diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/analogio/AnalogOut.c b/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/analogio/AnalogOut.c
index 38064ec67d3a2..2fc1629c55635 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/analogio/AnalogOut.c
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/analogio/AnalogOut.c
@@ -155,11 +155,7 @@ void common_hal_analogio_analogout_set_value(analogio_analogout_obj_t *self,
 }
 
 void analogout_reset(void) {
-    // audioout_reset also resets the DAC, and does a smooth ramp down to avoid clicks
-    // if it was enabled, so do that instead if AudioOut is enabled.
-    #if CIRCUITPY_AUDIOIO
-    audioout_reset();
-    #elif HAVE_ANALOGOUT
+    #if HAVE_ANALOGOUT
     #ifdef SAMD21
     while (DAC->STATUS.reg & DAC_STATUS_SYNCBUSY) {
     }
diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/audioio/AudioOut.c b/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/audioio/AudioOut.c
index c4e26c0f7d422..0f1884a9002d9 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/audioio/AudioOut.c
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/audioio/AudioOut.c
@@ -96,26 +96,6 @@ static void ramp_value(uint16_t start, uint16_t end) {
 }
 #endif
 
-void audioout_reset(void) {
-    #if defined(SAMD21) && !defined(PIN_PA02)
-    return;
-    #endif
-    #ifdef SAMD21
-    while (DAC->STATUS.reg & DAC_STATUS_SYNCBUSY) {
-    }
-    #endif
-    #ifdef SAM_D5X_E5X
-    while (DAC->SYNCBUSY.reg & DAC_SYNCBUSY_SWRST) {
-    }
-    #endif
-    if (DAC->CTRLA.bit.ENABLE) {
-        ramp_value(0x8000, 0);
-    }
-    DAC->CTRLA.reg |= DAC_CTRLA_SWRST;
-
-    // TODO(tannewt): Turn off the DAC clocks to save power.
-}
-
 // Caller validates that pins are free.
 void common_hal_audioio_audioout_construct(audioio_audioout_obj_t *self,
     const mcu_pin_obj_t *left_channel, const mcu_pin_obj_t *right_channel, uint16_t quiescent_value) {
@@ -231,22 +211,16 @@ void common_hal_audioio_audioout_construct(audioio_audioout_obj_t *self,
     }
     #endif
 
+
     // Use a timer to coordinate when DAC conversions occur.
-    Tc *t = NULL;
-    uint8_t tc_index = TC_INST_NUM;
-    for (uint8_t i = TC_INST_NUM; i > 0; i--) {
-        if (tc_insts[i - 1]->COUNT16.CTRLA.bit.ENABLE == 0) {
-            t = tc_insts[i - 1];
-            tc_index = i - 1;
-            break;
-        }
-    }
-    if (t == NULL) {
+    uint8_t tc_index = find_free_timer();
+    if (tc_index == 0xFF) {
         common_hal_audioio_audioout_deinit(self);
         mp_raise_RuntimeError(MP_ERROR_TEXT("All timers in use"));
         return;
     }
     self->tc_index = tc_index;
+    Tc *t = tc_insts[tc_index];
 
     // Use the 48MHz clocks on both the SAMD21 and 51 because we will be going much slower.
     uint8_t tc_gclk = 0;
@@ -322,10 +296,6 @@ void common_hal_audioio_audioout_deinit(audioio_audioout_obj_t *self) {
         common_hal_audioio_audioout_stop(self);
     }
 
-    // Ramp the DAC down.
-    ramp_value(self->quiescent_value, 0);
-
-    DAC->CTRLA.bit.ENABLE = 0;
     #ifdef SAMD21
     while (DAC->STATUS.bit.SYNCBUSY == 1) {
     }
@@ -335,6 +305,15 @@ void common_hal_audioio_audioout_deinit(audioio_audioout_obj_t *self) {
     }
     #endif
 
+    // Ramp the DAC down.
+    ramp_value(self->quiescent_value, 0);
+
+    DAC->CTRLA.reg |= DAC_CTRLA_SWRST;
+
+    // TODO(tannewt): Turn off the DAC clocks to save power.
+
+    DAC->CTRLA.bit.ENABLE = 0;
+
     disable_event_channel(self->tc_to_dac_event_channel);
 
     tc_set_enable(tc_insts[self->tc_index], false);
diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/audioio/AudioOut.h b/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/audioio/AudioOut.h
index 956839969ff5f..207344c04e5e9 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/audioio/AudioOut.h
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/audioio/AudioOut.h
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ typedef struct {
     uint16_t quiescent_value;
 } audioio_audioout_obj_t;
 
-void audioout_reset(void);
-
 void audioout_background(void);
 
 #endif // MICROPY_INCLUDED_ATMEL_SAMD_COMMON_HAL_AUDIOIO_AUDIOOUT_H
diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/supervisor/port.c b/ports/atmel-samd/supervisor/port.c
index 6233fac53d695..42445030b28cd 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/supervisor/port.c
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/supervisor/port.c
@@ -386,7 +386,6 @@ void reset_port(void) {
 
     #if CIRCUITPY_AUDIOIO
     audio_dma_reset();
-    audioout_reset();
     #endif
 
     #if CIRCUITPY_AUDIOBUSIO
diff --git a/ports/mimxrt10xx/supervisor/port.c b/ports/mimxrt10xx/supervisor/port.c
index 628a2fdb842e9..7c7fec3a00135 100644
--- a/ports/mimxrt10xx/supervisor/port.c
+++ b/ports/mimxrt10xx/supervisor/port.c
@@ -453,8 +453,8 @@ void reset_port(void) {
 
     #if CIRCUITPY_AUDIOIO
     audio_dma_reset();
-    audioout_reset();
     #endif
+
     #if CIRCUITPY_AUDIOBUSIO
     i2s_reset();
     #endif
diff --git a/shared-bindings/audioio/AudioOut.c b/shared-bindings/audioio/AudioOut.c
index 4c7231c0ce1c8..a9676859c4ee2 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/audioio/AudioOut.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/audioio/AudioOut.c
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t audioio_audioout_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_ar
         validate_obj_is_free_pin_or_none(args[ARG_right_channel].u_obj, MP_QSTR_right_channel);
 
     // create AudioOut object from the given pin
-    audioio_audioout_obj_t *self = mp_obj_malloc(audioio_audioout_obj_t, &audioio_audioout_type);
+    audioio_audioout_obj_t *self = m_new_obj_with_finaliser(audioio_audioout_obj_t);
+    self->base.type = &audioio_audioout_type;
     common_hal_audioio_audioout_construct(self, left_channel_pin, right_channel_pin, args[ARG_quiescent_value].u_int);
 
     return MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(self);
@@ -244,6 +245,7 @@ MP_PROPERTY_GETTER(audioio_audioout_paused_obj,
 
 STATIC const mp_rom_map_elem_t audioio_audioout_locals_dict_table[] = {
     // Methods
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR___del__), MP_ROM_PTR(&audioio_audioout_deinit_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_deinit), MP_ROM_PTR(&audioio_audioout_deinit_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR___enter__), MP_ROM_PTR(&default___enter___obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR___exit__), MP_ROM_PTR(&audioio_audioout___exit___obj) },