diff --git a/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixerSlave.cpp b/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixerSlave.cpp
index abc2f7220d..e5ad9a681a 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixerSlave.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixerSlave.cpp
@@ -489,9 +489,6 @@ float approximateGain(const AvatarAudioStream& listeningNodeStream, const Positi
     // avatar: skip attenuation - it is too costly to approximate
 
     // distance attenuation: approximate, ignore zone-specific attenuations
-    // this is a good approximation for streams further than ATTENUATION_START_DISTANCE
-    // those streams closer will be amplified; amplifying close streams is acceptable
-    // when throttling, as close streams are expected to be heard by a user
     float distance = glm::length(relativePosition);
     return gain / distance;
 
@@ -536,23 +533,15 @@ float computeGain(const AudioMixerClientData& listenerNodeData, const AvatarAudi
             break;
         }
     }
+    // translate the zone setting to gain per log2(distance)
+    float g = glm::clamp(1.0f - attenuationPerDoublingInDistance, EPSILON, 1.0f);
 
-    // distance attenuation
-    const float ATTENUATION_START_DISTANCE = 1.0f;
     float distance = glm::length(relativePosition);
-    assert(ATTENUATION_START_DISTANCE > EPSILON);
-    if (distance >= ATTENUATION_START_DISTANCE) {
 
-        // translate the zone setting to gain per log2(distance)
-        float g = 1.0f - attenuationPerDoublingInDistance;
-        g = glm::clamp(g, EPSILON, 1.0f);
-
-        // calculate the distance coefficient using the distance to this node
-        float distanceCoefficient = fastExp2f(fastLog2f(g) * fastLog2f(distance/ATTENUATION_START_DISTANCE));
-
-        // multiply the current attenuation coefficient by the distance coefficient
-        gain *= distanceCoefficient;
-    }
+    // calculate the attenuation using the distance to this node
+    // reference attenuation of 0dB at distance = 1.0m
+    gain *= exp2f(log2f(g) * log2f(std::max(distance, HRTF_DISTANCE_MIN)));
+    gain = std::min(gain, 1.0f / HRTF_DISTANCE_MIN);
 
     return gain;
 }
diff --git a/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp
index 579910d9f7..40a55c272c 100644
--- a/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp
+++ b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp
@@ -1824,16 +1824,9 @@ float AudioClient::azimuthForSource(const glm::vec3& relativePosition) {
 
 float AudioClient::gainForSource(float distance, float volume) {
 
-    const float ATTENUATION_BEGINS_AT_DISTANCE = 1.0f;
-
-    // I'm assuming that the AudioMixer's getting of the stream's attenuation
-    // factor is basically same as getting volume
-    float gain = volume;
-
-    // attenuate based on distance
-    if (distance >= ATTENUATION_BEGINS_AT_DISTANCE) {
-        gain /= (distance/ATTENUATION_BEGINS_AT_DISTANCE);  // attenuation = -6dB * log2(distance)
-    }
+    // attenuation = -6dB * log2(distance)
+    // reference attenuation of 0dB at distance = 1.0m
+    float gain = volume / std::max(distance, HRTF_DISTANCE_MIN);
 
     return gain;
 }