diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 42ae473..613ca81 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+== 8.1.0 2026-02-04
+
+Improvements:
+* Added smart audio channel selection to FFMPEG::CommandArgs.
+
 == 8.1.0-beta.5 2025-10-31
 
 Improvements:
diff --git a/lib/ffmpeg/command_args.rb b/lib/ffmpeg/command_args.rb
index d0b5023..1da8017 100644
--- a/lib/ffmpeg/command_args.rb
+++ b/lib/ffmpeg/command_args.rb
@@ -109,6 +109,16 @@ def audio_sample_rate(target_value)
       super(adjusted_audio_sample_rate(target_value))
     end
 
+    # Sets the audio channels to the minimum of the current audio channels and the target value.
+    #
+    # @param target_value [Integer] The target audio channels.
+    # @return [self]
+    def audio_channels(target_value)
+      return self if target_value.nil?
+
+      super(adjusted_audio_channels(target_value))
+    end
+
     # Returns the minimum of the current frame rate and the target value.
     #
     # @param target_value [Integer, Float] The target frame rate.
@@ -155,6 +165,20 @@ def adjusted_audio_sample_rate(target_value)
       STANDARD_AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATES.min_by { (_1 - media.audio_sample_rate).abs }
     end
 
+    # Returns the minimum of the current audio channels and the target value.
+    # Returns the target value if the current audio channels is nil or zero/negative.
+    # If the media audio channels is lower than the target, returns the current audio channels.
+    #
+    # @param target_value [Integer] The target audio channels.
+    # @return [Integer]
+    def adjusted_audio_channels(target_value)
+      return target_value if media.audio_channels.nil?
+      return target_value if media.audio_channels <= 0
+      return target_value if media.audio_channels > target_value
+
+      media.audio_channels
+    end
+
     private
 
     def min_bit_rate(*values)
diff --git a/lib/ffmpeg/version.rb b/lib/ffmpeg/version.rb
index 261c129..70dd7be 100644
--- a/lib/ffmpeg/version.rb
+++ b/lib/ffmpeg/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module FFMPEG
-  VERSION = '8.1.0-beta.5'
+  VERSION = '8.1.0'
 end