Can someone point me in the right direction? LP player / Preamp / Dragonfly Red...


Relative newbie here.  I want to add a TT and start enjoying Vinyl.  Was looking at the AT-LP120 and have been reading up on pros/cons.  The built in preamp seems to be a low point, many have removed it though.  If I were to got this route, could I then input the sound directly into my iMac and out through my Dragonfly Red to my Amp?  

I have pretty descent sound right now from Audirvana / Dragonfly Red / (Sony 2 channel Amp (next upgrade) / Infinity Kappa 8.1's

Or should I output the LP player directly to the Amp?

Thanks for any guidance!
aqueousaris
I think the real issue is that the Kappa's are more demanding than a 4 ohm speaker. I dont see an impedance curve which would show how often there is a demand for high power/current.
  The Onkyo will certainly drive your speakers, but you may be missing out on detail and texture in the bass frequencies. It's possible that the speaker's demand during peaks and transients may push the amp into clipping, which is distortion.

With this combo you are at the very minimum of what the speakers demand. Have you looked at the next model up the ladder?, I forget the model number.

I certainly don't want to spend 400 and run into problems with clipping!  There is THIS I found last night and its 299...  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Onkyo-A-9050-Integrated-Stereo-Amplifier-Black-2x75W-Channel-MPN-A-9050/223...

Would this be a safer bet?  I appreciate your help, thank you!

A-9050 specs:
8 ohm 2 x 75 W/Ch
4 ohm 2 x 65 W/Ch

How can that be??

A-9010 specs:
8 ohm 2 x 44 W/Ch
4 ohm 2 x 60 W/Ch

(these specs are direct form Onkyo USA site)  
https://www.onkyousa.com/Products/prod_class.php?class=Amplifier&source=globalnav

TBH, in the world of amplifiers, that is a negligible difference in power between the 2 models.
  We've established that your Kappa's are basically a 4 ohm speaker, so we are not interested in the 8 ohm spec of 75 wpc. The speakers will be drawing higher current from the amp which relates to the 4 ohm spec. So the 9010 is rated at 60wpc and the 9050 is 65wpc,  they are basically the same power, even at 8 ohms. The difference between them is extra features on the 9050.


The Power Rating of the 8.1 is 40 to 300 watts RMS. That is a wide range and it would be to your benefit to move up to higher power and not be near the recommended minimum.
I agree.  Anyone know of a higher power Amp in the 400-500 range that is of some descent quality?  I don't need a Receiver, just an Integrated Amp, or a 2 Channel Amp.  

And isn't it strange though on the A-9050 that the 8 ohm rating is higher than the 4 ohm rating?  Shouldn't that be the other way around?