Can an audio rack be that important?

Yes it is Important.

No, you do not Have to spend a lot of money.... but it Helps.

Thanks guys. 
Prioritizing spending on what makes the most sonic difference can be part of the fun.  I have always tried building or configuring stuff myself like different types of stands, air bladder suspension, lots of cables, and the damped springs I use as footers beneath Sound Anchors speaker stands.   
I try not to get too hung up on the need to spend lots of money to accomplish a goal. For example, a little effort and ingenuity could turn a typical block equipment stand or a flexy stand into something with a unique look.  The stands in the previous post are a good example of how you can make something cool without spending too much. Below are some shelves we recently added as part of a renovation in one of our offices.  The combination of steel framing and aged/cured hardwood boards looks great, and could make a really cool equipment rack, but unfortunately the wood was not cheap.

Like Mike said, pretty close to the bottom of the food chain. At least for my concrete floor setup. It would go considerably up the food chain for my TTs if I had wood flooring on joists.

Except for turntable stability, quality speaker stands for stand mounts and not blocking too much air - the rest makes no difference to sound quality.  

Wow, I must be insanely poor, the cheapest Fleetwood rack from a post above is 8600 dollars, uhm yeah I got that...🙄

My 500 dollar sideboard/credenza is doing just fine, thanks. Sliding wood doors keep most equipment safe and out of view, it's 18 inches wide, and has an open lower shelf for my class A amp. I'd say it's near perfect for my needs.