i didn't read through the whole thread, but I'll add my 2 cents anyway.
I've always been a tube amp lover, but I also (primarily for recording purposes) invested in the digital world pretty quickly. We've certainly come a long, long way. I try to keep up with the trends, so here is my current take. I do not chase a whole bunch of different amp sounds. On a desert island, I would forever be happy with a tweed deluxe and probably more so a Vox AC-15. I'd be the Vox for the edge of break-up rhythm sounds and the Tweed for break-neck, turn it up til it gives up and crunches.
For me, the new Universal Audio Ruby pedal is just simply a stunning re-creation of a Vox AC. I'm convinced it sounds better than the real thing in a recording environment. It is like being in a room with an AC-15. Probably equally as stunning is the Neural Tone King Imperial MK software. Like the Ruby pedal, this software only does one amp, but it does one so completely convincingly that it has risen to the top of my list.