Not sure what “strident” or “euphonic” mean in the context of an audio review? J. Gordon Holt’s Sounds Like? An Audio Glossary probably has the term you’re looking for.

I already have a tube-based CD changer that I listen to at work, but tubes are intriguing me in general. I think this post from the Home Theater Forum captures the tube essense:

Last night while listening to a Tony Bennett SACD through my tube rig, I heard him light up a cigarette and set the lighter on a stool between vocal phrases.

It dont get any cooler than that.

Mike

Via DealNews, I see that SelectRebate offers the Sennheiser HD-580 headphones for $168.99, with $3.95 shipping. That's a pretty good price, and you can’t go wrong with Sennheiser for headphones (I listen to Sennheiser's HD-600s at work).

Also from DealNews, I see that Staples.com offers the Maxtor DiamondMax 80GB EIDE UltraATA/100 7200 rpm drive for $139.94 before a $40 mail-in rebate, $99.94 after. Man, I still remember buying the 10.2 GB Maxtor that still acts as my primary drive, for over $200 in ’99.