diff --git a/src/audio/AudioBus.ts b/src/audio/AudioBus.ts
index 91ddb3550..fda67488e 100644
--- a/src/audio/AudioBus.ts
+++ b/src/audio/AudioBus.ts
@@ -332,7 +332,10 @@ export class AudioBus {
     const outputNode = audioContext.createGain();
 
     // Internal chain: input → [effects...] → pan → output
-    outputNode.gain.setTargetAtTime(this._muted ? 0 : this._volume, audioContext.currentTime, 0.01);
+    // Set, not ramped: the node is new and nothing flows through it yet. A
+    // ramp from the GainNode default of unity would play the first sound
+    // after the unlock gesture at full level until it settled.
+    outputNode.gain.setValueAtTime(this._muted ? 0 : this._volume, audioContext.currentTime);
     panNode.pan.setTargetAtTime(this._pan, audioContext.currentTime, 0.01);
 
     this._setup = { audioContext, inputNode, outputNode, panNode };
diff --git a/src/audio/BaseVoice.ts b/src/audio/BaseVoice.ts
index 135a10786..c1f91c526 100644
--- a/src/audio/BaseVoice.ts
+++ b/src/audio/BaseVoice.ts
@@ -133,7 +133,11 @@ export abstract class BaseVoice implements Voice {
     this._volume = clamp(init.volume, 0, 1);
     this._spatialConfig = { ...defaultSpatialConfig };
 
-    this._output.gain.setTargetAtTime(this._volume, this._audioContext.currentTime, 0.01);
+    // Set, not ramped: a fresh GainNode starts at unity, and the source has not
+    // started yet, so there is nothing to click. A ramp from unity would let a
+    // one-shot's first milliseconds - usually its loudest transient - through
+    // at full level before the requested volume took hold.
+    this._output.gain.setValueAtTime(this._volume, this._audioContext.currentTime);
 
     if (init.autoConnect !== false) {
       this._connectOutput();
diff --git a/test/audio/audio-bus.test.ts b/test/audio/audio-bus.test.ts
index 081fc35c1..dce870281 100644
--- a/test/audio/audio-bus.test.ts
+++ b/test/audio/audio-bus.test.ts
@@ -183,6 +183,29 @@ describe('AudioBus', () => {
     expect(bus.pan).toBe(0.5);
   });
 
+  test('a new bus starts at its volume instead of ramping down from unity', () => {
+    const spy = spyOnBusCreation();
+
+    const bus = new AudioBus('initial-volume-test', { volume: 0.4 });
+
+    expect(spy.outputNode.gain.setValueAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0.4, expect.any(Number));
+    expect(spy.outputNode.gain.setTargetAtTime).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    spy.restore();
+    bus.destroy();
+  });
+
+  test('a bus created muted starts silent', () => {
+    const spy = spyOnBusCreation();
+
+    const bus = new AudioBus('initial-muted-test', { volume: 0.4, muted: true });
+
+    expect(spy.outputNode.gain.setValueAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0, expect.any(Number));
+
+    spy.restore();
+    bus.destroy();
+  });
+
   // 5. Muted zeroes the gain via setTargetAtTime
   test('setting muted=true calls setTargetAtTime(0) on outputNode', () => {
     const spy = spyOnBusCreation();
@@ -709,7 +732,7 @@ describe('AudioBus', () => {
     vi.resetModules();
     const fakeSignal = new Signal<[AudioContext]>();
 
-    const makeFakeGain = () => ({ connect: vi.fn(), disconnect: vi.fn(), gain: { setTargetAtTime: vi.fn() } });
+    const makeFakeGain = () => ({ connect: vi.fn(), disconnect: vi.fn(), gain: { setTargetAtTime: vi.fn(), setValueAtTime: vi.fn() } });
     const fakeCtx = {
       currentTime: 0,
       destination: {},
@@ -746,7 +769,7 @@ describe('AudioBus', () => {
     vi.resetModules();
     const fakeSignal = new Signal<[AudioContext]>();
 
-    const makeFakeGain = () => ({ connect: vi.fn(), disconnect: vi.fn(), gain: { setTargetAtTime: vi.fn() } });
+    const makeFakeGain = () => ({ connect: vi.fn(), disconnect: vi.fn(), gain: { setTargetAtTime: vi.fn(), setValueAtTime: vi.fn() } });
     const fakeCtx = {
       currentTime: 0,
       destination: {},
@@ -787,7 +810,7 @@ describe('AudioBus', () => {
     vi.resetModules();
     const fakeSignal = new Signal<[AudioContext]>();
 
-    const makeFakeGain = () => ({ connect: vi.fn(), disconnect: vi.fn(), gain: { setTargetAtTime: vi.fn() } });
+    const makeFakeGain = () => ({ connect: vi.fn(), disconnect: vi.fn(), gain: { setTargetAtTime: vi.fn(), setValueAtTime: vi.fn() } });
     const fakeCtx = {
       currentTime: 0,
       destination: {},
diff --git a/test/audio/audio-generator.test.ts b/test/audio/audio-generator.test.ts
index 0fa119cf3..436ade889 100644
--- a/test/audio/audio-generator.test.ts
+++ b/test/audio/audio-generator.test.ts
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ describe('AudioGenerator', () => {
 
     system.play(gen, { muted: true, volume: 0.8 });
 
-    expect(spy.gains[0].gain.setTargetAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0, expect.any(Number), expect.any(Number));
+    expect(spy.gains[0].gain.setValueAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0, expect.any(Number));
 
     spy.restore();
     gen.destroy();
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ describe('AudioGenerator', () => {
 
     system.play(gen, { volume: 0.3 });
 
-    expect(spy.gains[0].gain.setTargetAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0.3, expect.any(Number), expect.any(Number));
+    expect(spy.gains[0].gain.setValueAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0.3, expect.any(Number));
 
     spy.restore();
     gen.destroy();
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ describe('AudioGenerator', () => {
 
     system.play(gen);
 
-    expect(spy.gains[0].gain.setTargetAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0, expect.any(Number), expect.any(Number));
+    expect(spy.gains[0].gain.setValueAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0, expect.any(Number));
 
     spy.restore();
     gen.destroy();
diff --git a/test/audio/base-voice.test.ts b/test/audio/base-voice.test.ts
index 589831e38..5a605704d 100644
--- a/test/audio/base-voice.test.ts
+++ b/test/audio/base-voice.test.ts
@@ -282,6 +282,38 @@ describe('BaseVoice — post-ended no-ops', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('BaseVoice - initial volume', () => {
+  afterEach(() => vi.restoreAllMocks());
+
+  test.each([0, 0.05, 0.25, 1])('a voice played at volume %s starts there instead of ramping down from unity', volume => {
+    const system = new AudioSystem(); // before capture, so bus gains are not captured
+    const out = captureVoiceOutput();
+    const sound = new Sound(createAudioBufferStub());
+
+    system.play(sound, { volume });
+
+    expect(out.node!.gain.setValueAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(volume, expect.any(Number));
+    expect(out.node!.gain.setTargetAtTime).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    out.restore();
+  });
+
+  test('a later volume change still ramps rather than jumping', () => {
+    const system = new AudioSystem();
+    const out = captureVoiceOutput();
+    const sound = new Sound(createAudioBufferStub());
+    const voice = system.play(sound, { volume: 0.5 });
+
+    out.node!.gain.setValueAtTime.mockClear();
+    voice.volume = 0.1;
+
+    expect(out.node!.gain.setTargetAtTime).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0.1, expect.any(Number), 0.01);
+    expect(out.node!.gain.setValueAtTime).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    out.restore();
+  });
+});
+
 describe('BaseVoice — fade()', () => {
   afterEach(() => vi.restoreAllMocks());