I just had a thought... Impulses for outboard gear?

yes, it's possible and there are a bunch out there. Tritone Digital's ColorTone Pro uses impulses for it's 'color & 'character'.

The real problem I have with current convolution is that it does not have the ability to capture distortion of any kind.

Which is why I'm still not totally in love w/using impulses with amps either, as you can not capture the sound of the speakers distorting ever so slightly at high volume OR the poweramp breaking up in whatever amp you're using to capture the initial impulse.

The same goes for all the classic Neve, API, SSL impulses out there. There not able to capture the ever-so-subtly distortion that is actually a huge part of the reason these things are so pleasing to us.

And this is where Acustica Audio's Nebula 3 comes in...

If someone could make some program files of their Mesa Oversized cab using Nebula's methods, I guarantee I'd be in heaven.

ATTENTION: GUITARHACK.

hahaha