I've got a ton of sims.  Love some, like some.  I usually use them for recording just because it's so easy.  BUT, there is something magical about standing in front of a cranked amp!!

I'm with ya on that Jude. Played with GR5 today. Used the Slapknot preset. Found a new one I like. 😊😊

In the 1970's (late) I played thru a Fender Bassman with the 8x10 cabinet (I think it was an 8x10). I used to throw a 944 Chain Reaction in front of it...and for only playing "electric" guitar for a few years, I thought it screamed. It was completely sublime for "me" at the "time". Unfortunately, I did not own this, and wish I had.
 
I did not realize that I would be chasing that tone for the next 25 plus years, sort of a learning journey if you will.
 
I had had an assortment of gear since that time, including a Marshall stack that consisted of two 1960B cabs, a Peavey CS800, and a Digitech GSP21 Pro Legend, six space extra deep rack, cables, etc. which for "me" at the "time" sounded GREAT. Mind you, I walked in to the local shop and purchased all of this new in box at the same time, after having done all the research and auditions and I could be wrong, but it was around  $1500.00 +/- $200.00. At the time it was what I wanted and it served my purpose, and I was still very early in my learning journey, which later led me to T.C. Electronic. I won't bore you with all of the other failed rigs and wasted funds.
 
But, there was always something missing...
 
In the late 1990's (I think) I walked into a local shop and plugged into a tube amp (listed later)...and there it was again, that sound and feeling...TONE.
 
I now have two 100 watt tube amps, run in stereo using a Radial JX-2 Switchbone ABY Switcher/Combiner. I hit the front of the amps with Xotic pedals...AC, RC and BB Preamp for any number of combinations and for any number of reasons.
 
I use a Morley Bad Horsie Wah II & an Ernie Ball volume pedal on that same pedal board, as that pedal board is dedicated only to the front of the amp. I use a Cioks DC10 to power that board.
 
My second pedal board is dedicated to the FXLoop. I use a Behringer FCB1010 to control my Strymon Mobius, BigSky and Timeline. I use the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Digital to power this board, and am so impressed and happy with Strymon that I am waiting for them to release an intelligent pitch shifting harmonizer.
 
Once I started down the correct path for "me" it has been moving along slowly for the last 13 years.
 
I guess what I am trying to say is that everyone is different...$2200.00 is a drop in the bucket compared to ALL the gear I bought and sold over the last 25 plus years.
 
I purposely listed all the gear to give you an idea of what I have invested over the past 13 years.
 
Everyone is different and that is good, I don't think there is a bad path to take, as it provides a learning experience and helps to get "you" where "you" need to be.
 
I don't know anyone, myself included, that had unlimited funds for gear. I tried and failed many times over those years...but one lesson stands tried and true..."you get what you pay for".
 
For "me"...I am a classic/prog rocker that writes all of my own music and the tube amp does it for me. Whether I use the pedals and the loop, or not, I am just as happy hitting the bypass on all FX and turning up the reverb tank on both amps and just digging in. But, yes I do love my FX and my pedals hitting the front of my amps.
 
I have two Mesa Boogie Tremoverb 2x12 Combos that share a Marshall 1960B cabinet that I restored and rewired to allow both amps to use half of the 4x12 cabinet.
 
I live in a very rural country setting and play at somewhat loud volumes, but not too loud...just enough to be able to stand about 15 feet from the amp and feel it, while allowing me to turn my guitar in three different positions and get three different harmonic feedback sustaining tones, which I was not able to do with any rig before. Is the feedback important...I can lie and say no, but I am not telling you about the feedback to impress you, but instead to paint a picture...two tube amps, pushed, NOT hi-gain, but pushed...the relationship the guitar has to this setup is just ridiculously incredible, and can't be simulated. A guitar player will play differently using this type of set up and the inspiration just flows.
 
I know some of you may be thinking these amps are for metal, and maybe that is why I waited until last to reveal them, but I don't play metal (not that there is anything wrong with metal) and these are very versatile amps, anyway, I just turn the gain knob to 50% and get a very musical classic rock/clean tone out of the hi-gain channel. If I need to push a little harder I use one of the pedals from Xotic. The plus is the Xotic pedals sound incredible used alone too. Someday I will have a Fender for a real super clean sound, as the Tremoverb does a great job, but does not shine brightly in that category.
 
I really hope this is not coming off as a sales pitch or braggadocio...as this is NOT what my intentions are. This is one person's experience. I am trying to say two things here...don't worry about how much something costs if it fits your needs and be patient with what you think you need. I raised a family and had no money for music gear, but made it work for the 20 years I played the circuit with cover bands. If I knew then what I know now I would have had the right core gear to begin with (after robbing a bank) and then added the frosting as I went along, but that is all part of the journey. Hell, even with the great Strymon stuff, I wish I never sold my old Phase 90...well you get the point.
 
Oh, by the way...I close mic one Tremoverb with a 57, the other Tremoverb with an E906, and the Marshall is both closed mic and room mic'd with two AKG C4000B. All at the same time during tracking for blending, nudging tracks etc. during mixdown.
 
The sound is great...but I have never tracked using a simulator...so I cannot comment on that, nor am I knocking it.
 
Just listened to both the Kemper and Fractal. Damn nice sounding.

TremoJem you hit the nail on the head when you spoke about the relationship between the guitar and amp.

I have a Boogie MK llb. And when I set the gain medium and turn the power up, there is nothing that comes close.

And this amp has the best Clean tone I have ever heard.

Well I'm gonna keep this one short and sweet …. please excuse the fact that I am very opinionated regarding this topic  
I'm a firm believer in having the right amp even if it has to sit in the closet due to living in an environment where I can't use it as often as I would like  ( apt living ) 
 
like a lot of folks that don't have a dedicated sound proof home studio  I have to use amp sims to track and get my ideas down just to be able to keep the peace , work on my music and function autonomously in society .
 
the music I have posted online has suffered greatly as a result of this 
 
to this day I have never had anyone hire me to play my guitar after hearing me play out of my rig and request that I use an amp sim ...it has yet to happen .
 
 
my clean chain 

 
 
my dirt chain
 
 
 
Kenny
 

Thanks Grem.
 
That is what I am missing on the two Tremoverbs, is the super clean...it covers everything else!
 
No more about the amps...this is not a guitar forum...LOL.
 
One other note on tracking though...
 
I have painstakingly upgraded the tubes in each amp for various reasons, cleaner, crisper, mellow, tame the gain etc., which also included loading one amp with 6L6s and the other with EL-34s. This allows them to sound different along with subtle changes to the preamp settings. This way, when I record I am not getting a duplicate sound from each amp, which would be redundant. Additionally the two Mesa amps are loaded with Celestion V30s and the Marshall 4x12 is loaded with G12T-75s. These two speaker types are very different from one another, lending itself to some interesting tracking. Of course, mic placement is always adventurous and fun.
 
What I like about this is that I can use any combination of the four mics I have on any target: amp one, amp two, 4x12 cabinet, room and then use any of the four tracks alone or in any combination to get what i am looking for.

That's pretty wild Tremo JEM that I have almost every gadget you mentioned and just got the Strymon and it is a great piece. As an Amp Tech for many years oh maybe about 25 I've seen lots and have recorded lots and heard them all live and can honestly say there is a place in the recording world for it all. The moddlers and VST to SS to Tube can all be setup arranged and played to give an individual a certain feel or vibe that can be a perfect fit or maybe not so good a fit depending on the expertise at hand.
One thing is for fact and that in all of my years I have never met a Amp tech who didn't take to tubes like candy with a kid. This obviously holds true for me also but the big thing Imo is the difference in powertube distortion and preamp tube distortion when micing amps and it's night and day. Certainly you can get a great tone from using preamp distortion but you can get more even order harmonics with powertube distortion which relates to a warmer tube tone like the ones you hear from Hendrix,Van Halen ect... Of course the type of tubes you use as in NOS can also be attributed to better tube tone and many other mics and micing techniques. That's the big difference Imo between the simulation and the real deal. The simulation is close but there aren't the even order harmonics because they aren't capable of producing them like tubes are.
 
Bule

kennywtelejazz:
 
I LOVE this line in your post:
"to this day I have never had anyone hire me to play my guitar after hearing me play out of my rig and request that I use an amp sim ...it has yet to happen."
 
Truer words were never spoken.  I use sims because they're easy, but amps are MAGIC!!

Bule,
 
I completely agree...in fact I have been looking to add a Lonestar to my lineup. It offers 10/50/100 watts of power.  I would imagine that if I set it at 10 watts of power it would be very loud, but still allow me to saturate the power tubes to some degree. A friend of mine has the 5/15/30 offering of this amp and that would be even nicer to add...along with the first one I mentioned, as I just love the big powered beasts.
 
So yes, I totally agree and wish I had this at my fingertips, instead of always relying on preamp tube saturation.
 
Oh, by the way, which Strymon did you get? I have the Mobius, BigSky and Timeline...absolutely love them!

Unfortunately, every single one of you is right. This is all pencil and paper, it is your hand that creates. Hand an artist a giant preschool sized crayon and what he draws is art. He may turn to you at that point and say "Thanks for the crayon, fresh perspective." Each thing has it's own strengths and limitations. Your job, if you choose to accept it, is to exploit those things and draw inspiration from it. Hell, sometimes picking up a different pick gains me a little of that.
The sims are close enough that they sit nicely in a mix, and no one would ever say,"Is that supposed to be a guitar?"
But they are still sims.
I currently am diggin' Guitar Rig 5.
But who can argue that cranking up a real tube amp and wailing till it feeds back, then walking through the standing waves until it gives you a kind of dizzy rush isn't just about the coolest thing in the world.
They are all tools, sometimes you just have to weigh the pros and cons and use whatever is best for a given situation.