ElevenLabs Eleven v4: More Expressive AI Voice Model for Creators
ElevenLabs Eleven v4 brings a new architecture for more expressive voices that follow emotion cues and stay consistent across long productions.
ElevenLabs has released Eleven v4, a major update to its speech synthesis model that brings more expressive and consistent AI voices. The new model follows emotional cues more accurately, keeps voices stable across long recordings, and introduces a Turbo variant for real-time applications.
Why Eleven v4 Matters for HK Creators
For Hong Kong creators producing bilingual content, voice consistency has always been a challenge. If you've ever regenerated a single line of voiceover only to hear a completely different character voice, you know the pain. Eleven v4's new architecture addresses this directly — pacing and delivery stay consistent across transitions, even when individual lines are regenerated multiple times.
The model handles up to 10,000 characters per request, roughly ten minutes of audio. For longer projects like audiobooks or documentary voiceovers, Eleven v4 uses multiple segments while keeping the voice consistent across transitions. This means less time spent re-recording and stitching takes together.
In dialogue scenes, different characters maintain their distinct voices even when regenerating specific lines — ideal for narrative content, ad campaigns with multiple speakers, and Cantonese-English bilingual productions.
Audio Direction: From Tags to Natural Language
Eleven v4 brings improved support for audio direction cues. Tags in your script can set emotions, pauses, and sound effects — laughter, whispers, even sound effects like slamming doors now follow directions more reliably.
The key improvement is accuracy. Eleven v3 already supported these audio tags, but v4 follows them more precisely. Users can now also give directions through plain sentences and use phonetic spelling to set pronunciation of names and technical terms — critical for Hong Kong productions that mix English, Cantonese, and Mandarin.
Turbo Variant: 150ms Voice for Real-Time Use
Eleven v4 Turbo is built for real-time voice agents, starting speech in approximately 150 milliseconds. On Artificial Analysis' Voice Arena leaderboard, v4 ranks ahead of Cartesia and Google's Gemini for quality.
For HK agencies running interactive AI experiences, the Turbo variant means responsive voice interactions without sacrificing voice quality. This opens up real-time dubbing, live event voiceovers, and interactive brand experiences.
Cooly Studio + ElevenLabs: Streamlined Voice Workflows
Cooly Studio integrates with ElevenLabs so HK creators can produce voiceovers directly in their video production pipeline. Upload your script, set voice direction, and generate studio-quality narration — all without switching between tools. For teams handling client work for HSBC, HKTB, and Lee Kum Kee, this means faster turnaround on bilingual voice content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does Eleven v4 compare to Eleven v3? A: Eleven v4 uses a completely new architecture that follows emotion cues and sound effects more accurately. Voice consistency across long productions is significantly improved, and the Turbo variant adds real-time capability.
Q: Does Eleven v4 support Cantonese? A: Eleven v4 supports over 90 languages. ElevenLabs has strong Cantonese support, making it suitable for HK bilingual productions.
Q: How long does Eleven v4 take to generate voice? A: The Turbo variant starts speaking in about 150 milliseconds. Standard generation handles up to 10,000 characters per request.
Q: Can I use Eleven v4 in Cooly Studio? A: Cooly Studio integrates with ElevenLabs for streamlined voiceover production within your video workflow.
Q: What's new in voice direction with v4? A: Audio tags for emotions, pauses, and sound effects are more accurate. You can also use plain sentences and phonetic spelling for pronunciation control.