Nothing so thought-out! The answer is: Simplicity, Reliability, Transparency, Economy. The last should be first. I don't mind the trade off
of dynamics against a see-thru, straight-wire approach. Maybe I've been lucky or just ignorant but I've never heard a down-side and I'm an old school, one source, keep it rudimentary approach... I get addled if there are two many buttons and switches. Seriously though, anything that removes the cable variable has got to be better. If I would decently solder everything together in one chain I would, but it makes up-grading a royal pain in the ass.