A method includes determining one or more audio characteristics of a first digital signal representing a first portion of streaming media content provided by a media playback application to an audio output component; playing the first portion of the media content into an environment; capturing, by an audio output component, a second digital signal representing the first portion of the media content as played; determining, based on the captured second digital signal, one or more detected audio characteristics of the media content as played into the environment; determining a difference between the one or more audio characteristics of the media content and the one or more detected audio characteristics; calibrating a second portion of the media content based on the difference and based on a determination that the second portion is to be calibrated; and playing, by the audio output component into the environment, the second portion as calibrated.