Equipment Rack - How important in the grand scheme of things?

@jaytor ,
My source and preamp reside in an Ikea Besta cabinet, not the greatest way to isolate equipment, so I understand your situation.
In my case, I use Townshend platforms, as well as maple platforms from Butcher Block Acoustics. The Townshend platforms really provide great isolation, and I heard a significant difference when I installed them.
PM me if you would like more information.
And,
Granite is preferred by Richard Vandersteen to be used under his speakers, so using it under an amp should provide a good base-especially if you add some isolation/damping.
Bob

Those Saluda River stands DO look nice. I'll check them out. Thanks.

Hi,
first get an appropriate rack, look upmarket considering your invstment, racks are equipment and are expensive. Then you can further investigate for room treatment. Let your equipment breathe and throw away all supports. A well designed rack will let them sound as were supposed to do.

I have entered a direct link to my system to make it easier to view my particular audio stand example.  Mike will make a stand according to your dimensions.  The unit is very heavy and inert.  I measured every surface and angle myself on the finished unit.  Every dimension is exact.  Note the side openings make for adequate ventilation.

A brief note Mike sent me early in the process to indicate that no detail is overlooked in the building of his stands:

"One of the things I do that is different than any other wood stand builder is I not only notch the supports ( which is all the other guys do) I also notch the shelves. So they lock together."

...and also,

"I use only dyes, no stains, I use only alcohol or waterborne finishes. Please be very leary of any audio stand that uses oil-based finishes ie, lacquer, they can color the sonics of your system, and never for the good."

You can easily spend $5K or $10K for a stand of this quality if you can find one on the same level.  You can even spend many multiples of this on a Stillpoints or HRS unit.  However, why pay for marketing with little or no demonstrable sonic benefit over the Saluda River Audio Stand?

The beauty of the stand is quite something.  My wife has absolutely no interest in anything audio.  However, when she saw the finished stand she was as happy as I was and could not stop looking at it.  She is actually encouraging me to order the matching amp stands so as not to waste the remainder of the custom dye color Mike has remaining.

Here is my Audiogon system link:

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8501

I hope all this helps!

.

@kodak805 - Beautiful looking stand (and nice system). Can I ask how much your stand cost you? 

Thanks,
Jay