Odd Hilo Behavior (routing & monitoring)

I have a series of emails out to Lynx about this already BUT figured I'd ask here as well.

I'm having some issues with my new-to-me Hilo (user error isn't unlikely, but we'll see) . . .

I've been trying to set-up a scene that I'll use frequently - like this:

I use REAPER - the program defaults to USB PLAY 1&2 on the master - these outputs are routed to my monitor outs & phones output - this is how I intend to keep things. My goal is to route through my outboard and back. For this routing, in REAPER, I use the "ReaInsert" plug-in - this is placed on a pre-recorded track (which has master send enabled & therefore ultimately will end at USB PLAY 1&2 -> master bus, to the monitors / phones) - using ReaInsert I set USB Play 3&4 as a send & assign the LINE OUT to USB 3-4 only, active (not muted) and in-focus on the Hilo, then set USB Record 5&6 as the return in ReaInsert and again, set the Hilo routing so that outputs USB 5-6 are getting their input solely from Line-In (again active & in-focus) - the Monitor Out & Phones on the Hilo receives it's signal from USB 1&2 which should be the sum of the processed / routed signal in REAPER. This has worked fine. NOW, the problem is that if I leave the routing page on the touch-screen of the Hilo & navigate to anywhere else, when I return to the routing screen things are not as I left them – for example, Monitor Out that was set to USB 1&2 un-muted and in-focus is now set to USB 3&4 un-muted and in-focus with USB 1&2 still unmuted but no longer in focus – this kind of thing happens for all the routing I set. ALSO (and this is big) if I switch to the Monitoring screen on the Hilo the sound simply cuts out of my monitors – this screen has USB Play 1&2 as the input (in solid blue) and Monitor Out as the output (solid orange) but the sound just cuts out – also if I switch the input to say Line-In & leave the output at monitor out (with my track playing all along) I do not hear the Line in (which should be the 5&6 return) on the Monitors – the main reason seems to be that the 5&6 return via the line-in completely disappears & is no longer showing level in REAPER / ReaInsert when I visit the Monitoring screen on the Hilo! Same goes with Phones – on that page if I select USB 1&2 on the left and Phones on the right I’m fully expecting to hear the sum of the routing in my headphones (and yes, volume is up in all cases) but, nope, nothin’ & 5&6 again no longer pass audio as it seems they should. Something seems wacky. Spent the whole weekend messing with this & no definitive answer / sense has come of it yet . . . . Help!?