diff --git a/qt/aqt/addcards.py b/qt/aqt/addcards.py
index 2e2f88f04..91c1fe12e 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/addcards.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/addcards.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from anki.notes import Note
 from anki.utils import htmlToTextLine, isMac
 from aqt import AnkiQt, gui_hooks
 from aqt.qt import *
-from aqt.sound import clearAudioQueue
+from aqt.sound import av_player
 from aqt.utils import (
     addCloseShortcut,
     askUser,
@@ -207,8 +207,7 @@ question on all cards."""
         if not self.addNote(self.editor.note):
             return
         tooltip(_("Added"), period=500)
-        # stop anything playing
-        clearAudioQueue()
+        av_player.stop_and_clear_queue()
         self.onReset(keep=True)
         self.mw.col.autosave()
 
@@ -225,7 +224,7 @@ question on all cards."""
     def _reject(self) -> None:
         gui_hooks.state_did_reset.remove(self.onReset)
         gui_hooks.current_note_type_did_change.remove(self.onModelChange)
-        clearAudioQueue()
+        av_player.stop_and_clear_queue()
         self.removeTempNote(self.editor.note)
         self.editor.cleanup()
         self.modelChooser.cleanup()
diff --git a/qt/aqt/browser.py b/qt/aqt/browser.py
index b8c38352d..da085252c 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/browser.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/browser.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ from anki.utils import (
 from aqt import AnkiQt, gui_hooks
 from aqt.editor import Editor
 from aqt.qt import *
-from aqt.sound import allSounds, clearAudioQueue, play
+from aqt.sound import av_player
 from aqt.utils import (
     MenuList,
     SubMenu,
@@ -1703,7 +1703,7 @@ where id in %s"""
 
             questionAudio = []
             if self._previewBothSides:
-                questionAudio = allSounds(txt)
+                questionAudio = self.mw.col.backend.get_av_tags(txt)
             if self._previewState == "answer":
                 func = "_showAnswer"
                 txt = c.a()
@@ -1711,15 +1711,13 @@ where id in %s"""
 
             bodyclass = bodyClass(self.mw.col, c)
 
-            clearAudioQueue()
             if self.mw.reviewer.autoplay(c):
                 # if we're showing both sides at once, play question audio first
-                for audio in questionAudio:
-                    play(audio)
+                av_player.play_tags(questionAudio)
                 # then play any audio that hasn't already been played
-                for audio in allSounds(txt):
-                    if audio not in questionAudio:
-                        play(audio)
+                answer_audio = self.mw.col.backend.get_av_tags(txt)
+                unplayed_audio = [x for x in answer_audio if x not in questionAudio]
+                av_player.extend_and_play(unplayed_audio)
 
             txt = mungeQA(self.col, txt)
             gui_hooks.card_will_show(
diff --git a/qt/aqt/clayout.py b/qt/aqt/clayout.py
index ca0f0772d..dd6636a83 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/clayout.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/clayout.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from anki.lang import _, ngettext
 from anki.utils import bodyClass, isMac, isWin, joinFields
 from aqt import gui_hooks
 from aqt.qt import *
-from aqt.sound import clearAudioQueue, playFromText
+from aqt.sound import av_player
 from aqt.utils import (
     askUser,
     downArrow,
@@ -344,10 +344,8 @@ Please create a new card type first."""
         self.pform.frontWeb.eval("_showAnswer(%s,'%s');" % (json.dumps(q), bodyclass))
         self.pform.backWeb.eval("_showAnswer(%s, '%s');" % (json.dumps(a), bodyclass))
 
-        clearAudioQueue()
         if c.id not in self.playedAudio:
-            playFromText(c.q())
-            playFromText(c.a())
+            av_player.play_from_text(self.mw.col, c.q() + c.a())
             self.playedAudio[c.id] = True
 
         self.updateCardNames()
@@ -593,7 +591,7 @@ Enter deck to place new %s cards in, or leave blank:"""
 
     def reject(self):
         self.cancelPreviewTimer()
-        clearAudioQueue()
+        av_player.stop_and_clear_queue()
         if self.addMode:
             # remove the filler fields we added
             for name in self.emptyFields:
diff --git a/qt/aqt/deckbrowser.py b/qt/aqt/deckbrowser.py
index 6a5eb8e60..d648b05ca 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/deckbrowser.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/deckbrowser.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from anki.lang import _, ngettext
 from anki.utils import fmtTimeSpan, ids2str
 from aqt import gui_hooks
 from aqt.qt import *
-from aqt.sound import clearAudioQueue
+from aqt.sound import av_player
 from aqt.utils import askUser, getOnlyText, openHelp, openLink, shortcut, showWarning
 
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class DeckBrowser:
         self.scrollPos = QPoint(0, 0)
 
     def show(self):
-        clearAudioQueue()
+        av_player.stop_and_clear_queue()
         self.web.resetHandlers()
         self.web.onBridgeCmd = self._linkHandler
         self._renderPage()
diff --git a/qt/aqt/editor.py b/qt/aqt/editor.py
index a293c19c7..1009e2210 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/editor.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/editor.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ from anki.notes import Note
 from anki.utils import checksum, isWin, namedtmp, stripHTMLMedia
 from aqt import AnkiQt, gui_hooks
 from aqt.qt import *
-from aqt.sound import getAudio
+from aqt.sound import av_player, getAudio
 from aqt.utils import (
     getFile,
     openHelp,
@@ -702,8 +702,7 @@ to a cloze type first, via Edit>Change Note Type."""
             name = urllib.parse.quote(fname.encode("utf8"))
             return '<img src="%s">' % name
         else:
-            aqt.sound.clearAudioQueue()
-            aqt.sound.play(fname)
+            av_player.play_file(fname)
             return "[sound:%s]" % fname
 
     def urlToFile(self, url):
diff --git a/qt/aqt/overview.py b/qt/aqt/overview.py
index 80f5fb69c..619b3a61c 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/overview.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/overview.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 import aqt
 from anki.lang import _
-from aqt.sound import clearAudioQueue
+from aqt.sound import av_player
 from aqt.utils import askUserDialog, openLink, shortcut, tooltip
 
 
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class Overview:
         self.bottom = aqt.toolbar.BottomBar(mw, mw.bottomWeb)
 
     def show(self):
-        clearAudioQueue()
+        av_player.stop_and_clear_queue()
         self.web.resetHandlers()
         self.web.onBridgeCmd = self._linkHandler
         self.mw.setStateShortcuts(self._shortcutKeys())
diff --git a/qt/aqt/reviewer.py b/qt/aqt/reviewer.py
index 42524df2e..7fb990ab0 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/reviewer.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/reviewer.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from anki.lang import _, ngettext
 from anki.utils import bodyClass, stripHTML
 from aqt import AnkiQt, gui_hooks
 from aqt.qt import *
-from aqt.sound import clearAudioQueue, getAudio, play, playFromText
+from aqt.sound import av_player, getAudio
 from aqt.utils import (
     askUserDialog,
     downArrow,
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ class Reviewer:
                 self.hadCardQueue = False
             c = self.mw.col.sched.getCard()
         self.card = c
-        clearAudioQueue()
         if not c:
             self.mw.moveToState("overview")
             return
@@ -114,15 +113,14 @@ class Reviewer:
         else:
             state = self.state
             c = self.card
-        clearAudioQueue()
         if state == "question":
-            playFromText(c.q())
+            av_player.play_from_text(self.mw.col, c.q())
         elif state == "answer":
             txt = ""
             if self._replayq(c, previewer):
                 txt = c.q()
             txt += c.a()
-            playFromText(txt)
+            av_player.play_from_text(self.mw.col, txt)
 
     # Initializing the webview
     ##########################################################################
@@ -184,7 +182,7 @@ The front of this card is empty. Please run Tools>Empty Cards."""
         else:
             q = c.q()
         if self.autoplay(c):
-            playFromText(q)
+            av_player.play_from_text(self.mw.col, q)
         # render & update bottom
         q = self._mungeQA(q)
         q = gui_hooks.card_will_show(q, c, "reviewQuestion")
@@ -225,9 +223,8 @@ The front of this card is empty. Please run Tools>Empty Cards."""
         c = self.card
         a = c.a()
         # play audio?
-        clearAudioQueue()
         if self.autoplay(c):
-            playFromText(a)
+            av_player.play_from_text(self.mw.col, a)
         a = self._mungeQA(a)
         a = gui_hooks.card_will_show(a, c, "reviewAnswer")
         # render and update bottom
@@ -788,5 +785,4 @@ time = %(time)d;
     def onReplayRecorded(self):
         if not self._recordedAudio:
             return tooltip(_("You haven't recorded your voice yet."))
-        clearAudioQueue()
-        play(self._recordedAudio)
+        av_player.play_file(self._recordedAudio)
diff --git a/qt/aqt/utils.py b/qt/aqt/utils.py
index 6b22c8f27..eb084e37a 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/utils.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/utils.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ from typing import Optional
 
 import aqt
 from anki.lang import _
-from anki.sound import stripSounds
 from anki.utils import invalidFilename, isMac, isWin, noBundledLibs, versionWithBuild
 from aqt.qt import *
 
@@ -481,7 +480,7 @@ def restoreHeader(widget, key):
 
 def mungeQA(col, txt):
     txt = col.media.escapeImages(txt)
-    txt = stripSounds(txt)
+    txt = col.backend.strip_av_tags(txt)
     return txt