What happens when two signals are out of phase?

At 0 degrees, signals fully reinforce each other. At 90 degrees, the combined level drops by about 3 dB relative to perfect alignment. At 180 degrees, they completely cancel (silence). In practice, this creates comb filtering — certain frequencies cancel while others reinforce, depending on the delay time.

What causes phase issues in recordings?

Common causes: multiple microphones at different distances from a source, reflections from walls/surfaces, misaligned speakers, and cable wiring errors (polarity reversal). Even a few millimetres difference in microphone placement can cause audible phase issues at high frequencies.

How does time delay relate to phase?

Phase is frequency-dependent. A 1ms delay causes: 360 degrees (full cycle) at 1 kHz, 180 degrees (cancellation) at 500 Hz, 36 degrees at 100 Hz. This is why comb filtering from time delays creates a series of notches at harmonic intervals.

How do I fix phase problems?

Options include: physically aligning microphones (3:1 rule), nudging tracks in the DAW timeline, using phase rotation plugins, polarity flip (for 180-degree issues), or high-pass filtering to remove low frequencies where phase issues are most damaging.

AudioCalcs

Phase Calculator — Phase Offset Between Two Signals

Calculate phase offset in degrees and milliseconds between two signals at a given frequency.

Frequency

Time Delay

How We Calculate This

Phase from Time Delay

Phase (°) = (delay / period) × 360

Where period = 1/frequency (in the same time units as delay).

Cancellation Level

Level = 20 × log10(|2 × cos(θ/2)| / 2)

At 0°: 0 dB (full reinforcement). At 90°: -3 dB. At 120°: -6 dB. At 180°: -∞ dB (total cancellation).

Distance Equivalent

Distance (mm) = delay (s) × speed of sound (343 m/s) × 1000

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard formulas. Always verify results for critical applications.