There is no way I would get away from tubes, because you can change, or
upgrade in unbelievable ways by simply getting new and different tubes.
I took my tube phono to another level with NOS Telefunkin tubes.
Yeah, I am no stranger to tube rolling. I might end up back with a tube phono stage at some point but I am fine trying something else for now for a couple reasons. One is that most of the tube stages I have been eyeing are on the bigger/bulkier side of things and I don't really have the room (or the desire to start that fight with my wife). Another being it is hot as hell in my house and will be for a few more months. I need to turn the loud window unit AC off to listen to music and the room already starts to noticeably heat up after the PL is on for 20-30 minutes so I am not dying to add more hot tubes in the room. Though a couple more pre tubes wouldn't be as bad as the 10 in my PL.Also there just seem to be a huge amount of SS options these days that people really love for the money. Not quite as many tube options under $1k that I feel would be a definite improvement and I don't have time to build a kit. But if a good deal on a second hand PH16, Croft or Hagerman came my way I wouldn't hesitate to try it. Just didn't find any in the past few weeks of looking.
I do have a nice assortment of 12au7's,12ax7's and some 6dj8 types so I am ready if I do go that route eventually.