Plugs are getting more and more powerful and there are many that sound great. The UA plugs are some of the best out there in my opinion. The 1176 blackface is awesome if used correctly it can make stuff sound like butta, (Talk amongst yourselves).
One thing that gives plugs a little advantage in my mind is they're so much easier to tweek with while mixing. In the end the ease of use seems to encourage the creative process while mixing for me and that is very valuable indeed!
bcgood
