Curves Equator is a ‘smart’ dynamic equaliser plug‑in from Waves that’s similar in concept to Oeksound’s well‑respected Soothe. As with that tool, Curves Equator tracks and attenuates resonances dynamically, to achieve a more balanced sound that sits comfortably in a mix, and it supports side‑chain operation so that the plug‑in can work as a kind of spectral ducker, carving out space by pulling back only those frequencies that conflict with the side‑chain signal. There are a few operational differences, though, and each offers the odd tweak that the other doesn’t. Notably, Equator’s Learn feature is available on both the input and side‑chain curves, each doing a specific job.
Basic processing is straightforward. A threshold curve determines the level above which processing takes place, and adjustments determine how sounds above the threshold are treated. The default is mode is Adaptive mode, which uses a default threshold curve (or one of the factory preset curves), but you can adjust these to suit the audio being processed. For example, if you feel some parts of the spectrum need processing more than others, there are tools for that. Alternatively, the Learn feature can analyse a section of audio (ideally a good‑sounding section that’s ‘typical’ of the track), auto‑generate a threshold curve, and aim to keep the rest of the track sounding consistent. If using the side‑chain option, the side‑chain signal can also be learned. If your content needs overall spectral balancing or adjustments, it’s worth running a signal through Curves Equator with the default settings, adjusting the main knob along with the various Shape and Tilt parameters — this is generally pretty effective in identifying and pulling back resonances across the whole spectrum.
The main GUI view shows the threshold curve, the input spectrum and, in blue, the spectrum of what’s being tamed. You can often get perfectly fine results with the basic controls, but I’ve tended to stay in Advanced view, which doesn’t give you too many controls to contend with. Three variable crossover points split the processing into four bands. Knobs adjust Sensitivity, Shape, Tilt and Mix, and there are buttons for Limiter and Dynamic Auto Gain Make‑up. The larger main knob is used as a fader to control the threshold level, and a Tooltips feature explains the various other controls as you mouse over them. At the bottom of the GUI a row of smaller knobs adjusts the Attack, Release and Precision of the processing, as well as a frequency Tilt (this tilts the threshold curve to favour the highs or lows), and Smoothing and Balance parameters, which can be set to L‑R or Mid and Sides.
The levels in each band can be adjusted — so you have a basic EQ — and the crossovers can be moved to define frequency ranges to which you want to apply more/less processing, with a range of 0 (no processing) to 200 percent. The processing can be more precisely targeted by adding and adjusting up to eight nodes on the curve too: if there’s any part of the spectrum you’d prefer were left alone, you just increase the threshold level in that region, or for more assertive processing pull it down.
Curves Equator does an effective, surprisingly transparent job of pulling down annoying resonances.
On individual tracks, Curves Equator does an effective, surprisingly transparent job of pulling down annoying resonances. I did my first tests on an acoustic guitar recording that I felt was a bit bottom heavy and also boomy in parts, and rather than just pull down all the lows as would happen with a multiband compressor, Curves Equator generated a dynamic shape that responded to the resonance contours of the input, pulling down just the offending frequencies whenever they became excessive. It worked well to tame excessive booming and boxy body resonances. It could tame vocal resonances and harshness too. But really, any source that shows signs of unwanted resonances can be improved upon, including drums. The side‑chain support was a pleasant bonus, as the spectral ducking feature can be so useful.
Most of the time, its judgement is pretty good, but should you decide that you like particular resonances (it can sometimes get overenthusiastic on snare hits, for example), it’s easy to tweak the threshold nodes to reduce processing in those areas. I found the side‑chain mode particularly valuable: with the right routing set up in your DAW, if you put Curves Equator on a bus, this feature makes it possible to unmask important elements in the mix.
The Learn mode generally worked well, whether on the main or side‑chain signal, even if the results sometimes required fine‑tuning — I found it easy to make precise adjustments by adding and adjusting nodes. I should point out that it can often be tempting to over‑process resonances, only to find that your track no longer pops out of the mix quite so strongly; as with any powerful tool, you should use Curves Equator with care, and evaluate its results in the context of a mix.
Verdict
The overall concept may not be original, but in its execution Curves Equator is effective. It’s straightforward to use at a basic level, but more advanced controls are to hand when they are needed. Use it judiciously, and you can achieve impressive results — and it’s priced to be affordable to the home studio operator too. Worth checking out.
Information
$79 (discounted to $39 when going to press).
$79 (discounted to $39 when going to press).