diff --git a/src/tuimble/app.py b/src/tuimble/app.py
index 92b591e..ecb2b52 100644
--- a/src/tuimble/app.py
+++ b/src/tuimble/app.py
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ class TuimbleApp(App):
     def _audio_send_loop(self) -> None:
         """Poll capture queue and send encoded frames to server."""
         while self._client.connected:
-            frame = self._audio.get_encoded_frame()
+            frame = self._audio.get_capture_frame()
             if frame is not None:
                 self._client.send_audio(frame)
             else:
diff --git a/src/tuimble/audio.py b/src/tuimble/audio.py
index 9df9e36..7930d78 100644
--- a/src/tuimble/audio.py
+++ b/src/tuimble/audio.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 """Audio capture and playback pipeline.
 
-Handles microphone input (PCM -> Opus) and speaker output (PCM direct).
-pymumble already decodes incoming audio, so the playback path accepts raw
-PCM — no decoder needed.  The encoder is used only for the capture path.
+Pure PCM — pymumble handles Opus encode/decode internally.
+Capture path: mic -> raw PCM -> queue -> pymumble (encodes + sends).
+Playback path: pymumble (decodes) -> raw PCM -> queue -> speakers.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -36,20 +36,14 @@ class AudioPipeline:
         self._capture_queue: queue.Queue[bytes] = queue.Queue(maxsize=50)
         self._playback_queue: queue.Queue[bytes] = queue.Queue(maxsize=50)
 
-        self._encoder = None
         self._input_stream = None
         self._output_stream = None
         self._capturing = False
 
     def start(self):
-        """Initialize codec and open audio streams."""
-        import opuslib
+        """Open audio streams."""
         import sounddevice as sd
 
-        self._encoder = opuslib.Encoder(
-            self._sample_rate, CHANNELS, opuslib.APPLICATION_VOIP
-        )
-
         self._output_stream = sd.RawOutputStream(
             samplerate=self._sample_rate,
             channels=CHANNELS,
@@ -94,10 +88,9 @@ class AudioPipeline:
         """Called by sounddevice when input data is available."""
         if status:
             log.warning("capture status: %s", status)
-        if self._capturing and self._encoder:
+        if self._capturing:
             try:
-                encoded = self._encoder.encode(bytes(indata), self._frame_size)
-                self._capture_queue.put_nowait(encoded)
+                self._capture_queue.put_nowait(bytes(indata))
             except queue.Full:
                 pass
 
@@ -114,8 +107,8 @@ class AudioPipeline:
         except queue.Empty:
             outdata[:] = b"\x00" * len(outdata)
 
-    def get_encoded_frame(self) -> bytes | None:
-        """Retrieve next encoded frame for transmission."""
+    def get_capture_frame(self) -> bytes | None:
+        """Retrieve next captured PCM frame for transmission."""
         try:
             return self._capture_queue.get_nowait()
         except queue.Empty:
diff --git a/src/tuimble/client.py b/src/tuimble/client.py
index 64a8725..b1b43dd 100644
--- a/src/tuimble/client.py
+++ b/src/tuimble/client.py
@@ -170,10 +170,10 @@ class MumbleClient:
             ch = self._mumble.channels[self._mumble.users.myself["channel_id"]]
             ch.send_text_message(message)
 
-    def send_audio(self, opus_data: bytes):
-        """Send encoded audio to the server."""
+    def send_audio(self, pcm_data: bytes):
+        """Send PCM audio to the server (pymumble encodes to Opus)."""
         if self._mumble and self._connected:
-            self._mumble.sound_output.add_sound(opus_data)
+            self._mumble.sound_output.add_sound(pcm_data)
 
     def join_channel(self, channel_id: int):
         """Move to a different channel."""