clearer sound when main FX bypassed (?)

There is a lesson in there somewhere :)

That should be your aha moment, think 'less is more'.
I hear so many mixes using too much compression, fx's, eq'ing & especially reverb on them.

Thanks Sanderxpander and Carl for your feedback !
(Sorry, Maybe my English doesn't translate very well what I've experimented, especially that the point is a bit tortuous !)
The problem is that I've bypassed individually every plugin in the track, and this is only after that I pressed the main FX button (in Mix module of the control bar). So I didn't make  a direct "with plug"/"without plug" comparison, but indeed one track with its every plugin inserted, turned OFF and after this same track (with its plug OFF) but with the main FX button pressed, i.e, all the effects bypassed : That should give the same result as far as sound is concerned since every plugins is bypassed, manually or with the main FX pressed, but not : I've just noticed that the sound was clearer by clicking the FX button (like if I have recovered more definition and more dynamics, in a subtle manner but noticeable).
I add that all pro channel modules (in the track and in the Master bus) were turned off.
 
Again, it was a realtime listening of a sequence from external hardware keyboard through my VS 700 board (VS 700 direct mix bypassed, and input echo of the track on) . Nevertheless, I have not experimented to record this signal and afterwards, made the comparison with the signal recorded in Sonar.
 
Maybe -but that should be a non sense- the fact to have an effect bin active, even with the effect(s) turned off inserted in this bin, has an impact on the overall sound (?) (like a kind of mathematical compensation by anticipating the process of the effects which are going to be inserted (?))
 
 I hope I will have time to experiment more about this, but if you have the curiosity to experiment by yourselves, let's see if we note the same thing.
 
Anyway, I don't complain about all the mix production possibilities that Sonar can offer, as well as the ease of use...
but when there are some quirks, it's always good to report, especially when it deals with the dynamics of the original signal coming in Sonar.
 
Once again, excuse me for my turn of phrase...
 
Pierre

Generally when people think that something that shouldn't make any difference makes a difference it's either their imagination or they are in error about the cause.

Thanks Sanderxpander,
 
No, I haven't gone deeper ! But I've checked that there was nothing in the chain. Just the track with the 6 or 8 effect inserted but turned off as mentionned... routed to the master bus which is routed to the output of my soundcard.
Once again, It is a new Normal project (no template, no effect chain presets...)
 
Maybe, as you suggested, try to route the signal to a "virgin" track.
 
 

Hi drewfx1
 
I agree that I can be the victim of my proper imagination; how many times, I turned a button on a plugin or on a device, and I litterally  could "hear" an effect whereas the plug or the device were turned off !!
But I systematically check more than 2 times because I'm very scrupulous concerning the sound; 
As I said, I have to go deeper, but I could confirm that the signal wasn't the same and maybe this is under particular circunstances that I have overlooked.

That is definitely not the case. Turning it off bypasses it.

I have never had a plugin mute sound when using the Sonar bypass. Could you point me to one?

Additionally, the OP said his sound got "clearer and more dynamic", he didn't say there was no sound and then there was after hitting the switch.