Linear Phase EQ ...yes or no ?

[Skyfall72]

Have any of you guys used linear phase eq at all ? Do you actually hear the difference between minimum phase and linear phase EQ from let's say Fab filter Q plugins ?
Just wonderin'

Havva a good weekend everyone!

[plexuss]

Absolutely. Linear phase EQ will ensure the phase doesn't shift, which occurs otherwise. however the linear phase algo has a tendancy to introduce pre and/or post ringing - this is an oscilation that occurs before and/or after transients. where you would normally have a fast transient attack/release, pre/post ringing introduces abhorrent audio just before/after the transient which can make transients sound less clean/clear. But you get the phase correction. with minimal/analogue phase EQ there is no pre/post ringing but there will be phase shifts. It depends on the source and how it ultimately sounds to decide which to use. Also linear phase uses more CPU usually and benefits from over-sampling. An EQ like DMG Equillibrium lets you see the effect of the EQ phase and pre/post ringing and provides parameters to dial in the least amount of abhorration, if you wanted to get that detailed about it.

[heavymetalmixer]

It's good for when you wanna keep the phase untouched for EQing two or more mics from the same instrument, but the pre-ringing craps over the transients, just like how steep slope on a "normal" EQ HPF/LPF does (24dB or more).

In my case, I preffer to use normal EQs to maintain the punch, and when it comes to HPF/LPF I always go with 12dB slopes (it cleans enough but doesn't kill the transients). That is, unless I need to do frequency splitting (like Bass low and Bass high kind of techniques), in which case I use 24 dB.

[plexuss]

I thought this was a pretty good explaination https://cravedsp.com/blog/linear-phase-eq-explained

The Crave EQ claims to use multiple EQ types across the bandwidth to opimize the sound quality of the EQ to the audio band. Interesting approach. I haven't tried it so I don't know how well it works: https://cravedsp.com/crave-eq

[S0lo]

Besides the transient details mentioned above. Difference will occur when you apply post processing after the EQ.

Try this test.

1st Test: Do a low pass linear phase on a saw tooth with some mid range cutoff. Then mix the output with the original saw and hear it.

2nd test: Now do the exact same test using the same cutoff/slope you used before but this time with a none-linear phase EQ.Mix with the original saw again and hear it.

You should hear a clear difference in the 2 situations if the slope you used is steep enough.

From this, you can conclude that two filters apparently doing the same thing with almost the same audible output may still produce very different results afterwords with post processing.

Two identical spectrums may not have identical waveforms

[Magnut]

Of course I use linear phase in mastering when doing subtle changes (steep changes introduce the audible pre/post ringing) and everytime I process signals in parallel/ms it's mandatory.

[v1o]

Crave EQ is the best EQ I’ve heard, it’s the only one that doesn’t mess with the transients too much, percussive sounds all maintain their clarity.

As for linear phase eq - I never use that. Standard EQ is what I’m accustomed to sonically, I grew up listening to the sound of music mixed with analogue EQs.

[Mr. Spock]

LP EQ‘s can sound smoother, especially in the upper mids, highs.

[No_Use]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efKabAQQsPQ

[simon.a.billington]

Not while tracking or writing/arranging, though, as it adds latency which isn’t good for getting real-time playability from your instruments.