A conventional CVT has an infinite (or a very large number) of gear ratios. It selects a ratio that can deliver to the wheels the power being demanded by the driver, but keeps the engine spin rate low within this constraint to improve economy and engine life. You can imagine that
as the car picks up speed, the transmission continually shifts into a slightly higher gear. The result is that the pitch of the engine tone stays fairly constant and the acceleration falls off smoothly, instead of in steps, as the higher gear ratios have a smaller multiplying effect on the engine torque.