists cater towards women’s pleasure. Even if ASMR scenarios are fictional, it helps me realize that what I desire sexually isn’t impossible, and I am still beautiful despite my physical flaws (stretch marks, pugginess, etc).” reads a comment on the question ‘Why do you listen to nsfw audios?’

It is no secret that majority of the target audience for mainstream porn is men. Consequently, most audios are from a male POV and focus on things that men find hot. The male partner is usually the one being pleasured for the majority of the time. Probably close to 70% of the time is spent focusing on the male partner’s needs and 30% on the female partner’s. The camera usually follows the views that men seek. There is no mental stimulation, no foreplay, limited or substandard dirty talk, just to mention a few examples.

In contrast, audio porn is more focused on the female partner’s pleasure: the 70/30 ratio is at least flipped. There is a background story, chemistry between the couple, you can hear the man having a good time and you can tell the woman is having an even greater time. There is psychological foreplay, mental stimulation and lots and lots of dirty talk.

NSFW audios won’t leave you with a bad aftertaste

I am struggling to put this into words, but the main difference between audio porn and visual porn for me personally is the feeling right after. I feel bad after watching porn. It’s a mix of grossness, feeling guilty and almost the sense of being used. I am not one of those women against any form of male authority. In fact, I love most things Sub/Dom and BDSM related. However, after watching porn I just feel bad, for the lack of better word.

Curiously, after listening to audio erotica, I have a warm feeling. Like I was cared for and loved. Audios improve my mood and self esteem. And it’s not only the boyfriend type of audios, I actually prefer the harder and more rough scenarios. But even after listening to 30 minutes of hardcore spanking, I leave with a warm feeling.

I don’t know if it’s the aftercare, the respect embedded in the script, the community sharing the same love for the audio in the comments or something else, but these audios make me feel respected and I feel great after listening to them. Visual porn leaves me with feeling of exploitation, audio empowers me.

Sometimes videos are just too… real

Some fantasies are better to be left as just that – fantasies. Many women have admitted to being turned on by extreme scenarios that they would not want to experience in real life. The most common ones being the CNC (Consensual – Non – Consent) genre, or in other words, being taken by force against one’s will, being taken by multiple men, or the harder side of BDSM. There are huge numbers of women who fantasise about it, yet say, experiencing something like that would be horrific.

Audio erotica allows you to explore these fantasies in a safe space, providing experience that is immersive and, with a bit of imagination, very pleasurable. While not causing any harm, anxiety or fear.

Erotic audios are representative and stereotype-free

“I find audios .. in MOST cases be more inclusive without making me feel like a porn genre. As a black woman reading smutty fiction .. I found that everything was definitely NOT catered to women who look like me. I don’t turn red from being shy or flustered and I found myself feeling more undesirable by the moment so I stopped reading them…

This page and several others seem more ALL inclusive when speaking to the female listener. I thoroughly enjoy feeling just as beautiful & desirable as other races of women when I can tune-in to an audio & allow myself to get lost in the amazing storyline without drawbacks. There will be minor things, but for the most part it is very inclusive… I appreciate feeling like a woman & not feeling like a category.” comments an audio erotica listener

Stories like these are common among those who prefer audio porn over mainstream porn. Traditionally there is often a narrow focus on conventionally attractive, white and thin women. This can be alienating and disempowering for women who do not fit into these narrow categories or who are seeking a more diverse and inclusive sexual experience.

Audio porn, on the other hand is more diverse and inclusive, featuring a wider range of performers and scenarios. There are no mentions of racial or physically distinguishing features and each audio is intended for women of all backgrounds, body types and races.

Better mental stimulation by audio erotica

If it’s slow, passionate sex, look me in the eyes and tell me how much you want me, how much you care for me and that I mean the world to you. If it’s a sexy spanking count-down, I want to be called names, to be praised as a good girl and edged close to my boundaries. I want him to talk to me, tear me down and then put me back together. And then hold me and cuddle me while whispering words of love and affection in my ear afterwards.

The mental game is just as important as the physical one and mainstream porn is seriously lacking in this department. As the saying goes, touch my soul before you touch my body. A BKS listener Danielle said: “Porn is too mainstream and I need audio that can help me relax and dive into my imagination. The sensory stimulation provided by these experiences far surpasses what can be achieved through the consumption of visual pornography.”

No ugly actors in audio erotica

In fact, you don’t know what they look like at all. You are in charge of the image of your erotica audio partner: you create them in your imagination.

If you are like many other women, you are picky about the actors in porn. In mainstream porn, there is often a narrow focus on conventionally attractive and fit women, while male performers may not meet these standards. If you don’t find them attractive, it’s a huge turn-off. In many cases, the male performers are older. If men of your father’s age are not your thing, you won’t enjoy the video.

In audio, your partner’s looks and personas are up to your imagination. Their voice guides the story while your mind fills in the details.

Audio porn is ethical

The mainstream porn industry has long been criticized for its exploitation and objectification of actors, as well as for its perpetuation of harmful stereotypes and attitudes towards women. Audio erotica, on the other hand, is created in a more ethical and consensual way, with creators having full control over the content they produce. This allows for a more positive and respectful sexual experience.

Audio porn is recorded in a similar fashion as erotica audio-books. How many times have you had to worry about the ethics of the recording of an Amazon Audible audiobook? My guess is, none. The same with audio porn.

No more hysterical moaning and fake Os

“…I discovered that I was turned on by the sound of the man having a good time and I hardly heard them (in visual porn). The only thing you hear are woman who are often very hysterical and fake (which is a big turn off for me). I started to google the term ‘male moaning’ and voila there it was: erotic audios for women. It totally replaced porn for me and it made me discover what I like and didn’t like/what I’d like to try and don’t.” says a BKS listener.

Fake screams of pleasure and unrealistic orgasms are common in visual porn. Female performers often exaggerate their vocalizations of pleasure or pain to cater to male viewers. This can be a turnoff for women who find it unrealistic or annoying. Audio erotica usually doesn’t include the opposite sex, meaning that audios catered for women will contain only the male voice, leaving the rest up to your imagination.

Top-notch acting skills

When it comes to acting, audio is definitely the winner. Porn is known for notoriously bad acting skills. And it makes sense given that these actors are hired more for their physical attributes and willingness to participate in something like that in the first place.

On the other hand, audio erotica is recorded by professional voice actors. It’s their day-to-day job to make conversations come to life. Some NSFW audios are almost like movies… without the visual aspect. And sexy, masculine voices are an additional bonus.

The stories and plotlines are better in audio erotica

Video tends to focus on the sexual act and has minimal or no story to it. Mainstream porn tends to have outright bad stories (you know, the ‘wife caught cheating, now I’ll show her her place’ type). There have been some shifts in the industry with a few companies, such as Passionflix, Shhh and Bellesa, slowly filling the gap in the market for female oriented porn, but overall 999 out of 1000 videos are still far from great, story and plot-wise.

To illustrate, let’s look at an example, say a piece named ‘Your boyfriend appreciating you’. It is unlikely to find a video like this on the porn sites, but let’s just go with it and pretend we did succeed.

A typical video would start with the couple in a bed. The boyfriend caressing his girlfriend, passionate kissing, slow undressing, followed by slow, passionate sex. Sounds pretty good, right? But it could be better. In video both partners will most likely remain silent, except from some moans from the female partner.

Now let’s imagine the same scene in an audio format. The story starts with him coming over to your place. You haven’t seen each other and he has missed you a lot. After sweet cuddles, gentle kisses and a confession of how much he missed you, he carries you to the bed. He passionately kisses every part of your body and slowly undresses you, all while whispering cute, naughty things in your ear. It then turns into slow sex, he holds you close and tells you how much he loves your eyes, how turned on he gets from your little whimpers, how much he loves kissing your beautiful lips. When both of you collapse in each others arms, he strokes your hair and says: “I love you, baby. Rest on my chest, I want to hold you for longer”.

Both scenarios were the same, but the additional details of a story, the emotions and the words make the audio version a lot more intimate.

Audio porn is a dirty-talk heaven

“I’ve discovered I like dirty talk but porn is seriously lacking in this area. Discovering BKS has been such a huge awakening and turn on” says a BKS listener. Another comment reads: “Mainstream porn has men being quiet and is overly focused in showing the women, but I enjoy feeling interest from men and having a good story.”

Visual porn is seriously lacking in the compartment of dirty talk. If you are turned on by naughty words, male moans and sexy deep murmurs, audio is definitely the way to go.

The sounds in audio can be very explicit

This can be a good or a bad thing, depending on what you like. I have seen women lusting after deep murmurs, cuddly kissed, deep groans and sexy moans. I have also seen people react with the ‘What the F* is that’ face. Some women say the sounds are very explicit, making them feel uncomfortable.

If you don’t like your men too expressive in bed, visual porn might be the better option. If you like to hear your man having a good time, audio porn is the way to go.

Videos are good for learning techniques

Both video and audio can be good resources to learn about sex and your preferences, especially if you haven’t had a lot of sexual experience. Audio is better for exploring what you like personally, but visual aid is always helpful to learn new techniques. If you don’t have an idea in mind about certain positions or techniques, it will be hard for your mind to imagine them while listening to an audio.

One thing to keep in mind though, videos are often unrealistic. The reactions are overly exaggerated and if you want to try something with your partner, expect maybe half of the excitement you see in porn.

Audio covers more diversity in topics, kinks and scenarios

It is often mentioned among the community of NSFW audio listeners, that erotic audios explore a higher diversity of kinks and storylines relative to the mainstream porn. I actually didn’t fully understand this until quite recently. I used to think, there are so many categories on porn sites, with so many different positions and kinks… There are millions of videos out there, surely there have to be more storylines and kinks than the audio industry, which is relatively recent and has much less content available overall.

But eventually it kicked in. As BKS listener said: “Porn is pretty great too (cough cough…) but most of it doesn’t get as dark.” Audio is not restricted by the physical world. Anything you can imagine can become an audio story, but it would take a team of professional filmmakers to make the same scenario as video. Many of us are turned on more from the scenario than the sex itself and this is where visual porn is lacking.

Visual porn tends to have some standard plotlines or they get straight to the action without any context. In contrast, each audio erotica story is different. You are snuggling with your long term boyfriend on the bed. You run into your childhood sweetheart and the long lost passion is rekindled. Your guy best friend confesses his feelings towards you. You are on a romantic date on the beach. And many, many more. Audio explores so many scenarios, from sweet to rough, from established relationships to one night stands.

Similarly with sex, every time the setup is different. In one audio your boyfriends pleasures you in your car overlooking the city, in another audio you are bent over your kitchen table.

Maybe vampires is your thing? There is an audio for that. Or do you prefer werewolves? Sure enough, there is an audio for that too. Sucker for old school romance and historic movies? There are Victorian and Bridgeton inspired audios. Love a good college romance? Rough? BDSM? Strangers to lovers? One night hook-ups? Wife – husband relationships? Pregnant and miss your husband? There is something for everyone. The diversity explored in audio is incomparable with video.

Your hands are free to… you know

How self pleasure usually goes while watching porn: You prop up your phone against the pillow and and settle in for some serious sexy time. You lean back, relax, reach down… and your phone falls over face down. After a few failed attempts, you decide to switch it up and try leaning your phone against the duvet instead. But of course, the duvet has a mind of its own and keeps covering your screen. Can’t a girl catch a break?

That’s one super practical reason to opt for audio over video. Just pop in your earbuds, close your eyes and your hands are free to do do their thing.

Audio erotica is more discreet

Busy women will understand this, especially those who use porn as a tool to get in the mood for the real deal. If life is stressful or you have kids and it feels like you are in a never ending race, it is hard to unwind and get into the mood for sexy time. However, intimacy is crucial for the health and happiness of a couple.

Both audio erotica and porn can be used to switch your gears and get into a more seductive mood. But audio erotica is very convenient for this task, as headphones can be used to listen to it anywhere. Doing chores, laundry, cooking, even commuting. By the time the dinner is ready, you will be ready to rip your partner’s pants off.

A side note, using any kind of porn for arousal could be a slippery slope. You don’t want to rely on it solely. It may affect some people more than others, so just make sure you monitor your usage of porn and if you feel like you are becoming too reliant on it, scale back.

So who is the winner?

I think, after considering all the pros and cons, audio porn is the clear winner for those who are looking for more than just the physical act of sex. If you care about intimacy and being stimulated not only physically but also mentally, audio is the best option. However, if imagination is not your greatest strength and you require some visual stimulation, you may prefer mainstream porn.