Two distinct schools of thought (and this has been discussed at lenth elsewhere...do a search).
1. Clear, authentic replication of the POD tones: this typically is approached by using a solid state PA type power amp or audiophile quality power amp with huge amounts of headroom. Couple it with a full range PA type speaker cabinet. Pro's are usually costs less than tube stuff, weighs less, less upkeep. Cons are that some people think it sounds sterile and lifeless.
2. Warm up the tone with a
tube power amp and a guitar cabinet. Pros are that it does tend to sound a little more "organic" and less like you're listening to a digitally processed sound. Cons are that tone is altered to a significant extend according to what power amp and speaker combination you go with. A boogie power amp with a boogie 4x12 is going to sound a lot different than a VHT power amp into a marshall 2x12 all with the same exact settings on your POD. Guitar equipment will color the tone a good bit.
