Does the SSL spectrum EQ have linear phase?

[tomusurp]

Firstly let me say that understanding phase issues is one of my weaknesses in music production. This stuff always baffles me. From my basic understanding, it's when two or more waveforms are inverted to each or a little off in time, causing unpleasant audio, masking, or cancellation?

The thing is what I never understood is that isn't there always going to be phase issues considering all the multiple tracks and how each track has a different rate of waveform, whether sine wave, saw, whatever it may be? It just sounds very complicated. Should I really be concerned with lining everything up somehow through certain plugins or other methods?

With that said, I know my Fabfilter plugins have linear phase but I was curious about the Spectrum EQ because I use it every track, mostly for Subtractive EQ. Anything additive I usually do with saturation via other plugins.

[PhillipOrdonez]

It does not. Thankfully. You wouldn't want to use a linear phase eq as your workhorse eq . Linear phase EQ use cases are mostly relegated to mastering duties. I, personally, never use linear phase equalisation, not anywhere. AFAIK, there's some issues with transients plus there is latency and other issues (pre ringing i think?)

I'll look forward to the answer coming from Selig, who will educate us both on this topic.

Meanwhile, I can tell you you don't need to worry about phase to the point of lining things up like a madman. If things sound good they are good. If they don't, you got to do something so it sounds good again, and phase is just one of the things to mess with in such cases, you know?

[EdGrip]

Dan Worrall has recently done a good video series about parallel EQ tricks, and the first video has a good explainer on phase etc. Highly recommended. (The 2nd video has some great tips for fattening up drums)

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNNH ... nCMWmNkK3n

[RobC]

Dan Worrall has recently done a good video series about parallel EQ tricks, and the first video has a good explainer on phase etc. Highly recommended. (The 2nd video has some great tips for fattening up drums)

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNNH ... nCMWmNkK3n

In other videos, he explains that linear phase can be useful for multi-band processing; as well as mid-side processing. Both, which I agree with, personally.

[tomusurp]

I started watching some of those videos but honestly in general this is one of the hardest concepts for me to understand. I mean I get what happens in a phase cancellation, meaning two or more tracks either dip in volume by way opposite waveforms when viewed side by side.

But how the hell does that work when typically most melodies are go up and down in octave? Doesn’t that mean the waveforms are constantly changing due to LFO rates and also melody patterns? It’s not like each melody sound is playing constantly. Some of them might be short notes or medium notes.

Now when it comes to the kick and bass I can treat that easier. I can go into an oscilliscope and then move the bass over a bit if needed to line up with the tail of the kick (when I’m sidechaining kick to bass or just ducking bass)

But then what about these Dan Worral videos in regard to EQ and stereo imaging. If the waveform goes out of phase is it just within that specific track or do they mean in context of song? Because then once the track gets fixed via phase invert or using linear phase from Pro q3 for example then you still might have to do it again in relation to the track no?

[jam-s]

It's actually pretty simple: Phasing can usually only occur if you use parallel processing of the same signal and then sum those processed signals together again. Track which are not the same signal usually don't cause any phasing issues.
So in general: if you hear the typical phase cancellation artefacts (sounds like a comb filter), then you should check where you've got some parallel signal flow happening and fix it by inverting phase or delaying one of the channels so the are back in sync.

Another situation where phase of the waveform matters is when layering short samples with pronounced low frequency content (like kick drums or bass sounds). Then you should check that their waveforms are phase aligned so they do not cancel out the body (=low frequency fundamental) of the sound.

[splitpen]

Sometimes use it to eq the kicks / bass as well. Especially in the low region can give some different results to non lineair phase.
There are a lot of good lineair eq's . If you looking for a very good free one, would definitely recommend Qrange from ikjb
https://www.kvraudio.com/product/qrange-by-lkjb
With the gear wheel you can select different phase types which will increase the latency the higher you go in quality.

If you use it one the tracks like a kick, you could bounce the track and edit the sample to get rid of the pre ringing (if wanted)