All about phase and polarity

Phase is a function of time. Polarity is a function of positive and negative. Shifting phase for a signal of multiple frequencies will affect each of those frequencies differently, versus flipping polarity for a signal of multiple frequencies, which will cause all of them to cancel.1

A sine wave is like a circle being unwrapped over time. We measure its positive and negative values in degrees. Phase is proportional to time. Frequency is how fast the phase is changing.2

  1. POLARITY vs PHASE: Is There a Difference? – Audio University ↩

  2. Fixing Phase… What, Why, When and How ↩

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