diff --git a/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp b/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp
index 4d0e1bf19c..4173cacfc7 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/audio/AudioMixer.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 
 const float LOUDNESS_TO_DISTANCE_RATIO = 0.00001f;
 const float DEFAULT_ATTENUATION_PER_DOUBLING_IN_DISTANCE = 0.18;
-const float DEFAULT_NOISE_MUTING_THRESHOLD = 0.001f;
+const float DEFAULT_NOISE_MUTING_THRESHOLD = 0.003f;
 const QString AUDIO_MIXER_LOGGING_TARGET_NAME = "audio-mixer";
 const QString AUDIO_ENV_GROUP_KEY = "audio_env";
 const QString AUDIO_BUFFER_GROUP_KEY = "audio_buffer";
diff --git a/domain-server/resources/describe-settings.json b/domain-server/resources/describe-settings.json
index a49e1072eb..ba4cfe8dfd 100644
--- a/domain-server/resources/describe-settings.json
+++ b/domain-server/resources/describe-settings.json
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@
         "name": "noise_muting_threshold",
         "label": "Noise Muting Threshold",
         "help": "Loudness value for noise background between 0 and 1.0 (0: mute everyone, 1.0: never mute)",
-        "placeholder": "0.001",
-        "default": "0.001",
+        "placeholder": "0.003",
+        "default": "0.003",
         "advanced": false
       },
       {
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
index ae44e3931b..adf72198be 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItem.h
@@ -145,14 +145,14 @@ public:
     float getLargestDimension() const { return glm::length(_dimensions); } /// get the largest possible dimension
 
     /// set dimensions in domain scale units (0.0 - 1.0) this will also reset radius appropriately
-    void setDimensions(const glm::vec3& value) { _dimensions = value; ; recalculateCollisionShape(); }
+    void setDimensions(const glm::vec3& value) { _dimensions = value; recalculateCollisionShape(); }
 
     /// set dimensions in meter units (0.0 - TREE_SCALE) this will also reset radius appropriately
     void setDimensionsInMeters(const glm::vec3& value) { setDimensions(value / (float) TREE_SCALE); }
 
     static const glm::quat DEFAULT_ROTATION;
     const glm::quat& getRotation() const { return _rotation; }
-    void setRotation(const glm::quat& rotation) { _rotation = rotation; ; recalculateCollisionShape(); }
+    void setRotation(const glm::quat& rotation) { _rotation = rotation; recalculateCollisionShape(); }
 
     static const float DEFAULT_GLOW_LEVEL;
     float getGlowLevel() const { return _glowLevel; }
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ public:
     static const glm::vec3 DEFAULT_VELOCITY;
     static const glm::vec3 NO_VELOCITY;
     static const float EPSILON_VELOCITY_LENGTH;
-    const glm::vec3 getVelocity() const { return _velocity; } /// velocity in domain scale units (0.0-1.0) per second
+    const glm::vec3& getVelocity() const { return _velocity; } /// velocity in domain scale units (0.0-1.0) per second
     glm::vec3 getVelocityInMeters() const { return _velocity * (float) TREE_SCALE; } /// get velocity in meters
     void setVelocity(const glm::vec3& value) { _velocity = value; } /// velocity in domain scale units (0.0-1.0) per second
     void setVelocityInMeters(const glm::vec3& value) { _velocity = value / (float) TREE_SCALE; } /// velocity in meters