diff --git a/libretrogd/src/audio/mod.rs b/libretrogd/src/audio/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee1aa8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libretrogd/src/audio/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,271 @@
+use std::ops::{Index, IndexMut};
+
+use sdl2::audio::AudioCallback;
+use thiserror::Error;
+
+pub use self::wav::*;
+
+pub mod wav;
+
+pub const NUM_CHANNELS: usize = 8;
+
+pub const AUDIO_FREQUENCY_44KHZ: u32 = 44100;
+pub const AUDIO_FREQUENCY_22KHZ: u32 = 22050;
+pub const AUDIO_FREQUENCY_11KHZ: u32 = 11025;
+
+pub const SILENCE: u8 = sdl2::audio::AudioFormatNum::SILENCE;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Hash)]
+pub struct AudioSpec {
+    pub frequency: u32,
+    pub channels: u8,
+}
+
+impl AudioSpec {
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn frequency(&self) -> u32 {
+        self.frequency
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn channels(&self) -> u8 {
+        self.channels
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct AudioChannel {
+    pub playing: bool,
+    pub loops: bool,
+    pub data: Vec<u8>,
+    pub volume: f32,
+    pub position: usize,
+}
+
+impl AudioChannel {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        AudioChannel {
+            playing: false,
+            loops: false,
+            volume: 1.0,
+            position: 0,
+            data: Vec::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn next_sample(&mut self) -> i16 {
+        if let Some(sample) = self.data.get(self.position) {
+            self.position += 1;
+            (*sample as i16) - 128
+        } else {
+            0
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn get_audio_frame(&mut self) -> i16 {
+        if !self.playing {
+            return 0;
+        } else if self.position >= self.data.len() {
+            if self.loops {
+                self.position = 0;
+            } else {
+                self.stop();
+                return 0;
+            }
+        }
+
+        let raw_sample = self.next_sample();
+        (raw_sample as f32 * self.volume) as i16
+    }
+
+    pub fn reset(&mut self) {
+        self.data.clear();
+        self.position = 0;
+        self.playing = false;
+    }
+
+    pub fn play_buffer(&mut self, buffer: &AudioBuffer, loops: bool) {
+        self.data.clear();
+        self.data.extend(&buffer.data);
+        self.position = 0;
+        self.playing = true;
+        self.loops = loops;
+    }
+
+    pub fn play(&mut self, loops: bool) {
+        if !self.data.is_empty() {
+            self.position = 0;
+            self.playing = true;
+            self.loops = loops;
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn stop(&mut self) {
+        self.playing = false;
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct AudioDevice {
+    spec: AudioSpec,
+    channels: Vec<AudioChannel>,
+}
+
+impl AudioCallback for AudioDevice {
+    type Channel = u8;
+
+    fn callback(&mut self, out: &mut [u8]) {
+        for dest in out.iter_mut() {
+            let mut sample: i16 = 0;
+            for channel in self.channels.iter_mut() {
+                sample += channel.get_audio_frame();
+            }
+            *dest = (sample.clamp(-128, 127) + 128) as u8;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl AudioDevice {
+    pub fn new(spec: AudioSpec) -> Self {
+        let mut channels = Vec::new();
+        for _ in 0..NUM_CHANNELS {
+            channels.push(AudioChannel::new());
+        }
+        AudioDevice { spec, channels }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn spec(&self) -> &AudioSpec {
+        &self.spec
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn is_playing(&self) -> bool {
+        self.channels.iter().any(|channel| channel.playing)
+    }
+
+    pub fn stop_all(&mut self) {
+        for channel in self.channels.iter_mut() {
+            channel.stop();
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn play_buffer(&mut self, buffer: &AudioBuffer, loops: bool) -> Option<&mut AudioChannel> {
+        if let Some(channel) = self.stopped_channels_iter_mut().next() {
+            channel.play_buffer(buffer, loops);
+            Some(channel)
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn playing_channels_iter(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &AudioChannel> {
+        self.channels.iter().filter(|channel| channel.playing)
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn playing_channels_iter_mut(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &mut AudioChannel> {
+        self.channels.iter_mut().filter(|channel| channel.playing)
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn stopped_channels_iter(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &AudioChannel> {
+        self.channels.iter().filter(|channel| !channel.playing)
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn stopped_channels_iter_mut(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &mut AudioChannel> {
+        self.channels.iter_mut().filter(|channel| !channel.playing)
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn channels_iter(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &AudioChannel> {
+        self.channels.iter()
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn channels_iter_mut(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &mut AudioChannel> {
+        self.channels.iter_mut()
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn get(&self, index: usize) -> Option<&AudioChannel> {
+        self.channels.get(index)
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn get_mut(&mut self, index: usize) -> Option<&mut AudioChannel> {
+        self.channels.get_mut(index)
+    }
+}
+
+impl Index<usize> for AudioDevice {
+    type Output = AudioChannel;
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn index(&self, index: usize) -> &Self::Output {
+        self.get(index).unwrap()
+    }
+}
+
+impl IndexMut<usize> for AudioDevice {
+    #[inline]
+    fn index_mut(&mut self, index: usize) -> &mut Self::Output {
+        self.get_mut(index).unwrap()
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Error, Debug)]
+pub enum AudioBufferError {
+    #[error("Error during format conversion: {0}")]
+    ConversionError(String),
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct AudioBuffer {
+    spec: AudioSpec,
+    pub data: Vec<u8>,
+}
+
+impl AudioBuffer {
+    pub fn new(frequency: u32, channels: u8) -> Self {
+        AudioBuffer {
+            spec: AudioSpec {
+                frequency,
+                channels,
+            },
+            data: Vec::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn spec(&self) -> &AudioSpec {
+        &self.spec
+    }
+
+    pub fn convert(self, frequency: u32, channels: u8) -> Result<Self, AudioBufferError> {
+        if self.spec.frequency == frequency && self.spec.channels == channels {
+            Ok(self)
+        } else {
+            use sdl2::audio::AudioFormat;
+            let converter = sdl2::audio::AudioCVT::new(
+                AudioFormat::U8,
+                self.spec.channels,
+                self.spec.frequency as i32,
+                AudioFormat::U8,
+                channels,
+                frequency as i32,
+            );
+            match converter {
+                Ok(converter) => {
+                    let mut result = AudioBuffer::new(frequency, channels);
+                    result.data = converter.convert(self.data);
+                    Ok(result)
+                }
+                Err(string) => Err(AudioBufferError::ConversionError(string)),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/libretrogd/src/audio/wav.rs b/libretrogd/src/audio/wav.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..031d637
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libretrogd/src/audio/wav.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,270 @@
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io;
+use std::io::{BufReader, Read, Seek, SeekFrom, Write};
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use byteorder::{LittleEndian, ReadBytesExt, WriteBytesExt};
+use thiserror::Error;
+
+use crate::audio::AudioBuffer;
+
+#[derive(Error, Debug)]
+pub enum WavError {
+    #[error("Bad or unsupported WAV file: {0}")]
+    BadFile(String),
+
+    #[error("WAV I/O error")]
+    IOError(#[from] std::io::Error),
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone)]
+struct ChunkId {
+    id: [u8; 4],
+}
+
+impl ChunkId {
+    pub fn read<T: Read>(reader: &mut T) -> Result<Self, WavError> {
+        let mut id = [0u8; 4];
+        reader.read_exact(&mut id)?;
+        Ok(ChunkId { id })
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub fn write<T: Write>(&self, writer: &mut T) -> Result<(), WavError> {
+        writer.write_all(&self.id)?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone)]
+struct SubChunkHeader {
+    chunk_id: ChunkId,
+    size: u32,
+}
+
+impl SubChunkHeader {
+    pub fn read<T: ReadBytesExt>(reader: &mut T) -> Result<Self, WavError> {
+        let chunk_id = ChunkId::read(reader)?;
+        let size = reader.read_u32::<LittleEndian>()?;
+        Ok(SubChunkHeader { chunk_id, size })
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub fn write<T: WriteBytesExt>(&self, writer: &mut T) -> Result<(), WavError> {
+        self.chunk_id.write(writer)?;
+        writer.write_u32::<LittleEndian>(self.size)?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone)]
+struct WavHeader {
+    file_chunk: SubChunkHeader,
+    file_container_id: ChunkId,
+}
+
+impl WavHeader {
+    pub fn read<T: ReadBytesExt>(reader: &mut T) -> Result<Self, WavError> {
+        let file_chunk = SubChunkHeader::read(reader)?;
+        let file_container_id = ChunkId::read(reader)?;
+        Ok(WavHeader {
+            file_chunk,
+            file_container_id,
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub fn write<T: WriteBytesExt>(&self, writer: &mut T) -> Result<(), WavError> {
+        self.file_chunk.write(writer)?;
+        self.file_container_id.write(writer)?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+struct FormatChunk {
+    compression_code: u16,
+    channels: u16,
+    frequency: u32,
+    bytes_per_second: u32,
+    block_alignment: u16,
+    bits_per_sample: u16,
+    additional_data_length: u16,
+    additional_data: Option<Box<[u8]>>,
+}
+
+impl FormatChunk {
+    pub fn read<T: ReadBytesExt>(
+        reader: &mut T,
+        chunk_header: &SubChunkHeader,
+    ) -> Result<Self, WavError> {
+        let compression_code = reader.read_u16::<LittleEndian>()?;
+        let channels = reader.read_u16::<LittleEndian>()?;
+        let frequency = reader.read_u32::<LittleEndian>()?;
+        let bytes_per_second = reader.read_u32::<LittleEndian>()?;
+        let block_alignment = reader.read_u16::<LittleEndian>()?;
+        let bits_per_sample = reader.read_u16::<LittleEndian>()?;
+        let additional_data_length;
+        let additional_data;
+        if chunk_header.size > 16 {
+            additional_data_length = reader.read_u16::<LittleEndian>()?;
+            let mut buffer = vec![0u8; additional_data_length as usize];
+            reader.read(&mut buffer)?;
+            additional_data = Some(buffer.into_boxed_slice());
+        } else {
+            additional_data_length = 0;
+            additional_data = None;
+        }
+
+        Ok(FormatChunk {
+            compression_code,
+            channels,
+            frequency,
+            bytes_per_second,
+            block_alignment,
+            bits_per_sample,
+            additional_data_length,
+            additional_data,
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub fn write<T: WriteBytesExt>(&self, writer: &mut T) -> Result<(), WavError> {
+        writer.write_u16::<LittleEndian>(self.compression_code)?;
+        writer.write_u16::<LittleEndian>(self.channels)?;
+        writer.write_u32::<LittleEndian>(self.frequency)?;
+        writer.write_u32::<LittleEndian>(self.bytes_per_second)?;
+        writer.write_u16::<LittleEndian>(self.block_alignment)?;
+        writer.write_u16::<LittleEndian>(self.bits_per_sample)?;
+        if self.additional_data_length > 0 {
+            writer.write_u16::<LittleEndian>(self.additional_data_length)?;
+            writer.write_all(&self.additional_data.as_ref().unwrap())?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+struct DataChunk {
+    data: Box<[u8]>,
+}
+
+impl DataChunk {
+    pub fn read<T: ReadBytesExt>(
+        reader: &mut T,
+        chunk_header: &SubChunkHeader,
+    ) -> Result<Self, WavError> {
+        let mut buffer = vec![0u8; chunk_header.size as usize];
+        let bytes_read = reader.read(&mut buffer)?;
+        // bunch of tools (like sfxr, jsfxr) sometimes generating "data" chunks that are too large.
+        // probably these tools are just incorrectly hard-coded to always assume 16-bit, because
+        // every time so far i have seen this, the data chunk size is exactly twice what the actual
+        // data size is for an 8-bit wav file.
+        // so, lets chop off the excess, so we don't have a very large amount of zero's at the end
+        // which would probably result in audio clicking if played as-is!
+        buffer.truncate(bytes_read);
+        Ok(DataChunk {
+            data: buffer.into_boxed_slice(),
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub fn write<T: WriteBytesExt>(&self, writer: &mut T) -> Result<(), WavError> {
+        writer.write_all(self.data.as_ref())?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+impl AudioBuffer {
+    pub fn load_wav_bytes<T: ReadBytesExt + Seek>(reader: &mut T) -> Result<AudioBuffer, WavError> {
+        let header = WavHeader::read(reader)?;
+        if header.file_chunk.chunk_id.id != *b"RIFF" {
+            return Err(WavError::BadFile(String::from(
+                "Unexpected RIFF chunk id, probably not a WAV file",
+            )));
+        }
+        if header.file_container_id.id != *b"WAVE" {
+            return Err(WavError::BadFile(String::from(
+                "Unexpected RIFF container id, probably not a WAV file",
+            )));
+        }
+
+        let mut format: Option<FormatChunk> = None;
+        let mut data: Option<DataChunk> = None;
+
+        loop {
+            let chunk_header = match SubChunkHeader::read(reader) {
+                Ok(header) => header,
+                Err(WavError::IOError(io_error))
+                    if io_error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::UnexpectedEof =>
+                {
+                    break;
+                }
+                Err(err) => return Err(err),
+            };
+            let chunk_data_position = reader.stream_position()?;
+
+            // read only the chunks we recognize / care about
+            if chunk_header.chunk_id.id == *b"fmt " {
+                format = Some(FormatChunk::read(reader, &chunk_header)?);
+                if format.as_ref().unwrap().compression_code != 1 {
+                    return Err(WavError::BadFile(String::from(
+                        "Only PCM format WAV files are supported",
+                    )));
+                }
+                if format.as_ref().unwrap().bits_per_sample != 8 {
+                    return Err(WavError::BadFile(String::from(
+                        "Only 8-bit sample WAV files are supported",
+                    )));
+                }
+            } else if chunk_header.chunk_id.id == *b"data" {
+                data = Some(DataChunk::read(reader, &chunk_header)?);
+            }
+
+            // move to the start of the next chunk (possibly skipping over the current chunk if we
+            // didn't recognize it above ...)
+            reader.seek(SeekFrom::Start(
+                chunk_data_position + chunk_header.size as u64,
+            ))?;
+        }
+
+        // all done reading the file, now convert the read data into an AudioBuffer ...
+
+        let mut audio_buffer;
+
+        if let Some(format) = format {
+            audio_buffer = AudioBuffer::new(format.frequency, format.channels as u8);
+        } else {
+            return Err(WavError::BadFile(String::from("No 'fmt ' chunk was found")));
+        }
+
+        if let Some(data) = data {
+            audio_buffer.data = data.data.into_vec();
+        } else {
+            return Err(WavError::BadFile(String::from("No 'data' chunk was found")));
+        }
+
+        Ok(audio_buffer)
+    }
+
+    pub fn load_wav_file(path: &Path) -> Result<AudioBuffer, WavError> {
+        let f = File::open(path)?;
+        let mut reader = BufReader::new(f);
+        Self::load_wav_bytes(&mut reader)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    pub fn load_wav_file() -> Result<(), WavError> {
+        let wav_buffer = AudioBuffer::load_wav_file(Path::new("./test-assets/22khz_8bit_1ch.wav"))?;
+        assert_eq!(22050, wav_buffer.spec().frequency());
+        assert_eq!(1, wav_buffer.spec().channels());
+        assert_eq!(8184, wav_buffer.data.len());
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/libretrogd/src/lib.rs b/libretrogd/src/lib.rs
index fe17665..4e15a29 100644
--- a/libretrogd/src/lib.rs
+++ b/libretrogd/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 extern crate core;
 extern crate sdl2;
 
+pub mod audio;
 pub mod entities;
 pub mod events;
 pub mod graphics;
diff --git a/libretrogd/src/system/mod.rs b/libretrogd/src/system/mod.rs
index 5a0087e..28d5390 100644
--- a/libretrogd/src/system/mod.rs
+++ b/libretrogd/src/system/mod.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 use byte_slice_cast::AsByteSlice;
-use sdl2::{EventPump, Sdl, TimerSubsystem, VideoSubsystem};
+use sdl2::{AudioSubsystem, EventPump, Sdl, TimerSubsystem, VideoSubsystem};
+use sdl2::audio::AudioSpecDesired;
 use sdl2::event::Event;
 use sdl2::pixels::PixelFormatEnum;
 use sdl2::render::{Texture, WindowCanvas};
 use thiserror::Error;
 
 use crate::{DEFAULT_SCALE_FACTOR, SCREEN_HEIGHT, SCREEN_WIDTH};
+use crate::audio::*;
 use crate::graphics::*;
 
 pub use self::input_devices::*;
@@ -147,6 +149,11 @@ impl SystemBuilder {
             Err(message) => return Err(SystemError::InitError(message)),
         };
 
+        let sdl_audio_subsystem = match sdl_context.audio() {
+            Ok(audio_subsystem) => audio_subsystem,
+            Err(message) => return Err(SystemError::InitError(message)),
+        };
+
         // create the window
 
         let window_width = screen_width * self.initial_scale_factor;
@@ -235,6 +242,25 @@ impl SystemBuilder {
             Err(error) => return Err(SystemError::InitError(error.to_string())),
         };
 
+        let audio_spec = AudioSpecDesired {
+            freq: Some(AUDIO_FREQUENCY_22KHZ as i32),
+            channels: Some(1),
+            samples: None,
+        };
+
+        let audio = match sdl_audio_subsystem.open_playback(None, &audio_spec, |spec| {
+            let our_spec = AudioSpec {
+                frequency: spec.freq as u32,
+                channels: spec.channels,
+            };
+
+            AudioDevice::new(our_spec)
+        }) {
+            Ok(audio_device) => audio_device,
+            Err(error) => return Err(SystemError::InitError(error)),
+        };
+        audio.resume();
+
         // create input device objects, exposed to the application
 
         let keyboard = Keyboard::new();
@@ -242,6 +268,7 @@ impl SystemBuilder {
 
         Ok(System {
             sdl_context,
+            sdl_audio_subsystem,
             sdl_video_subsystem,
             sdl_timer_subsystem,
             sdl_canvas,
@@ -249,6 +276,7 @@ impl SystemBuilder {
             sdl_texture_pitch,
             sdl_event_pump,
             texture_pixels,
+            audio,
             video: framebuffer,
             palette,
             font,
@@ -267,6 +295,7 @@ impl SystemBuilder {
 #[allow(dead_code)]
 pub struct System {
     sdl_context: Sdl,
+    sdl_audio_subsystem: AudioSubsystem,
     sdl_video_subsystem: VideoSubsystem,
     sdl_timer_subsystem: TimerSubsystem,
     sdl_canvas: WindowCanvas,
@@ -280,6 +309,8 @@ pub struct System {
     target_framerate_delta: Option<i64>,
     next_tick: i64,
 
+    pub audio: sdl2::audio::AudioDevice<AudioDevice>,
+
     /// The primary backbuffer [`Bitmap`] that will be rendered to the screen whenever
     /// [`System::display`] is called. Regardless of the actual window size, this bitmap is always
     /// [`SCREEN_WIDTH`]x[`SCREEN_HEIGHT`] pixels in size.
diff --git a/libretrogd/test-assets/22khz_8bit_1ch.wav b/libretrogd/test-assets/22khz_8bit_1ch.wav
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..153187e
Binary files /dev/null and b/libretrogd/test-assets/22khz_8bit_1ch.wav differ