Beginnings - 1978

Creative Audio flung open its doors on May 1st, 1978 and the Winnipeg hi-fi market would never be the same. Out of a century-old house in Osborne Village, the company built its own line of speakers and quickly rose to local fame.

Our speakers were designed by Creative Audio founder Dan Scrapneck using high-quality drivers from companies such as Vifa, Scan-Speak, Peerless, and Philips. The natural and black oak cabinets were built by a local cabinet maker.

Known for lifelike vocals and a warm and engaging sound, Creative Audio speakers endeared themselves to the souls of Winnipeg audiophiles. We know that there are many still in use today, both in Winnipeg and across Canada.

Audio Boom - 1980’s

Along with speakers, Creative Audio also sold receivers, amplifiers, turntables and, in those early days, reel-to-reel tape decks. This was the heyday of home audio when everyone needed a stereo system.

Dan handpicked every brand in the store and the company became known for carrying some of the hi-fi industry’s most well-respected brands.

This decade would see the dawn of digital audio and the arrival of the compact disc. Cassette decks also became popular and this led to an interest in portable, personal audio. A fundamental belief at Creative Audio has always been that great sound should be with you anywhere you go, and so the company also offered a range of headphones and personal cassette players (and later, CD players)

Home Theater Explosion - 1990’s

Economies of scale and technological advancement meant that the big speaker companies could now build a better speaker for less money and so Creative Audio ceased the design and manufacture of its own speakers. Then came an expansion into the neighbouring house in Osborne Village, doubling its footprint to make room for the TVs, speakers, and amplifiers necessary to properly demonstrate surround sound systems.

The approach remained the same: a personally chosen selection of some of the best home theater products in the world. Audio (and video) performance, value, and reliability were carefully evaluated before any new line was added to the shelves.

Another big event occurred in the ‘90’s - 1993, to be exact - though at the time it seemed unimportant. A teenager, just entering high school, walked in and bought his first ‘real’ amplifier: an NAD 304. That kid would go on to become a loyal Creative Audio client and in 2000 he took a part-time job with the company.

A New Millennium - 2000 and beyond

A new millennium arrived and with it exciting new technologies. Custom design and installation of multi-room audio/video systems delivered the now-famous Creative Audio sound throughout the home. Still, the more things change the more they stay the same, and while CD players were still popular, the venerable turntable came back in a big way and the vinyl renaissance introduced a whole new generation to the loveliness that is analog audio.

It was in 2007 that the biggest change came to Creative Audio when founder Dan Scrapneck sold the company to that kid who had first visited the store in 1993. Jeff Kowerchuk was now tasked with the responsibility of steering a Winnipeg institution towards a long and prosperous future. Thanks to an excellent team of comrades and ever-loyal clients, the company continued its expansion into the custom installation market, offering a full range of smart home automation solutions including lighting control.