Seeking recommendations about material, design, makers of low-lying rack for gear

Are you saying that one long low rack is not a good way to go? I definitely am going front and center, but are you saying do two low racks?

I'm saying it is all trade offs, everywhere, all the time. Everyone has their own particular individual situation in terms of what they have now, what they plan on doing, how they want it to look, what they are willing to deal with in terms of convenience, and more. Like 30 years ago when I was, ahem, 30 years younger having my turntable on the floor, having to get down on the floor to do everything, it was no big deal. I ran my Basis on the floor for a year or more while I tested and figured things out. Now today it would be a total non-starter. I built my rack the height that it is for ergonomics as much as sound. Compromise. Trade off. Everywhere.   

Anything in the center, anything at all, it will reflect and this will degrade imaging. It is real easy to test this, as easy as buy one sheet of Owens Corning 703, cut it up and start moving it around. Not exactly the same as moving components but real close and a lot easier. I did all kinds of stuff like this way back when I was all young and spry and having to figure it all out because hardly any info out there back then.   

There's a very old photo from when my system was on a center rack. Even back then the imaging was so good I had a guy one time peek under the blanket, absolutely convinced there had to be a speaker behind it! https://www.theanalogdept.com/c_miller.htm  That blanket is a clue, you can ameliorate reflections with absorbers all kinds of different ways.  

That is why after trying a bunch of things I made my rack with round columns and a curved front and corners. No right angles. Not facing forwards anyway. Avoid racks with big square flat faces. But don't worry too much about how good the rack is at vibration control, because 90+% of that comes from Pods directly under each component. Or under the whole rack. Or both. These tend to take the rack out of the equation, except for the way it reflects sound. Use all that to creatively select one that suits you and your situation. That's the way I approach it.  

Like, one creative solution, two low racks left and right near the front wall. Components go on those. This leaves the most significant reflection zone in the center clear. Put your preamp on Pods on the floor, feeding amps on the floor on Pods. If the preamp is all remote control you hardly need to touch it anyway.    

But there are so many odd variables this might not work at all. Sometimes everything will reach with 1m, other times inputs and outputs are opposite ends too far apart. You just never know. That is why I give general info and hopefully enough you can figure it out from there.

@millercarbon  Gotcha. Points taken. Going to try things out without any furniture first, see how they move around. Stay low, stay clear of the center, if possible. That's why I put in three dedicated lines on that front wall, alone. Flexibility. May not need them all.

I've had nice exchanges with the folks at Townshend. That's helpful, too, because as you say, it takes the pressure off the budget for the furniture side. I'm reaching out to a local woodworker (retired from being a middle school teacher) to make something nice, once I decide. And the pods can integrate there.

Good stuff. Thanks again.

That's what I would do, have some solid low profile stands made, for some of the gear anyway. Some like the mono amps might be better on Pods on the floor. Usually with transformers in the back the front is light and so a Pod under each rear corner plus one in front balances nicely. This can have the effect of the component appearing to float just above the floor.    

Also everybody likes to put things facing forward, when really they don't have to be. Like my sub amps, they are off to the left and facing outwards. They could also be at an angle. Turning things like this can make interconnects reach a lot better. This all falls under the heading of sounds vs looks. I can do woodworking but for now no time, and can only wish I had a guy able to make because I know what I want just no time to make it.