Signal Drop using Plugin with External Stereo Gear

Hello to anyone who can help,

I’m having a similar problem with both Wavelab (6 or 7) and Cubase 6:

When I use the External ASIO plugin to hook up a stereo fx unit…for instance, a stereo compressor on the main stereo out buss…I am getting a drop in signal on one of the channels, usually the second channel I’ve assigned as an in/out. So, for instance, if I’ve assigned in the external gear section channels 1 and 2 as my stereo in and out pairs, I am getting a radical drop in signal in channel 2. Or maybe I’m getting an increase in signal in channel 1. Either way, what happens is this: if I have a balanced stereo track (that is, both L/R are pretty much same dynamics), and I use the channel insert to run the external gear plug-in to a stereo fx unit, I suddenly get a significant drop in the R side level and the balance shifts to the left. Same thing happens if I run the external plugin on the main stereo out buss.

I’ve got to be doing something stupid as this is happening in both Cubase or if I use the external plugin in Wavelab. I only recenly rebuilt my home studio after vthe aftermath of Hurricane Irene, and I don’t recall dealing with this before.

Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated. Best,

Never mind folks. As suspected it was something dumb. Complicated dumbness, but dumb nonetheless. It was a single zapped cable within the miles of cables connecting the DAW, patchbays, outboard gear and MOTU hardware setup. What a pain to locate it!