Do plugins sound as good as hardware?

[Drain Bamage]

what do my producer sherbros think?

personally, having never owned an analog compressor in my life, except for a dod milkbox, i think it doesnt even matter but some people still swear by their hardware comps

 

[Simian Raticus]

It really depends on the quality of said gear.

I've been lucky enough to get to use some pretty fancy outboard gear in my time, and I've never heard software replicate things like for instance the sound of a bass running through a high end tube compressor like a Manley. Nothing compares to it.

That said, plug-ins have come a long way. Just for demoing and home recordings it makes a lot more sense to splash out on a good pug in bundle than to waste money on low-mid range hardware. You'll get comparable or maybe better results for a fraction of the price.