ElevenLabs: An Honest Assessment from a 75-Year-Old Who Actually Uses It

ElevenLabs Review: When Even My Ex-Wife Thought “Rachel” Was Real

A 75-year-old Santa’s honest take on AI voice technology

The Moment I Knew This Actually Works

I’m going to be straight with you.

At 75, I’ve been doing professional voice work as Santa for years. I know voices. I’m critical of AI voices. I notice every syllable separation, every monotone delivery, and every awkward pause.

So when I created my second tutorial video and let “Rachel” introduce herself at the 50-second mark, I wasn’t expecting what happened next.

My ex-wife—who runs a professional photography studio and has heard thousands of voices—immediately asked me two questions:

1. “How much are you paying Rachel?”
2. “Can you create some promotional videos for my studio specials?”

Not one person suspected AI.

My friends, who were curious about whether Rachel was single and adorable, did not suspect that Rachel was an AI.

No one, including my ex-wife, the professional photographer, suspected AI.

Rachel fooled everyone.

That’s when I knew: ElevenLabs isn’t just “pretty good for AI.” It’s professional-grade quality that passes the real-world test.

What Is ElevenLabs? (The Simple Explanation)

ElevenLabs is an AI voice generation tool that turns your written text into spoken audio.

You type your script. Pick a voice. Click generate.

Seconds later, you have a professional-sounding voiceover.

There is no need for any recording equipment. There is no need for a sound booth. There are no multiple takes because you stumbled over a word.

For content creators like me, building YouTube channels, creating Facebook ads, or producing tutorials is a game-changer.

Especially if, like me, you’re still uncomfortable with how you sound on audio.

My ElevenLabs Journey: Three Videos, Three Voices

Video #1: The Canva Thumbnail Tutorial

• Voice used: Mark (male, warm tone)
• Length: 1 minute
• Process: I wrote the script, AI polished it
• Why AI voice? Still not comfortable in front of the camera or hearing my recorded voice

Mark sounded like a patient teacher. His tone was both warm and professional. Mark’s voice was ideal for a brief instructional video.

Video #2: The Canva Background Removal Tutorial

• Primary voice: Adam (male, conversational)
• Secondary voice: Rachel (female, warm assistant)
• Length: 2:15 minutes
• The transition: At 50 seconds, I let Rachel introduce herself
• Result: Everyone loved Rachel. Adam was well-received, but Rachel stole the show.

This was the video that fooled my ex-wife. This was the video in which friends inquired about Rachel’s single status.

Video #3: Facebook Ad

• Voice used: Adam
• Length: Short-form ad creative
• Performance: Strong engagement; no one questioned whether it was AI

Adam became my go-to voice. Adam’s voice is conversational, trustworthy, and ideal for tutorials.

But Rachel? She’s my secret weapon for variety and that “assistant introducing the next section” dynamic.

The Learning Curve: Truth from a 75-Year-Old

I didn’t just learn ElevenLabs.

I juggled three tools simultaneously:

1. OBS Studio (hardest—most technical)
2. CapCut (medium difficulty—video editing)
3. ElevenLabs (easiest—but I played with it the most)

Overall, how much time did I spend learning all three platforms? Approximately 4 hours were dedicated to learning all three platforms.

Pros

• Incredibly natural-sounding AI voices compared to most alternatives
• Simple interface with fast voice generation
• Works well for video narration, ads, and educational Content
• Supports multiple languages and voice styles

Cons

• Results depend heavily on the quality of your script
• Advanced voice features take some experimentation to master
• Pricing may feel high for very frequent or large-scale usage

Tips for Clearer AI Voice Output:

Based on my experience creating voiceovers for my YouTube content, here are some tricks I’ve learned:

• Use punctuation strategically – Commas create natural pauses, and periods give breathing room. Write like you’re directing a narrator.
• Spell out numbers and acronyms—”AI” might sound awkward; “A-I” or “artificial intelligence” flows better depending on context.
• Break long sentences—shorter sentences = more natural delivery. If you’re out of breath reading it aloud, so is ElevenLabs itself? Maybe 30 minutes of actual learning, then hours of fun experimenting with different voices.
• Here’s what made ElevenLabs the easiest:
• The interface is clean and intuitive
• Voice previews let you test before committing.
• Generate times are fast (seconds, not minutes)
• Mistakes are easy to fix—regenerate
• The hardest part? Selecting from a multitude of exceptional voices proved daunting.
• I tested Adam, Mark, Rachel, and Antonio. I kept going back and forth until I found the ones that fit my content style.
  That’s not a complaint. That’s a feature.
  
  What a Professional Voice Actor Notices (The Honest Assessment)
  
  Let me be clear: I’ve made a living with my voice as Santa.
  
  I’m critical of AI voices because I notice things regular users don’t:
  Syllable separations that sound slightly off
  
  Monotone delivery on phrases like “Ho Ho Ho.”
  
  Lack of octave range for belly laughs or emotional delivery
  
  Pacing issues that a human voice actor adjusts instinctively
  
  Can ElevenLabs replace my Santa voice?
  
  Not a chance.
  Nothing compares to the original Santa! (LOL)
  
  However, here are the aspects that ElevenLabs excels at:
  
  ✅ Tutorials and explainer videos: Perfect clarity and pacing
  ✅ Consistency across multiple videos: Same voice, same quality
  ✅ Professional tone without recording equipment: Sounds like you hired a voiceover artist
  ✅ Variety: Switch voices to keep content fresh
  
  On a scale of 1-10, how natural does it sound?
  Rachel and Adam? I would give Rachel and Adam a solid 9 out of 10.
  
  They were so good that they could fool a professional photographer who works with voices daily.
  
  It was so good that my friends mistakenly believed I had hired someone.
  
  Could I tell it was AI when I played it back?
  Yes—because I’m hypercritical and notice tiny details most people miss.
  
  But would my audience notice?
  Absolutely not.
  
  They were so good that they could fool a professional photographer who works with voices daily, and that’s what matters—voice matters.
• Adding emotional cues—exclamation points, question marks, and ellipses—helps the AI understand tone and pacing.
• Listen before publishing; always preview your audio. Occasionally, a word that looks fine reads awkwardly—easy to fix before finalizing.

Pro Tips: The Tricks I Learned the Hard Way

The Pronunciation Trick That Saved Me Hours

Want ElevenLabs to spell out letters clearly for website URLs or acronyms?

I discovered this through trial and error.

First attempt:
Typed: E.L.E.V.E.N.L.A.B.S (with periods)

Result:
ElevenLabs just went silent. ElevenLabs did not utter a single word.

The solution?
Use ellipses (…) for spacing:

E...L...E...V...E...N...L...A...B...S

Now it pronounces each letter perfectly.

Other Tips for Clearer Output:

✅ Use commas before difficult words, so AI pauses and pronounces them clearly
✅ Break long sentences into shorter ones for better pacing
✅ Spell out acronyms with ellipses if you want them read letter by letter.
✅ Test different voices for different content types—not every voice fits every video

My 30+ Years Tip (The Gospel According to Santa 1:1):

We were raised in an immediate gratification society, but don’t let that frustrate you.

Take your time until you get what you want.

The youth of COVID will ultimately appreciate your patience.

Don’t rush the voice selection. Don’t settle for “good enough.”

Play with the settings. Test different voices. Regenerate until it sounds right.

That’s why you create Content that stands out.

Who Should Use ElevenLabs? (My Honest Take)

Perfect for:

Not ideal for:

❌ Professional voiceover artists who need extreme emotional range (though custom voice clones might change this)
❌ People who need belly laughs, character voices, or octave shifts (AI can’t match human flexibility yet)
❌ Content that requires real-time voice interaction (this is pre-recorded only)

Would I recommend it to other 75-year-olds?

You need to be comfortable with basic computer tasks (typing, clicking, and uploading files).

If you can use Google Docs or send an email with an attachment, you can use ElevenLabs.

It’s the easiest of the three tools I learned (OBS, CapCut, and ElevenLabs).

Would I recommend it to content creators over 50?

Absolutely.

If you’re building a YouTube channel, creating online courses, or producing any content that needs voiceovers, ElevenLabs removes the most significant barrier:

Your discomfort with recording.

You don’t have to “sound good.”

You have to write excellent scripts and pick the right voice.

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The Santa Angle: Can AI Replace Professional Voice Work?

Here’s the truth from someone who makes money with his voice:

For professional character work (like Santa)?
No. AI can’t replicate the warmth, improvisation, and emotional connection of live performance.

For tutorials, ads, and educational Content?
Yes. AI is already professional-grade.

What does a professional voice actor notice that others might miss?

• Subtle pacing issues
• Lack of emotional inflection on key phrases
• Monotone delivery that a human would naturally vary

But here’s the thing:

Your audience won’t notice.

My ex-wife didn’t. My friends didn’t. My viewers didn’t.

And if a professional photographer who works with voices daily can’t tell…

Your YouTube audience definitely won’t.

Would I use ElevenLabs for Christmas-related Content?

Maybe for:

• Behind-the-scenes promotional videos
• Tutorial content about Santa photography setups
• Explainer videos for parents about Santa experiences

However, there are no videos specifically focused on the Santa performance itself.

That magic requires a real human.

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My Future Plans with ElevenLabs

How will I continue using it?

✅ All my YouTube tutorial videos (Adam for instruction, Rachel for variety)
✅ Facebook ads (quick, professional voiceovers without recording setup)
✅ Future projects: Learning dubbing to translate Content into other languages
✅ Custom voice clone (once I make enough affiliate commissions—vanity project!)

Would I upgrade plans if needed?

I plan to upgrade from the Starter plan to the Creator plan after making a couple of sales.

The ROI is there. More characters per month = more content, = more opportunities to earn.

Plus, I want access to that custom voice clone feature.

Imagine: my own voice, available 24/7, without me having to record anything.

Now that’s worth the investment.

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The Verdict: Should You Try ElevenLabs?

If you’re a content creator—especially over 50—who wants professional voiceovers without the hassle of recording…

Yes. Absolutely yes.

Here’s what sold me:

✅ Fooled everyone (including professionals)
✅ Easiest tool in my content creation stack
✅ Worth the investment (saves time, money, and frustration)
✅ Perfect for beginners of any age

The learning curve is gentle. The quality is professional. The results speak for themselves.

Even my ex-wife wanted to hire “Rachel.”

Start with the Starter plan. Please test it out. Pick your voices.

If it works for a 75-year-old Santa who is critical of AI voices, then it should work for you as well.

It’ll work for you.

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Ready to Try ElevenLabs?

👉 Get started with ElevenLabs here

My recommendation:

• Please start with the Starter plan to test it out
• Focus on finding 2-3 voices that fit your content style
• Use the ellipses trick (…) for acronyms and URLs
• Don’t rush—take your time experimenting

Final Thoughts

Remember: We were raised in an immediate gratification society, but don’t let that frustrate you.

Take your time until you get what you want.

(The Gospel according to Santa 1:1)

75 years of not cowering,

Richie
Professional Santa | AI Tools Educator | OneAIHustle.ai

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Questions? Comments?

Have you tried ElevenLabs? What voice did you pick? Did Anyone think it was real?

Drop a comment below—I read every one!

And if you found this review helpful, share it with another content creator who’s still uncomfortable recording their voice.

We’re never too old to learn new technology. 🎅🎙️