A method of buffering audio data in an audio playback system that is adapted to receive and playback separate, discrete audio files from one or more audio sources, where the audio files comprise audio data, and where the audio playback system comprises a master device that receives audio files from a source, buffers the received audio data, and distributes the buffered audio data to one or more active slave audio playback devices. The master device requests a first audio file from an audio source, receives the first audio file, buffers audio data from the first audio file, and sends buffered audio data from the first audio file to one or more active slave audio playback devices. During playback of the audio data from the first audio file, the master device requests a second audio file from an audio source, receives the second audio file, buffers audio data from the second audio file, and sends buffered audio data from the second audio file to one or more active slave audio playback devices.