Aux Sends and Returns
The DM-24 has 4 assignable sends and 4 assignable returns. These can be used just like Aux sends on an analog board. The key is in the routing.
First go to the Effects page (on the keypad)and decide which 2 of the six sends will be feeding the internal Effects processors. Depending on what Preset snapshopt you have loaded, these may already be assigned. The returns for those are usually mapped to Channels 25 & 26 for one processor and Channels 27 & 28 for the other. You can change these if you like. Two of the six sends will be used leaving four available to assign.
Hit the Shift key so it stays lit and then hit key #5 on the keypad to go to the I/O page. Using the 4 buttons at the bottom of your display screen, hit the 4th button. This is where you can configure which of the 6 sends are routed to the Assignable Sends.
You can route the returns to any of the 32 channels or directly to the L&R bus.* To allocate the assignable returns, hit either the first or second button on the same I/O screen and route your returns. Choose Assignable Return 1 through 4 respectively as your channel input sources. I would suggest returning the effects to channels 29-32. This will allow 4 mono returns or 2 stereo returns. You can also return the external effects to the Analog inputs which can be routed to the L&R buss. This method allows you to use the Analog inputs during mixdown so you don't have to eat 4 of your 32 channels to return the external effects. You can even set up Aux 1&2 to give you fader control over these inputs.
*If you want to return the Internal Effects processors directly to the L&R bus without using channels, Go to the Assign page (Key 5 on the pad with Shift key unlit). Go to the bottom of the screen and highlight the L&R box directly beneath the Effect 1 and Effect 2 boxes. You will no have faders or mutes for your effects returns (it defaults to a unity gain setting). You will only be able to control your Effect Send levels using whichever Aux layers you've assigned to feed those processors.
Though it can be confusing to have so many options, the DM-24's flexability to route audio wherever you want is one of the key strengths to the board.
