The article considers coatings deposited on turbine blades via plasma vapor deposition (PVD) method with Ni-Cr-Al-Y cathodes obtained using powder metallurgy (PM) and electron beam remelting process (EBMR). The study analyzes the effect of cathodes manufacturing techniques on surface roughness of rotor turbine blades. Task: to examine a microstructure and chemical composition of the considered cathodes; to quantify a droplet phase of a heat-resistant coating of turbine blades subdivided into size-fractions. Methods used optical microscopy, SEM-analysis. Next results were obtained. In the microstructure of two cathodes under study, it is revealed γ-solid solution with intermetallic Ni-Cr-Al and yttrium-based phases. Simultaneously, distribution of the yttrium phase in the PM-cathode more uniform in compare with EBMR-cathode. Metallographic studies showed that yttrium phase in the structure of the PM-cathode is highly-dispersed, with sizes up to 5 microns, and due to structural and dimensional heredity received during cathode hot isostatic pressing compaction. The structure of the cathode obtained using EBMR-process is a series of the conglomerates of intermetallic phases, with more than 50 microns long, which are branched out on volume. The compliance of the chemical composition of the cathodes under study to requirements of the specifications is established. After the coating deposition on turbine blades by a PVD-method with cathodes under study, were not observed any coating delamination, and their thickness corresponded to the specifications.  With a distribution analysis of droplet phase on the turbine blade surface were established that coatings with PM-cathode have been characterized by complete absence of a 65 microns droplet phase, and has half less 25…45 microns droplet phase compared with the EBMR-cathode. Conclusions. The coating with PM-cathode has smaller droplet phase on the turbine blade surface and as a result improved their roughness and gas path surface state. The use of PM in the production of the cathodes for protective coatings provides stable performance of installation and provides long-term operation time of cathodes, compared with the EBMR-cathodes.