An audio playback apparatus includes a playback section for playing audio
back, a buffer section (13) for temporarily storing voice data to be
played back, a switch (14) for on/off switching transmission of the voice
data from the buffer section (13) to the playback section, at least one
threshold judgment section (18) for judging whether an amount of voice
data buffered in the buffer section (13) is equal to or smaller than at
least one threshold value, the at least one threshold judgment section
(18) providing a true output when the buffered voice data amount is equal
to or smaller than the at least one threshold value, a timer (19)
triggered by an output from the at least one threshold judgment section
to output a trigger pulse with a predetermined duration of time, and a
first control section (191) for controlling on/off of the switch (14) to
prevent transmission of the voice data in the buffer section (13) to the
playback section for the predetermined duration of time of the trigger
pulse when the true output is provided from the at least one threshold
judgment section (18).