Waves is now shipping the Curves Equator plug-in, the first in a series of three new plug-ins presenting an evolution in EQ technology.
Curves Equator is an advanced, next-generation resonance suppression plug-in offering groundbreaking frequency unmasking. By using the main knob to bring down the “Equator line,” the plug-in immediately improves any vocal, instrument, sample track or full mix with targeted, artefact-free linear-phase filtering to remove problematic frequencies, fix resonances, balance inconsistencies or adjust frequencies within overlapping sounds, so that each sound can be heard more clearly.
What sets Equator apart is its “Learn” function, which listens to your audio and creates a personalised suppression curve. Most other available resonance-targeting solutions are one-size-fits-all, processing sound via a generic average curve, often harming the unique sound you’ve created. By “Learning” the audio, Equator gives users a customised processing curve, protecting against anomalies and imbalances while never overprocessing.
Furthermore, by using “Learn” to capture a healthy part of a mix or track as a template, Equator can then process the rest of the signal to match it. Users can even choose their “flavour of balance” with the Shape & Tilt controls, which adjust the processing target according to taste.
“Learning” via a sidechain can create truly magical results in a mix, with sources no longer clashing in the same frequencies. For example, if the vocals are the most important element in the mix, users can “SC Learn” the vocal curve and apply its inverse shape on an instrument bus to carve perfect space for both, statically or dynamically.
Many sources have issues that are not immediately apparent due to a user’s room acoustics, speaker quality, or masking by other instruments. These “hidden” issues can now be resolved by using the “Equator line” in the plug-in’s user-friendly GUI. By simply lowering the “Equator line,” you can achieve a sonic effect similar to lifting a blanket off the mix, resulting in a clearer sound. With Equator, users get a “self-driving” EQ that delivers perfect balance and zero resonance, ensuring every element of a mix is in its rightful place.
Conventional resonance suppression, or dynamic EQ can quickly kill the overall feel and energy of a mix by overprocessing the problem areas. Waves Curves Equator addresses this issue with its “Auto Makeup Gain” feature (that can be toggled on/off). This unique feature adaptively adjusts energy and frequency in real time using dynamic makeup gain. It matches the perceived output loudness to the input RMS (Root Mean Square, representing the average power or loudness of an audio signal over time), by boosting the level of the frequencies not attenuated and maintaining the same energy. This ensures that any reduced energy is compensated for, keeping the master output unchanged. Additionally, three adjustable crossovers and 8 nodes provide extra control over Equator’s resonance targeting and processing.
