Elektron Musical Instruments

Hi
I have recently purchased a Machinedrum which is bringing much me 
pleasure. Everyday I am finding new features and creating new sounds 
that are to be perfectly honest making me have to wear nappies.
This is the first piece of serious musical hardware that I have 
bought (being solely a computer based head)and it has made re think 
the way I make music and opened up the possibilies to play live and 
most importantly its fun.

2  questions

1) I am very interested in the possibilites of the Input gates. If 
anyone would like to share what the are using them for it would most 
appreciated. I have searched the archives but it doesn't seem to be a 
subject that has been covered. This leads me onto my 2nd question.

2) Are the 2 separate 1/4" audio in jacks and 6 separate 1/4"
audio 
out jacks of the MD mono or Stereo. The reason I ask is that the main 
output is left and Right Stereo Channels so I am assuming the other 6 
outputs and the inputs are Mono.
 I am running a CD player playing tones etc into input A using
"INP-EA" to gate the sounds. 
I am using a 2x phono to single stereo 1/4" jack .  Would this be 
true stereo? 

Many thanks in advance 
ofthicktum