diff --git a/pkg/media/pcm.go b/pkg/media/pcm.go
index ae2c5009..93b6a2c2 100644
--- a/pkg/media/pcm.go
+++ b/pkg/media/pcm.go
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ func PlayAudio[T any](w Writer[T], sampleDur time.Duration, frames []T) error {
 
 type PCM16Sample []int16
 
+type PCM16Writer = Writer[PCM16Sample]
+
 type MediaSampleWriter interface {
 	WriteSample(sample media.Sample) error
 }
diff --git a/pkg/media/ulaw/g711.go b/pkg/media/ulaw/g711.go
index f39ee470..d6abfdc6 100644
--- a/pkg/media/ulaw/g711.go
+++ b/pkg/media/ulaw/g711.go
@@ -101,6 +101,16 @@ func EncodeUlaw(lpcm []int16) []byte {
 	return out
 }
 
+// EncodeUlawTo encodes 16bit LPCM data to an existing G711 u-law PCM buffer.
+func EncodeUlawTo(out []byte, lpcm []int16) {
+	if len(out) != len(lpcm) {
+		panic("short buffer")
+	}
+	for i := range lpcm {
+		out[i] = EncodeUlawFrame(lpcm[i])
+	}
+}
+
 // EncodeUlawFrame encodes a 16bit LPCM frame to G711 u-law PCM
 func EncodeUlawFrame(frame int16) uint8 {
 	/*
@@ -127,14 +137,24 @@ func EncodeUlawFrame(frame int16) uint8 {
 }
 
 // DecodeUlaw decodes u-law PCM data to 16bit PCM.
-func DecodeUlaw(pcm []byte) []int16 {
-	out := make([]int16, len(pcm))
-	for i := 0; i < len(pcm); i++ {
-		out[i] = ulaw2lpcm[pcm[i]]
+func DecodeUlaw(ulaw []byte) []int16 {
+	out := make([]int16, len(ulaw))
+	for i := 0; i < len(ulaw); i++ {
+		out[i] = ulaw2lpcm[ulaw[i]]
 	}
 	return out
 }
 
+// DecodeUlawTo decodes u-law PCM data to an existing 16bit PCM buffer.
+func DecodeUlawTo(out []int16, ulaw []byte) {
+	if len(out) != len(ulaw) {
+		panic("short buffer")
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < len(ulaw); i++ {
+		out[i] = ulaw2lpcm[ulaw[i]]
+	}
+}
+
 // DecodeUlawFrame decodes a u-law PCM frame to 16bit LPCM
 func DecodeUlawFrame(frame uint8) int16 {
 	return ulaw2lpcm[frame]
diff --git a/pkg/media/ulaw/ulaw.go b/pkg/media/ulaw/ulaw.go
index a35e6d80..c9a9112e 100644
--- a/pkg/media/ulaw/ulaw.go
+++ b/pkg/media/ulaw/ulaw.go
@@ -28,17 +28,42 @@ func (s *Sample) Encode(data media.PCM16Sample) {
 	*s = EncodeUlaw(data)
 }
 
-func Decode(w media.Writer[media.PCM16Sample]) media.Writer[Sample] {
-	return media.WriterFunc[Sample](func(in Sample) error {
-		out := in.Decode()
-		return w.WriteSample(out)
-	})
-}
-
-func Encode(w media.Writer[Sample]) media.Writer[media.PCM16Sample] {
-	return media.WriterFunc[media.PCM16Sample](func(in media.PCM16Sample) error {
-		var s Sample
-		s.Encode(in)
-		return w.WriteSample(s)
-	})
+type Writer = media.Writer[Sample]
+
+type Decoder struct {
+	w   media.PCM16Writer
+	buf media.PCM16Sample
+}
+
+func (d *Decoder) WriteSample(in Sample) error {
+	if len(in) >= cap(d.buf) {
+		d.buf = make(media.PCM16Sample, len(in))
+	} else {
+		d.buf = d.buf[:len(in)]
+	}
+	DecodeUlawTo(d.buf, in)
+	return d.w.WriteSample(d.buf)
+}
+
+func Decode(w media.PCM16Writer) Writer {
+	return &Decoder{w: w}
+}
+
+type Encoder struct {
+	w   Writer
+	buf Sample
+}
+
+func (e *Encoder) WriteSample(in media.PCM16Sample) error {
+	if len(in) >= cap(e.buf) {
+		e.buf = make(Sample, len(in))
+	} else {
+		e.buf = e.buf[:len(in)]
+	}
+	EncodeUlawTo(e.buf, in)
+	return e.w.WriteSample(e.buf)
+}
+
+func Encode(w Writer) media.PCM16Writer {
+	return &Encoder{w: w}
 }