PA / Monitor setup help needed

Beexter

I'm trying to plan a setup for an upcoming gig and could use some help...
The desk is a Mackie 1402 VLZ Pro with 2 aux busses. One is used to feed an outboard reverb, leaving one for a monitor mix.
I'm running the PA in mono with the left main out into a sub and then 2 active FOH speakers fed from the sub. The monitors will be daisy chained from the desk aux out.
The 2 things causing me grief are my guitar and the keyboard. I'm using an HX Stomp- no amp.
I plan on using my DXR10 as backline to hear myself and was going to take the mono output from the HX Stomp into the DXR10, and then connect the "Link" output of the DXR10 to the desk to feed the FOH and main monitors. I was planning to do the same for the keyboard player (who is also using a DXR10) Problem is, the signal to the desk is dependent on the output level of the DXR which needs to be turned up a bit to get a decent level to the desk. I'd prefer the main volume to come from FOH, with the DXR's providing "personal" monitors for me and the keyboard player.
Is there a better way to hook this up to achieve this, given I only have one available aux out on the desk?
Any suggestions welcome as it's doing my head in!

Roland

If you go Helix Output Left to DXR10, and Output Right to mixer, can your keyboard player do something similar?

Musicwolf

Why are you using the 'link' outputs from the DXRs?  Use the 'Thru' which are just a parallel connection to the 'in' and therefore not effected by the DXR's volume.

Beexter

Thanks @Roland - I'm running the HX Stomp in mono, so does that mean left and right outputs are the same? 

The keyboard player runs a midi keyboard with sounds coming from Spectrasonics and output through a UA Arrow interface so maybe he could run mono too - worth checking thanks for the suggestion 

Roland

I don’t know anything about the Stomp, other than looking at a picture to check that it had two output sockets. I would just try it and see. It won’t matter if you set it to stereo, as long as effects like Chorus aren’t providing one side wet and the other dry.

Beexter

Musicwolf said:

Why are you using the 'link' outputs from the DXRs?  Use the 'Thru' which are just a parallel connection to the 'in' and therefore not effected by the DXR's volume.

@Musicwolf thank you! I am an idiot!
I put it down to the heat and a busy day at work! 
I've always run into the DXR and taken a feed to the desk from the DXR and couldn't work out why it was tied to the volume this time compared to all previous occasions! Thank you!

EDIT: Except only the xlr input is connected to the  "thru" xlr output. The other inputs aren't connected to the "thru" output....
It worked when connecting an AX8 via xlr but alas, not when you only have 1/4 jacks to play with....

Back to the drawing board....

shufflebeat

The HX Stomp's outputs are balanced. You could use an adaptor (TRS - XLRm) and plug it into ch1 of the DXR. Keep it short for ease of storage and if you need to you can extend it with a mic lead. I used to do this with my Yamaha AG Stomp.

If the keys output isn't balanced just use a DI, passive is fine.

Murray_B

Re the guitar set up: I have a roughly similar set up using a pod go. I send the main outs straight to the PA (in stereo if there enough channels) and then use the amp out to the powered cab that I use as a stage monitor. The pod go is configured so the volume only controls the amp out volume. This gives a fixed level to the PA and the option for me to easily balance my personal level on stage without changing the out front. The output level on the mains had to be set to instrument as without the volume control in the circuit it's going out full chat which is a bit much for most xlr input preamps. This works a treat for me but it relies on having good patch to patch level consistency, although it is still possible to bump up / reduce  the preset level on the fly.