Throughout my life, my passions have consistently revolved around bikes and cycling, music and stereos, and martial arts. While I participated in common childhood sports like baseball, soccer, and hockey, lacrosse and waterpolo , they never truly resonated with me. I found more enjoyment sitting in my room listening to bands like Kiss, Black Sabbath, Van Halen, and Genesis. Receiving a cool stereo at 15 solidified my interest in audio, and by my early twenties, I had a nice Linn setup with Mission 753 speakers.

 

For work, I spent time building pool tables for a major North American company. The pay was decent, but the heavy lifting was physically demanding, especially since I'm not a large guy. At 26, I bought my first house, ensuring it had a yard for my husky and a dedicated room for my stereo. It was a great little place, and around that time, I even dabbled in dog sled racing, which was incredibly fun. Unfortunately, this was just before the internet became widespread, so I don't have tons of photos for proof. 

 

Around the age of 30, I injured my back while grappling at a Jeet Kune Do school called Real Combat (what did I expect???). This became a recurring issue. One evening, a thoughtful conversation over dinner prompted me to reconsider my career. I was advised that the demanding nature of pool table work was better suited for someone younger. Fueled by wine, I made the decision to leave a good -paying job and invest in a Dairy Queen restaurant. Unfortunately, that venture didn't succeed financially. Following that, I opened a pool table store, which did reasonably well for several years until the 2008 recession severely impacted the industry. I closed the store and moved to Toronto with some savings and an unexpected baby on the way. Just a week after settling in, I was in a serious cycling accident during a training ride that resulted in significantly more spinal injuries. Suddenly, not having a job was the least of my concerns, as I couldn't even walk. After a long surgery and rehabilitation I was fortunate to recover. Despite being advised against it, I continued bike racing, with my chiropractor as a supportive training partner.

 

With a family to support, I needed to find a sustainable career. I did some odd jobs servicing pool tables and other things I didn't really enjoy. Ironically, my expertise in pool tables  led to trips to Las Vegas,  Arizona,  and Iqaluit, Nunavut. Eventually, wanting more control over my work while also  being accustomed to financial challenges, I started my own furniture company. I enjoyed designing and building tables and bookcases. The idea for Massif Audio Design came about when I repurposed some beautiful birds-eye maple into a platform for my turntable. It looked and sounded great, leading to the creation of audio racks. With a logo and some photos, we launched Massif online.

 

Soon after, I began showcasing my racks at North American audio shows and gained a few dealers. A pivotal moment was when Knut Skogrand of Skogrand Cables invited me to display my racks in their room at a show in Denver, Colorado. I was nervous, unsure if my creations were good enough for such high-end equipment, but I went for it.

 

The story of Massif isn't particularly glamorous, but after ten years, we've shipped a significant number of racks worldwide, primarily to the US. I've had the privilege of sharing rooms at audio shows with exceptional companies like EgglestonWorks, ModWright Instruments, Soulution, Dartzeel, and Magico, among many others. I've also made many friends in the industry and have traded Massif products for some fantastic gear.

 

Currently, I live in Waterloo, Ontario, with my wife, son, and two dogs. I don't get to listen to my stereo nearly as much as I should but I still enjoy cycling and own four racing bikes.

 

Thanks for visiting , 

 

Trevor