diff --git a/SpiralSound/Plugins/FilterPlugin/FilterPlugin.C b/SpiralSound/Plugins/FilterPlugin/FilterPlugin.C
index ad1835b..df360ea 100644
--- a/SpiralSound/Plugins/FilterPlugin/FilterPlugin.C
+++ b/SpiralSound/Plugins/FilterPlugin/FilterPlugin.C
@@ -113,58 +113,70 @@ SpiralGUIType *FilterPlugin::CreateGUI()
 void FilterPlugin::Execute()
 {
 	float Cutoff;
-    float Resonance;
+	float Resonance;
+	float out, in;
 
-    if (fc<0) return;
+	if (fc<0) return;
    
-    for (int n=0; n<m_HostInfo->BUFSIZE; n++)
+	for (int n=0; n<m_HostInfo->BUFSIZE; n++)
 	{
-  	 	coef = iir.coef + 1;     /* Skip k, or gain */ 
-   	 	k=0.25;
+
+		//reset memory if disconnected, and skip out (prevents CPU spike)
+		if (! InputExists(0)) 
+		{	
+			out = 0;	 
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			in = GetInput(0,n);
+			
+			// work around denormal calculation CPU spikes where in --> 0
+			if ((in >= 0) && (in < 0.000000001))
+				in += 0.000000001;
+			else
+				if ((in <= 0) && (in > -0.000000001))
+					in -= 0.000000001;
+
+			coef = iir.coef + 1;     /* Skip k, or gain */ 
+			k=0.25;
 	
-	 	Cutoff = fc + (GetInput(1,n) * 1000);
-	 	Resonance = Q + GetInput(2,n);  
+			Cutoff = fc + (GetInput(1,n) * 1000);
+			Resonance = Q + GetInput(2,n);  
 	 	
-	 	Cutoff/=2;
+			Cutoff/=2;
 	 
-	 	if (Resonance>MAX_RES) Resonance=MAX_RES; 
-	 	if (Cutoff>MAX_CUTOFF) Cutoff=MAX_CUTOFF; 
-	 	if (Resonance<MIN_RES) Resonance=MIN_RES; 
-	 	if (Cutoff<MIN_CUTOFF) Cutoff=MIN_CUTOFF; 
+			if (Resonance>MAX_RES) Resonance=MAX_RES; 
+			if (Cutoff>MAX_CUTOFF) Cutoff=MAX_CUTOFF; 
+			if (Resonance<MIN_RES) Resonance=MIN_RES; 
+			if (Cutoff<MIN_CUTOFF) Cutoff=MIN_CUTOFF; 
 	 
-	 	if (n%FILTERGRAN==0)
-	 	{
-	 		for (nInd = 0; nInd < iir.length; nInd++) 
-    		{
-			    a2 = ProtoCoef[nInd].a2; 
+			if (n%FILTERGRAN==0)
+			{
+				for (nInd = 0; nInd < iir.length; nInd++) 
+				{
+					a2 = ProtoCoef[nInd].a2; 
 		
-	            a0 = ProtoCoef[nInd].a0; 
-	            a1 = ProtoCoef[nInd].a1; 
+					a0 = ProtoCoef[nInd].a0; 
+					a1 = ProtoCoef[nInd].a1; 
 	          
-	            b0 = ProtoCoef[nInd].b0; 
-	            b1 = ProtoCoef[nInd].b1 / Resonance;      
-	            b2 = ProtoCoef[nInd].b2; 	
-	            szxform(&a0, &a1, &a2, &b0, &b1, &b2, Cutoff*(Cutoff/1000.0f), fs, &k, coef); 
-   		        coef += 4;                       
+					b0 = ProtoCoef[nInd].b0; 
+					b1 = ProtoCoef[nInd].b1 / Resonance;      
+					b2 = ProtoCoef[nInd].b2; 	
+					szxform(&a0, &a1, &a2, &b0, &b1, &b2, Cutoff*(Cutoff/1000.0f), fs, &k, coef); 
+					coef += 4;                       
 
-	        	iir.coef[0] = k; 
+					iir.coef[0] = k; 
 				
-				m_LastQ=Q;
-				m_LastFC=fc;			
-			}
-		 }		  
+					m_LastQ=Q;
+					m_LastFC=fc;			
+				}
+			}		  
 		 		 
-		 float in = GetInput(0,n);
-		 //if (in!=0)
-		 //{
-		 	SetOutput(0,n,iir_filter(in/0.5f,&iir));	 
-		 //}
-		 //else
-		 //{
-		 //	m_Output[0]->Set(n,0);
-		 //}
-	}
-		
+		 	out = iir_filter(in/0.5f,&iir);
+		}	 
+
+	 	SetOutput(0,n,out);
+	}		
 }
 	
 void FilterPlugin::StreamOut(ostream &s)
@@ -182,16 +194,16 @@ void FilterPlugin::StreamIn(istream &s)
 void FilterPlugin::SetupCoeffs()
 {
 	ProtoCoef[0].a0 = 1.0; 
-    ProtoCoef[0].a1 = 0; 
-    ProtoCoef[0].a2 = 0; 
-    ProtoCoef[0].b0 = 1.0; 
-    ProtoCoef[0].b1 = 0.765367; 
-    ProtoCoef[0].b2 = 1.0; 
-
-    ProtoCoef[1].a0 = 1.0; 
-    ProtoCoef[1].a1 = 0; 
-    ProtoCoef[1].a2 = 0; 
-    ProtoCoef[1].b0 = 1.0; 
-    ProtoCoef[1].b1 = 1.847759; 
-    ProtoCoef[1].b2 = 1.0; 
+	ProtoCoef[0].a1 = 0; 
+	ProtoCoef[0].a2 = 0; 
+	ProtoCoef[0].b0 = 1.0; 
+	ProtoCoef[0].b1 = 0.765367; 
+	ProtoCoef[0].b2 = 1.0; 
+
+	ProtoCoef[1].a0 = 1.0; 
+	ProtoCoef[1].a1 = 0; 
+	ProtoCoef[1].a2 = 0; 
+	ProtoCoef[1].b0 = 1.0; 
+	ProtoCoef[1].b1 = 1.847759; 
+	ProtoCoef[1].b2 = 1.0; 
 } 
diff --git a/SpiralSound/Plugins/FormantFilterPlugin/FormantFilterPlugin.C b/SpiralSound/Plugins/FormantFilterPlugin/FormantFilterPlugin.C
index eee48d3..4492052 100644
--- a/SpiralSound/Plugins/FormantFilterPlugin/FormantFilterPlugin.C
+++ b/SpiralSound/Plugins/FormantFilterPlugin/FormantFilterPlugin.C
@@ -140,6 +140,13 @@ void FormantFilterPlugin::Execute()
 		{
 			in = GetInput(0,n);
 			
+			// work around denormal calculation CPU spikes where in --> 0
+			if ((in >= 0) && (in < 0.000000001))
+				in += 0.000000001;
+			else
+				if ((in <= 0) && (in > -0.000000001))
+					in -= 0.000000001;
+  
 			for (int v=0; v<5; v++)
 			{
 				res= (float) (coeff[v][0]*(in*0.1f) +
@@ -174,11 +181,30 @@ void FormantFilterPlugin::Execute()
 			}
 		
 			// mix between vowel sounds
-			if (m_Vowel<1) out=Linear(0,1,m_Vowel,o[1],o[0]); 
-			else if (m_Vowel>1 && m_Vowel<2) out=Linear(0,1,m_Vowel-1.0f,o[2],o[1]);
-			else if (m_Vowel>2 && m_Vowel<3) out=Linear(0,1,m_Vowel-2.0f,o[3],o[2]);
-			else if (m_Vowel>3 && m_Vowel<4) out=Linear(0,1,m_Vowel-3.0f,o[4],o[3]);
-			else if (m_Vowel==4) out=o[4];
+			if (m_Vowel<1) 
+			{
+				out=Linear(0,1,m_Vowel,o[1],o[0]); 
+			}	
+			else 
+				if (m_Vowel>1 && m_Vowel<2) 
+				{
+					out=Linear(0,1,m_Vowel-1.0f,o[2],o[1]);
+				}	
+			else 
+				if (m_Vowel>2 && m_Vowel<3) 
+				{
+					out=Linear(0,1,m_Vowel-2.0f,o[3],o[2]);
+				}	
+			else 
+				if (m_Vowel>3 && m_Vowel<4) 
+				{
+					out=Linear(0,1,m_Vowel-3.0f,o[4],o[3]);
+				}	
+			else 
+				if (m_Vowel==4) 
+				{
+					out=o[4];
+				}	
 		}		
 		SetOutput(0,n,out);	 
 	}