diff --git a/classes/Api.js b/classes/Api.js
index df704b4..559bacd 100644
--- a/classes/Api.js
+++ b/classes/Api.js
@@ -38,14 +38,14 @@ class Api {
             if (global.audioserver !== undefined) {
                 await global.audioserver.destroy();
             }
-            global.audioserver = new AudioServer('/home/velvettear/mounts/kingston/public/test.pcm');
+            global.audioserver = new AudioServer('/home/velvettear/mounts/kingston/public/YOU_SUFFER.mp3');
         });
         this.#registerEndpoint(constants.API_RESUME, constants.REQUEST_METHOD_POST, async () => {
             if (global.audioserver === undefined) {
                 return;
             }
             await global.audioserver.destroy();
-            global.audioserver = new AudioServer('/home/velvettear/mounts/kingston/public/test.pcm', global.audioserver.progress);
+            global.audioserver = new AudioServer('/home/velvettear/mounts/kingston/public/YOU_SUFFER.mp3', global.audioserver.progress);
         });
         this.#registerEndpoint(constants.API_PAUSE, constants.REQUEST_METHOD_POST, async () => {
             if (global.audioserver === undefined) {
diff --git a/classes/AudioServer.js b/classes/AudioServer.js
index 08c152f..b4d6a32 100644
--- a/classes/AudioServer.js
+++ b/classes/AudioServer.js
@@ -1,17 +1,14 @@
 const net = require('net');
 const { stat, open } = require('fs/promises');
-
 const Message = require('./Message.js');
-const constants = require('../libs/constants.js');
+const PCMStream = require('./PCMStream.js');
 
 class AudioServer {
 
     constructor(file, progress) {
         this.listen = config?.server?.listen || '0.0.0.0';
         this.port = 0;
-        this.buffer = {
-            file: file
-        };
+        this.file = file;
         this.clients = [];
         this.sockets = [];
         this.broadcasts = {};
@@ -37,36 +34,32 @@ class AudioServer {
                 this.sockets.push(socket);
             });
             this.server.on('error', (err) => {
-                logger.error('ERROR IN AUDIOSERVER ' + err);
                 reject('audio server encountered an error: ' + err);
             });
             this.server.on('close', () => {
                 logger.info('audio server closed');
             });
         });
-        await this.#prepareBuffer();
+        // TODO: GET AUDIO INFO FROM FILE AND PASS TO PCMSTREAM FOR CONVERSION
+        this.pcm = new PCMStream(this.file, this.progress);
+        try {
+            await this.pcm.prepare();
+        } catch (error) {
+            logger.error('encountered an error creating pcm stream: ' + error);
+            this.pcm = undefined;
+            this.aborted = true;
+            return;
+        }
+        this.#calculateThreshold();
         this.#announceAudioServer();
     }
 
-    async #prepareBuffer() {
-        if (this.buffer.fd !== undefined) {
-            this.buffer.fd.close();
+    #calculateThreshold() {
+        this.threshold = config.audio?.threshold;
+        if (isNaN(this.threshold)) {
+            this.threshold = 16;
         }
-        if (this.buffer.stream?.destroyed === false) {
-            this.buffer.stream.close();
-            this.buffer.stream.destroy();
-        }
-        this.buffer.fd = await open(this.buffer.file);
-        this.buffer.stream = this.buffer.fd.createReadStream({
-            start: this.progress
-        });
-        const stats = await stat(this.buffer.file);
-        this.buffer.size = stats.size - this.progress;
-        let percentage = 30;
-        if (!(isNaN(config.audio?.threshold))) {
-            percentage = config.audio.threshold;
-        }
-        this.buffer.threshold = (this.buffer.size / 100) * percentage;
+        this.threshold = this.threshold * 1024;
     }
 
     #handleEvents() {
@@ -111,12 +104,12 @@ class AudioServer {
             logger.debug(msg);
         });
         client.audiosocket.on('drain', () => {
-            if (this.buffer.stream === undefined || this.buffer.stream.isPaused() === false) {
+            if (this.pcm === undefined || this.pcm.isPaused() === false) {
                 return;
             }
-            this.#isFileTransmitted(client);
+            this.#checkFileTransmission(client);
             // logger.debug(client.getTag() + ' backpressure is relieved, resuming read stream...');
-            this.buffer.stream.resume();
+            this.pcm.resume();
         });
     }
 
@@ -195,23 +188,17 @@ class AudioServer {
 
     async #handleStatePlaying(client) {
         logger.debug(client.getTag() + ' has started playback...');
-        // TODO: remove - test only
-        // await sleep(10000);
-        // this.#pausePlayback();
     }
 
     async #handleStatePaused(client, data) {
         if (client === undefined || data === undefined) {
             return;
         }
-        logger.debug(client.getTag() + ' paused playback, progress: \'' + data.progress + '/' + this.buffer.size + '...');
-        // TODO: remove - test only
-        // await sleep(100);
-        // this.#startPlayback();
+        logger.debug(client.getTag() + ' paused playback, progress: \'' + data.progress + '...');
     }
 
     async #handleStateStopped(client, data) {
-        logger.debug(client.getTag() + ' stopped playback, progress: ' + data.progress + '/' + this.buffer.size + '...');
+        logger.debug(client.getTag() + ' stopped playback, progress: ' + data.progress + '...');
         if (!this.#allClientsInState(constants.CLIENT_STATE_STOPPED)) {
             return;
         }
@@ -219,7 +206,7 @@ class AudioServer {
     }
 
     async #handleStateError(client, data) {
-        logger.error(client.getTag() + ' experienced an error during playback, progress: \'' + data.progress + '/' + this.buffer.size + ': ' + error);
+        logger.error(client.getTag() + ' experienced an error during playback, progress: \'' + data.progress + ': ' + error);
     }
 
     #getClientById(clientId) {
@@ -239,9 +226,8 @@ class AudioServer {
         this.broadcasts[constants.CLIENT_STATE_REGISTERED] = await new Message('audio:initialize', {
             port: this.server.address().port,
             settings: {
-                size: this.buffer.size,
-                threshold: this.buffer.threshold,
-                // TODO: GET AUDIO INFO FROM DATABASE
+                threshold: this.threshold,
+                // TODO: GET AUDIO INFO FROM DATABASE AND PASS TO CLIENT(S) FOR PLAYBACK
                 audio: {
                     channels: 2,
                     bitDepth: 16,
@@ -270,7 +256,8 @@ class AudioServer {
     async #transmitFile() {
         const timestamp = Date.now();
         return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-            this.buffer.stream.on('data', (data) => {
+            this.pcm.resume();
+            this.pcm.on('data', (data) => {
                 for (let index = 0; index < this.clients.length; index++) {
                     const client = this.clients[index];
                     if (client.audiosocket.destroyed) {
@@ -279,32 +266,27 @@ class AudioServer {
                     }
                     if (client.audiosocket.write(data) !== true) {
                         // logger.debug(client.getTag() + ' detected backpressure, pausing read stream...');
-                        this.buffer.stream.pause();
+                        this.pcm.pause();
                         continue;
                     }
-                    this.#isFileTransmitted(client);
+                    this.#checkFileTransmission(client);
                 }
             });
-            this.buffer.stream.on('close', () => {
-                logger.debug('reading file \'' + this.buffer.file + '\' took ' + (Date.now() - timestamp) + 'ms (size: ' + this.buffer.stream.bytesRead + ' bytes)');
+            this.pcm.on('close', () => {
+                logger.debug('transmitting to pcm data converted file \'' + this.file + '\' took ' + (Date.now() - timestamp) + 'ms');
                 resolve();
             });
-            this.buffer.stream.on('error', (error) => {
-                // TODO: handle with try / catch
-                logger.debug('STREAM ERROR!');
-                reject(error);
-            });
         });
     }
 
-    #isFileTransmitted(client) {
-        if (client?.audiosocket === undefined) {
+    #checkFileTransmission(client) {
+        if (client?.audiosocket === undefined || this.pcm === undefined) {
             return;
         }
-        if (client.audiosocket.bytesWritten < this.buffer.size) {
+        if (this.pcm.destroyed !== true) {
             return false;
         }
-        logger.debug(client.getTag() + ' transmitted ' + client.audiosocket.bytesWritten + ' bytes  after ' + (Date.now() ) + 'ms');
+        logger.debug(client.getTag() + ' transmitted ' + client.audiosocket.bytesWritten + ' bytes after ' + (Date.now()) + 'ms');
         client.audiosocket.end();
         client.audiosocket.destroy();
         return true;
@@ -320,9 +302,6 @@ class AudioServer {
             }
             audiosocket.destroy();
         }
-        this.buffer?.fd?.close();
-        this.buffer?.stream?.close();
-        this.buffer?.stream?.destroy();
         if (this.server?.listening !== true) {
             return;
         }
@@ -336,6 +315,10 @@ class AudioServer {
                 resolve();
             });
         });
+        if (this.pcm.destroyed === false) {
+            await this.pcm.destroy();
+        }
+        this.pcm = undefined;
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/classes/PCMStream.js b/classes/PCMStream.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..120fb12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/classes/PCMStream.js
@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
+const path = require('path');
+const { spawn } = require('child_process');
+const { tmpdir } = require('os');
+const { unlink, open } = require('fs/promises');
+const EventEmitter = require('events');
+
+class PCMStream extends EventEmitter {
+
+    constructor(file, start, format, channels, sampleRate) {
+        super();
+        this.file = file;
+        this.start = start || 0;
+        this.discarded = 0;
+        this.ffmpeg = {
+            format: format || 'pcm_s16le',
+            channels: channels || 2,
+            sampleRate: sampleRate || 44100
+        };
+        this.fifo = {};
+    }
+
+    async prepare() {
+        if (this.file === undefined) {
+            throw new Error('cannot prepare pcm stream from an undefined file');
+        }
+        this.file = path.resolve(this.file);
+        await this.#createFifo();
+        await this.#spawnFFmpeg();
+        await this.#readFifo();
+    }
+
+    resume() {
+        this.fifo?.stream.on('data', async (data) => {
+            if (this.start ===  0 || this.discarded >= this.start) {
+                this.emit('data', data);
+                return;
+            }
+            let tmp = data.length + this.discarded;
+            if (tmp < this.start) {
+                this.discarded = tmp;
+                return;
+            }
+            tmp = this.start - this.discarded;
+            this.discarded += tmp;
+            data = data.slice(tmp);
+            this.emit('data', data);
+        });
+        this.fifo?.stream?.resume();
+    }
+
+    pause() {
+        this.fifo?.stream?.pause();
+        this.fifo?.stream?.removeAllListeners('data');
+    }
+
+    isPaused() {
+        return this.fifo?.stream?.isPaused();
+    }
+
+    async #spawnFFmpeg() {
+        if (this.file === undefined) {
+            throw new Error('can not convert an undefined file to pcm');
+        }
+        const args = [
+            '-y',
+            '-i',
+            this.file,
+            '-acodec',
+            this.ffmpeg.format,
+            '-ac',
+            this.ffmpeg.channels,
+            '-ar',
+            this.ffmpeg.sampleRate,
+            '-f',
+            's16le',
+            this.fifo.file
+        ];
+        return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+            this.ffmpeg.process = spawn('ffmpeg', args);
+            this.ffmpeg.process.on('spawn', () => {
+                logger.debug('successfully spawned process \'ffmpeg\' (args: ' + args + ') for pcm conversion...');
+                this.ffmpeg.timestamp = Date.now();
+                resolve();
+            });
+            this.ffmpeg.process.on('error', async (error) => {
+                logger.error('encountered an error spawning process \'ffmpeg\' (args: ' + args + ') for pcm conversion: ' + error);
+                await this.destroy();
+                reject(error);
+            });
+            this.ffmpeg.process.on('close', async (code, signal) => {
+                let msg = 'process \'ffmpeg\' (args: ' + args + ') closed';
+                if (code !== undefined) {
+                    msg += ' with code \'' + code + '\'';
+                } else {
+                    msg += ' with signal \'' + signal + '\'';
+                }
+                msg += ' after ' + (Date.now() - this.ffmpeg.timestamp) + 'ms';
+                logger.debug(msg);
+                await this.destroy();
+                this.emit('close');
+            });
+        });
+    }
+
+    async #createFifo() {
+        let fifo = path.join(tmpdir(), 'kannon.fifo');
+        try {
+            await unlink(fifo);
+        } catch (error) {
+            logger.debug('theres no fifo file to delete...');
+        }
+        this.fifo.process = spawn('mkfifo', [fifo]);
+        return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+            this.fifo.process.on('spawn', () => {
+                logger.debug('successfully spawned process \'mkfifo\' (args: ' + fifo + ')...');
+                this.fifo.file = fifo;
+            });
+            this.fifo.process.on('error', async (error) => {
+                logger.error('encountered an error spawning process \'mkfifo\' (args: \'' + fifo + '\'): ' + error);
+                await this.destroy();
+                reject(error);
+            });
+            this.fifo.process.on('close', (code, signal) => {
+                let msg = 'process \'mkfifo\' (args: \'' + fifo + '\') closed';
+                if (code !== undefined) {
+                    msg += ' with code \'' + code + '\'';
+                } else {
+                    msg += ' with signal ' + signal + '\'';
+                }
+                logger.debug(msg);
+                resolve();
+            });
+        });
+    }
+
+    async #readFifo() {
+        if (this.fifo.file === undefined) {
+            throw new Error('can not read from undefined fifo file');
+        }
+        const timestamp = Date.now();
+        this.fifo.fd = await open(this.fifo.file);
+        this.fifo.stream = this.fifo.fd.createReadStream();
+        return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+            this.fifo.stream.on('error', async (error) => {
+                logger.error('encountered an error reading from fifo file \'' + this.fifo + '\': ' + error);
+                await this.destroy();
+                reject(error);
+            });
+            this.fifo.stream.on('close', () => {
+                logger.debug('read stream for fifo file \'' + this.fifo.file + '\' closed after ' + (Date.now() - timestamp) + 'ms (read ' + this.fifo.stream.bytesRead + ' bytes)');
+            });
+            this.fifo.stream.on('readable', () => {
+                this.fifo.stream.removeAllListeners('readable');
+                resolve();
+            });
+            this.fifo.stream.on('drain', () => {
+                logger.warn('FIFO STREAM DRAINED');
+            });
+        });
+    }
+
+    async #deleteFifo() {
+        if (this.fifo.file === undefined) {
+            return;
+        }
+        try {
+            await unlink(this.fifo.file);
+        } catch (error) {
+            logger.error('encountered an error deleting the fifo file \'' + this.fifo.file + '\': ' + error);
+        }
+    }
+
+    async destroy() {
+        if (this.ffmpeg.process.killed != true) {
+            this.ffmpeg.process.kill();
+            this.ffmpeg.process = undefined;
+        }
+        if (this.fifo.process.killed !== true) {
+            this.fifo.process.kill();
+            this.fifo.process = undefined;
+        }
+        if (this.fifo.stream.destroyed !== true) {
+            this.fifo.stream.destroy();
+            this.fifo.stream = undefined;
+        }
+        if (this.fifo.fd.closed !== true) {
+            this.fifo.fd.close();
+            this.fifo.fd = undefined;
+        }
+        await this.#deleteFifo();
+        this.destroyed = true;
+    }
+}
+
+module.exports = PCMStream;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/example_config_server.json b/example_config_server.json
index 7da20df..ab2f6c0 100644
--- a/example_config_server.json
+++ b/example_config_server.json
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@
   },
   "audio": {
     "nodelay": false,
-    "threshold": 1
+    "threshold": 8
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file