What Audio Sources Matter?

I have been thinking recently about how my Parasound JC2BP Preamplifier has 6 inputs, 2 Balanced and 4 Unbalanced.

For sources, I have:

  • VPI Turntable that I connect to a Parts ConneXion modified PS Audio GCPH connected to the preamplifier with balanced interconnects.
  • PS Audio Directstream DAC with Bridge II connected to the preamplifier with balanced interconnects. I mostly use the Bridge II for streaming Tidal Masters (MQA).
  • Sonos Connect connected via optical cable to the PS Audio Directstream DAC. AND connected to the preamplifier via unbalanced RCA cables (For AB Testing - More on this at another time)
  • A CEC TL-5 CD Transport Connected to the Directstream DAC 
I also recently purchased a Nakamichi Dragon Cassette Tape Deck. This was a bit of an emotional-nostalgic purchase since it is arguably the best cassette deck ever made, growing up it was always something that I heard about (and even went to see/hear and hear at Lyric HiFi in NY with my dad many times), and it was always out-of-reach. 

So... I have found a way to use 3-4 of the 6 inputs on the Preamplifier. And 3 of the 7 inputs on the DAC (I occasionally connect my computer via USB, so make that 4 of the 7 inputs on the DAC). 

I get that some people will also have a disc spinner, which will either take up a spot on the DAC or a spot on the preamplifier, or both. And some people will have a real-to-real machine, which will take up a spot on the preamplifier... But that still leaves several open inputs on both the preamplifier and the DAC. 

In a somewhat idealized world I would have the following connected to the preamp:
  1. Turntable
  2. Cassette Tape Deck
  3. Real-to-Real Tape Deck (or second Cassette Deck)
  4. DAC
  5. Tuner
And the following connected to the DAC:
  1. Bridge II
  2. Sonos Connect - relatively poor sound quality but so convenient 
  3. Disk Transport
  4. Computer

So my question is. Why do we need so many inputs? Am I missing sources that matter?

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