diff --git a/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/album-dropdown.ts b/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/album-dropdown.ts
index df56233..2402458 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/album-dropdown.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/album-dropdown.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { LitElement, html, css } from 'lit';
+import { LitElement, html, svg, css } from 'lit';
 import { customElement, property } from 'lit/decorators.js';
 import { classMap } from 'lit/directives/class-map.js';
 import type { library } from '@go/models';
@@ -35,6 +35,21 @@ export interface TrackDragStartDetail {
     dataTransfer: DataTransfer | null;
 }
 
+// Inline SVG paths for favorite icons — eliminates wa-icon shadow DOM
+// overhead per visible track row.  Font Awesome 6 paths.
+const FAV_ICONS = {
+    heart: {
+        viewBox: '0 0 512 512',
+        regular: 'M225.8 468.2l-2.5-2.3L48.1 303.2C17.4 274.7 0 234.7 0 192.8v-3.3c0-70.4 50-130.8 119.2-144C158.6 37.9 198.9 47 231 69.6c9 6.3 17.3 13.5 25 21.5c7.7-8 16-15.2 25-21.5c32.1-22.6 72.4-31.7 111.8-24.2C461.5 59.6 512 124.2 512 192.8v3.3c0 41.9-17.4 81.9-48.1 110.4L288.7 465.9l-2.5 2.3c-8.2 7.6-19 11.9-30.2 11.9s-22-4.2-30.2-11.9z',
+        solid: 'M47.6 300.4L228.3 469.1c7.5 7 17.4 10.9 27.7 10.9s20.2-3.9 27.7-10.9L464.4 300.4c30.4-28.3 47.6-68 47.6-109.5v-5.8c0-69.9-50.5-129.5-119.4-141C347 36.5 300.6 51.4 268 84L256 96 244 84c-32.6-32.6-79-47.5-124.6-39.9C50.5 55.6 0 115.2 0 185.1v5.8c0 41.5 17.2 81.2 47.6 109.5z',
+    },
+    star: {
+        viewBox: '0 0 576 512',
+        regular: 'M287.9 0c9.2 0 17.6 5.2 21.6 13.5l68.6 141.3 153.2 22.6c9 1.3 16.5 7.6 19.3 16.3s.5 18.1-5.9 24.5L434.8 326.7l26.2 155.6c1.5 9-2.2 18.1-9.7 23.5s-17.3 6-25.3 1.7L288 439.6 149.7 507.5c-8 4.3-17.8 3.7-25.3-1.7s-11.2-14.5-9.7-23.5l26.2-155.6L31.1 218.2c-6.5-6.4-8.7-15.9-5.9-24.5s10.3-14.9 19.3-16.3l153.2-22.6L266.3 13.5C270.4 5.2 278.7 0 287.9 0z',
+        solid: 'M316.9 18C311.6 7 300.4 0 288.1 0s-23.4 7-28.8 18L195 150.3 51.4 171.5c-12 1.8-22 10.2-25.7 21.7s-.7 24.2 7.9 32.7L137.8 329 108.4 474.7c-2 12 3 24.2 12.9 31.3s23 8 33.8 2.3L288.1 439.8 420.9 508.3c10.8 5.7 23.9 4.9 33.8-2.3s14.9-19.3 12.9-31.3L437.7 329 542 225.9c8.6-8.4 11.7-21.2 7.9-32.7s-13.7-19.9-25.7-21.7L380.7 150.3 316.9 18z',
+    },
+} as const;
+
 /**
  * Self-contained dropdown that renders an album's track list.
  *
@@ -351,8 +366,6 @@ export class AlbumDropdown extends LitElement {
             track.FilePath,
         );
         const isFav = this.favCtrl.isFavorited(track.FilePath);
-        const favVariant = isFav ? 'solid' : 'regular';
-
         const classes = [
             'track-row',
             active ? 'active' : '',
@@ -398,10 +411,9 @@ export class AlbumDropdown extends LitElement {
                         void this.favCtrl.toggleFavorite(track.FilePath);
                     }}
                 >
-                    <wa-icon
-                        name=${this.favCtrl.iconName}
-                        variant=${favVariant}
-                    ></wa-icon>
+                    <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 ${FAV_ICONS[this.favCtrl.iconStyle === 'star' ? 'star' : 'heart'].viewBox.split(' ').slice(2).join(' ')}" width="14" height="14">
+                        ${svg`<path fill="currentColor" d="${FAV_ICONS[this.favCtrl.iconStyle === 'star' ? 'star' : 'heart'][isFav ? 'solid' : 'regular']}"/>`}
+                    </svg>
                 </div>
                 <span
                     class="track-title"
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/cover-grid-styles.ts b/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/cover-grid-styles.ts
index e5a5905..7b7ded7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/cover-grid-styles.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/cover-grid-styles.ts
@@ -141,9 +141,10 @@ const gridStyles = css`
         display: flex;
         flex-direction: column;
         cursor: pointer;
-        border-radius: 8px;
         padding: 5px;
-        /* transitions removed — software rendering repaints per frame */
+        /* border-radius removed — forces anti-aliased path clipping on
+           every paint of every visible card; cover image retains its own
+           4px radius via .cover-container */
         box-sizing: border-box;
         width: var(--card-width, 176px);
     }
@@ -169,7 +170,7 @@ const gridStyles = css`
         border-radius: 4px;
         overflow: hidden;
         background-color: var(--yj-bg-surface, #282828);
-        transition: scale 0.15s ease;
+        /* transition removed — software rendering repaints per frame */
     }
 
     .album-card.selected .cover-container {
@@ -202,7 +203,7 @@ const gridStyles = css`
         margin-top: 4px;
         min-width: 0;
         text-align: center;
-        transition: scale 0.15s ease;
+        /* transition removed — software rendering repaints per frame */
     }
 
     .album-card.selected .album-info {
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/cover-grid.ts b/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/cover-grid.ts
index c480254..5ac9926 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/cover-grid.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/cover-grid/cover-grid.ts
@@ -253,6 +253,13 @@ export class CoverGrid
     private gridEntriesCache: GridEntry[] = [];
     private gridEntriesCacheKey: library.Album[] = [];
 
+    // getBeforeEntries/getAfterEntries memoization — prevents .slice()
+    // from creating new array refs that trigger virtualizer relayout.
+    private beforeEntriesCache: GridEntry[] = [];
+    private afterEntriesCache: GridEntry[] = [];
+    private splitEntriesCacheKey: GridEntry[] | null = null;
+    private splitEntriesCacheIndex = -1;
+
     static override styles = coverGridStyles;
 
     /* ====================================================================
@@ -909,19 +916,31 @@ export class CoverGrid
         return entries;
     }
 
-    /** Entries for the "before" virtualizer. */
-    private getBeforeEntries(): GridEntry[] {
-        return this.buildGridEntries().slice(
-            0,
-            this.splitIndex,
-        );
+    /** Rebuild before/after caches if the entries or splitIndex changed. */
+    private ensureSplitCache(): void {
+        const entries = this.buildGridEntries();
+        if (
+            entries === this.splitEntriesCacheKey &&
+            this.splitIndex === this.splitEntriesCacheIndex
+        ) {
+            return;
+        }
+        this.splitEntriesCacheKey = entries;
+        this.splitEntriesCacheIndex = this.splitIndex;
+        this.beforeEntriesCache = entries.slice(0, this.splitIndex);
+        this.afterEntriesCache = entries.slice(this.splitIndex);
     }
 
-    /** Entries for the "after" virtualizer. */
+    /** Entries for the "before" virtualizer (memoized). */
+    private getBeforeEntries(): GridEntry[] {
+        this.ensureSplitCache();
+        return this.beforeEntriesCache;
+    }
+
+    /** Entries for the "after" virtualizer (memoized). */
     private getAfterEntries(): GridEntry[] {
-        return this.buildGridEntries().slice(
-            this.splitIndex,
-        );
+        this.ensureSplitCache();
+        return this.afterEntriesCache;
     }
 
     /* ====================================================================
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/queue-panel/queue-panel.ts b/frontend/src/components/queue-panel/queue-panel.ts
index 0c87e9e..b0a688b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/queue-panel/queue-panel.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/queue-panel/queue-panel.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { LitElement, html, css, nothing, unsafeCSS } from 'lit';
+import { LitElement, html, svg, css, nothing, unsafeCSS } from 'lit';
 import { designTokens } from '../../styles/tokens.css';
 import {
     customElement,
@@ -1351,7 +1351,9 @@ export class QueuePanel
                     class="remove-button"
                     title="Remove from queue"
                 >
-                    <wa-icon name="xmark"></wa-icon>
+                    <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 384 512" width="14" height="14">
+                        ${svg`<path fill="currentColor" d="M342.6 150.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3s-32.8-12.5-45.3 0L192 210.7 86.6 105.4c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L146.7 256 41.4 361.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0L192 301.3 297.4 406.6c12.5 12.5 32.8 12.5 45.3 0s12.5-32.8 0-45.3L237.3 256 342.6 150.6z"/>`}
+                    </svg>
                 </button>
             </div>
         `;
diff --git a/frontend/src/store/favorites-store.ts b/frontend/src/store/favorites-store.ts
index 8b3f136..08d96b4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/store/favorites-store.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/store/favorites-store.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class FavoritesStore {
     private pinDefault = true;
     private favoritedPaths = new Set<string>();
     private subscribers = new Set<Subscriber>();
+    private notifyScheduled = false;
     private loading = false;
 
     constructor() {
@@ -232,7 +233,14 @@ class FavoritesStore {
     }
 
     private notify(): void {
-        this.subscribers.forEach((cb) => cb());
+        if (this.notifyScheduled) return;
+        this.notifyScheduled = true;
+        queueMicrotask(() => {
+            this.notifyScheduled = false;
+            for (const cb of this.subscribers) {
+                cb();
+            }
+        });
     }
 
     // ===============================================================
diff --git a/frontend/src/store/player-store.ts b/frontend/src/store/player-store.ts
index 2441a80..0de3392 100644
--- a/frontend/src/store/player-store.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/store/player-store.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class PlayerStore {
   };
 
   private subscribers = new Set<Subscriber>();
+  private notifyScheduled = false;
 
   constructor() {
     this.initializeEventListeners();
@@ -115,7 +116,14 @@ class PlayerStore {
   }
 
   private notify(): void {
-    this.subscribers.forEach((callback) => callback());
+    if (this.notifyScheduled) return;
+    this.notifyScheduled = true;
+    queueMicrotask(() => {
+      this.notifyScheduled = false;
+      for (const sub of this.subscribers) {
+        sub();
+      }
+    });
   }
 }