diff --git a/src/engine/dispatchContainer.cpp b/src/engine/dispatchContainer.cpp
index 8883243e7..49222c390 100644
--- a/src/engine/dispatchContainer.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/dispatchContainer.cpp
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ void DivDispatchContainer::init(DivSystem sys, DivEngine* eng, int chanCount, do
     case DIV_SYSTEM_C64_6581:
       dispatch=new DivPlatformC64;
       if (isRender) {
-        ((DivPlatformC64*)dispatch)->setCore(eng->getConfInt("c64CoreRender",0));
+        ((DivPlatformC64*)dispatch)->setCore(eng->getConfInt("c64CoreRender",1));
       } else {
         ((DivPlatformC64*)dispatch)->setCore(eng->getConfInt("c64Core",0));
       }
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ void DivDispatchContainer::init(DivSystem sys, DivEngine* eng, int chanCount, do
     case DIV_SYSTEM_C64_8580:
       dispatch=new DivPlatformC64;
       if (isRender) {
-        ((DivPlatformC64*)dispatch)->setCore(eng->getConfInt("c64CoreRender",0));
+        ((DivPlatformC64*)dispatch)->setCore(eng->getConfInt("c64CoreRender",1));
       } else {
         ((DivPlatformC64*)dispatch)->setCore(eng->getConfInt("c64Core",0));
       }
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ void DivDispatchContainer::init(DivSystem sys, DivEngine* eng, int chanCount, do
     case DIV_SYSTEM_YM2151:
       dispatch=new DivPlatformArcade;
       if (isRender) {
-        ((DivPlatformArcade*)dispatch)->setYMFM(eng->getConfInt("arcadeCoreRender",0)==0);
+        ((DivPlatformArcade*)dispatch)->setYMFM(eng->getConfInt("arcadeCoreRender",1)==0);
       } else {
         ((DivPlatformArcade*)dispatch)->setYMFM(eng->getConfInt("arcadeCore",0)==0);
       }
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ void DivDispatchContainer::init(DivSystem sys, DivEngine* eng, int chanCount, do
     case DIV_SYSTEM_FDS:
       dispatch=new DivPlatformFDS;
       if (isRender) {
-        ((DivPlatformFDS*)dispatch)->setNSFPlay(eng->getConfInt("fdsCoreRender",0)==1);
+        ((DivPlatformFDS*)dispatch)->setNSFPlay(eng->getConfInt("fdsCoreRender",1)==1);
       } else {
         ((DivPlatformFDS*)dispatch)->setNSFPlay(eng->getConfInt("fdsCore",0)==1);
       }
diff --git a/src/gui/gui.h b/src/gui/gui.h
index 8a3474d08..42750bb12 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.h
+++ b/src/gui/gui.h
@@ -1595,6 +1595,14 @@ class FurnaceGUI {
       c64Core(0),
       pokeyCore(1),
       opnCore(1),
+      arcadeCoreRender(1),
+      ym2612CoreRender(0),
+      snCoreRender(0),
+      nesCoreRender(0),
+      fdsCoreRender(1),
+      c64CoreRender(1),
+      pokeyCoreRender(1),
+      opnCoreRender(1),
       pcSpeakerOutMethod(0),
       yrw801Path(""),
       tg100Path(""),
diff --git a/src/gui/settings.cpp b/src/gui/settings.cpp
index 99b1073a3..221b96957 100644
--- a/src/gui/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/settings.cpp
@@ -1193,21 +1193,18 @@ void FurnaceGUI::drawSettings() {
           ImGui::TableSetupColumn("##System",ImGuiTableColumnFlags_WidthFixed);
           ImGui::TableSetupColumn("##PlaybackCores",ImGuiTableColumnFlags_WidthStretch);
           ImGui::TableSetupColumn("##RenderCores",ImGuiTableColumnFlags_WidthStretch);
-          ImGui::TableNextRow();
+          ImGui::TableNextRow(ImGuiTableRowFlags_Headers);
           ImGui::TableNextColumn();
-          ImGui::AlignTextToFramePadding();
           ImGui::Text("System");
           ImGui::TableNextColumn();
-          ImGui::AlignTextToFramePadding();
           ImGui::Text("Playback Core(s)");
           if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) {
-            ImGui::SetTooltip("playback cores are used in real-time, when the program's running");
+            ImGui::SetTooltip("used for playback");
           }
           ImGui::TableNextColumn();
-          ImGui::AlignTextToFramePadding();
           ImGui::Text("Render Core(s)");
           if (ImGui::IsItemHovered()) {
-            ImGui::SetTooltip("render cores are used for audio exporting");
+            ImGui::SetTooltip("used in audio export");
           }
 
           ImGui::TableNextRow();
@@ -3008,12 +3005,12 @@ void FurnaceGUI::syncSettings() {
   settings.c64Core=e->getConfInt("c64Core",0);
   settings.pokeyCore=e->getConfInt("pokeyCore",1);
   settings.opnCore=e->getConfInt("opnCore",1);
-  settings.arcadeCoreRender=e->getConfInt("arcadeCoreRender",0);
+  settings.arcadeCoreRender=e->getConfInt("arcadeCoreRender",1);
   settings.ym2612CoreRender=e->getConfInt("ym2612CoreRender",0);
   settings.snCoreRender=e->getConfInt("snCoreRender",0);
   settings.nesCoreRender=e->getConfInt("nesCoreRender",0);
-  settings.fdsCoreRender=e->getConfInt("fdsCoreRender",0);
-  settings.c64CoreRender=e->getConfInt("c64CoreRender",0);
+  settings.fdsCoreRender=e->getConfInt("fdsCoreRender",1);
+  settings.c64CoreRender=e->getConfInt("c64CoreRender",1);
   settings.pokeyCoreRender=e->getConfInt("pokeyCoreRender",1);
   settings.opnCoreRender=e->getConfInt("opnCoreRender",1);
   settings.pcSpeakerOutMethod=e->getConfInt("pcSpeakerOutMethod",0);