diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index cbc011f..030c413 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ const { app, BrowserWindow, session, desktopCapturer, ipcMain, clipboard } = req
 const { autoUpdater } = require('electron-updater');
 const path = require('path');
 const packageJson = require('./package.json');
+const PERIODIC_UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 1 * 60 * 1000;
 
 const updateState = {
-    status: 'idle', // idle | checking | available | downloading | downloaded | not-available | error
+    status: 'idle', // idle | checking | available | downloading | downloaded | installing | not-available | error
     info: null,
     error: null,
 };
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ function isNewerVersionAvailable(info) {
 }
 
 let updateCheckInProgress = false;
+let installInProgress = false;
+let periodicUpdateTimer = null;
 
 function resolveBackendUrl() {
     const configuredUrl = (process.env.CHATTZ_URL || process.env.APP_BASE_URL || '').trim();
@@ -41,7 +44,18 @@ function resolveBackendUrl() {
     return 'http://localhost:3000';
 }
 
+function webContentsOrigin(webContents) {
+    if (!webContents || typeof webContents.getURL !== 'function') {
+        return null;
+    }
+    return safeOrigin(webContents.getURL());
+}
+
 async function runUpdateCheck(reason = 'manual') {
+    if (installInProgress) {
+        console.log(`Update check skipped (${reason}): install already in progress`);
+        return;
+    }
     if (updateCheckInProgress) {
         console.log(`Update check skipped (${reason}): another check is already in progress`);
         return;
@@ -71,6 +85,57 @@ async function runUpdateCheck(reason = 'manual') {
     }
 }
 
+function installDownloadedUpdate() {
+    if (installInProgress) {
+        console.log('Update install already in progress');
+        return;
+    }
+
+    installInProgress = true;
+    updateState.status = 'installing';
+    updateState.error = null;
+    broadcastUpdateState();
+
+    const wins = BrowserWindow.getAllWindows();
+    for (const win of wins) {
+        if (win.isDestroyed()) continue;
+        try {
+            win.removeAllListeners('close');
+            win.destroy();
+        } catch (err) {
+            console.warn('Failed to destroy window before update install', err);
+        }
+    }
+
+    setImmediate(() => {
+        try {
+            autoUpdater.quitAndInstall(false, true);
+        } catch (err) {
+            installInProgress = false;
+            updateState.status = 'error';
+            updateState.error = err && err.message ? err.message : String(err);
+            broadcastUpdateState();
+            console.error('quitAndInstall failed', err);
+        }
+    });
+
+    setTimeout(() => {
+        if (installInProgress) {
+            console.warn('Update install is still waiting for app shutdown');
+        }
+    }, 15000);
+}
+
+function startPeriodicUpdateChecks() {
+    if (periodicUpdateTimer || !app.isPackaged) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    periodicUpdateTimer = setInterval(() => {
+        void runUpdateCheck('periodic');
+    }, PERIODIC_UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS);
+}
+
 function createWindow() {
     const sess = session.fromPartition('persist:chattz');
     const backendUrl = resolveBackendUrl();
@@ -93,13 +158,13 @@ function createWindow() {
     win.setMenuBarVisibility(true);
 
     sess.setPermissionCheckHandler((webContents, permission) => {
-        const origin = safeOrigin(webContents.getURL());
+        const origin = webContentsOrigin(webContents);
         if (origin !== backendOrigin) return false;
         return permission === 'media' || permission === 'clipboard-write';
     });
 
     sess.setPermissionRequestHandler((webContents, permission, callback) => {
-        const origin = safeOrigin(webContents.getURL());
+        const origin = webContentsOrigin(webContents);
         if (origin === backendOrigin && (permission === 'media' || permission === 'clipboard-write')) {
             callback(true);
         } else {
@@ -202,6 +267,7 @@ app.whenReady().then(() => {
     });
 
     ipcMain.on('download-update', () => {
+        if (installInProgress) return;
         updateState.status = 'downloading';
         updateState.error = null;
         broadcastUpdateState();
@@ -209,13 +275,14 @@ app.whenReady().then(() => {
     });
 
     ipcMain.on('quit-and-install', () => {
-        autoUpdater.quitAndInstall();
+        installDownloadedUpdate();
     });
 
     // Check once on startup
     setTimeout(() => {
         void runUpdateCheck('startup');
     }, 5000);
+    startPeriodicUpdateChecks();
 
     app.on('activate', () => {
         if (BrowserWindow.getAllWindows().length === 0) {
@@ -230,6 +297,13 @@ app.on('window-all-closed', () => {
     }
 });
 
+app.on('before-quit', () => {
+    if (periodicUpdateTimer) {
+        clearInterval(periodicUpdateTimer);
+        periodicUpdateTimer = null;
+    }
+});
+
 function safeOrigin(value) {
     try {
         return new URL(value).origin;
diff --git a/static/shared/app-core.js b/static/shared/app-core.js
index deee4bc..8531b48 100644
--- a/static/shared/app-core.js
+++ b/static/shared/app-core.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const state = {
     viewMode: 'chat', // 'chat' or 'video'
     iceServers: [{ urls: "stun:stun.l.google.com:19302" }],
     peerGainNodes: new Map(), // userId -> GainNode
+    peerAudioNodes: new Map(), // userId -> { sourceNode, compressorNode, gainNode }
     visibleVolumeSliders: new Set(), // userIds whose sliders are visible
   },
   voicePresencePollId: null,
@@ -1039,7 +1040,24 @@ function shouldInitiateOffer(peerId) {
   return state.me.id > peerId;
 }
 
+function disconnectPeerAudioNodes(peerId) {
+  const nodes = state.voice.peerAudioNodes.get(peerId);
+  if (!nodes) return;
+
+  for (const node of [nodes.sourceNode, nodes.compressorNode, nodes.gainNode]) {
+    try {
+      node?.disconnect();
+    } catch { }
+  }
+
+  state.voice.peerAudioNodes.delete(peerId);
+  state.voice.peerGainNodes.delete(peerId);
+}
+
 function stopAndClearAudioPipeline() {
+  for (const peerId of state.voice.peerAudioNodes.keys()) {
+    disconnectPeerAudioNodes(peerId);
+  }
   if (state.voice.deepFilterProcessor) {
     state.voice.deepFilterProcessor.destroy();
     state.voice.deepFilterProcessor = null;
@@ -1265,7 +1283,7 @@ async function createLocalVoiceStream() {
       sampleRate: 48000,
       echoCancellation: true,
       noiseSuppression: false,
-      autoGainControl: false,
+      autoGainControl: true,
     },
     video: false,
   };
@@ -1388,16 +1406,27 @@ function ensurePeerConnection(peerId) {
       const ctx = state.voice.audioContext;
       if (ctx.state === 'suspended') ctx.resume();
 
+      disconnectPeerAudioNodes(peerId);
+
       const sourceNode = ctx.createMediaStreamSource(audio.srcObject);
+      const compressorNode = ctx.createDynamicsCompressor();
       const gainNode = ctx.createGain();
 
+      compressorNode.threshold.setValueAtTime(-24, ctx.currentTime);
+      compressorNode.knee.setValueAtTime(18, ctx.currentTime);
+      compressorNode.ratio.setValueAtTime(4, ctx.currentTime);
+      compressorNode.attack.setValueAtTime(0.003, ctx.currentTime);
+      compressorNode.release.setValueAtTime(0.25, ctx.currentTime);
+
       const currentVolume = state.userVolumes.get(peerId) ?? 1.0;
       gainNode.gain.setValueAtTime(currentVolume, ctx.currentTime);
 
-      sourceNode.connect(gainNode);
+      sourceNode.connect(compressorNode);
+      compressorNode.connect(gainNode);
       gainNode.connect(ctx.destination);
 
       state.voice.peerGainNodes.set(peerId, gainNode);
+      state.voice.peerAudioNodes.set(peerId, { sourceNode, compressorNode, gainNode });
 
       // Mute the original element as we play through Web Audio destination
       audio.volume = 0;
@@ -1582,6 +1611,7 @@ async function joinVoice() {
         pc.close();
         state.voice.peerConnections.delete(msg.user_id);
       }
+      disconnectPeerAudioNodes(msg.user_id);
       document.getElementById(`audio-${msg.user_id}`)?.remove();
     } else if (msg.type === "signal") {
       await handleSignal(msg.from_user_id, msg.kind, msg.data);