Great equipt stand for under $500???

Taco ASR Series II racks are modular and very good for the money. You’ll see them used often at high end shows due to thier cost/performance, build quality, manageable weight  & modular design. You wouldn’t get a new 5-shelf unit <$500, but you could keep an eye out for a 2nd hand example in the usual places (ie: A’gon, Audiomart, Ebay etc).

Thank you @melbguyone I'll look into those. I may have to up my budget on this. I can't seem to find anything in this price range. 

I use VTI speaker stands. They are reasonably priced and well made. They make gear stands too.

http://www.vtimanufacturing.com/product_category/audio-video-rack/