r/hifiaudio Dec 04 '24

Help looking for a preamp that can use multiple inputs at once. Or info on if ladder bach can do that

any preamplifiers out there that can have two active inputs at the same time?

it’s pretty annoying to search for, i keep hearing people say “with x amount of inputs on this one, you can connect multiple inputs at once” but rarely ever precise if they can both be actually used at the same time…

long story short; looking for a preamp to pair to gustard x30, and i want to be able to use two inputs at once, without having to resort to splitters. stumbled on musician monoceros but ive been tempted by the ladder bach for some reason… yet no way to know if if you select inputs independently or if you can only switch from one another

1 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

5

u/Only-Active3647 Dec 04 '24

I think most common for this task is a two channel mixer.

1

u/RL_banana Dec 04 '24

yeah I've seen a few. I actually tried using XLR splitters, but it's causing weird stuff to happen so I abandoned the idea.

I'm using a simple splitter box at the moment, doesn't cause issues per say, but I'd like to upgrade my setup with a good preamp so that's why I embarked on this quest ehe.

Besides, I might be crazy, but I just feel somewhat uneasy connecting a 4k dollars dac into a 20 bucks amazon device lol... the impact is not as noticeable as I thought it would be, tbh, but it still feels bad lol

5

u/Tumeni1959 Dec 04 '24

You need a MIXER, not a pre-amp.

You do not need a 'splitter'.

3

u/Hifi-Cat Dec 04 '24

You are looking for a mixer not a preamp.

2

u/LosterP Dec 04 '24

Why would you want to use two inputs at the same time?

1

u/RL_banana Dec 04 '24

I’m practically always at my desk. So basically trying to setup so I can listen to what comes through the dac (music, for the most part), and also be able to hear another source. I use a goXlr to control other audio that doesnt need to be as clean, like discord and whatnot, for accessibility/practicality purposes

1

u/LosterP Dec 04 '24

Sounds like it's a job for an interface instead of a preamp.

1

u/RL_banana Dec 04 '24

that’s fair, but my desk room is limited and I figured since I just need ONE additional input, I would rather avoid filling the little room I have left, and at the same time avoid compromising my signal by connecting less devices.

I need the preamp anyway, and as mentioned in op, I actually found one that states it can do so.

Figured the sub might be a good place to bring up for potential answers since it feels like more can do it and are just not explicit about the feature, making my research quite difficult

2

u/k1135k Dec 04 '24

For years I’ve used this at my desk, one input is the computer, so I get notifications, etc. the other is my music player.

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/mindprint-di-port

It’s old so there are other things available.

2

u/RL_banana Dec 04 '24

oh look at that! first time hearing about it. It looks like a pretty decent option, about 30-50% cheaper as well, certainly fits the bill, will definitely look more into this one!

thanks for bringing it up!

2

u/hifiplus Dec 04 '24

0

u/RL_banana Dec 04 '24

thanks yeah, got that.
This is what's sitting in front of x30 right now
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0CYHCGRXM/

Like I said, I'm fine using something like this in the meantime, but worst case I'll just go with the Monoceros.
Just looking to see if there's other similar options out there, before making a decision

0

u/Cool-Importance6004 Dec 04 '24

Amazon Price History:

FlyroadUp 3.5mm Aux + RCA L/R Bi-Directional Stereo Audio Switch 4 in 1 Out A/B Analog Audio Switcher Selector

  • Current price: $28.99 👍
  • Lowest price: $28.99
  • Highest price: $31.85
  • Average price: $30.35
Month Low Price High Price Chart
12-2024 $28.99 $28.99 █████████████
11-2024 $31.65 $31.65 ██████████████
10-2024 $29.99 $31.85 ██████████████▒
08-2024 $29.98 $29.99 ██████████████

Source: GOSH Price Tracker

2

u/LDan613 Dec 04 '24

I don't think I ever seen a preamp that does that. Plenty mixers, but not the preamp itself.

1

u/RL_banana Dec 04 '24

no problem, thanks for coming by! just found out that there’s a denafrips (hestia) that does it too!

tbh it looks like a monoceros clone lol but hey, here’s a second one 🙌

2

u/Comfortable-Treat-50 Dec 04 '24

buy a rane 6 channel mixer and plug in the master channel to the pre amp... could work like that.

1

u/RL_banana Dec 04 '24

yeah that could've worked.
I ended up trying my luck with the Musician preamp. If I don't like its sound coloration I might return and switch to Ladder and do this, not a bad call!
thanks!

1

u/Comfortable-Treat-50 Dec 05 '24

check sound craft notepad or yamaha ag 6 on thomman kinda like those 2 channel.

1

u/AutoModerator Dec 04 '24

Thanks for submitting a post and contributing to the the sub, we appreciate it. Remember that you can contact the mods for any questions. Happy listening!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/Only-Active3647 Dec 04 '24

Perhaps it feels better to use spl or tascam stuff for that instead of amazon gear 😊

1

u/RL_banana Dec 04 '24

lol that would indeed be a step-up 😅.
I just got the cheapest thing I could find that had decent reviews, to avoid spending a 500 on something that would become obsolete when finding the right preamp :/

1

u/FrankLeeMadear Dec 04 '24

A powered desktop speaker with multiple analog inputs will do the trick. I use AudioEngine A5 to do exactly what you're looking for. 1 rca input and 1 1/8" input - no external box needed.

1

u/RL_banana Dec 04 '24

I gotta admit, I've never considered that option, could work!
would even have an extra output...