I needed a portable solution to integrate an XLR mic into a battery-powered pedalboard. The iRig Pre 2 is an affordable solution for this case.
The iRig Pre 2 works with two batteries and can be used even with mics requiring phantom power.
The iRig allows me to connect the XLR mic into the aux in input of an amp sim pedal at the end of the pedalboard. In fact, both the main jack output and the headphone out of the iRig Pre 2 can be used to direct the mic audio to other devices, with independent volume controls.
The device is very compact, and audio quality seems good. However, the rubber-like plastic and the very light weight makes the construction and finish not to feel very solid.