diff --git a/gui/qml/Equalizer.qml b/gui/qml/Equalizer.qml
index 7022dbf..ccf778c 100644
--- a/gui/qml/Equalizer.qml
+++ b/gui/qml/Equalizer.qml
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ Row {
     height: ui.px(12)
 
     // It bobs with the window's clock (ui.clock), eight times a second,
-    // in the frames the rest moves in.
+    // in the frames the rest moves in. The bars jump rather than glide: an
+    // easing would keep the whole window drawing at the screen's rate.
     property int step: -1
     Connections {
         target: ui
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@ Row {
             anchors.bottom: parent.bottom
             radius: width / 2
             color: Qt.alpha(eq.color, 0.85)
-            Behavior on height { enabled: !ui.calm; NumberAnimation { duration: 180; easing.type: Easing.InOutSine } }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/gui/qml/Main.qml b/gui/qml/Main.qml
index e293d4c..7445618 100644
--- a/gui/qml/Main.qml
+++ b/gui/qml/Main.qml
@@ -75,13 +75,14 @@ Window {
         readonly property int lift: theme.dark && effects ? Text.Raised : Text.Normal
         readonly property color liftColor: Qt.alpha("black", 0.35)
         // One clock for all that moves while music plays in the window
-        // in front — the backdrop's drift, the equalizers, the progress
-        // bar — so they move in the same frames, not each in its own: 20
-        // ticks a second (8 without effects: only the equalizers). It
-        // stands while paused, in the background, minimized, with motion
-        // reduced, and under the visualizer.
+        // in front — the equalizers, the progress bar — so they move in
+        // the same frames, not each in its own. While the player view's
+        // backdrop moves it ticks with that (vizClock, 20 a second), else
+        // by itself: 20 ticks a second, 8 without effects (only the
+        // equalizers). It stands while paused, in the background,
+        // minimized, with motion reduced, and under the visualizer.
         property int clock: 0 // milliseconds it has run
-        readonly property bool pulsing: pulse.running
+        readonly property bool pulsing: win.pulsing
         readonly property int radius: px(16)
         readonly property int coverRadius: px(6) // every cover's corners, big or small
         readonly property int gap: px(24)
@@ -90,13 +91,18 @@ Window {
 
     Store { id: store }
 
+    readonly property bool pulsing: !!store.st.playing && ui.awake && !ui.calm && win.visibility !== Window.Minimized && !(store.full && full.opacity === 1)
     Timer {
-        id: pulse
         interval: ui.effects ? 50 : 125
         repeat: true
-        running: !!store.st.playing && ui.awake && !ui.calm && win.visibility !== Window.Minimized && !(store.full && full.opacity === 1)
+        running: win.pulsing && !vizClock.running
         onTriggered: ui.clock += interval
     }
+    Connections {
+        target: vizClock
+        enabled: win.pulsing && vizClock.running
+        function onTriggered() { ui.clock += Math.round(vizClock.frameTime * 1000) }
+    }
 
     // The cover's accent, picked once per cover.
     property string accentFor: ""
diff --git a/gui/qml/viz/Waves.qml b/gui/qml/viz/Waves.qml
index 462211a..3a9eb2e 100644
--- a/gui/qml/viz/Waves.qml
+++ b/gui/qml/viz/Waves.qml
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
 import QtQuick
 import ".."
 
+// Waves is the window's backdrop, drawn at full size: a layer at half
+// the pixels drew a second frame after every tick and cost more than it
+// saved. On large screens the stage draws it smaller anyway (FullStage's
+// shrink).
 VizEffect {
     id: fx
     backgroundColor: ui.deep
     adaptiveScene: true
-    RenderSurface { id: surface; anchors.fill: parent; density: 0.5 }
     Backdrop {
         anchors.fill: parent
         running: fx.running
-        layer.enabled: ui.effects
-        layer.smooth: true
-        layer.textureSize: surface.textureSize
     }
 }