that's about the long and the short of it I guess. I have a power conditioner, power amp, preamp, and an effects processor. I used to use it a lot in the 80s. I don't dust it off very often anymore. It is a good idea though. You might check out the LIne 6 Pod Pro + a good power amp (thatd' be 4 rack spaces + a power strip is 5) and the floorboard controller.

Other good things are Boogie pres and power amps and something like a Lexicon processor. Boogie makes some killer rack units as well. I have an SKB and I can't recommend it all that much....cheap but it didn't hold up well over time...it sorta crunched in on the top ;(

Keep an eye out for a Boogie Studio Pre from the 80s. They are dirt cheap (like $300) and the legend surrounding them is that they were the best lead circut ever designed by Boogie but that few people know of it.

peace,
http://shredlikehell.com