X series/recording newby here. Who is using alloy at the track level vs prochannel and do you prefer if over the prochannel? Is there any advantage to using one over the other? Should you use alloy at the submix level or is there any need assuming you have previously eq'd your tracks using the prochannel? Hope these are not entirely stupid questions, but having come from Sonar 6 the prochannel is both very exciting yet kinda confusing now as too what I would need to do eq wise if anything if I have already used the prochannel for compression/eq/enhancements etc

Think of the pro channel as like the a channel strip on a desk, with all the various EQ's, compressors etc. in plain sight. This gives you the option of using the FX bin like you would use external effects on an analogue, or even digital, desk.
I find the pro channel an easier way to view the effects I have on each track, rather than having to open an effect from the FX bin every time I want to view or edit the settings.
I haven't used alloy so that's not something I can vote on, but maybe someone else can chime in with a comparison for you, as well as give you more of a heads up on using the pro channel to greater effect.
Welcome to the forum.

Thanks Rebel! I'm just getting into using the FX chain module on the prochannel and delving into some of the presets, I'm digging some of them for drums (I'm tracking real live drums). It's real easy to get all plugin happy with this digital realm, like unleashing a 5 yr old by himself in a toys r us store for the first time lol! Restraint I guess must be the order of the day, I'm trying to learn all I can via tutorials on you tube etc (which are primarily Protools based) and other books mags websites etc, but the curve is steep! I'm about to final mix my first song (about 22 tracks) and wondering what the process is for Sonar. Is it just a matter of bouncing it down to a stereo track (after levels automations etc) like usual or is there another protocol that is "standard" practice-bouncing to a submix or something in which perhaps post mix eqing would apply sorry for so many questions! ;-)

I used to have Alloy installed. Ever since effects (VST) are able to be place into the ProChannel chain, i have hardly used Alloy.

Dont get me wrong, Alloy is a great channel strip - it is an all in one plugin with 2 compressors; operating either in series or parallel. The "trace" feature is great on the compressors as it shows how the signal is being handled. Also the EQ is surgical and precise especially with more bands and the spectrum behind.
 
ProChannel is native to Sonar and it defines the Sonar Channel Strip. The add-ons if purchased, will also become part of the ProChannel. The ability to add third party plugins into being part of the ProChannel signal chain just blows everything else off.
 
Depending on workflow, ProChannel may be configure as either Pre or Post FX. So if its Pre FX (default), you may add any kind of limiter or whatever VST FX in the Effect box; if its Post, just add the PC Concrete Limiter or whatever at the end.
 
hope this helps.... Cheers!!!

Depends on whose code you prefer

I heavily use both Alloy 2 and the ProChannel.

Of all the FX I've picked up outside of included Cakewalk and add-on ProChannel modules, Alloy 2 is my first go to Plug-in. I can get to a great sound quickly with this one tool, or I can just use a part of it as needed.

What's great is using both Alloy 2 and the ProChannel together. I add an FX Chain to the ProChannel and put Alloy 2 in there to do its thing wherever I want in the ProChannel flow. I use Alloy 2 on both tracks and buses.

That said, it's fantastic with tracks. I tend to freeze tracks after I've done adjustments and it's sounding good. That includes freezing Alloy 2 if it's in a track's ProChannel FX chain. This is great because I can get all of the power and goodness from whatever combo of modules and/or Alloy 2 I have in the ProChannel, and also have no hit on the CPU.

If you haven't picked up on the theme here, I really like Alloy 2. It has a lot of easy to understand features and flexibility. And it has a lot of great presets. Just turning it on on an acoustic guitar track is attention grabbing, like wow!

It actually is an apples-apples comparison!
 
I bought Alloy 2 on sale last year, but I haven't been using it as much as I expected I would. I do absolutely LOVE the alt-sweep on the EQ (which I've been addicted to in Ozone since back in the day), but I like the PC EQ just as much and it's more convenient, always sitting ready in the Pro Channel. 
 
The Transient Shaper in Alloy is great, and in combination with the Exciter you can really modify a track to sound nothing like the original. 
 
I probably should try and use Alloy more than I do, but the Pro Channel is so darned convenient, and good results are quickly achived. 

I love , all plugins from iZotope but have to agree with Sven that Pro Channel is just so darned convenient and good results are easily got that I too am using Alloy less than before.

Don't get me wrong, Alloy has an excellent combination of plugins - kind of a little brother to oZone without the heavy drain on resources. And even a lot cheaper than the full ProChannel set of plugins at today's prices. ProChannel is just there all the time and great when you're looking for the classic sounds of modern music.

When the music is not so easy to place in one genre or another then I'm also more likely to use plugins like Alloy because I'm not trying to emulate an existing sound scape but produce something new.

I just got Alloy and Ozone as a bundle for a great price off the 'bay. I'm tracking "real Live" drums and finding some decent Sonar presets for the fx chain in Prochannel (esp for kick drum). I guess i'll have to A/B Alloy vs some of the fx chain/sonar vsts to see what works best for me. I like presets I can tweak a bit and speed, I don't want to spend all day trying to get the sound I want, at my age my ear longevity during a session is at a premium ;-) It can be overwhelming (and expensive) with so many plugins available and everyone saying you gotta try this gotta have that. I like the KISS theory and like to keep things as methodical as possible so I can get the song in my head into the DAW quickly and as pain free as can be. I have watched the Alloy and Ozone video guides and read the PDF's pretty impressive I must say. Thanks for your insight in this guys! So far a newby friendly forum ;-)