I took a 1 semester Chinese course in college, but I've been wanting to try CI for Mandarin. How long did it take you to no longer need visual cues? I'm worried the progress will be slow, as I really prefer podcasts.
When learning Russian, from 100 to 150 hours I started no longer relying on visual cues, wondering where that point is for Chinese?
Just wanted to make a post sharing two good sources for Russian CI that probably make up 80% of my hours.
Russian with Max. He makes insanely interesting vlogs and podcasts (intermediate level). He talks slow. Vlogs are usually outdoors doing some type of activity. And yet, somehow, he manages to keep the audio insanely clear and of good quality. Not sure how he does it.
Russian Radio Show. Makes podcasts and videos for all levels (mainly intermediate-advanced). His audio is so crisp and clear, you can hear each individual letter being pronounced, even when he is talking fast.