difference between y cable and passive splitter?

[am radio]

I need to split a signal coming out of my pre amp (trs cable out) to a tape machine and my mixer. the part going to my mixer is not important for quality as it is for monitoring and will be deleted after. The part going to the tape machine is important.. is a trs y cable gonna do the same thing as a passive splitter box? here's what my stereo set up will look like!

.................mic1>>>preamp>>>>tape machine>>>>>mixer (delay)
..........................................\>>> mixer (0 delay monitoring) track)

...................mic2>>>preamp>>>>tape machine>>>>>mixer (delay)

i got my lo z signals figured out with my bass di. i can split it easy to monitor. but not for line level!

Is the ARTsplitmix4 box the same quality loss as a y cable? how much quality loss is there with a trs line level y cable? should I even care as it is only on one of the channels anyway? is there a better way? thanks so much for the time! I'm almost there now! By the way I am using repro head to record that is why I can't monitor tape signal while recording as it is delayed!

[The Real MC]

Y cable has the risk of loss of tone if the input impedance of the two receiving devices are too far apart. A passive splitter will isolate the input impedance and prevent this.

[Fletcher]

The "passive split" being performed by a transformer... the "Y cable" being devoid of said transformer.