Gamut/color depth is the reason to stick with a CRT.  If your just doing web work well maybe the LCD's are better for you.

Fast response times on panels usually indicates 6bit panels which are far cheaper to produce along with only testing grey to grey speeds. Look for a decent 8bit panel or higher and you'll shoot the price up.  Think I saw a eizo 20 or 21 rated at 14 bit for around 1600.

Why the decline of crt's to lcd's?  Price to profit.  The panel manufactures can keep releasing revised versions and push them into the market at the same price point of a panel from 6 months ago. Plus longevity of a crt to a panel.  A good CRT will last you 10 years can you say the same about a panel one?

Card readers/hubs/speakers on lcd's, you buying a monitor or a hub?  Last I checked most modern motherboards come with 6-12 usb 2 ports and 1-2 firewire ports not including add-in cards or external cheap hubs you can daisychain.