Filter apparatus for filtering a time domain input signal to obtain a time domain output signal, which is a representation of the time domain input signal filtered using a filter characteristic having an non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristic, comprising: a complex analysis filter bank for generating a plurality of complex subband signals from the time domain input signal; a plurality of intermediate filters for filtering the plurality of complex subband signals to obtain a plurality of filtered complex subband signals, wherein at least one of the intermediate filters of the plurality of the intermediate filters has an intermediate non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristic, wherein each intermediate filter of the plurality of intermediate filters has a shorter impulse response compared to an impulse response of a filter having the filter characteristic having the non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristic, and wherein the intermediate non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristics of the plurality of intermediate filters together represent the non-uniform amplitude/frequency filter characteristic; and a complex synthesis filter bank for synthesizing the plurality of filtered complex subband signals output by the intermediate filters to obtain the time domain output signal, wherein the complex analysis filter bank is operative to output L complex subband signals, wherein the plurality of intermediate filters comprises L intermediate filters , wherein the complex synthesis filter bank is operative to synthesize the output of the L intermediate filters , wherein L is a positive integer and equal to 64, and wherein each intermediate filter of the plurality of intermediate filters is based on a prototype filter of length 192, and wherein each intermediate filter of the plurality of intermediate filters has an impulse response length of 5 taps each. a complex analysis filter bank for generating a plurality of complex subband signals from the time domain input signal; a plurality of intermediate filters for filtering the plurality of complex subband signals to obtain a plurality of filtered complex subband signals, wherein at least one of the intermediate filters of the plurality of the intermediate filters has an intermediate non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristic, wherein each intermediate filter of the plurality of intermediate filters has a shorter impulse response compared to an impulse response of a filter having the filter characteristic having the non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristic, and wherein the intermediate non-uniform amplitude/frequency characteristics of the plurality of intermediate filters together represent the non-uniform amplitude/frequency filter characteristic; and a complex synthesis filter bank for synthesizing the plurality of filtered complex subband signals output by the intermediate filters to obtain the time domain output signal, wherein the complex analysis filter bank is operative to output L complex subband signals, wherein the plurality of intermediate filters comprises L intermediate filters , wherein the complex synthesis filter bank is operative to synthesize the output of the L intermediate filters , wherein L is a positive integer and equal to 64, and wherein each intermediate filter of the plurality of intermediate filters is based on a prototype filter of length 192, and wherein each intermediate filter of the plurality of intermediate filters has an impulse response length of 5 taps each. <EOS>