Logic Pro AU phase: Gain polarity, Phase Tick, stereo to mono fold on bounce, then residual spectral repair
Logic Control Room stereo and Phase Tick can look fine while mono bounce or phone fold thins Mid. Use Gain Invert and Sample Delay first. PHIXER AU belongs only after residual L/R fights remain on stereo beds. Distinct DAW niche (not folk-instrument pages). Cross-links: polarity, vs time-align, null-test, when-not.
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PHIXER is free stereo phase-repair (VST3/CLAP/AU · Win/Mac/Linux) from Riverflux Audio. Frequency-aware phase rotation for leftover L/R fights on stereo material. It is not a compressor, not a widener, and not a substitute for polarity invert, Utility mono, or delay align. Polarity and timing first; PHIXER after residual spectral fights.
What Logic Pro AU mono-phase failure sounds like
- Gain plugin polarity flip fixes some stacks, not spectral fights. Invert helps dual-mic, then stereo beds still hollow by band on mono fold.
- Phase Tick / correlation looks OK, bounce to mono still thins. Meters can look safe while phone fold eats Mid.
- Stereo to mono fold on bounce. Project sounds huge on monitors; bounced mono or mono-checked output loses body.
- AU wideners and Stereo Spread. Headphones shimmer; mono bounce or Utility-style fold hollows kick and vocal chest.
- Fine in Control Room, broken on share. See YouTube / social mono and null-test workflow.
Fast Logic Pro mono audition (about 60 seconds)
- Put Gain (or a mono utility) on Stereo Out / output. Use mono fold or bounce a mono test. Toggle often.
- A/B critical Stacks, Track Stacks, and Bus returns with mono engaged. Note what disappears.
- Solo pairs: DI vs mic, dual takes, close vs OH, dry vs Bus reverb.
- Watch Phase Tick / correlation if you use it, but always confirm with ears on mono fold, not meters alone.
Order of operations in Logic Pro (before spectral phase rotation)
1. Gain plugin polarity
On one path of a dual recording or parallel Stack, flip Gain Phase Invert when body returns immediately. This is polarity, not spectral repair. Guide: polarity vs phase.
2. Sample Delay / region nudge
Align secondary regions or use Sample Delay in samples/ms. Prefer real timing match over EQ for "more body." Cousin: vs time-align.
3. Phase Tick / correlation as a hint, not a verdict
Phase Tick and correlation meters help spot obvious cancel. They do not replace mono audition of Stereo Out. Trust the fold more than a green meter.
4. Stereo to mono fold on bounce
Before delivery, bounce a mono fold test (or mono-check Stereo Out). Many Logic projects pass in stereo and fail on phone speakers or mono bounce destinations.
5. Skip Stereo Spread / Haas before fold
Width tools and short-delay imaging make cans huge and phones hollow. Keep critical low-mid centered for bounce and stream.
6. Only then residual spectral repair (AU PHIXER)
PHIXER AU belongs after Gain invert, delay align, Stack levels, and mono proof. Use it on stereo material that must stay stereo when a band still cancels on fold.
Logic path types and typical failure modes
| Path | Common mono failure | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dual mic / DI+mic | Body cancels until Gain Invert | Gain Phase Invert; Sample Delay |
| Track Stack parallel | Dry + parallel hollow Mid | Invert; align; quieter secondary |
| Stereo Spread / AU widener | Huge in cans, thin on bounce | Bypass widener; center lows |
| Bus reverb/delay | Dry+wet comb on mono fold | stereo reverb mono |
| Mono bounce / phone share | Fine on monitors, hollow on phone | Stereo Out mono habit before bounce |
Logic checklist (to bounce)
1. Mono-check Stereo Out before Bounce
Do not trust Control Room stereo alone. Fold or bounce a mono test of critical sections.
2. Gain Invert on dual paths first
Prove polarity before you reach for EQ or wideners. Label which Stack member is inverted.
3. Treat Phase Tick as a hint
If Phase Tick looks fine but mono fold hollows, believe your ears. Then check Bus returns and Spread plugins.
4. Re-check after Freeze / Bounce in Place
Freeze and BIP can change timing. Invert and mono again after you commit.
When PHIXER helps in Logic Pro (AU)
- The material is already stereo and must stay stereo (stereo bed, stereo Bus print, stereo sample).
- Gain Invert, Sample Delay, Stack levels, and Spread honesty are cleaned up, but mono still hollows a band.
- You can A/B mono with PHIXER AU bypassed and hear clearer body or Mid.
- You are not using it to replace Gain Invert, region nudge, or to force Phase Tick "green."
Decision table
| You notice… | First try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Body returns on Gain Invert | Keep Invert on that path | Polarity fight |
| Phase Tick OK, mono still thin | Trust mono fold; audit Buses/Spread | Meters ≠ phone fold |
| Stereo Spread kills mono bounce | Bypass Spread; center lows | Width ≠ phase repair |
| Stereo bed still cancels by band | PHIXER AU on that stereo bed | Residual spectral L/R fight |
| Mono region alone is dull | Tone / EQ / take choice | Not an L/R repair job |
When NOT to use PHIXER here
- You have not mono-auditioned Stereo Out yet.
- The fix is obviously Gain Invert, Sample Delay, quieter Stack member, or bypassing Stereo Spread.
- You want PHIXER to make the project wider or to "fix" Phase Tick. Wrong job.
- The path is mono and the print problem is balance or EQ.
- See also when not to use PHIXER.
Quick path: Mono Stereo Out → Gain Invert dual paths → Sample Delay / region align → Phase Tick as hint only → honest Spread/Buses → PHIXER AU only for leftover stereo cancellation → mono again before Bounce.
Related guides
- DAW null-test + mono-check workflow (host-agnostic)
- Polarity vs phase rotation
- Phase repair vs time align
- When not to use PHIXER
- Mono check before/after
- Correlation & phase meters
Watch
- PHIXER tutorial + how it sounds (walkthrough with audio examples)
- Short intro (no commentary)