diff --git a/interface/src/Menu.cpp b/interface/src/Menu.cpp
index abc14d0ff6..2e2c10458d 100644
--- a/interface/src/Menu.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Menu.cpp
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ Menu::Menu() :
     QObject* avatar = appInstance->getAvatar();
     addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(avatarMenu, MenuOption::ChatCircling, 0, false);
     addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(avatarMenu, MenuOption::GlowWhenSpeaking, 0, true);
+    addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(avatarMenu, MenuOption::BlueSpeechSphere, 0, true);
     addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(avatarMenu, MenuOption::ObeyEnvironmentalGravity, Qt::SHIFT | Qt::Key_G, false,
             avatar, SLOT(updateMotionBehaviorsFromMenu()));
     addCheckableActionToQMenuAndActionHash(avatarMenu, MenuOption::StandOnNearbyFloors, 0, true,
diff --git a/interface/src/Menu.h b/interface/src/Menu.h
index 0c9c7a419d..efc812fb22 100644
--- a/interface/src/Menu.h
+++ b/interface/src/Menu.h
@@ -351,6 +351,7 @@ namespace MenuOption {
     const QString AvatarsReceiveShadows = "Avatars Receive Shadows";
     const QString Bandwidth = "Bandwidth Display";
     const QString BandwidthDetails = "Bandwidth Details";
+    const QString BlueSpeechSphere = "Blue Sphere While Speaking";
     const QString BuckyBalls = "Bucky Balls";
     const QString CascadedShadows = "Cascaded";
     const QString Chat = "Chat...";
diff --git a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
index 3f38807346..6f2d5ecef6 100644
--- a/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/avatar/Avatar.cpp
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ void Avatar::render(const glm::vec3& cameraPosition, RenderMode renderMode) {
         return;
     }
 
-    glm::vec3 toTarget = cameraPosition - Application::getInstance()->getAvatar()->getPosition();
+    glm::vec3 toTarget = cameraPosition - getPosition();
     float distanceToTarget = glm::length(toTarget);
    
     {
@@ -368,10 +368,12 @@ void Avatar::render(const glm::vec3& cameraPosition, RenderMode renderMode) {
         // quick check before falling into the code below:
         // (a 10 degree breadth of an almost 2 meter avatar kicks in at about 12m)
         const float MIN_VOICE_SPHERE_DISTANCE = 12.0f;
-        if (distanceToTarget > MIN_VOICE_SPHERE_DISTANCE) {
+        if (Menu::getInstance()->isOptionChecked(MenuOption::BlueSpeechSphere)
+            && distanceToTarget > MIN_VOICE_SPHERE_DISTANCE) {
+
             // render voice intensity sphere for avatars that are farther away
             const float MAX_SPHERE_ANGLE = 10.0f * RADIANS_PER_DEGREE;
-            const float MIN_SPHERE_ANGLE = 1.0f * RADIANS_PER_DEGREE;
+            const float MIN_SPHERE_ANGLE = 0.5f * RADIANS_PER_DEGREE;
             const float MIN_SPHERE_SIZE = 0.01f;
             const float SPHERE_LOUDNESS_SCALING = 0.0005f;
             const float SPHERE_COLOR[] = { 0.5f, 0.8f, 0.8f };
@@ -392,7 +394,7 @@ void Avatar::render(const glm::vec3& cameraPosition, RenderMode renderMode) {
         }
     }
 
-    const float DISPLAYNAME_DISTANCE = 10.0f;
+    const float DISPLAYNAME_DISTANCE = 20.0f;
     setShowDisplayName(renderMode == NORMAL_RENDER_MODE && distanceToTarget < DISPLAYNAME_DISTANCE);
     if (renderMode != NORMAL_RENDER_MODE || (isMyAvatar() &&
             Application::getInstance()->getCamera()->getMode() == CAMERA_MODE_FIRST_PERSON)) {