diff --git a/defaults.xml b/defaults.xml
index f7a03e48a..208bd7b95 100644
--- a/defaults.xml
+++ b/defaults.xml
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ Started September 2000 by David Megginson, david@megginson.com
       <voices>
         <host type="string" write="n">localhost</host>
         <port type="string" write="n">1314</port>
-        <enabled type="bool">false</enabled>
+        <enabled type="bool" userarchive="y">true</enabled>
         <atc alias="/sim/sound/voices/voice[0]/text"/>
         <approach alias="/sim/sound/voices/voice[0]/text"/>
         <ground alias="/sim/sound/voices/voice[0]/text"/>
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ Started September 2000 by David Megginson, david@megginson.com
           <pitch type="double">100.0</pitch>
           <speed type="double">1.0</speed>
           <preamble type="string"/>
-          <festival type="bool">true</festival>
+          <festival type="bool">false</festival>
           <htsvoice type="string">cmu_us_arctic_slt.htsvoice</htsvoice>
         </voice>
         <voice>
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ Started September 2000 by David Megginson, david@megginson.com
           <pitch type="double">100.0</pitch>
           <speed type="double">1.0</speed>
           <preamble type="string">(voice_us2_mbrola)</preamble>
-          <festival type="bool">true</festival>
+          <festival type="bool">false</festival>
           <htsvoice type="string">cstr_uk_female-1.0.htsvoice</htsvoice>
         </voice>
         <voice>
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ Started September 2000 by David Megginson, david@megginson.com
           <pitch type="double">100.0</pitch>
           <speed type="double">1.0</speed>
           <preamble type="string">(voice_en1_mbrola)</preamble>
-          <festival type="bool">true</festival>
+          <festival type="bool">false</festival>
           <htsvoice type="string">cmu_us_arctic_slt.htsvoice</htsvoice>
         </voice>
         <voice>
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ Started September 2000 by David Megginson, david@megginson.com
           <pitch type="double">100.0</pitch>
           <speed type="double">1.0</speed>
           <preamble type="string">(voice_don_diphone)</preamble>
-          <festival type="bool">true</festival>
+          <festival type="bool">false</festival>
           <htsvoice type="string">cmu_us_arctic_slt.htsvoice</htsvoice>
         </voice>
       </voices>
diff --git a/gui/dialogs/sound.xml b/gui/dialogs/sound.xml
index 169405138..06d830e79 100644
--- a/gui/dialogs/sound.xml
+++ b/gui/dialogs/sound.xml
@@ -289,6 +289,38 @@
 
   <hrule/>
 
+  <group>
+    <layout>hbox</layout>
+
+    <!-- gap -->
+    <text>
+      <label></label>
+    </text>
+
+    <text>
+    <halign>right</halign>
+    <label>Use voice synthesis for tutorials and comms (requires restart)</label>
+    </text>
+
+    <checkbox>
+      <property>/sim/sound/voices/enabled</property>
+      <binding>
+        <command>dialog-apply</command>
+      </binding>
+	    <enable>
+        <property>/sim/sound/enabled</property>
+      </enable>
+    </checkbox>
+
+    <!-- gap -->
+    <text>
+      <label></label>
+    </text>
+
+  </group>
+
+  <hrule/>
+
   <group>
     <layout>hbox</layout>
     <default-padding>10</default-padding>