Can an audio rack be that important?

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. 

The isolation offered from footers such as the IsoAcoustic Gaias and others negate the need for massively built and beautiful racks. Yes, that Fleetwood Rack is nice but that's 5/6ths the way towards buying a Technics SU-R1000. I know where I'd spend that kind of money and it wouldn't be on that rack. 

All the best,
Nonoise

In general, a good solid rack will do the job. You get the best components you can, upgrade all the wires… which increase performance, then power cables, then room treatments, then isolation devices on you stable platform.

While you can certainly benefit from a fancy platform with elaborate isolation, typically it is more cost effective to buy a sturdy rack, and add isolation to each component.

So, for instance, cheap springs or cones, then a platform like Black Diamond Racing composite and cones… then the next level Townsend…. And finally a high end isolation platform like Silent Running Audio Ohio class.

Ideally, with no budget constraints you would get a fully isolated highend rack and high end isolation platforms… but we are really talking about incredibly subtle improvements… appropriate for $50K components.

Yes indeed, the Fleetwood Rack is hugely expensive. I am sure it meets my rack performance goals, but the reality is that folks buy it for the cool factor and the OMA/Fleetwood clientele consist of folks for whom money is not the main issue.

My Sound Anchors stand also meets my rack goals and while not cast iron, it is steel, can be sand filled for damping, and can use wood shelves with elastomers under them (like the Fleetwood) if the owner desires, at about one-third the cost. There are many examples of wood and/or metal stands at a wide range of prices that offer solidity, stability, mass, and damping.