I would suggest that you figure out the budget part and then elicit recommendations that are within that budget. Otherwise, you're likely to get a lot of recommendations for gear that you may or may not be able to afford.
Certainly, if you don't mind buying used equipment, you can save a lot of money buying gear here and you have the potential to buy gear that you may otherwise be unable to afford (new). If you feel the need to have a warranty, etc., then you should stick to a dealer.
Otherwise, there are many, many answers to the questions you have asked. Maybe a little more background would help. What kind of music do you listen to? Is your music stored on your Ipod as MP3's or lossless? How big is your listening room? Etc.
Certainly, if you don't mind buying used equipment, you can save a lot of money buying gear here and you have the potential to buy gear that you may otherwise be unable to afford (new). If you feel the need to have a warranty, etc., then you should stick to a dealer.
Otherwise, there are many, many answers to the questions you have asked. Maybe a little more background would help. What kind of music do you listen to? Is your music stored on your Ipod as MP3's or lossless? How big is your listening room? Etc.