Waves Curves Equator vs Soothe 2 (And What Just Changed With Soothe 3)
If you have been mixing with Soothe 2 for any length of time you already know what it does well — and you have probably also noticed what it costs you every time you open a session. CPU. A lot of it.
I use Soothe 2 regularly on my mixes. I also run Waves Curves Equator. They are not quite doing the same job but they are solving the same problem from different angles — controlling harsh, resonant frequencies without manual EQ notching. Here is how they compare, and what the recent release of Soothe 3 changes about this conversation.
What Both Plugins Are Trying to Do
Both Waves Curves Equator and Soothe 2 deal with problematic frequencies dynamically. Instead of cutting a fixed frequency with a static EQ move, they identify resonances in real time and reduce them only when and where the problem is actually present. The result is cleaner, more natural sounding processing than a static notch filter can achieve.
Where they differ is in how they approach that processing and what else they bring to the table.
Waves Curves Equator
Curves Equator is Waves' dynamic EQ that gives you precise, band-by-band control over how and when frequency reduction kicks in. Every band can be set to respond dynamically — cutting only when the signal exceeds a threshold — or statically as a traditional EQ move.
The flexibility is the strength. You are in full control of exactly which frequencies are being managed, how aggressively, and under what conditions. For an engineer who wants transparency and precision, that control matters. I will be honest — I am still learning exactly what I am doing with Curves Equator on certain sessions. But the more time I spend with it the more I understand why it belongs in the chain.
The practical advantage is the same one that runs through every Waves plugin I use — it lives inside the Waves ecosystem. One subscription. One update cycle. No separate license, no separate login, no separate cost on top of what you are already paying.
Soothe 2
Soothe 2 is the industry standard dynamic resonance suppressor and it earned that reputation for a reason. Drop it on a vocal, a harsh acoustic guitar, a strident mix bus — it finds the resonances automatically and reduces them without you having to identify them manually. For an independent artist mixing their own music, that automatic detection is genuinely useful.
The problem I run into consistently is CPU. Soothe 2 is heavy. On a full session with multiple instances it starts to make itself known in your system performance. For a home studio setup where you are already running Waves plugins, a DAW, virtual instruments, and potentially UAD processing through an Apollo Twin, that overhead adds up fast.
It is still a great plugin. But the CPU cost is real and worth factoring into your decision.
Soothe 3 Just Dropped — Here Is What Changed
oeksound released Soothe 3 on May 19th, 2026 and it addresses several of the limitations that made Soothe 2 frustrating in certain workflows.
- Rebuilt algorithm from the ground up — Soothe 3 adds zero samples of latency at base sample rates and approximately 1ms at higher sample rates, making it usable for tracking sessions for the first time
- Soft mode — a new transparent processing mode that feels smoother and more natural than Soothe 2, particularly on vocals when pushed harder
- Simplified controls — a single Detail parameter replaces the two-knob Sharpness and Selectivity system from Soothe 2, making decisions faster
- Pricing — $259 new, with upgrades available from any previous version of Soothe for $55
If you are already a Soothe 2 owner the $55 upgrade cost is reasonable given what changed. If you are buying for the first time, the question becomes whether the full Soothe ecosystem at $259 makes sense versus staying inside Waves with Curves Equator included in your existing subscription.
Head to Head
- Automatic resonance detection: Soothe wins. It finds problems you might not catch manually. Curves Equator requires you to identify the frequencies yourself.
- Precision and control: Curves Equator wins. Full band-by-band control over every parameter.
- CPU performance: Curves Equator wins over Soothe 2. Soothe 3 has reportedly improved in this area but results vary by system.
- Ecosystem: Curves Equator wins if you are already in Waves. Soothe is a standalone purchase from a separate developer.
- Vocal processing specifically: Both are effective. Soothe 3's new Soft mode gives it an edge for transparent vocal processing.
- Learning curve: Soothe is faster to get results from. Curves Equator rewards the time you put into understanding it.
Which One Should You Use
If you are already running Waves and you want dynamic EQ control without adding another subscription or purchase to your setup, Curves Equator is the move. It lives in your existing workflow, it is precise, and the more time you spend with it the more useful it becomes.
If you want automatic resonance detection and you mix a high volume of sessions where speed matters, Soothe 3 is genuinely impressive. The Soft mode on vocals is a real improvement over Soothe 2 and the low latency tracking capability opens up use cases Soothe 2 could not handle.
For most independent artists mixing their own music from a home studio — especially if you are already a Waves subscriber — start with Curves Equator. It is already in your toolkit. Learn it. You may not need to spend anything else.
Build the Full Chain
- 🔗 The Waves Vocal Chain I Use on Every Acoustic Rap Track
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🎧 Hear It on a Finished Record
Curves Equator and Soothe 2 were both used in the mix of my latest single Phases. Stream it and hear what the chain sounds like on a finished acoustic rap vocal.
🌐 Connect
Dreams work when you do. – Dylan Droll