External Effect question

Cubase
1

Hi,

I am trying to setup my Avalon as an external effect. I have the output 3 of my MR-816csx going into the line input of my avalon. The output of my Avalon is going into my Lucid which is then set up as adat input 1 in my MR-816.

  1. I go to VST Connections, add an external effect, name it Avalon
  2. keep send and return as mono
  3. choose my analog out 3 as my send and adat input 1 as my return.
  4. I then go to the insert of a vocal track, add the external effect (Avalon) to the track and i can hear the vocal really low. If i move any of the eq knobs on my avalon, i can hear the changes but the volume is really low. Sent and return gain are both set to 0.

Any idea what i might be missing. The control panel on this MR-816 CSX is not the greatest. I can’t even have it opened while im running Cubase. Thanks in advance.