diff --git a/src/sfizz/Config.h b/src/sfizz/Config.h
index c13707ef..2956dae6 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Config.h
+++ b/src/sfizz/Config.h
@@ -103,10 +103,14 @@ namespace config {
     // Wavetable constants; amplitude values are matched to reference
     static constexpr unsigned tableSize = 1024;
     static constexpr double tableRefSampleRate = 44100.0 * 1.1; // +10% aliasing permissivity
-    static constexpr double amplitudeSine = 0.625;
-    static constexpr double amplitudeTriangle = 0.625;
-    static constexpr double amplitudeSaw = 0.515;
-    static constexpr double amplitudeSquare = 0.515;
+    /**
+       Default wave amplitudes, adjusted for consistent RMS among all waves.
+       (except square curiously, but it's to match ARIA)
+     */
+    static constexpr double amplitudeSine = 1.0;
+    static constexpr double amplitudeTriangle = 1.0;
+    static constexpr double amplitudeSaw = 0.8164965809277261; // sqrt(2)/sqrt(3)
+    static constexpr double amplitudeSquare = 0.8164965809277261; // should have been sqrt(2)?
     /**
        Background file loading
      */
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
index dcbffc6f..0ce7d527 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
+++ b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
@@ -143,6 +143,16 @@ void sfz::Synth::buildRegion(const std::vector<Opcode>& regionOpcodes)
     int regionNumber = static_cast<int>(regions.size());
     auto lastRegion = absl::make_unique<Region>(regionNumber, resources.midiState, defaultPath);
 
+    // Create default connections
+    constexpr unsigned defaultSmoothness = 10;
+    lastRegion->getOrCreateConnection(
+        ModKey::createCC(7, 4, defaultSmoothness, 100, 0),
+        ModKey::createNXYZ(ModId::Amplitude, lastRegion->id));
+    lastRegion->getOrCreateConnection(
+        ModKey::createCC(10, 1, defaultSmoothness, 100, 0),
+        ModKey::createNXYZ(ModId::Pan, lastRegion->id));
+
+    //
     auto parseOpcodes = [&](const std::vector<Opcode>& opcodes) {
         for (auto& opcode : opcodes) {
             const auto unknown = absl::c_find_if(unknownOpcodes, [&](absl::string_view sv) { return sv.compare(opcode.opcode) == 0; });
@@ -215,6 +225,10 @@ void sfz::Synth::clear()
     polyphonyGroups.emplace_back();
     polyphonyGroups.back().setPolyphonyLimit(config::maxVoices);
     modificationTime = fs::file_time_type::min();
+
+    // set default controllers
+    cc(0, 7, 100);     // volume
+    hdcc(0, 10, 0.5f); // pan
 }
 
 void sfz::Synth::handleMasterOpcodes(const std::vector<Opcode>& members)
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Voice.cpp b/src/sfizz/Voice.cpp
index 331ae748..d7517a3d 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Voice.cpp
+++ b/src/sfizz/Voice.cpp
@@ -491,6 +491,10 @@ void sfz::Voice::panStageStereo(AudioSpan<float> buffer) noexcept
             (*modulationSpan)[i] += normalizePercents(mod[i]);
     }
     pan(*modulationSpan, leftBuffer, rightBuffer);
+
+    // add +3dB to compensate for the 2 pan stages (-3dB each stage)
+    applyGain1(1.4125375446227544f, leftBuffer);
+    applyGain1(1.4125375446227544f, rightBuffer);
 }
 
 void sfz::Voice::filterStageMono(AudioSpan<float> buffer) noexcept