diff --git a/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.h b/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.h
index d69d6a2..d2ded9a 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.h
+++ b/services/audioflinger/AudioFlinger.h
@@ -82,9 +82,6 @@
 
 static const nsecs_t kDefaultStandbyTimeInNsecs = seconds(3);
 
-#define MAX_GAIN 4096.0f
-#define MAX_GAIN_INT 0x1000
-
 #define INCLUDING_FROM_AUDIOFLINGER_H
 
 class AudioFlinger :
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/AudioMixer.h b/services/audioflinger/AudioMixer.h
index e5e120c..09e63a6 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/AudioMixer.h
+++ b/services/audioflinger/AudioMixer.h
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@
 #include <system/audio.h>
 #include <media/nbaio/NBLog.h>
 
+// FIXME This is actually unity gain, which might not be max in future, expressed in U.12
+#define MAX_GAIN_INT AudioMixer::UNITY_GAIN
+
 namespace android {
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -91,6 +94,7 @@
         REMOVE          = 0x4102, // Remove the sample rate converter on this track name;
                                   // the track is restored to the mix sample rate.
         // for target RAMP_VOLUME and VOLUME (8 channels max)
+        // FIXME use float for these 3 to improve the dynamic range
         VOLUME0         = 0x4200,
         VOLUME1         = 0x4201,
         AUXLEVEL        = 0x4210,
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/Effects.h b/services/audioflinger/Effects.h
index ccc4825..4170fd4 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/Effects.h
+++ b/services/audioflinger/Effects.h
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@
     sp<EffectModule> getEffectFromDesc_l(effect_descriptor_t *descriptor);
     sp<EffectModule> getEffectFromId_l(int id);
     sp<EffectModule> getEffectFromType_l(const effect_uuid_t *type);
+    // FIXME use float to improve the dynamic range
     bool setVolume_l(uint32_t *left, uint32_t *right);
     void setDevice_l(audio_devices_t device);
     void setMode_l(audio_mode_t mode);
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/FastMixer.cpp b/services/audioflinger/FastMixer.cpp
index 5cb42cc..42ba791 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/FastMixer.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/FastMixer.cpp
@@ -257,9 +257,9 @@
                     mixer->setBufferProvider(name, bufferProvider);
                     if (fastTrack->mVolumeProvider == NULL) {
                         mixer->setParameter(name, AudioMixer::VOLUME, AudioMixer::VOLUME0,
-                                (void *)0x1000);
+                                (void *) MAX_GAIN_INT);
                         mixer->setParameter(name, AudioMixer::VOLUME, AudioMixer::VOLUME1,
-                                (void *)0x1000);
+                                (void *) MAX_GAIN_INT);
                     }
                     mixer->setParameter(name, AudioMixer::RESAMPLE,
                             AudioMixer::REMOVE, NULL);
@@ -312,11 +312,13 @@
             int name = fastTrackNames[i];
             ALOG_ASSERT(name >= 0);
             if (fastTrack->mVolumeProvider != NULL) {
-                uint32_t vlr = fastTrack->mVolumeProvider->getVolumeLR();
+                gain_minifloat_packed_t vlr = fastTrack->mVolumeProvider->getVolumeLR();
                 mixer->setParameter(name, AudioMixer::VOLUME, AudioMixer::VOLUME0,
-                        (void *)(uintptr_t)(vlr & 0xFFFF));
+                        (void *) (uintptr_t)
+                            (float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_left(vlr)) * MAX_GAIN_INT));
                 mixer->setParameter(name, AudioMixer::VOLUME, AudioMixer::VOLUME1,
-                        (void *)(uintptr_t)(vlr >> 16));
+                        (void *) (uintptr_t)
+                            (float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_right(vlr)) * MAX_GAIN_INT));
             }
             // FIXME The current implementation of framesReady() for fast tracks
             // takes a tryLock, which can block
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/FastMixerState.h b/services/audioflinger/FastMixerState.h
index be1a376..e388fb3 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/FastMixerState.h
+++ b/services/audioflinger/FastMixerState.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #ifndef ANDROID_AUDIO_FAST_MIXER_STATE_H
 #define ANDROID_AUDIO_FAST_MIXER_STATE_H
 
+#include <audio_utils/minifloat.h>
 #include <system/audio.h>
 #include <media/ExtendedAudioBufferProvider.h>
 #include <media/nbaio/NBAIO.h>
@@ -29,9 +30,8 @@
 
 class VolumeProvider {
 public:
-    // Return the track volume in U4_12 format: left in lower half, right in upper half. The
-    // provider implementation is responsible for validating that the return value is in range.
-    virtual uint32_t getVolumeLR() = 0;
+    // The provider implementation is responsible for validating that the return value is in range.
+    virtual gain_minifloat_packed_t getVolumeLR() = 0;
 protected:
     VolumeProvider() { }
     virtual ~VolumeProvider() { }
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/PlaybackTracks.h b/services/audioflinger/PlaybackTracks.h
index 08b1728..6f1f293 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/PlaybackTracks.h
+++ b/services/audioflinger/PlaybackTracks.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
             void        signal();
 
 // implement FastMixerState::VolumeProvider interface
-    virtual uint32_t    getVolumeLR();
+    virtual gain_minifloat_packed_t getVolumeLR();
 
     virtual status_t    setSyncEvent(const sp<SyncEvent>& event);
 
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp b/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp
index 2d4e025..5cb6a09 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/Threads.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include <audio_effects/effect_aec.h>
 #include <audio_utils/primitives.h>
 #include <audio_utils/format.h>
+#include <audio_utils/minifloat.h>
 
 // NBAIO implementations
 #include <media/nbaio/AudioStreamOutSink.h>
@@ -3255,21 +3256,23 @@
                 float typeVolume = mStreamTypes[track->streamType()].volume;
                 float v = masterVolume * typeVolume;
                 AudioTrackServerProxy *proxy = track->mAudioTrackServerProxy;
-                uint32_t vlr = proxy->getVolumeLR();
-                vl = vlr & 0xFFFF;
-                vr = vlr >> 16;
+                gain_minifloat_packed_t vlr = proxy->getVolumeLR();
+                float vlf = float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_left(vlr));
+                float vrf = float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_right(vlr));
                 // track volumes come from shared memory, so can't be trusted and must be clamped
-                if (vl > MAX_GAIN_INT) {
-                    ALOGV("Track left volume out of range: %04X", vl);
-                    vl = MAX_GAIN_INT;
+                if (vlf > GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY) {
+                    ALOGV("Track left volume out of range: %.3g", vlf);
+                    vlf = GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY;
                 }
-                if (vr > MAX_GAIN_INT) {
-                    ALOGV("Track right volume out of range: %04X", vr);
-                    vr = MAX_GAIN_INT;
+                if (vrf > GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY) {
+                    ALOGV("Track right volume out of range: %.3g", vrf);
+                    vrf = GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY;
                 }
                 // now apply the master volume and stream type volume
-                vl = (uint32_t)(v * vl) << 12;
-                vr = (uint32_t)(v * vr) << 12;
+                // FIXME we're losing the wonderful dynamic range in the minifloat representation
+                float v8_24 = v * (MAX_GAIN_INT * MAX_GAIN_INT);
+                vl = (uint32_t) (v8_24 * vlf);
+                vr = (uint32_t) (v8_24 * vrf);
                 // assuming master volume and stream type volume each go up to 1.0,
                 // vl and vr are now in 8.24 format
 
@@ -3296,6 +3299,7 @@
                 track->mHasVolumeController = false;
             }
 
+            // FIXME Use float
             // Convert volumes from 8.24 to 4.12 format
             // This additional clamping is needed in case chain->setVolume_l() overshot
             vl = (vl + (1 << 11)) >> 12;
@@ -3750,13 +3754,17 @@
         float typeVolume = mStreamTypes[track->streamType()].volume;
         float v = mMasterVolume * typeVolume;
         AudioTrackServerProxy *proxy = track->mAudioTrackServerProxy;
-        uint32_t vlr = proxy->getVolumeLR();
-        float v_clamped = v * (vlr & 0xFFFF);
-        if (v_clamped > MAX_GAIN) v_clamped = MAX_GAIN;
-        left = v_clamped/MAX_GAIN;
-        v_clamped = v * (vlr >> 16);
-        if (v_clamped > MAX_GAIN) v_clamped = MAX_GAIN;
-        right = v_clamped/MAX_GAIN;
+        gain_minifloat_packed_t vlr = proxy->getVolumeLR();
+        left = float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_left(vlr));
+        if (left > GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY) {
+            left = GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY;
+        }
+        left *= v;
+        right = float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_right(vlr));
+        if (right > GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY) {
+            right = GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY;
+        }
+        right *= v;
     }
 
     if (lastTrack) {
diff --git a/services/audioflinger/Tracks.cpp b/services/audioflinger/Tracks.cpp
index 6dc7f30..08687a2 100644
--- a/services/audioflinger/Tracks.cpp
+++ b/services/audioflinger/Tracks.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 
 #include <media/nbaio/Pipe.h>
 #include <media/nbaio/PipeReader.h>
+#include <audio_utils/minifloat.h>
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -459,7 +460,7 @@
 
 void AudioFlinger::PlaybackThread::Track::dump(char* buffer, size_t size, bool active)
 {
-    uint32_t vlr = mAudioTrackServerProxy->getVolumeLR();
+    gain_minifloat_packed_t vlr = mAudioTrackServerProxy->getVolumeLR();
     if (isFastTrack()) {
         sprintf(buffer, "    F %2d", mFastIndex);
     } else if (mName >= AudioMixer::TRACK0) {
@@ -532,8 +533,8 @@
             stateChar,
             mFillingUpStatus,
             mAudioTrackServerProxy->getSampleRate(),
-            20.0 * log10((vlr & 0xFFFF) / 4096.0),
-            20.0 * log10((vlr >> 16) / 4096.0),
+            20.0 * log10(float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_left(vlr))),
+            20.0 * log10(float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_right(vlr))),
             mCblk->mServer,
             mMainBuffer,
             mAuxBuffer,
@@ -959,27 +960,27 @@
 
 // implement VolumeBufferProvider interface
 
-uint32_t AudioFlinger::PlaybackThread::Track::getVolumeLR()
+gain_minifloat_packed_t AudioFlinger::PlaybackThread::Track::getVolumeLR()
 {
     // called by FastMixer, so not allowed to take any locks, block, or do I/O including logs
     ALOG_ASSERT(isFastTrack() && (mCblk != NULL));
-    uint32_t vlr = mAudioTrackServerProxy->getVolumeLR();
-    uint32_t vl = vlr & 0xFFFF;
-    uint32_t vr = vlr >> 16;
+    gain_minifloat_packed_t vlr = mAudioTrackServerProxy->getVolumeLR();
+    float vl = float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_left(vlr));
+    float vr = float_from_gain(gain_minifloat_unpack_right(vlr));
     // track volumes come from shared memory, so can't be trusted and must be clamped
-    if (vl > MAX_GAIN_INT) {
-        vl = MAX_GAIN_INT;
+    if (vl > GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY) {
+        vl = GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY;
     }
-    if (vr > MAX_GAIN_INT) {
-        vr = MAX_GAIN_INT;
+    if (vr > GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY) {
+        vr = GAIN_FLOAT_UNITY;
     }
     // now apply the cached master volume and stream type volume;
     // this is trusted but lacks any synchronization or barrier so may be stale
     float v = mCachedVolume;
     vl *= v;
     vr *= v;
-    // re-combine into U4.16
-    vlr = (vr << 16) | (vl & 0xFFFF);
+    // re-combine into packed minifloat
+    vlr = gain_minifloat_pack(gain_from_float(vl), gain_from_float(vr));
     // FIXME look at mute, pause, and stop flags
     return vlr;
 }
@@ -1590,7 +1591,7 @@
         // since client and server are in the same process,
         // the buffer has the same virtual address on both sides
         mClientProxy = new AudioTrackClientProxy(mCblk, mBuffer, mFrameCount, mFrameSize);
-        mClientProxy->setVolumeLR((uint32_t(uint16_t(0x1000)) << 16) | uint16_t(0x1000));
+        mClientProxy->setVolumeLR(GAIN_MINIFLOAT_PACKED_UNITY);
         mClientProxy->setSendLevel(0.0);
         mClientProxy->setSampleRate(sampleRate);
         mClientProxy = new AudioTrackClientProxy(mCblk, mBuffer, mFrameCount, mFrameSize,