Software Review |
| Publisher: iZotope Inc. Website: http://www.izotope.com Platform: Mac & PC Description: Mixing Plug-in Suite MSRP: $249 Download Demo: Click Here Expected Release: Available Now Review Issue: Issue #73 (01/12) Reviewed By: Gabe Gibitz Final Score: 9.3 out of 10 |
Finding a program that will make your film audio sound better does not have to be a confusing process. Most companies sell audio effects separately. You can buy this EQ for 100 dollars or that compressor for 200 dollars. But wouldn’t it be nice to have all of your basic audio processing tools in one intuitive program? Wouldn’t it be even nicer to buy all of these tools together for a reasonable price? This is where iZotope Alloy comes in.
- Sporting 6 audio plug-ins in one mixing suite, Alloy saves filmmakers and audio engineers from become bogged down in a long string of plug-ins.
Alloy helps you process your film audio all in one spot, complete with compressors, EQs, and limiters. If you are just entering the world of audio, Alloy has loads of presets to help you get started. You can make dialogs and voiceovers sound clear and crisp. You can even emulate a conversation through a cell phone.
What sets Alloy apart from the rest of these kinds of programs is its all-in-one intuitive interface. Once you begin to learn your way around the program, you have easy access to six audio effects as well as access to a macro screen, which shows what the designers at iZotope saw as the most important controls of each preset. This allows you to quickly get back to doing what you do best—making films.
- Click Alloy’s Macro button to have access to the most important controls of each preset.
Ease of Use
If you have never worked with audio effects before, Alloy may need a little exploration. Unlike Nectar (which I recently reviewed here at MFM), Alloy is geared a bit more for the audio engineer instead of for the singer or filmmaker, but if you put a little time into learning some basic audio terms, Alloy will make your film audio sound much more professional by the time you’re finished.
Alloy, like all iZotope products, sports a laundry list of presets to choose from. Simply click the preset button in the bottom right-hand corner to open up presets for voiceovers, sound effects, and other film audio effects. The amount of presets lets any audio novice make their films sound better in minutes. Like any audio plug-in, there is a learning curve, but Alloy’s presets let you go to work the minute you download the plug-in to your computer.
- Click Alloy’s presets button to test out any of Alloy’s different audio effect options.
The main plug-in screen shows basic readouts of your audio with everything from input and output levels to EQ and compression graphs. All of your effects are easily accessible at the bottom of the plug-in with the press of a button. It couldn’t be easier to have access to multiple effects right at your fingertips, and Alloy’s intuitive interface gives you the ability to tweak the presets to your heart’s content.
Depth of Options
What I love about Alloy is the depth of the program itself. You can select a preset, which will get you headed in the right direction. Then, you can begin to tweak (like we did in iZotope Nectar). This plug-in is six audio effects in one program, so you have scores of effect combinations to apply to your film audio.
The six effects in Alloy are EQ, Exciter, Transient, Dynamics, De-esser, and Limiter. EQ gives you hands-on access to changing what frequencies of your sound should be louder and softer. The EQ is especially easy to work with using a mouse—much more than other EQ plug-ins. Exciter and Transient help shape your sound even more. I am a big fan of Exciter, which can really add some warmth to your audio. Dynamics is your typical compressor with access to two simultaneous compressors as well as access to a multi-band mode. De-esser helps you tame those high frequencies, and Limiter does a great job at stopping your audio from getting any louder than a given volume.
- Click the Dynamics button to access Alloy’s two compressors.
What is especially exciting about Alloy is the way that iZotope laid out all six effects. With six extremely varied effects panels to choose from, you would think that the plug-in could get a bit confusing and overwhelming, but it really doesn’t. And if you start to get overwhelmed, just click the ‘macro’ button, and you will have access to the most important controls of all six effects. This is perhaps the coolest option of the entire program. For the filmmaker, Alloy’s ingenious addition of the macro button helps you quickly edit your audio so you can get back to editing the rest of your film.
Performance
As a rule of thumb, any audio effects you purchase will be higher in quality than the effects that come with your film or audio software. This is because a team of developers have spent focused time on making these specific tools. It’s kind of like buying name brand clothing. Walmart clothing is good, but name brand clothing has the potential for much greater quality. (I say “potential,” since we’ve all seen some name brands that actually had poorer quality than generic or knockoff gear. Fortunately, that’s not at all the case with iZotope!)
Alloy is a best-case example of this concept!
- Alloy’s Exciter give you the ability to add warmth and grit to different parts of your film audio.
You will be able to push and stretch your audio farther than with typical plug-ins (ie you can do more work with the audio before it falls apart, much as good color grading programs will let you tweak the visuals a lot more before they become degraded). You can ‘excite’ your dialog to bring it out in a specific scene. You can also use the ‘dynamics’ button to even out the loudness between two of your actors. Alloy will not completely fix a bad recording (no program can do that completely), but it will definitely make a decent recording sound much better!
Value
For the price that iZotope is asking for this program, you are getting a steal of a deal! There is no need to shop separately for a compressor, an EQ, and a limiter, as you get six quality effects in one plug-in. If you need some presets to help you make your film sound better, Alloy will be your best friend!
For less than $250, Alloy sports a compressor, an exicter, an EQ, a transient shaper, a de-esser, and a limiter. Download a free 10-day trial to test it out yourself. I think you’ll find that this is definitely worth the investment.
- Open Alloy’s graph to rearrange your audio effects.
Final Comments
If your basic audio effects plug-ins just aren’t cutting it or you need to add some cool effects like making an actor sound like he is calling from a cell phone, Alloy is definitely for you. If you’d like to simplify your audio workflow and keep most of your most common plug-ins in one place, Alloy is for you as well. This is a wonderful all-in-one plug-in that will not disappoint. Whether you are continuing to hone your craft in audio post-production or are just entering the audio world, you will quickly fall in love with what iZotope has done with Alloy.
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Breakdown
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Ease of Use
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8 |
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Depth of Options
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9 |
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Performance
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10 |
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Value vs. Cost
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10 |
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Overall Score |
9.3 |
Gabe Gibitz
Gabe Gibitz is a worship leader and home-recording guru in Lexington, KY. With no formal degree in music, he has learned most of what he knows about recording by reading lots articles, picking the brains of audio masterminds, and delving into the field himself. He plays a blue guitar and loves spending time with Abbie, his wife. You can download his latest e-book and 3 free songs at www.gabegibitz.com.