diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0aaf580..517c326 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ reasonably shouldn't, let me know (or fix it and then let me know!)
 - [x] handling everyone's state
 - [x] any of the actual audio stuff
 - [x] noise suppression with rnnoise
-- [ ] chat with more than a singular other person, probably
+- [x] chat with more than a singular other person, probably
 
 ## building
 hubbub requires go 1.23 to build. it might run on earlier versions, but i think
diff --git a/audio/audio.go b/audio/audio.go
index 909a9a2..5cb38c5 100644
--- a/audio/audio.go
+++ b/audio/audio.go
@@ -29,17 +29,9 @@ const sampleRate = 24000
 const channels = 1
 
 type Audio struct {
-	Muted     bool
-	Deafened  bool
-	OutBuffer chan string
-}
-
-func NewAudio() Audio {
-	return Audio{
-		Muted:     false,
-		Deafened:  false,
-		OutBuffer: make(chan string),
-	}
+	Muted    bool
+	Deafened bool
+	Buffers  map[string]chan string
 }
 
 func (au *Audio) ProcessInput(conn *ircevent.Connection, channel string) error {
@@ -72,23 +64,36 @@ func (au *Audio) ProcessInput(conn *ircevent.Connection, channel string) error {
 			}
 		}
 
-		empty := make([]float32, len(out))
-		select {
-		case str := <-au.OutBuffer:
-			if !au.Deafened {
-				raw, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(str)
-				if err != nil {
-					break
+		// mix all outputs together
+		mix := make([]float32, len(out))
+		voices := 0
+		for _, buffer := range au.Buffers {
+			select {
+			case str := <-buffer:
+				if !au.Deafened {
+					raw, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(str)
+					if err != nil {
+						break
+					}
+					decoded := make([]float32, len(out))
+					if _, err = dec.DecodeFloat32(raw, decoded); err != nil {
+						break
+					}
+					for i := range decoded {
+						mix[i] += decoded[i]
+					}
+					voices++
 				}
-				if _, err = dec.DecodeFloat32(raw, out); err != nil {
-					break
-				}
-			} else {
-				copy(out, empty)
+			default:
 			}
-		default:
-			copy(out, empty)
 		}
+
+		if voices > 0 {
+			for i := range mix {
+				mix[i] /= float32(voices)
+			}
+		}
+		copy(out, mix)
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error opening input stream: %v", err)
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 954c05e..3ad28d1 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ func (m model) Init() tea.Cmd {
 		u, ok := m.users[e.Nick()]
 		if !ok {
 			m.users[e.Nick()] = user{}
+			m.au.Buffers[e.Nick()] = make(chan string)
 		}
 
 		switch message {
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ func (m model) Init() tea.Cmd {
 			u.isMuted = false
 		default:
 			u.lastSpoke = time.Now()
-			m.au.OutBuffer <- message
+			m.au.Buffers[e.Nick()] <- message
 		}
 
 		m.users[e.Nick()] = u
@@ -141,6 +142,9 @@ func (m model) Init() tea.Cmd {
 
 	m.conn.AddCallback("JOIN", func(e ircmsg.Message) {
 		m.users[e.Nick()] = user{}
+		if e.Nick() != m.nick {
+			m.au.Buffers[e.Nick()] = make(chan string)
+		}
 
 		// advertise your muted and deafened statuses on someone joining
 		if m.deafen {
@@ -157,10 +161,12 @@ func (m model) Init() tea.Cmd {
 
 	m.conn.AddCallback("PART", func(e ircmsg.Message) {
 		delete(m.users, e.Nick())
+		delete(m.au.Buffers, e.Nick())
 	})
 
 	m.conn.AddCallback("QUIT", func(e ircmsg.Message) {
 		delete(m.users, e.Nick())
+		delete(m.au.Buffers, e.Nick())
 	})
 
 	m.conn.Join(m.channel)
@@ -215,8 +221,9 @@ func (m model) View() (s string) {
 	}
 	s += fmt.Sprintf("%d user%s connected:\n", numUsers, plural)
 
-	for _, nick := range slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(m.users)) {
-		user := m.users[nick]
+	users := maps.Clone(m.users)
+	for _, nick := range slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(users)) {
+		user := users[nick]
 		status := " "
 		nickStyled := styleInactive.Render(nick)
 		if user.isDeafened {
@@ -282,7 +289,9 @@ func start(c *cli.Context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	au := audio.NewAudio()
+	au := audio.Audio{
+		Buffers: map[string](chan string){},
+	}
 	go func() {
 		if err := au.ProcessInput(&conn.Connection, config.Channel); err != nil {
 			os.Exit(1)