diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/fluid_synth.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/fluid_synth.h
index e37a27419e..143e3f3f62 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/fluid_synth.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/fluid_synth.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace ARDOUR {
 			 * @param samplerate samplerate
 			 * @param polyphony polyphony
 			 */
-			FluidSynth (float samplerate, int polyphony = 32);
+			FluidSynth (float samplerate, int polyphony = 256);
 			~FluidSynth ();
 
 			bool load_sf2 (const std::string& fn);
diff --git a/libs/plugins/a-fluidsynth.lv2/a-fluidsynth.cc b/libs/plugins/a-fluidsynth.lv2/a-fluidsynth.cc
index cc656b56c1..95d2953127 100644
--- a/libs/plugins/a-fluidsynth.lv2/a-fluidsynth.cc
+++ b/libs/plugins/a-fluidsynth.lv2/a-fluidsynth.cc
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ instantiate (const LV2_Descriptor*     descriptor,
 	}
 
 	fluid_synth_set_gain (self->synth, 1.0f);
-	fluid_synth_set_polyphony (self->synth, 32);
+	fluid_synth_set_polyphony (self->synth, 256);
 	fluid_synth_set_sample_rate (self->synth, (float)rate);
 
 	fluid_synth_set_reverb_on (self->synth, 0);