Real tube magic will never be truly replicated by an IC.
You may be correct, yet take it with a grain of salt that digital I/O's and A/D/A converters compromise tone simply because converting analog to digital and back again causes loss of tone quality. True analog devices are for the most part unhindered regards carrying signal or producing sound waves.
What about digital effects? These, too, have A/D/A converters built in, but because many choose buffered bypass, some of the lost signal tone is recovered. What actually is occurring? Is guitar signal "strengthened", as some might perceive, or are certain tone frequencies being restored?
My point is, digital devices may have advantages regards compact size and weight constraints. Yet regards how they sound may be less lifelike and, as some have said, "more digital." Tubes, by default and definition, have a warmer tone quality because they are analog.
My feeling is as the bit resolution quality of digital devices increases over time, so will the tone quality of digital devices. The integral frequency curve will be smoother in relationship so as to improve tone and sound quality.
P.S. My previous paragraph may be in error. Hopefully, what I meant to say was the quality of tone and sound would improve because of the increased bit resolution. I realize what I've written "doesn't read well." Take it with a grain of salt that they're words to be taken at face value, not with some deeper meaning.