Mixing Link Mic Preamp : Versatile head unit for multi-instrument use

I'm using the mixing link as the input stage for a pedal board so I can use the same setup (pedal board, kemper profiler direct to recording interface or PA) for my bass, electric guitars, sax and 'cello. It give me the option to switch instruments by simply plugging into either the mic input or the 'inst in'.

I have pedals set up in the mixing link's effects loop where I'm likely to want to control the wet / dry mix globally, so an EHX sitar pedal and I'm planning to put the organ simulator in there as well, the knob on the mixing link then allows me to dial in the amount of effect before sending the signal into the Kemper for further processing.

In use the preamp stage is effectively noiseless, to the extent that I'm entirely happy running everything through it even in cases where I could plug directly into the profiler - there's absolutely no appreciable difference. I'm using the exact same setup for recording in my home studio and playing small gigs with my band where I run directly into the PA from the Kemper.

The Mixing Link is one of those pieces of kit that you probably aren't going to get all that excited over, but I very much appreciate how it sits in the corner of my pedal board and allows me to plug pretty much any instrument (or vocalist, although we've not tried this) into a set of perfectly normal pedals. It's saved me from carrying a lot of other things, or from having to rip up and re-lay my pedal board when I do a gig on the 'cello rather than bass, or when I'm using it for my sax. It's probably not the use originally intended by the designers, but it's perfect for my requirements.

I've deducted one star from the handling and feature set because I'd have really liked a detent in the gain dial, or preferably a dedicated switch, to set unity gain or entirely bypass the built in pre-amp when using the 'inst in' input. The pedals in the effects loop already expect a guitar level input, and my guitar produces one so it would be nice to be able to tell the mixing link that it didn't need to change levels. A unity gain would be ideal, as you'd still get the buffering effect of the preamp but without having to fiddle around and work it out. I've resolved the problem by sticking a bit of tape on and marking where unity is, but some indication built into the device would have been better. It gets five stars overall though because it's just so useful in my particular case.