The Wrap – A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Cloning My Voice... – Herb Greenberg
Herb Greenberg’s latest “On the Street” post describes a hands on experiment with voice cloning technology, specifically Eleven Labs, to produce audio versions of his equity research reports. While the tool promised easy and authentic voice replication, the results exposed technical limitations, inefficient workflows, and a noticeable loss of vocal authenticity that ultimately reduced listener engagement.
Ticker Symbol: N/A (Technology Product Review)
Position Disclosure: Not applicable, this is a technology product review, not equity research with a trading position.
Critical Insights and Key Takeaways:
- Voice Cloning Promises vs. Reality: Eleven Labs marketed seamless voice cloning but produced frequent mispronunciations, such as reading “2025” as “two thousand twenty five,” along with errors in company names and acronyms. Voice output was inconsistent and required repeated manual correction.
- Workflow Inefficiency: Small transcript changes triggered full audio regeneration, quickly exhausting monthly credits and making iterative edits impractical. This conflicted with claims of an efficient and flexible editing process.
- Loss of Authentic Inflection: The cloned voice did not capture Greenberg’s natural pacing, pauses, or emphasis, resulting in flat delivery that weakened listener connection and trust.
- Superior Alternative Identified: Descript proved to be a more effective option, preserving natural vocal qualities while enabling precise script edits without forcing full regenerations.
- Broader Implications: The results show that current voice cloning tools still struggle to deliver the nuance required for professional audio, especially where credibility and personal brand authenticity are essential.
Intriguing Facts and Behind-the-Scenes Details:
- Broadcasting Background: Greenberg’s experience in traditional broadcasting, including physically splicing tape with razor blades, gives him a clear reference point for comparing analog precision with the limitations of modern digital automation.
- Tech Journalist Validation: Tech journalist Casey Newton independently encountered similar rhythm and pronunciation problems with Eleven Labs, reinforcing that the issues were not isolated to a single user.
- Family Tech Insight: Greenberg’s son in law, a former Descript employee, recommended the platform, a personal connection that led him to a more effective and practical workflow.
- Audio Enhancement Process: Prior to voice cloning, Greenberg used Adobe Podcast Studio to enhance AirPods recordings by removing echo and simulating studio grade microphone quality, underscoring the multi step technical setup required.
- Credit Consumption Problem: The credit based pricing model meant frequent audio regenerations from minor edits rapidly depleted monthly allowances, introducing hidden costs and friction.
- New Premium Offerings: Greenberg also announced expanded premium features, including audio versions of reports, a new Wednesday Office Hours Zoom session scheduled for 1:30 PM ET and 10:30 AM PT with up to 100 participants, and experimental quick update chats for subscribers.
FAQs
What is Herb Greenberg’s report about voice cloning trying to accomplish?
He set out to see whether voice cloning technology could efficiently produce authentic sounding audio versions of his written equity research and make delivery to subscribers easier.
Why did Eleven Labs fail to meet expectations?
The system repeatedly mispronounced company names, acronyms, and dates such as “2025,” required full audio regeneration for minor edits, and failed to capture natural vocal inflection and cadence, resulting in flat and unreliable audio.
What specific technical problems came up during the process?
Issues included unintended voice changes after text edits, incorrect pronunciation of numbers and industry terms, rapid exhaustion of monthly credits due to forced regenerations, and a workflow that made quick revisions impractical despite claims of simplicity.
How did Descript compare to Eleven Labs in practice?
Descript proved more effective, allowing fast and precise script edits while preserving natural vocal rhythm and tone, without triggering broad regenerations or excessive credit usage.
What does this reveal about authenticity in audio content production?
Losing natural pauses, emphasis, and cadence weakens listener trust and engagement, which are critical for credibility in professional audio such as equity research and journalism.
Did anyone else experience similar issues with Eleven Labs?
Yes. Tech journalist Casey Newton independently encountered similar rhythm and pronunciation problems, confirming that the issues were not unique to one user.
What audio production workflow did Greenberg ultimately choose?
He chose to record his own voice and edit using Descript, finding that this approach delivered the best balance of efficiency, control, and authenticity.
Is this related to stock analysis or a financial fraud investigation?
No. This was a technology product experiment focused on audio production tools, not an analysis of corporate misconduct or accounting issues.
What new premium features is Greenberg offering subscribers?
He announced audio versions of posts behind the paywall, a weekly Wednesday Office Hours Zoom session at 1:30 PM ET and 10:30 AM PT for up to 100 attendees, and experimental quick update chats for subscribers.
Does he reference any recent stock work in the post?
Yes. He references prior work on Veeva Systems, noting the stock declined about 7.4 percent after publication and pointing readers to a Red Flag Alert analyzing the company’s strategic direction.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE
This summary is not primary research. It is a brief overview of a detailed analysis and personal technology experiment conducted by Herb Greenberg and published on his Substack platform "On the Street."
Author Position Disclosure: This particular report is a technology product review and does not involve a trading position or equity research stance. For Greenberg's equity research reports (such as his Veeva Systems analysis), position disclosures are typically included in the original research documents.
Original Source: For complete details, full context, and verification, please refer to the original report at: https://www.herbgreenberg.com/p/the-wrap-a-funny-thing-happened-on
Author Credit: All research, analysis, and experimentation detailed in this summary were conducted by Herb Greenberg, a veteran financial journalist and equity researcher specializing in critical analysis of publicly traded companies.
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