Systems and methods for reducing audio delay for mixed mode delivery of audio transmissions. One example system includes a communication interface communicatively coupled to a communication network, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is coupled to the communication interface, and configured to receive, via the communication interface, a group call request for a talkgroup. The electronic processor is configured to transmit, in response to receiving the group call request, a call grant message to a plurality of subscriber units affiliated with the talkgroup. The electronic processor is configured to determine, using a machine learning algorithm, a subset of the plurality of subscriber units based on a call grant response time, and, while a transmission hold-off timer has not expired, when a call grant response has been received from each of the subscriber units of the subset, forward an audio transmission to the subset based on the group call request.