diff --git a/public/app.js b/public/app.js
index 6e2d4fc..b4dfa8c 100644
--- a/public/app.js
+++ b/public/app.js
@@ -139,7 +139,10 @@ async function tuneAudioSender(sender) {
   if (!sender?.getParameters || !sender?.setParameters) return;
   const params = sender.getParameters();
   if (!params.encodings?.length) params.encodings = [{}];
-  params.encodings[0].maxBitrate = 64000;
+  // 128 kbps keeps Opus in its fullband LD/MD modes with headroom for FEC;
+  // 64 kbps audibly compresses louder/denser speech. DTX stays off so the
+  // channel doesn't pump in and out of low-bitrate comfort noise.
+  params.encodings[0].maxBitrate = 128000;
   params.encodings[0].dtx = false;
   params.encodings[0].priority = 'high';
   await sender.setParameters(params);
@@ -1073,17 +1076,19 @@ function stopScreenShare(stream, silent) {
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // position sync
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Fans new joiners out from directly in front of the room's center: the
-// first joiner lands straight ahead, then each next one alternates sides,
-// widening by 10deg per pair (0, +10, -10, +20, -20, ...) instead of the
-// old distance-maximizing grid search, which tended to dump joiners in a
-// far corner rather than somewhere natural to face the group.
+// First joiner takes the room's middle anchor; later joiners fan out around
+// them — the 2nd participant lands straight ahead (0deg), then each next one
+// alternates sides, widening by 10deg per pair (0, +10, -10, +20, -20, ...).
+// Chosen once per client at join and broadcast via the signaling 'pos'
+// message, so every client converges on the same layout.
 function chooseOpenParticipantPosition() {
   const ANCHOR = { x: 50, y: 50 };
   const RADIUS = 24;
   const n = S.peers.size;
-  const step = Math.ceil(n / 2) * 10;
-  const angleDeg = n === 0 ? 0 : (n % 2 === 1 ? step : -step);
+  if (n === 0) return { x: ANCHOR.x, y: ANCHOR.y }; // first joiner sits in the middle
+  const k = n - 1; // fan slot: 0deg, +10, -10, +20, -20...
+  const mag = Math.ceil(k / 2) * 10;
+  const angleDeg = k === 0 ? 0 : (k % 2 === 1 ? mag : -mag);
   const rad = (angleDeg * Math.PI) / 180;
   return {
     x: ANCHOR.x + RADIUS * Math.sin(rad),
@@ -1123,18 +1128,24 @@ function updateMicSignal(level = S.audioManager.getLevel()) {
   if (clipping) clipping.classList.toggle('hidden', !level.clipping);
 }
 
+let meRosterEl = null; // roster row for "me", kept so speaking highlights don't need a rebuild
 setInterval(() => {
   if (!S.audioCtx) return;
   const localLevel = S.audioManager.getLevel();
   updateMicSignal(localLevel);
   const meSpeaking = S.micStream && !S.muted && localLevel.rms > 0.04;
   els.meAvatar.classList.toggle('speaking', !!meSpeaking);
-  let changed = false;
+  // Toggle speaking highlights in place. A full renderTiles() here used to
+  // wipe and rebuild the roster DOM on every start/stop of speech — which
+  // destroyed the volume popup and its range input mid-drag, making the
+  // per-user volume control feel broken exactly while a peer was talking.
+  meRosterEl?.classList.toggle('speaking', !!meSpeaking);
   for (const peer of S.peers.values()) {
     const speaking = !!(peer.analyser && !S.deafened && rms(peer.analyser) > 0.03);
-    if (speaking !== peer.speaking) { peer.speaking = speaking; changed = true; }
+    if (speaking === peer.speaking) continue;
+    peer.speaking = speaking;
+    peer.els.rosterItem?.classList.toggle('speaking', speaking);
   }
-  if (changed) renderTiles();
   updateScreenTileIndicators();
 }, 150);
 
@@ -1170,8 +1181,13 @@ function renderChannelCounts() {
 }
 
 function renderTiles() {
+  // Remember an open volume popup so it survives this rebuild (peer join/leave
+  // or a mute/share badge change) without snapping closed under the cursor.
+  const openVolPeerId = document.querySelector('.channel-user-item.show-vol[data-peer-id]')?.dataset.peerId || null;
+
   // Clear any existing user rosters in voice channels
   document.querySelectorAll('.channel-users').forEach((el) => { el.innerHTML = ''; });
+  meRosterEl = null;
 
   // For each voice channel element in the sidebar
   document.querySelectorAll('.channel.voice').forEach((channelEl) => {
@@ -1189,6 +1205,7 @@ function renderTiles() {
       // Current active room: render Me + live peers (with interactive volume sliders)
       const meItem = document.createElement('div');
       meItem.className = 'channel-user-item' + (els.meAvatar.classList.contains('speaking') ? ' speaking' : '');
+      meRosterEl = meItem;
       const meAv = document.createElement('div');
       meAv.className = 'avatar user-line-avatar';
       setAvatar(meAv, S.name, S.myId || 'me');
@@ -1226,6 +1243,7 @@ function renderTiles() {
       for (const peer of S.peers.values()) {
         const item = document.createElement('div');
         item.className = 'channel-user-item' + (peer.speaking ? ' speaking' : '');
+        item.dataset.peerId = peer.id;
 
         const av = document.createElement('div');
         av.className = 'avatar user-line-avatar';
@@ -1271,7 +1289,8 @@ function renderTiles() {
           e.stopPropagation();
           peer.vol = Number(volInput.value);
           volLabel.textContent = `User Volume: ${Math.round(peer.vol * 100)}%`;
-          if (peer.gain && !S.deafened) peer.gain.gain.value = peer.vol;
+          // setTargetAtTime ramps smoothly instead of zipper-clicking on drag
+          if (peer.gain && S.audioCtx && !S.deafened) peer.gain.gain.setTargetAtTime(peer.vol, S.audioCtx.currentTime, 0.02);
         };
         volPop.append(volLabel, volInput);
 
@@ -1283,6 +1302,7 @@ function renderTiles() {
 
         item.append(av, name, badges, volPop);
         roster.appendChild(item);
+        peer.els.rosterItem = item;
       }
     } else {
       // Remote / unjoined channel: render users from server roster snapshot
@@ -1324,6 +1344,14 @@ function renderTiles() {
     }
   });
 
+  // Re-open the volume popup on the rebuilt row for the peer whose popup was
+  // open before this structural rebuild.
+  if (openVolPeerId) {
+    document
+      .querySelector(`.channel-user-item[data-peer-id="${CSS.escape(openVolPeerId)}"]`)
+      ?.classList.add('show-vol');
+  }
+
   renderStageEmpty();
 }