Audio Systems: ipod>amp via low level inputs, headphone volume control, level inputs

Question
First I would like to say thank you for answering my first
question.

This new one I have had a had time finding a solution for.  I
bought a cd deck at best buy and installed it. I went through hell
and back with problems and exchanges for new units and
eventualy said forget it, i want my money back. All i wanted to
use the deck for was the auxilary input and volume control.

My new plan is to run the headphone output of my iPod, through
a 1/8"-dual RCA cord, into the low level inputs of my amplifier.  
Then I will connect everything else like power, ground, and
speakers to the amplifier.  I cannot find any sort of preamp or
volume control to go in between the iPod and the amplifier. I
want to avoid the full power pop if i ever unplug my iPod while
the car is on or problems of the like.

Do you know of any products I could build or find to suit this
purpose besides a reciever deck?

Answer
suprisingly you may not get a pop in the speakers when pluging it in.  turn the gains down on the amp and plug and unplug the unit,  if there is no pop turn the gains up more and more until you are sure its not goign to pop.  as for volume control you can just use the ipod's headphone volume control to do this.  just make sure it's at the minimum each time you plug it in so you dont get a suprise!
there are volume control solutions out there and there are more elaboarate things you can do,  there are even units that can switch from one set of RCAs to another so you could use the amp for a head unit and for the Ipod.
but try just hooking it up with the gains low and see if there's a pop.  if so we'll try one of the more elaborate ways.