Unexpected behavior - MIDI in VST mode

Hello!
I load Reaktor's VSTi in Cubase and assign it a MIDI input device. I open an ensemble and add the factory Akkord instrument. I set the MIDI-in channel to 2 for both the ensemble and the instrument, and a note-on sent to channel 2 of that device triggers a note, as I would expect.
I create my own instrument in a new ensemble on a different track in Cubase, and the only way that instrument will catch a note sent to that device and channel is if the ensemble is set to channel 2 and the instrument is set to Omni. I tried every single input channel for the instrument and none of them catch the note; but Omni mode catches it. If I set the ensemble MIDI-in channel to Omni, and the instrument to channel 2, it does not catch the note.

I'm attempting to develop a program that will interact with Reaktor, and it's not enough for me to just figure out how it works in my particular setup for my particular project. I'd like to know how it's supposed to work and why it works differently depending on whether I use a factory instrument or my own empty instrument. Anyone have any insight on this?

Thanks!
-Chuckk

 

Hi again.
I can set the MIDI-in channel on the ensemble to 7 and the channel for the instrument to 1... and the instrument receives notes sent on any channel?!?!?!?! But setting the instrument MIDI-in channel to anything else results in nothing registering! Why is channel 1 acting as Omni and all other channels completely unresponsive?