diff --git a/include/snd_internal.h b/include/snd_internal.h
index ace403c75..352138114 100644
--- a/include/snd_internal.h
+++ b/include/snd_internal.h
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ struct sfxbuffer_s {
 	/** Sample data. The block at the beginning of the buffer (size depends on
 		sample size)
 	*/
-	float       data[1];
+	float       data[];
 };
 
 /** Representation of sound loaded that is streamed in as needed.
@@ -271,8 +271,8 @@ void SND_Memory_FreeBuffer (sfxbuffer_t *buffer);
 	\param info
 	\param loader
 */
-void SND_SFX_Cache (sfx_t *sfx, char *realname, wavinfo_t info,
-		            cache_loader_t loader);
+void SND_SFX_Block (sfx_t *sfx, char *realname, wavinfo_t info,
+		            sfxbuffer_t *(*load) (sfxblock_t *block));
 
 /** Stream sound data. Initializes streaming fields of sfx.
 	\param sfx
@@ -455,9 +455,9 @@ void SND_PaintChannels(snd_t *snd, unsigned int endtime);
 void SND_InitScaletable (snd_t *snd);
 
 /** Set the paint function of the sfxbuffer
-	\param sc		sfxbuffer to set.
+	\param sb		sfxbuffer to set.
 */
-void SND_SetPaint (sfxbuffer_t *sc);
+void SND_SetPaint (sfxbuffer_t *sb);
 ///@}
 
 
@@ -465,11 +465,14 @@ void SND_SetPaint (sfxbuffer_t *sc);
 	\ingroup sound_render
 */
 ///@{
+
+unsigned SND_ResamplerFrames (sfx_t *sfx);
+
 /** Set up the various parameters that depend on the actual sample rate.
-	\param sc		buffer to setup
+	\param sb		buffer to setup
 	\param streamed	non-zero if this is for a stream.
 */
-void SND_SetupResampler (sfxbuffer_t *sc, int streamed);
+void SND_SetupResampler (sfxbuffer_t *sb, int streamed);
 
 /** Free memory allocated for the resampler.
 	\param stream	stream to pulldown
@@ -477,11 +480,11 @@ void SND_SetupResampler (sfxbuffer_t *sc, int streamed);
 void SND_PulldownResampler (sfxstream_t *stream);
 
 /** Copy/resample data into buffer, resampling as necessary.
-	\param sc		buffer to write resampled sound
+	\param sb		buffer to write resampled sound
 	\param data		raw sample data
 	\param length	number of frames to resample
 */
-void SND_Resample (sfxbuffer_t *sc, float *data, int length);
+void SND_Resample (sfxbuffer_t *sb, float *data, int length);
 
 /** Convert integer sample data to float sample data.
 	\param idata	integer data buffer
@@ -612,17 +615,6 @@ int SND_StreamAdvance (sfxbuffer_t *buffer, unsigned int count);
 	\param pos		sample position with the stream
 */
 void SND_StreamSetPos (sfxbuffer_t *buffer, unsigned int pos);
-
-/** Allocate a sound buffer from cache for cached sounds.
-	\param samples	size in samples
-	\param rate		sample rate
-	\param channels	number of channels in input data
-	\param block	cached sound descriptor to initialize
-	\param allocator cache allocator function
-	\return			pointer to sound sample buffer (setup for block mode)
-*/
-sfxbuffer_t *SND_GetCache (long samples, int rate, int channels,
-						   sfxblock_t *block, cache_allocator_t allocator);
 ///@}
 
 #endif//__snd_internal_h
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/flac.c b/libs/audio/renderer/flac.c
index 53956e451..9868d12cd 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/flac.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/flac.c
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ flac_read (flacfile_t *ff, float *buf, int len)
 }
 
 static sfxbuffer_t *
-flac_load (flacfile_t *ff, sfxblock_t *block, cache_allocator_t allocator)
+flac_load (flacfile_t *ff, sfxblock_t *block)
 {
 	float      *data;
 	sfxbuffer_t *sb = 0;
@@ -289,10 +289,11 @@ flac_load (flacfile_t *ff, sfxblock_t *block, cache_allocator_t allocator)
 	data = malloc (info->datalen);
 	if (!data)
 		goto bail;
-	sb = SND_GetCache (info->frames, info->rate, info->channels,
-					   block, allocator);
+	unsigned    buffer_frames = SND_ResamplerFrames (sfx);
+	sb = SND_Memory_AllocBuffer (buffer_frames * info->channels);
 	if (!sb)
 		goto bail;
+	sb->size = buffer_frames * info->channels;
 	sb->sfx = sfx;
 	if (flac_read (ff, data, info->frames) < 0)
 		goto bail;
@@ -307,31 +308,29 @@ flac_load (flacfile_t *ff, sfxblock_t *block, cache_allocator_t allocator)
 	return sb;
 }
 
-static void
-flac_callback_load (void *object, cache_allocator_t allocator)
+static sfxbuffer_t *
+flac_callback_load (sfxblock_t *block)
 {
 	QFile      *file;
 	flacfile_t *ff;
 
-	sfxblock_t *block = (sfxblock_t *) object;
-
 	file = QFS_FOpenFile (block->file);
 	if (!file)
-		return; //FIXME Sys_Error?
+		return 0;
 
 	if (!(ff = flac_open (file))) {
 		Sys_Printf ("Input does not appear to be an Ogg bitstream.\n");
 		Qclose (file);
-		return; //FIXME Sys_Error?
+		return 0;
 	}
-	flac_load (ff, block, allocator);
+	return flac_load (ff, block);
 }
 
 static void
 flac_cache (sfx_t *sfx, char *realname, flacfile_t *ff, wavinfo_t info)
 {
 	flac_close (ff);
-	SND_SFX_Cache (sfx, realname, info, flac_callback_load);
+	SND_SFX_Block (sfx, realname, info, flac_callback_load);
 }
 
 static long
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_channels.c b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_channels.c
index b41f30ae2..8b56415ff 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_channels.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_channels.c
@@ -287,7 +287,6 @@ s_play_f (void *_snd)
 			dsprintf (name, "%s", Cmd_Argv (i));
 		}
 		sfx = SND_PrecacheSound (snd, name->str);
-		printf ("%s %p\n", name->str, sfx);
 		SND_StartSound (snd, hash++, 0, sfx, listener_origin, 1.0, 1.0);
 		i++;
 	}
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mem.c b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mem.c
index d9715a9f8..4d4c5f2f4 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mem.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mem.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ SND_Memory_AllocBuffer (unsigned samples)
 	// +4 for sentinel
 	sfxbuffer_t *buffer = Z_TagMalloc (snd_zone, size + 4, 1);
 	// place a sentinel at the end of the buffer for added safety
-	memcpy ((byte *) buffer->data + size, "\xde\xad\xbe\xef", 4);
+	memcpy (&buffer->data[samples], "\xde\xad\xbe\xef", 4);
 	// clear buffer header
 	memset (buffer, 0, sizeof (sfxbuffer_t));
 	return buffer;
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ snd_open_fail (sfx_t *sfx)
 sfxbuffer_t *
 SND_CacheTouch (sfx_t *sfx)
 {
-	return Cache_Check (&sfx->data.block->cache);
+	return sfx->data.block->buffer;
 }
 
 sfxbuffer_t *
@@ -165,29 +165,12 @@ SND_CacheGetBuffer (sfx_t *sfx)
 sfxbuffer_t *
 SND_CacheRetain (sfx_t *sfx)
 {
-	sfxblock_t *block = sfx->data.block;
-	block->buffer = Cache_TryGet (&block->cache);
-	if (!block->buffer)
-		Sys_Printf ("failed to cache sound!\n");
-	return block->buffer;
+	return sfx->data.block->buffer;
 }
 
 void
 SND_CacheRelease (sfx_t *sfx)
 {
-	sfxblock_t *block = sfx->data.block;
-	// due to the possibly asynchronous nature of the mixer, the cache
-	// may have been flushed behind our backs
-	if (block->cache.data) {
-		if (!Cache_ReadLock (&block->cache)) {
-			Sys_Printf ("WARNING: taniwha screwed up in the sound engine: %s\n",
-						sfx->name);
-			return;
-		}
-		Cache_Release (&block->cache);
-		if (!Cache_ReadLock (&block->cache))
-			block->buffer = 0;
-	}
 }
 
 sfxbuffer_t *
@@ -420,25 +403,3 @@ bail:
 		free (realname);
 	return -1;
 }
-
-sfxbuffer_t *
-SND_GetCache (long frames, int rate, int channels,
-			  sfxblock_t *block, cache_allocator_t allocator)
-{
-	int         len, size;
-	float		stepscale;
-	sfxbuffer_t *sb;
-	sfx_t      *sfx = block->sfx;
-	snd_t      *snd = sfx->snd;
-
-	stepscale = (float) rate / snd->speed;
-	len = size = frames / stepscale;
-	size *= sizeof (float) * channels;
-	sb = allocator (&block->cache, sizeof (sfxbuffer_t) + size, sfx->name);
-	if (!sb)
-		return 0;
-	memset (sb, 0, sizeof (sfxbuffer_t) + size);
-	sb->size = len;
-	memcpy (sb->data + len * channels, "\xde\xad\xbe\xef", 4);
-	return sb;
-}
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_resample.c b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_resample.c
index c243df764..97f4acbc4 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_resample.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_resample.c
@@ -62,6 +62,16 @@ check_buffer_integrity (sfxbuffer_t *sb, int width, const char *func)
 				   x[0], x[1], x[2], x[3]);
 }
 
+unsigned
+SND_ResamplerFrames (sfx_t *sfx)
+{
+	wavinfo_t  *info = sfx->wavinfo (sfx);
+	snd_t      *snd = sfx->snd;
+	int         inrate = info->rate;
+	double      stepscale = (double) snd->speed / inrate;
+	return info->frames * stepscale;
+}
+
 void
 SND_Resample (sfxbuffer_t *sb, float *data, int length)
 {
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_sfx.c b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_sfx.c
index 3b63fde76..b801a94a0 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_sfx.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_sfx.c
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ snd_sfx_free (void *_sfx, void *unused)
 }
 
 void
-SND_SFX_Cache (sfx_t *sfx, char *realname, wavinfo_t info,
-			   cache_loader_t loader)
+SND_SFX_Block (sfx_t *sfx, char *realname, wavinfo_t info,
+			   sfxbuffer_t *(*load) (sfxblock_t *block))
 {
 	sfxblock_t *block = calloc (1, sizeof (sfxblock_t));
 
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@ SND_SFX_Cache (sfx_t *sfx, char *realname, wavinfo_t info,
 	block->sfx = sfx;
 	block->file = realname;
 	block->wavinfo = info;
-
-	Cache_Add (&block->cache, block, loader);
+	block->buffer = load (block);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/vorbis.c b/libs/audio/renderer/vorbis.c
index 2d1060e02..8c51660df 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/vorbis.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/vorbis.c
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ vorbis_read (OggVorbis_File *vf, float *buf, int len, wavinfo_t *info)
 }
 
 static sfxbuffer_t *
-vorbis_load (OggVorbis_File *vf, sfxblock_t *block, cache_allocator_t allocator)
+vorbis_load (OggVorbis_File *vf, sfxblock_t *block)
 {
 	float      *data;
 	sfxbuffer_t *sb = 0;
@@ -170,10 +170,11 @@ vorbis_load (OggVorbis_File *vf, sfxblock_t *block, cache_allocator_t allocator)
 	data = malloc (info->datalen);
 	if (!data)
 		goto bail;
-	sb = SND_GetCache (info->frames, info->rate, info->channels,
-					   block, allocator);
+	unsigned    buffer_frames = SND_ResamplerFrames (sfx);
+	sb = SND_Memory_AllocBuffer (buffer_frames * info->channels);
 	if (!sb)
 		goto bail;
+	sb->size = buffer_frames * info->channels;
 	sb->sfx = sfx;
 	if (vorbis_read (vf, data, info->frames, info) < 0)
 		goto bail;
@@ -188,31 +189,29 @@ vorbis_load (OggVorbis_File *vf, sfxblock_t *block, cache_allocator_t allocator)
 	return sb;
 }
 
-static void
-vorbis_callback_load (void *object, cache_allocator_t allocator)
+static sfxbuffer_t *
+vorbis_callback_load (sfxblock_t *block)
 {
 	QFile      *file;
 	OggVorbis_File vf;
 
-	sfxblock_t *block = (sfxblock_t *) object;
-
 	file = QFS_FOpenFile (block->file);
 	if (!file)
-		return; //FIXME Sys_Error?
+		return 0;
 
 	if (ov_open_callbacks (file, &vf, 0, 0, callbacks) < 0) {
 		Sys_Printf ("Input does not appear to be an Ogg bitstream.\n");
 		Qclose (file);
-		return; //FIXME Sys_Error?
+		return 0;
 	}
-	vorbis_load (&vf, block, allocator);
+	return vorbis_load (&vf, block);
 }
 
 static void
 vorbis_cache (sfx_t *sfx, char *realname, OggVorbis_File *vf, wavinfo_t info)
 {
 	ov_clear (vf);
-	SND_SFX_Cache (sfx, realname, info, vorbis_callback_load);
+	SND_SFX_Block (sfx, realname, info, vorbis_callback_load);
 }
 
 static long
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/wav.c b/libs/audio/renderer/wav.c
index 59379f295..fd27b2af7 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/wav.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/wav.c
@@ -54,10 +54,9 @@ typedef struct {
 	QFile      *file;
 } wav_file_t;
 
-static void
-wav_callback_load (void *object, cache_allocator_t allocator)
+static sfxbuffer_t *
+wav_callback_load (sfxblock_t *block)
 {
-	sfxblock_t *block = (sfxblock_t *) object;
 	sfx_t      *sfx = block->sfx;
 	const char *name = (const char *) block->file;
 	QFile      *file;
@@ -69,7 +68,7 @@ wav_callback_load (void *object, cache_allocator_t allocator)
 
 	file = QFS_FOpenFile (name);
 	if (!file)
-		return; //FIXME Sys_Error?
+		return 0;
 
 	Qseek (file, info->dataofs, SEEK_SET);
 	fdata_ofs = (info->datalen + sizeof (float) - 1) & ~(sizeof (float) - 1);
@@ -81,21 +80,23 @@ wav_callback_load (void *object, cache_allocator_t allocator)
 
 	SND_Convert (data, fdata, info->frames, info->channels, info->width);
 
-	buffer = SND_GetCache (info->frames, info->rate,
-						   info->channels, block, allocator);
+	unsigned    buffer_frames = SND_ResamplerFrames (sfx);
+	buffer = SND_Memory_AllocBuffer (buffer_frames * info->channels);
+	buffer->size = buffer_frames * info->channels;
 	buffer->sfx = sfx;
 	SND_SetPaint (buffer);
 	SND_SetupResampler (buffer, 0);
 	SND_Resample (buffer, fdata, info->frames);
 	buffer->head = buffer->size;
 	free (data);
+	return buffer;
 }
 
 static void
 wav_cache (sfx_t *sfx, char *realname, void *file, wavinfo_t info)
 {
 	Qclose (file);
-	SND_SFX_Cache (sfx, realname, info, wav_callback_load);
+	SND_SFX_Block (sfx, realname, info, wav_callback_load);
 }
 
 static long