Group delay and phase delay

<p>In <a href="/facts/Signal_processing/Npaja6zb">signal processing</a>, group delay and phase delay are functions that describe in different ways the delay times experienced by a signal’s various sinusoidal frequency components as they pass through a <a href="/facts/Linear_time-invariant_system/kEmj0QDC">linear time-invariant (LTI) system</a> (such as a <a href="/facts/Microphone/7YWGlXCl">microphone</a>, <a href="/facts/Coaxial_cable/aG9FfCpL">coaxial cable</a>, <a href="/facts/Amplifier/pnRgxncC">amplifier</a>, <a href="/facts/Loudspeaker/tqEjnJ2z">loudspeaker</a>, <a href="/facts/Communications_system/5t3Ys2DI">communications system</a>, <a href="/facts/Ethernet_cable/nMfhU8tU">ethernet cable</a>, <a href="/facts/Digital_filter/2wcxCRdh">digital filter</a>, or <a href="/facts/Analog_filter/Vb9JRK8I">analog filter</a>).
</p><p>Unfortunately, these delays are sometimes <a href="/facts/Frequency/QUSbPaW8">frequency</a> dependent, which means that different sinusoid frequency components experience different time delays. As a result, the signal's <a href="/facts/Waveform/yAskMREw">waveform</a> experiences <a href="/facts/Distortion/z8RJcwNy">distortion</a> as it passes through the system. This distortion can cause problems such as poor <a href="/facts/High_fidelity/K6kaTHSw">fidelity</a> in <a href="/facts/Analog_video/F1AV8ben">analog video</a> and <a href="/facts/Analog_audio/1Ggd37l0">analog audio</a>, or a high <a href="/facts/Bit-error_rate/ovAAPFjV">bit-error rate</a> in a digital bit stream.
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Group delay and phase delay