You guys kill me with all of your "nothing compares to a tube amp" spiel. You don't even know what kind of music he plays. Some music really depends on tube warmth, some doesn't. I have heard some live bands getting some outstanding tones out of modelers.
Here's a little known secret. *sshhh*
You don't have to have a tube amp to get a modern metal sound. There I said it. It very much depends on the tone you are going for. And if you are playing covers of alot of different styles/genres of music, forget the frickin' tube amp. Vacuum Tubes do not impart some magical mystical property to your guitar playing. I promise you that Steve Vai could plug into a POD and make you forget what he is playing through.
Your amp, and in fact your whole guitar tone is just the brush you use to make art with. Some great artists make beautiful art with super soft camel hair brushes. What these guys here are telling you, is like telling an artist that they CAN'T paint a masterpiece using a synthetic hair brush. Only real camel hair paints a masterpiece! Well, hate to bust it to you, but artists have made masterpieces with charcoal sticks. A real artist could paint a masterpiece with any brush, synthetic or otherwise, if they have a good feel for it. A great artist, and a great musician CREATES. They find a tone that they can create with, and then they create art with it. They don't stick their nose in the air and say, "I can't create great music because I don't have toobs in my amp!"
I think sometimes you guys lose sight of that.