Phase Essential drift : causes and how to fix it

If Phase Essential is drifting out of sync, or you are experiencing any playback accuracy issue during a session, here is what to check.

What is drift?

Drift is when Phase Essential loses sync with the actual platter position. It can show up in different ways: 

• The track gradually shifts ahead or behind
• The playback jumps forward or backward without any input
• You hear brief audio interruptions during a session. 

With traditional timecode vinyl, these issues are unavoidable as stylus wear, dust, and signal degradation all contribute over time. Phase eliminates that entire chain. The Remotes track platter rotation mechanically, with no vinyl, no stylus, and no phono signal.

Common Issues

Drift or playback accuracy issues

1. In Phase Manager, go to Settings > Advanced Settings and reset Remote A and/or Remote B. Place them on the spinning platters at 0% pitch and wait for the LEDs to turn solid.
2. Run a manual calibration: Settings > Calibration, platters spinning at exactly 0% pitch. A calibration done at the wrong pitch will not cause immediate drift, but will cause it as soon as you move the pitch fader. Full guide here.
3. Check that the RPM in Settings > Configuration matches your turntable (33 or 45). Selecting the wrong preset causes persistent drift that calibration will not fix.
4. Make sure the Remote sits completely flat on the platter. Any tilt causes tracking errors. Check that the magnetic sticker is centered and flat.
5. Disable double-tap calibration in Settings > Calibration. Bass and vibrations can accidentally trigger a calibration mid-session.
6. Keep the Receiver close to the turntables, away from WiFi routers and other 2.4 GHz devices.
7. Update to firmware v9.0 if you have not already. Guide here.
8. DVS mode only: check the calibration scope in your DJ software. It should show a clean, round circle. A distorted shape means a signal issue. Full guide here.
9. DVS mode only: check your RCA cables and make sure the mixer input is set to LINE, not PHONO.

Something's wrong?
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