diff --git a/src/deepgram/listen/v1/socket_client.py b/src/deepgram/listen/v1/socket_client.py
index 10ea9759..2d0e54fa 100644
--- a/src/deepgram/listen/v1/socket_client.py
+++ b/src/deepgram/listen/v1/socket_client.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
     ListenV1UtteranceEndEvent,
 )
 
+_BINARY_TYPES = (bytes, bytearray)
+
 # Response union type (Listen only receives JSON events)
 V1SocketClientResponse = typing.Union[
     ListenV1ResultsEvent,
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@ def __init__(self, *, websocket: websockets_sync_connection.Connection):
 
     def _is_binary_message(self, message: typing.Any) -> bool:
         """Determine if a message is binary data."""
-        return isinstance(message, (bytes, bytearray))
+        return isinstance(message, _BINARY_TYPES)
 
     def _handle_binary_message(self, message: bytes) -> typing.Any:
         """Handle a binary message (returns as-is)."""