diff --git a/style.css b/style.css
index 2ebbf43..8d5b6f4 100644
--- a/style.css
+++ b/style.css
@@ -222,7 +222,6 @@ header h1 {
     /* Adjust based on header height */
     min-height: 0;
     overflow: hidden;
-    background: var(--bg-dark); /* Prevent deck box-shadows bleeding into padding gaps */
 }
 
 /* LIBRARY SECTION */
@@ -390,20 +389,20 @@ header h1 {
 
 #deck-A {
     border: 2px solid var(--primary-cyan);
-    box-shadow: 0 0 25px rgba(0, 243, 255, 0.3);
+    box-shadow: inset 0 0 25px rgba(0, 243, 255, 0.3);
 }
 
 #deck-B {
     border: 2px solid var(--secondary-magenta);
-    box-shadow: 0 0 25px rgba(188, 19, 254, 0.3);
+    box-shadow: inset 0 0 25px rgba(188, 19, 254, 0.3);
 }
 
 .deck.playing {
-    box-shadow: 0 0 45px rgba(0, 243, 255, 0.5);
+    box-shadow: inset 0 0 45px rgba(0, 243, 255, 0.5);
 }
 
 #deck-B.playing {
-    box-shadow: 0 0 45px rgba(188, 19, 254, 0.5);
+    box-shadow: inset 0 0 45px rgba(188, 19, 254, 0.5);
 }
 
 .deck-header {
@@ -547,14 +546,11 @@ canvas {
     border: 1px solid #333;
 }
 
-/* VU meter canvases — transparent when idle so they don't show as black blocks */
+/* VU meter canvases — hidden by default to prevent black-block gap;
+   JS can show them during playback if desired */
 #viz-A,
 #viz-B {
-    background: transparent !important;
-    border: none !important;
-    border-top: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05) !important;
-    border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05) !important;
-    margin: 2px 0 6px 0 !important;
+    display: none !important;
 }
 
 
@@ -1241,6 +1237,7 @@ input[type=range] {
 #viz-A,
 #viz-B,
 #viz-listener {
+    /* viz-A/B hidden globally; only viz-listener needs height */
     height: 80px !important;
 }
 
@@ -3040,10 +3037,10 @@ body.listening-active .landscape-prompt {
         gap: 6px;
     }
 
-    /* Smaller VU meters */
+    /* Smaller VU meters — now hidden globally, rule kept for listener canvas fallback */
     canvas#viz-A,
     canvas#viz-B {
-        height: 60px;
+        display: none !important;
     }
 
     /* Compact library */