I have the very same demands as you - 2 channel preference in a multi-channel/HT set up that the wife/kids need to operate easily without my guidance.
I went through many pre-amps and settled on a Gill Audio Alana (a tube unit). It just blew me away in how it made my set-up sound so natural.
David Gill (and Joe Fratus @ Art Audio) then did some extra work on it at my request, including an HT bypass that works as a pass-through on one input while the Alana is not powered on. So my family has no reason to touch my prized pre-amp. :-) They also did some work inside to better match my amps and the results are even more amazing.
Although is it single ended in design, they can add balanced inputs and outputs and I think there are different remote options as well. I do know they use some high end transformers inside to do the balanced conversions, so it is not a simple jumper in the XLR Jack, or a change in wiring. They actually put real effort into making it right.
Getting to demo one might be tough though. I do see there are some for sale here though. That doesnt happen too often.
I went through many pre-amps and settled on a Gill Audio Alana (a tube unit). It just blew me away in how it made my set-up sound so natural.
David Gill (and Joe Fratus @ Art Audio) then did some extra work on it at my request, including an HT bypass that works as a pass-through on one input while the Alana is not powered on. So my family has no reason to touch my prized pre-amp. :-) They also did some work inside to better match my amps and the results are even more amazing.
Although is it single ended in design, they can add balanced inputs and outputs and I think there are different remote options as well. I do know they use some high end transformers inside to do the balanced conversions, so it is not a simple jumper in the XLR Jack, or a change in wiring. They actually put real effort into making it right.
Getting to demo one might be tough though. I do see there are some for sale here though. That doesnt happen too often.