Reciever Question = Don't know if it belongs here.

I'd buy a used receiver from Audiogon. Something like a NAD or one of the other audiophile brands. They tend to be better made and will hold value better than consumer-grade gear. You'll get better performance, too. You might want to look through the vintage receiver thread for other ideas. Older decks are usually better, save for receivers from good manufacturers. A vintage Marantz is better than a new one.

If you want to use your computer as source, get a DAC and put that between your computer and receiver.

You can connect an iPod in several ways. Apple's dock along with RCA cables will work. Other docks can take digital output from an iPod. I'm not terribly up on these and can't make a recommendation, but I know they're out there.

I know you might not have heard of many of the audiophile brands yet, but take a look at them and feel free to ask questions. You want to maximize your value here.