Voxengo PHA-979 Tutorial: Best Settings for MixingVoxengo PHA-979 is a versatile phase shifter plugin that excels at adding movement, stereo width, and subtle tonal coloration to individual tracks and full mixes. Unlike simple chorus or flanger effects, PHA-979 provides finely controllable phase shifting with multiple stages, flexible signal routing, and a rich set of parameters that let you sculpt both microscopic phase interactions and broad stereo modulation. This tutorial walks through the plugin’s main sections, practical mixing applications, recommended starting settings for common instruments, and tips to avoid phase problems.
What PHA-979 does and when to use it
PHA-979 shifts the phase of the input signal across several stages (a user-selectable number of all-pass filters), producing audible movement, comb-filtering, stereo decorrelation, and varying degrees of chorusing/flanging character. Use it when you want to:
- Add subtle stereo width and sense of motion to static recordings (guitars, pads, synths).
- Create slow-moving modulation for ambience and texture.
- Introduce chorus/flanger-like coloration while retaining clarity.
- Decorrelate duplicate takes to avoid phasing when stacking tracks.
- Produce creative effects (intense flanging, sweeping stereo modulation).
When not to use it: avoid heavy phase shifting on critical mono elements like bass and kick unless used carefully with split filtering or sidechain/parallel routing, because phase shifts can reduce low-frequency impact.
Plugin overview — key controls
- Stages: number of all-pass filters; more stages = more pronounced phase effect.
- Frequency / Range: sets center frequency (or range) where phase shifting is most audible.
- LFO (Rate, Depth, Shape): controls modulation speed and intensity. Sync and free modes available.
- Feedback: amount of signal fed back into the filter network; increases resonance and coloration.
- Stereo Width / Phase Offset: controls left/right differences and decorrelation.
- Mix (Dry/Wet): balance between processed and unprocessed signals — crucial for preserving clarity.
- High-pass / Low-pass filtering on input or within the effect: protects low end or removes unnecessary highs from the effect path.
- Output Gain / Meters: manage level and avoid clipping after processing.
Basic setup and workflow
- Insert PHA-979 on the track or bus you want to process.
- Set Mix to 100% to audition the effect alone; set to lower value (10–40%) for subtle enhancement.
- Choose Stages: start with 4–8 for subtle results, 12–24 for richer movement.
- Set Frequency/Range to emphasize the tonal area you want to affect (e.g., 200–2kHz for guitars; 500Hz–6kHz for vocals/pads).
- Set LFO Rate to taste. Slow (0.05–1.5 Hz) for slow motion/width; medium (1.5–5 Hz) for obvious chorus; fast (>5 Hz) for vibrato or metallic shimmer.
- Adjust Depth and Feedback very gradually — feedback introduces coloration quickly.
- Use Stereo Width and Phase Offset to decorrelate channels. Small offsets (5–25°) widen subtly; larger offsets create dramatic stereo spread.
- Filter out low frequencies from the effect path (high-pass at 80–150 Hz) to preserve low-end punch.
- Use Mix (or route in parallel) to blend in the original for natural results.
Recommended starting presets and settings by source
Below are practical starting points. Always use your ears and tweak to taste.
-
Electric guitar (clean, single-track)
- Stages: 6–10
- Frequency/Range: 250 Hz–3 kHz
- LFO Rate: 0.2–0.8 Hz
- Depth: 15–30%
- Feedback: 0–10%
- Mix: 20–35%
- High-pass effect path: 120 Hz
-
Electric guitar (strummed/rhythm, doubles)
- Stages: 8–16
- Frequency/Range: 200 Hz–5 kHz
- LFO Rate: 0.2–1.2 Hz (unsynced)
- Depth: 20–40%
- Feedback: 5–20% (for character)
- Mix: 25–45%
- Slight Phase Offset for L/R decorrelation
-
Acoustic guitar
- Stages: 4–8
- Frequency/Range: 300 Hz–6 kHz
- LFO Rate: 0.1–0.7 Hz
- Depth: 10–25%
- Feedback: 0–5%
- Mix: 10–25%
- High-pass effect path: 100–150 Hz
-
Vocals (lead)
- Stages: 4–8
- Frequency/Range: 400 Hz–8 kHz (focus upper-mids)
- LFO Rate: 0.2–1 Hz (sync optional)
- Depth: 5–15%
- Feedback: 0–5%
- Mix: 5–15% (very subtle)
- Narrow the effect band (use internal filtering) to avoid sibilance shift
-
Pads / Synths / Textures
- Stages: 12–24
- Frequency/Range: Full range or focused highs (500 Hz–12 kHz)
- LFO Rate: 0.05–0.5 Hz (very slow)
- Depth: 25–60%
- Feedback: 10–35%
- Mix: 30–70%
- Use wider Phase Offset for stereo spread
-
Drums (overheads/room)
- Stages: 6–12
- Frequency/Range: 200 Hz–8 kHz
- LFO Rate: 0.1–0.6 Hz
- Depth: 10–30%
- Feedback: 0–10%
- Mix: 10–25% (add weight and space without breaking transient clarity)
- High-pass effect path: 80–120 Hz
-
Bass / Kick
- Generally avoid heavy PHA-979 processing on low-frequency mono elements. If used:
- Stages: 2–4
- Frequency/Range: >200 Hz only (LP or high-pass)
- LFO Rate: very slow or static offset
- Depth: 0–5%
- Mix: 0–10% (parallel only)
- Best practice: send to a parallel bus with low frequencies filtered out.
Parallel routing and automation tips
- Parallel bus: Send the track to an auxiliary bus with PHA-979 inserted and high-pass the effect bus to protect low end. Blend the aux bus to taste. This preserves transients and low-energy while adding width.
- Sidechain/send automation: Automate Mix, Depth, or LFO Rate across song sections (e.g., increase depth in choruses for a wider sound).
- Tempo-sync LFO to avoid rhythmic clashes; use free-mode for organic wandering.
- Automate Feedback sparingly for creative swells or dramatic build-ups.
Avoiding and fixing phase problems
- Check mix in mono frequently. If low frequencies disappear or elements thin out, reduce effect mix, lower stages, or filter out lows from the processed signal.
- Use minimal phase offset on mono-critical elements. If stacking doubled guitars, use small decorrelation amounts rather than large phase flips.
- If you hear comb filtering on essential midrange parts, try lowering Feedback and Depth, reducing Stages, or narrowing the effected frequency band.
- Use an analyzer or phase correlation meter to monitor stereo correlation; aim for mostly positive correlation on bass and mono-critical parts.
Creative techniques
- Rhythmic modulation: Sync LFO to project tempo and choose note-division rates (⁄4, ⁄8, dotted) for pulsing stereo motion.
- Multi-band approach: Insert PHA-979 inside a multiband splitter or use parallel sends with different filter settings to apply strong modulation to highs and subtle to mids/lows.
- Automated feedback drops: Increase Feedback for a build, then rapidly reduce before the drop for a dramatic thinning.
- Resampled texture: Freeze or bounce the processed track, resample it with heavy PHA-979 settings, then chop and rearrange for unique textures.
- Use PHA-979 in series with delays and reverb: modest phase shifting before reverb can change the reverb’s stereo character; after reverb, it can smear and widen the reverberant tail.
Quick checklist for mixing with PHA-979
- Filter out lows from the effect path to preserve low-end strength.
- Use Mix and parallel routing to maintain clarity.
- Moderate Feedback to avoid resonant ringing.
- Check in mono regularly.
- Automate parameters for section-specific width and movement.
- Use small phase offsets for natural widening, larger ones for creative effects.
Example starting presets (copy-paste)
Electric rhythm guitar: Stages 10, Range 250–4k, Rate 0.5 Hz, Depth 30%, Feedback 8%, Mix 30%, HP 120 Hz
Vocal sheen: Stages 6, Range 600–8k, Rate 0.4 Hz, Depth 10%, Feedback 2%, Mix 10%, HP 200 Hz
Ambient pad: Stages 20, Range 50–12k, Rate 0.08 Hz, Depth 50%, Feedback 20%, Mix 45%, HP 80 Hz
Final notes
PHA-979 is powerful when used with restraint. In mixing, subtlety often wins: small amounts of phase modulation can make tracks breathe and sit better in the mix without calling attention to the effect. Use filtering, parallel routing, and mono checks to avoid harming the mix’s low-end or introducing unwanted comb filtering. Experiment with automation to reveal PHA-979’s best creative uses across different song sections.
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