diff --git a/src/mixer.cpp b/src/mixer.cpp
index 0e92cd5333..ec46d786e3 100644
--- a/src/mixer.cpp
+++ b/src/mixer.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 struct MixerChannel {
 	/* pointer to allocated buffer memory */
-	std::shared_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> memory;
+	std::shared_ptr<std::vector<std::byte>> memory;
 
 	/* current position in memory */
 	uint32_t pos;
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ MixerChannel *MxAllocateChannel()
 	return mc;
 }
 
-void MxSetChannelRawSrc(MixerChannel *mc, const std::shared_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> &mem, uint rate, bool is16bit)
+void MxSetChannelRawSrc(MixerChannel *mc, const std::shared_ptr<std::vector<std::byte>> &mem, uint rate, bool is16bit)
 {
 	mc->memory = mem;
 	mc->frac_pos = 0;
diff --git a/src/mixer.h b/src/mixer.h
index 265725696e..707967d234 100644
--- a/src/mixer.h
+++ b/src/mixer.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ bool MxInitialize(uint rate);
 void MxMixSamples(void *buffer, uint samples);
 
 MixerChannel *MxAllocateChannel();
-void MxSetChannelRawSrc(MixerChannel *mc, const std::shared_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> &mem, uint rate, bool is16bit);
+void MxSetChannelRawSrc(MixerChannel *mc, const std::shared_ptr<std::vector<std::byte>> &mem, uint rate, bool is16bit);
 void MxSetChannelVolume(MixerChannel *mc, uint volume, float pan);
 void MxActivateChannel(MixerChannel*);
 void MxCloseAllChannels();
diff --git a/src/sound_type.h b/src/sound_type.h
index 8a2fa0140b..6c52ddc1cb 100644
--- a/src/sound_type.h
+++ b/src/sound_type.h
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ enum class SoundSource : uint8_t {
 };
 
 struct SoundEntry {
-	std::shared_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> data;
+	std::shared_ptr<std::vector<std::byte>> data;
 	class RandomAccessFile *file;
 	size_t file_offset;
 	size_t file_size;
diff --git a/src/soundloader.cpp b/src/soundloader.cpp
index 4503392cbf..96405435fb 100644
--- a/src/soundloader.cpp
+++ b/src/soundloader.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ bool LoadSoundData(SoundEntry &sound, bool new_format, SoundID sound_id, const s
 	if (sound.file_size == 0 || sound.file_size > SIZE_MAX - 2) return false;
 
 	size_t pos = sound.file->GetPos();
-	sound.data = std::make_shared<std::vector<uint8_t>>();
+	sound.data = std::make_shared<std::vector<std::byte>>();
 	for (auto &loader : ProviderManager<SoundLoader>::GetProviders()) {
 		sound.file->SeekTo(pos, SEEK_SET);
 		if (loader->Load(sound, new_format, *sound.data)) break;
diff --git a/src/soundloader_opus.cpp b/src/soundloader_opus.cpp
index 72efd806e9..5a9645759b 100644
--- a/src/soundloader_opus.cpp
+++ b/src/soundloader_opus.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public:
 	static constexpr size_t DECODE_BUFFER_SAMPLES = 5760 * 2;
 	static constexpr size_t DECODE_BUFFER_BYTES = DECODE_BUFFER_SAMPLES * sizeof(opus_int16);
 
-	bool Load(SoundEntry &sound, bool new_format, std::vector<uint8_t> &data) override
+	bool Load(SoundEntry &sound, bool new_format, std::vector<std::byte> &data) override
 	{
 		if (!new_format) return false;
 
diff --git a/src/soundloader_raw.cpp b/src/soundloader_raw.cpp
index 7a5cea2edc..a1d71ed035 100644
--- a/src/soundloader_raw.cpp
+++ b/src/soundloader_raw.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public:
 	static constexpr uint16_t RAW_SAMPLE_RATE = 11025; ///< Sample rate of raw pcm samples.
 	static constexpr uint8_t RAW_SAMPLE_BITS = 8; ///< Bit depths of raw pcm samples.
 
-	bool Load(SoundEntry &sound, bool new_format, std::vector<uint8_t> &data) override
+	bool Load(SoundEntry &sound, bool new_format, std::vector<std::byte> &data) override
 	{
 		/* Raw sounds are apecial case for the jackhammer sound (name in Windows sample.cat is "Corrupt sound")
 		 * It's not a RIFF file, but raw PCM data.
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public:
 
 		/* Convert 8-bit samples from unsigned to signed. */
 		for (auto &sample : data) {
-			sample = sample - 128;
+			sample ^= std::byte{0x80};
 		}
 
 		return true;
diff --git a/src/soundloader_type.h b/src/soundloader_type.h
index 978a1b94b6..2f00cc8284 100644
--- a/src/soundloader_type.h
+++ b/src/soundloader_type.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public:
 		ProviderManager<SoundLoader>::Unregister(*this);
 	}
 
-	virtual bool Load(SoundEntry &sound, bool new_format, std::vector<uint8_t> &data) = 0;
+	virtual bool Load(SoundEntry &sound, bool new_format, std::vector<std::byte> &data) = 0;
 };
 
 #endif /* SOUNDLOADER_TYPE_H */
diff --git a/src/soundloader_wav.cpp b/src/soundloader_wav.cpp
index 1f968ab884..d8d915cc6b 100644
--- a/src/soundloader_wav.cpp
+++ b/src/soundloader_wav.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public:
 
 	static constexpr uint16_t DEFAULT_SAMPLE_RATE = 11025;
 
-	bool Load(SoundEntry &sound, bool new_format, std::vector<uint8_t> &data) override
+	bool Load(SoundEntry &sound, bool new_format, std::vector<std::byte> &data) override
 	{
 		RandomAccessFile &file = *sound.file;
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public:
 					case 8:
 						/* Convert 8-bit samples from unsigned to signed. */
 						for (auto &sample : data) {
-							sample = sample - 128;
+							sample ^= std::byte{0x80};
 						}
 						break;