Now that BHK is no longer with us. Even if BHK was alive, it does not mean PSA would contract his design services again. Anyway, do you think PSA will go full SS when they get around to updating their (now BHK) preamps and amps? If it were me, I would probably drop the tubes just for the manufacturing and design aspects of it. Plus, one less issue for any noise (tubes are not 100% quiet), tube mismatching, and issues with owners installing the wrong or bad tubes.
What are your thoughts?
Legendary designs do not pass away with the designer! They would pass away only when newer and better things go onto shelves 
Pass away or not, PSA will eventually replace the current BHK models. I’m not saying they will not keep the current design and upgrade certain aspects and give it a new name. I’m just wondering if tubes add enough value to the products to keep using them. I say no
One thing that might put the kibosh on tube gear, is thei availability of tubes. With the way things are going with supply chain issues, tubes may be going the way of the dinosaurs. Of course it’s happening with chips, and many other essential parts as well, so might be a good time to learn how to play an instrument, if you want to entertain yourself with music.
For tones & textures, it’s hard to beat tubes.
Darren Myers is open to tubes in his designs (Stellar M1200 and perhaps upcoming phone pre) so it is likely/probable they will be considered/used in future PS Audio products. Hard to say what will happen with the BHK line, the current products have been around for a while, but not a peep from PS Audio on their future. Given the BHK 600 is coming soon I doubt they would drop the rest of them for a complete redesign, more likely a refresh, i.e., Mk II.
Tubes are and will continue to be available. No they will not abadon them as Bascom proved to Paul that by using them you have a better sounding product. There is no tube shortage and has never been the current mess is caused by the fools that had to go out and hoard them. It too will pass.
I thought that as well also…until I purchased the Coda 07x pre and #8 amp…the corner has been turned with quality sounding solid state audio devices!
We’ve no plans to not use tubes. All the BHK products rely upon them and a new one is getting ready to be launched. The 600 is amazing.
There is an absolute shortage of tubes at the moment. For us, as a vendor, it doesn’t matter why there is a shortage only that there is.
We’ve enough on hand to get the product out the door and service it but, beyond that, not looking too good.
Paul, the shortage is only from the unnecessary hoarding that has gone on since the war in the Ukraine began. The American owned companies in Russia are still producing tubes. The Global supply chain issues have not helped the situation either. I knew that your company would not take any steps backwards from the proper use of tubes in small signal applications. Those questioning that do not realize that you are about delivering the best performance possible.
From a manufacturing perspective, having enough tube inventory to produce and service 30K, 50K or 100K units, a lack in supply could be a scary possibility. If a person is fishing around to change the sounds of their midrange or bottom end every few months, being experimental can make a tube shortage seem very real as well. But if an individual is buying a set kind that they’re only changing by necessity, they probably have much less a concern.
Paul, is the issue hoarding or actual supply interruptions from Russia?
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Supply issues from China due to Covid shutdowns
Doesn’t Cambridge use some kind of metal custom-made tube thingy?
Good question and I do not know the answer. What I do know is that our purchasing people are struggling to keep us supplied.