diff --git a/core/CMakeLists.txt b/core/CMakeLists.txt
index db6c9cc..06490d6 100644
--- a/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,3 +7,9 @@ target_include_directories(orbit_delay_core
   PUBLIC
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
 )
+
+
+target_compile_definitions(orbit_delay_core
+  PUBLIC
+    ORBIT_DELAY_ENABLE_HERMITE=1
+)
diff --git a/core/include/orbit_delay_core.h b/core/include/orbit_delay_core.h
index 0bde976..e250a43 100644
--- a/core/include/orbit_delay_core.h
+++ b/core/include/orbit_delay_core.h
@@ -105,8 +105,12 @@ class OrbitDelayCore {
     static constexpr float kMaxNoteDivision = 4.0f;
     static constexpr uint32_t kHeavyParamCadenceSamples = 16u;
     static constexpr float kLowpassUpdateDeltaHz = 20.0f;
+    static constexpr float kLowpassCadenceUpdateDeltaHz = 80.0f;
     static constexpr float kDiffuserUpdateDelta = 0.01f;
+    static constexpr float kDiffuserCadenceUpdateDelta = 0.03f;
     static constexpr float kHighpassCutoffHz = 30.0f;
+    static constexpr float kOrbitReadGuardMinSamples = 16.0f;
+    static constexpr float kOrbitReadGuardMaxSamples = 64.0f;
     static constexpr float kHighpassUpdateDeltaHz = 1.0f;
     static constexpr float kDefaultFeedbackLowpassQ = 0.707f;
     static constexpr float kReverseLegacyFeedbackLowpassQ = 0.5f;
diff --git a/core/src/orbit_delay_core.cpp b/core/src/orbit_delay_core.cpp
index 660836b..9ff17d9 100644
--- a/core/src/orbit_delay_core.cpp
+++ b/core/src/orbit_delay_core.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,14 @@ float computeTempoDelaySamples(float sampleRate, float tempoBpm, float noteDivis
 float wrapUnitParam(float value, float fallback) {
     return isFiniteSafe(value) ? wrapPosFloat(value, 1.0f, 1.0f) : fallback;
 }
+
+float readDelayWrapped(const DelayLine& delay, float readPos) {
+#if defined(ORBIT_DELAY_ENABLE_HERMITE)
+    return delay.readAbsoluteHermiteWrapped(readPos);
+#else
+    return delay.readAbsoluteLinearWrapped(readPos);
+#endif
+}
 } // namespace
 
 void OrbitDelayCore::applyPendingParamsIfNeeded() {
@@ -375,7 +383,8 @@ bool OrbitDelayCore::advanceCadence() {
 void OrbitDelayCore::maybeApplyLowpassCutoff(float smoothedToneHz) {
     const float clampedToneHz = clampf(smoothedToneHz, 300.0f, clampf(0.49f * sampleRate_, 300.0f, 12000.0f));
     const float delta = std::fabs(clampedToneHz - appliedToneHz_);
-    if (lowpassDirty_ || heavyParamCadenceHit_ || delta >= kLowpassUpdateDeltaHz) {
+    const bool cadenceAndAudible = heavyParamCadenceHit_ && delta >= kLowpassCadenceUpdateDeltaHz;
+    if (lowpassDirty_ || delta >= kLowpassUpdateDeltaHz || cadenceAndAudible) {
         const float lowpassQ = feedbackLowpassQ();
         lowpassL_.setParams(clampedToneHz, lowpassQ);
         lowpassR_.setParams(clampedToneHz, lowpassQ);
@@ -386,7 +395,8 @@ void OrbitDelayCore::maybeApplyLowpassCutoff(float smoothedToneHz) {
 
 void OrbitDelayCore::maybeApplyDiffuserAmount(float smoothedSmear) {
     const float delta = std::fabs(smoothedSmear - appliedSmear_);
-    if (diffuserDirty_ || heavyParamCadenceHit_ || delta >= kDiffuserUpdateDelta) {
+    const bool cadenceAndAudible = heavyParamCadenceHit_ && delta >= kDiffuserCadenceUpdateDelta;
+    if (diffuserDirty_ || delta >= kDiffuserUpdateDelta || cadenceAndAudible) {
         const float clamped = clampf(smoothedSmear, 0.0f, 1.0f);
         diffuserL_.setAmount(clamped);
         diffuserR_.setAmount(clamped);
@@ -618,21 +628,21 @@ float OrbitDelayCore::processChannelFast(float input,
     if (readMode_ == ReadMode::AccidentalReverse) {
         const float readPos = wrapPosFloat(static_cast<float>(delay.writePos) - params.tempoDelaySamples + spread + lfoSamples, delaySize, invDelaySize);
         baseReadPos = readPos;
-#if defined(ORBIT_DELAY_ENABLE_HERMITE)
-        wet = delay.readAbsoluteHermiteWrapped(readPos);
-#else
-        wet = delay.readAbsoluteLinearWrapped(readPos);
-#endif
+        wet = readDelayWrapped(delay, readPos);
     } else {
         float readPos = params.orbit * static_cast<float>(delay.writePos) + params.offsetSamples + spread + lfoSamples;
         readPos = wrapPosFloat(readPos, delaySize, invDelaySize);
-        baseReadPos = readPos;
 
-#if defined(ORBIT_DELAY_ENABLE_HERMITE)
-        wet = delay.readAbsoluteHermiteWrapped(readPos);
-#else
-        wet = delay.readAbsoluteLinearWrapped(readPos);
-#endif
+        const float writePos = static_cast<float>(delay.writePos);
+        const float maxGuardBySize = 0.25f * delaySize;
+        const float guardSamples = clampf(maxGuardBySize, kOrbitReadGuardMinSamples, kOrbitReadGuardMaxSamples);
+        const float distanceForward = wrapPosFloat(readPos - writePos, delaySize, invDelaySize);
+        if (distanceForward < guardSamples || distanceForward > (delaySize - guardSamples)) {
+            readPos = wrapPosFloat(writePos + guardSamples, delaySize, invDelaySize);
+        }
+
+        baseReadPos = readPos;
+        wet = readDelayWrapped(delay, readPos);
     }
 
     if (!isFiniteSafe(wet)) {
@@ -682,7 +692,8 @@ float OrbitDelayCore::processChannelFast(float input,
         }
     }
 
-    delay.write(toBuffer);
+    const float toBufferClipped = softClipPolynomial(toBuffer);
+    delay.write(toBufferClipped);
 
     const float out = (sanitizedInput * (1.0f - params.mix) + filteredWet * params.mix) * params.outputGain;
     return isFiniteSafe(out) ? out : 0.0f;