rack vs. floor multi-FX

[Jim Carter <Jim.Carter@bristol.ac.uk>]

Sorry to dredge up the subject of guitar FX yet again but I'd really
appreciate an oppinion on this. 

I'm currently looking at replacing my Boss ME8 floor based multiFX
with either a GT-3 (floor based) or GX700 (rack) processor.
I already use a MIDI floor cntroller to drive an EDP and SX700
so the rack option gives me one less box on the floor.
However, I do rather like the immediacy of patch selection on a floor
based unit (especially when a jam suddenly takes a new direction)
plus I can use my favorite stomp boxes in the send/return loop
without too much extra cabling.
Opinions - please.

More help please - if people are using multiFX wiht stereo outs 
together with an EDP, how are you wiring this? 
My current set-up goes:


Guitar ===> FloorFX(stereo) ===> Preamp ========> MIXER ===> Reverb
                                   |                ^       (stereo)
                                   |FX send(mono)   |           |
                                   |                |           |
                                  EDP ===> rackFX(stereo)       PA
                                                             (stereo)

Ok, the easy solution is to buy (if I could) another echoplex and
keep stereo throughout. I'm also thinking of swapping my mixing desk
for a rack unit to keep the whole thing more mobile. Again, a rack
FX processor might make things more portable but a floor unit can
be used alone for non-looped/low FX  gigs and with MIDI in I can
always stick it in/on the rack and drive it from the floor controller.

Will someone please (only just avoided use of caps. lock) tell me
what to buy. When I just had a line of stomp boxes the answer was 
simple - another stomp box, todays technology has fucked my head.

Jim Carter
University of Bristol
Cantock's Close
Bristol BS8 1TS
UK
Tel - 0117 9289934
FAX - 0117 9293746
e-mail jim.carter@bris.ac.uk