diff --git a/network/network_chat_service.gd b/network/network_chat_service.gd
index 4e5a432..75cdc81 100644
--- a/network/network_chat_service.gd
+++ b/network/network_chat_service.gd
@@ -556,7 +556,10 @@ func receive_chat_message(data: Dictionary) -> void:
 	_apply_message(data)
 
 
-func _apply_message(data: Dictionary) -> void:
+func _apply_message(
+	data: Dictionary,
+	emit_live_signals: bool = true,
+) -> void:
 	if (
 		not NetworkChatProtocol.validate_message(data)
 		or str(data["session_id"]) != _session.get_session_id()
@@ -597,7 +600,7 @@ func _apply_message(data: Dictionary) -> void:
 	_history.append(stored_message)
 	while _history.size() > NetworkChatProtocol.MAX_HISTORY:
 		_history.pop_front()
-	if _message_is_visible(stored_message):
+	if emit_live_signals and _message_is_visible(stored_message):
 		message_received.emit(stored_message.duplicate(true))
 		if (
 			kind == NetworkChatProtocol.Kind.PLAYER
@@ -653,7 +656,10 @@ func receive_chat_history(values: Array) -> void:
 	_seen_messages.clear()
 	for value: Variant in values:
 		if NetworkChatProtocol.validate_message(value):
-			_apply_message(value)
+			# Late-join history belongs in the scrollback, but it is not a live
+			# event. In particular, do not recreate speech bubbles or replay
+			# animalese for every stored player message when joining a room.
+			_apply_message(value, false)
 	history_replaced.emit(get_history())
 
 
diff --git a/tests/profile_multiplayer_validation.gd b/tests/profile_multiplayer_validation.gd
index 44fbfe5..669c155 100644
--- a/tests/profile_multiplayer_validation.gd
+++ b/tests/profile_multiplayer_validation.gd
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ extends SceneTree
 const MainScene: PackedScene = preload("res://main/main.tscn")
 const AnimaleseVoiceType = preload("res://ui/animalese_voice.gd")
 const TEST_PORT: int = 18144
+const HOST_HISTORY_MESSAGE: String = "silent history replay"
 const HOST_VOICE_MESSAGE: String = "remote voice playback"
 
 
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ func _initialize() -> void:
 
 
 func _run() -> void:
+	_validate_voice_distance_attenuation()
 	var arguments: PackedStringArray = OS.get_cmdline_user_args()
 	if arguments.has("host"):
 		await _run_host()
@@ -22,6 +24,24 @@ func _run() -> void:
 	quit(1)
 
 
+func _validate_voice_distance_attenuation() -> void:
+	assert(is_zero_approx(
+		ChatUI.animalese_volume_offset_db_for_distance(0.0)
+	))
+	assert(is_zero_approx(
+		ChatUI.animalese_volume_offset_db_for_distance(4.0)
+	))
+	var middle_distance_volume := (
+		ChatUI.animalese_volume_offset_db_for_distance(14.0)
+	)
+	assert(middle_distance_volume < 0.0)
+	assert(middle_distance_volume > -80.0)
+	assert(is_equal_approx(
+		ChatUI.animalese_volume_offset_db_for_distance(24.0),
+		-80.0,
+	))
+
+
 func _run_host() -> void:
 	var main: Node = await _create_initialized_main()
 	var session := main.get_node("%NetworkSession") as NetworkSession
@@ -51,6 +71,11 @@ func _run_host() -> void:
 	var chat_service := main.get_node(
 		"%NetworkChatService"
 	) as NetworkChatService
+	assert(chat_service.send_local_message(
+		HOST_HISTORY_MESSAGE,
+		profile.voice_id,
+		profile.sample_set_id,
+	))
 	var voice_messages: Array[Dictionary] = []
 	chat_service.message_received.connect(func(message: Dictionary) -> void:
 		if str(message.get("body", "")) == "voice profile sync":
@@ -124,6 +149,22 @@ func _run_client() -> void:
 	assert(session.supports_server_capability(
 		NetworkProtocol.APPEARANCE_PREVIEW_CAPABILITY
 	))
+	var chat_service := main.get_node(
+		"%NetworkChatService"
+	) as NetworkChatService
+	var history_deadline: int = Time.get_ticks_msec() + 8000
+	while Time.get_ticks_msec() < history_deadline:
+		if chat_service.get_history().any(
+			func(message: Dictionary) -> bool:
+				return str(message.get("body", "")) == HOST_HISTORY_MESSAGE
+		):
+			break
+		await process_frame
+	assert(chat_service.get_history().any(
+		func(message: Dictionary) -> bool:
+			return str(message.get("body", "")) == HOST_HISTORY_MESSAGE
+	))
+	assert(remote_voice_samples.is_empty())
 	var service := main.get_node(
 		"%NetworkProfileService"
 	) as NetworkProfileService
@@ -160,9 +201,6 @@ func _run_client() -> void:
 	var player := main.get_node("%PlayerSpawnService").get_local_player() as Player
 	assert(player.get_animalese_voice_id() == "deep")
 	assert(player.get_animalese_sample_set_id() == "kim")
-	var chat_service := main.get_node(
-		"%NetworkChatService"
-	) as NetworkChatService
 	var host_voice_messages: Array[Dictionary] = []
 	for message: Dictionary in chat_service.get_history():
 		if str(message.get("body", "")) == HOST_VOICE_MESSAGE:
diff --git a/ui/animalese_voice.gd b/ui/animalese_voice.gd
index b180838..1b0fe09 100644
--- a/ui/animalese_voice.gd
+++ b/ui/animalese_voice.gd
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ func speak_text(
 	voice_profile_id: String = VoiceProfilesType.DEFAULT_ID,
 	characters_per_second: float = -1.0,
 	sample_set_id: String = VoiceProfilesType.DEFAULT_SAMPLE_SET_ID,
+	volume_offset_db: float = 0.0,
 ) -> Tween:
 	var speech_tween := tween_owner.create_tween()
 	var resolved_characters_per_second := (
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ func speak_text(
 				voice_key,
 				voice_pitch,
 				resolved_sample_set_id,
+				volume_offset_db,
 			)
 		)
 	return speech_tween
@@ -110,6 +112,7 @@ func _play_character(
 	voice_key: String,
 	voice_pitch: float,
 	sample_set_id: String,
+	volume_offset_db: float,
 ) -> void:
 	if _playback == null or character.strip_edges().is_empty():
 		return
@@ -145,5 +148,10 @@ func _play_character(
 		0.72,
 		1.45,
 	)
-	_playback.play_stream(sample, 0.0, volume_db, pitch)
+	_playback.play_stream(
+		sample,
+		0.0,
+		volume_db + volume_offset_db,
+		pitch,
+	)
 	character_sample_played.emit(sample_set_id, normalized)
diff --git a/ui/chat_ui.gd b/ui/chat_ui.gd
index da3bb59..601559e 100644
--- a/ui/chat_ui.gd
+++ b/ui/chat_ui.gd
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ const SPEECH_BUBBLE_WIDTH: float = 320.0
 const SPEECH_POINTER_HALF_WIDTH: float = 12.0
 const SPEECH_POINTER_HEIGHT: float = 14.0
 const SPEECH_POINTER_OVERLAP: float = 3.0
+const ANIMALESE_FULL_VOLUME_DISTANCE: float = 4.0
+const ANIMALESE_SILENT_DISTANCE: float = 24.0
+const ANIMALESE_SILENT_VOLUME_DB: float = -80.0
 const MOBILE_COMPACT_WIDTH: float = 620.0
 const MOBILE_EXPANDED_WIDTH: float = 820.0
 const MOBILE_COMPACT_HEIGHT: float = 220.0
@@ -1022,14 +1025,17 @@ func _show_speech_bubble(
 		sample_set_id = VoiceProfilesType.sanitized_sample_set_id(
 			speaker_avatar.get_animalese_sample_set_id()
 		)
-	_animalese_voice.speak_text(
-		_animalese_voice,
-		label.text,
-		str(peer_id),
-		voice_profile_id,
-		-1.0,
-		sample_set_id,
-	)
+	var voice_volume_offset_db := _get_voice_volume_offset_db(speaker_avatar)
+	if voice_volume_offset_db > ANIMALESE_SILENT_VOLUME_DB:
+		_animalese_voice.speak_text(
+			_animalese_voice,
+			label.text,
+			str(peer_id),
+			voice_profile_id,
+			-1.0,
+			sample_set_id,
+			voice_volume_offset_db,
+		)
 	_speech[peer_id] = {
 		"bubble": bubble,
 		"pointer": pointer,
@@ -1042,6 +1048,28 @@ func _show_speech_bubble(
 	}
 
 
+func _get_voice_volume_offset_db(speaker_avatar: Player) -> float:
+	if speaker_avatar == null or _player == null:
+		return ANIMALESE_SILENT_VOLUME_DB
+	return animalese_volume_offset_db_for_distance(
+		speaker_avatar.global_position.distance_to(_player.global_position)
+	)
+
+
+static func animalese_volume_offset_db_for_distance(distance: float) -> float:
+	if not is_finite(distance) or distance >= ANIMALESE_SILENT_DISTANCE:
+		return ANIMALESE_SILENT_VOLUME_DB
+	if distance <= ANIMALESE_FULL_VOLUME_DISTANCE:
+		return 0.0
+	var distance_weight := inverse_lerp(
+		ANIMALESE_FULL_VOLUME_DISTANCE,
+		ANIMALESE_SILENT_DISTANCE,
+		distance,
+	)
+	var amplitude := pow(1.0 - distance_weight, 2.0)
+	return maxf(linear_to_db(amplitude), ANIMALESE_SILENT_VOLUME_DB)
+
+
 func _on_history(messages: Array) -> void:
 	for peer_id: int in _speech.keys():
 		var state: Dictionary = _speech[peer_id]