Minimum Phase vs Linear Phase

[MrSoul4470]

If the EQing is coming from different plugins then I can hardly imagine that the resulting signal will not degrade.

 

[Julf]

(Novice reviving this thread, I hope this resurrection is OK.)
Could someone please confirm that it's correct/incorrect that if a hundred different EQs (all 64 bit plugins, minimum phase) are in a chain, with the last EQ undoing the cumulative changes of the previous 99, then the resulting signal will not be "worse" than the signal that entered the chain. (OR similar scenario, if you put 100 EQs in a chain, the result will not be "worse" than 1 EQ that represents the same filter effect as the sum of those 100 EQs). Thank you. I'm asking because of usage of multiple Goodhertz plugins plus Headphone EQ.
Does "stacking EQs" and "putting in a chain" have identical meaning?

The processing never has infinite precision, so there will be some degradation, but normally it will be way below audible limits and way below the noise and distortion in the source material and your speakers/listening environments.

 

[audixix]

Thank you. The reason I was asking is that I was wondering if there would be an advantage if there were one single plugin by the same company that is capable of "administering" all the desired effects and changes/filters/presets in as few steps as possible, in particular pertaining to the applied (cumulated) EQ curve, as opposed to the multiple plugins that I'm currently using in a chain. But it is my suspicion also that a small handful (e.g., 3 or 4) of plugins will not cause audible degradation for the simple reason that it is "unlikely" that one single plugin would, for technical reason, just happen to NOT produce audible degration, yet ENOUGH degradation that the cumulative effect degrading effect (assuming it will occur in the first place) of FOUR such plugins WILL be audible.

 

[MRC01]

To get more specific, for example, with minimum phase EQ in DSP do the phase shifts reverse each other? That is, pick an amplitude A, frequency F, and width Q. Apply +D at F and Q, and you'll get some phase shift. Now apply -D at freq F and Q, do you get the opposite phase shift and end up exactly where you started, minus numeric precision which should be in the inaudible dither/noise?

 

[MediumRare]

To get more specific, for example, with minimum phase EQ in DSP do the phase shifts reverse each other? That is, pick an amplitude A, frequency F, and width Q. Apply +D at F and Q, and you'll get some phase shift. Now apply -D at freq F and Q, do you get the opposite phase shift and end up exactly where you started, minus numeric precision which should be in the inaudible dither/noise?

You’re totally overthinking this. There is no answer, even if anyone knew what your chain, settings, and source material were. If you really want to know, run a dry sweep and a wet sweep and compare them both audibly and visually.

 

[NTK]

To get more specific, for example, with minimum phase EQ in DSP do the phase shifts reverse each other? That is, pick an amplitude A, frequency F, and width Q. Apply +D at F and Q, and you'll get some phase shift. Now apply -D at freq F and Q, do you get the opposite phase shift and end up exactly where you started, minus numeric precision which should be in the inaudible dither/noise?

Yes. Since for minimum phase systems frequency magnitude response is tied to phase response, if you inverse one (to undo it), you'll automatically inverse the other. See below:
(Source)

 

[Keith_W]

To get more specific, for example, with minimum phase EQ in DSP do the phase shifts reverse each other? That is, pick an amplitude A, frequency F, and width Q. Apply +D at F and Q, and you'll get some phase shift. Now apply -D at freq F and Q, do you get the opposite phase shift and end up exactly where you started, minus numeric precision which should be in the inaudible dither/noise?

Yes, provided that what you are measuring actually is minimum phase. There are conditions that can render what should be minimum phase to be non-minimum phase, for example reflections and room modes. So in a frequency response sweep, there will be regions that are minimum phase, and other regions that are non-minimum phase. It is not possible to predict where these regions are without running a sweep. See John Mulcahy's excellent explanation in the REW help guide.