Chuck...
I'm not a master turner by any stretch so I feel a little tentative jumping in here, but as they say "I'll bet you're gonna tell me anyway aren't-cha?" I've gotten pulled in by the powder metallurgy steels...Packard sells them as ASP 2030 and ASP 2060...they're made by Hamlet Craft Tools in England and private labeled for Packard. Crown Tools also has a few tools in their line made from a similar processed steel...they call them Crown Pro-PM. What intrigued me about this steel was the claims about edge-holding ability...these claims seem to be backed up by independent sources. Anyway, I've discovered that if I want to turn I'd better keep my grinder nearby and all suited up with its turning tool jigs...sharpening is an undeniable fact of turning life. So I thought maybe if I spend some extra bucks per tool (they are definitely pricey) I wouldn't be standing in front of the grinder so often keeping them sharp. That's been my motivation, and we now come to the end of my usefulness on this thread because I don't have years of experience with hss turning tools to be able to offer a comparison. I can say that I've been happy with these, but maybe I'd have been just as happy with a tool fashioned from the tine of a garden rake. I think they're worth a look...at least you can say yeah I looked at those and they're not for me.
As far as vendor support, I think both Packard (The Woodturners Source) and Craft Supplies offer excellent service. I'd probably give the nod to Packard, but then we're both on the same coast. If you're going to stick with hss then Lee Valley also has excellent service as well as The Best Things.
Cheers