Curves Equator is a resonance suppression plugin by Waves that uses linear-phase filters to fix problematic frequencies, with a Learn feature for personalized suppression curves and sidechain-based unmasking for mixes.
Purpose and Core Fixes
Curves Equator targets common audio problems that often go unnoticed due to masking by room acoustics, speakers, or other instruments. It suppresses resonances, mud, harshness, and tonal imbalances across full mixes, individual vocals, instruments, or samples. The plugin removes the “blanket” from a mix, revealing clarity and openness without introducing artifacts, thanks to linear-phase filters.
Unlike generic one-size-fits-all processors, Equator learns the unique character of your audio. Its Learn feature captures a template from a healthy portion of the signal, then processes the rest to match that reference. This safeguards the unique sound you created while avoiding overprocessing, ensuring that the fix targets objective problems without harming the good qualities.
Learn and Sidechain Unmasking
A distinctive capability is frequency unmasking via sidechain. By selecting SC Learn, you capture the spectral curve of a clashing source, such as a vocal, and apply its inverse shape to another bus, like instruments. This carves precise space for each element, preventing frequency clashes that muddy a mix.
The Rider feature takes this further by applying dynamic attenuation that responds in real time to the sidechain input: louder audio from the sidechain triggers more carving. This is ideal for ensuring the vocals remain prominent while the backing tracks automatically duck around them, creating a balanced, professional mix without manual automation.
Shape, Tilt, and Makeup Gain
Shape and Tilt controls allow you to adjust the target suppression curve to your taste, acknowledging that some tonal balance decisions are subjective. While Equator fixes objective resonances, these controls let you tailor the processing to fit the desired character of the mix.
The Dynamic Auto Makeup Gain feature addresses a common issue with suppression: loss of energy. It matches the input RMS by boosting the frequencies that are not attenuated, preserving the overall loudness. This can be toggled on or off, giving you control over whether to maintain consistent energy or allow natural level changes.
Workflow and Applications
In practice, Equator suits multiple stages. On a full mix, it serves as a transparent finalizer, quickly cleaning up resonances and opening up the sound. On individual tracks like vocals or instruments, it removes harshness and tonal inconsistencies, making them sit better in the mix.
For mixing, the sidechain Learn feature is particularly effective: insert Equator on an instrument bus, set the vocal as the sidechain, and the plugin will dynamically carve space for the vocal as it plays. This streamlines the unmasking process, turning a complex mixing task into a one-step solution.
Key features
- Smarter resonance suppression with linear-phase filters
- Learn feature creates a personalized suppression curve
- SC Learn enables sidechain-based frequency unmasking
- Rider feature provides dynamic attenuation based on sidechain input
- Dynamic Auto Makeup Gain matches input RMS to preserve energy
- Shape and Tilt controls adjust target suppression for tonal shaping
- Includes 3 adjustable crossovers and 2×8 nodes for fine control
Best for
Best for music producers and mixing engineers who want an efficient, intelligent tool to clean up resonances and unmask clashing elements. It excels in full mix finalizing, vocal cleaning, and sidechain carving, especially when you need quick, transparent results without manual EQ automation.