We never talked aboot this topic on Gearslutz
Anyway you can have nice saturation with plug ins but the true deal is still hardware....yes I have to say this... I always was an pro Plug In guy but when it comes to real nice saturation artifacts hardware is the deal to go.
But you can live and have great work with plug ins as well.
In a few years plug ins will be there where hardware is may you save some money and you wait 3-5 years and work in this time with plug ins of the actual generation.