diff --git a/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp
index fc54a04a5e..7a1d8edccd 100644
--- a/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp
+++ b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp
@@ -224,13 +224,18 @@ AudioClient::AudioClient() :
     // start a thread to detect any device changes
     _checkDevicesTimer = new QTimer(this);
     connect(_checkDevicesTimer, &QTimer::timeout, [this] {
-        QtConcurrent::run(QThreadPool::globalInstance(), [this] {
-            checkDevices();
-        });
+        QtConcurrent::run(QThreadPool::globalInstance(), [this] { checkDevices(); });
     });
     const unsigned long DEVICE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MSECS = 2 * 1000;
     _checkDevicesTimer->start(DEVICE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MSECS);
 
+    // start a thread to detect peak value changes
+    _checkPeakValuesTimer = new QTimer(this);
+    connect(_checkPeakValuesTimer, &QTimer::timeout, [this] {
+        QtConcurrent::run(QThreadPool::globalInstance(), [this] { checkPeakValues(); });
+    });
+    const unsigned long PEAK_VALUES_CHECK_INTERVAL_SECS = 50;
+
 
     configureReverb();
 
@@ -262,6 +267,7 @@ void AudioClient::cleanupBeforeQuit() {
     stop();
 
     _checkDevicesTimer->stop();
+    _checkPeakValuesTimer->stop();
 }
 
 void AudioClient::handleMismatchAudioFormat(SharedNodePointer node, const QString& currentCodec, const QString& recievedCodec) {
diff --git a/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.h b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.h
index 54ce3aa6c2..79e82526c6 100644
--- a/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.h
+++ b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.h
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ public:
     QAudioDeviceInfo getActiveAudioDevice(QAudio::Mode mode) const;
     QList<QAudioDeviceInfo> getAudioDevices(QAudio::Mode mode) const;
 
+    void enablePeakValues(bool enable) { _enablePeakValues = enable; }
+
     static const float CALLBACK_ACCELERATOR_RATIO;
 
     bool getNamedAudioDeviceForModeExists(QAudio::Mode mode, const QString& deviceName);
@@ -220,6 +222,7 @@ signals:
 
     void deviceChanged(QAudio::Mode mode, const QAudioDeviceInfo& device);
     void devicesChanged(QAudio::Mode mode, const QList<QAudioDeviceInfo>& devices);
+    void peakValueListChanged(const QList<float> peakValueList);
 
     void receivedFirstPacket();
     void disconnected();
@@ -238,9 +241,12 @@ private:
     friend class CheckDevicesThread;
     friend class LocalInjectorsThread;
 
+    // background tasks
+    void checkDevices();
+    void checkPeakValues();
+
     void outputFormatChanged();
     void handleAudioInput(QByteArray& audioBuffer);
-    void checkDevices();
     void prepareLocalAudioInjectors(std::unique_ptr<Lock> localAudioLock = nullptr);
     bool mixLocalAudioInjectors(float* mixBuffer);
     float azimuthForSource(const glm::vec3& relativePosition);
@@ -293,6 +299,7 @@ private:
     std::atomic<bool> _localInjectorsAvailable { false };
     MixedProcessedAudioStream _receivedAudioStream;
     bool _isStereoInput;
+    std::atomic<bool> _enablePeakValues { false };
 
     quint64 _outputStarveDetectionStartTimeMsec;
     int _outputStarveDetectionCount;
@@ -391,6 +398,7 @@ private:
     RateCounter<> _audioInbound;
 
     QTimer* _checkDevicesTimer { nullptr };
+    QTimer* _checkPeakValuesTimer { nullptr };
 };
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioPeakValues.cpp b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioPeakValues.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..021f23b907
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioPeakValues.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+//
+//  AudioPeakValues.cpp
+//  interface/src
+//
+//  Created by Zach Pomerantz on 6/26/2017
+//  Copyright 2013 High Fidelity, Inc.
+//
+//  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+//  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+//
+
+#include "AudioClient.h"
+
+void AudioClient::checkPeakValues() {
+    // TODO
+}