From a Wedding Gift to a Global Pioneer
Who knew that one wedding gift could set the trajectory of a lifetime? The Digres certainly didn’t.
In 1947, Bernice and Cliff Digre began their lives together as a married couple. Of all the gifts they received, a small kitchen radio turned out to be the most impactful. That radio got a lot of use, and over the years, that radio developed a persistent scratching sound that Bernice tried and failed to fix. With the assistance of an instructor, Cliff discovered that the speaker needed to be reconed and sent it off to the only reconing shop in Minnesota. After waiting over six weeks for the repair, a frustrated Cliff declared, "He needs competition!"—and with that, Minneapolis Speaker Reconing Company was born.
Minneapolis Speaker Reconing Company opened its doors in 1949. Within a year, the Digres' venture began to succeed, taking on challenging projects like fixing speakers for harsh outdoor environments like drive-in theaters. Through these early experiences, they learned invaluable lessons about what makes speakers fail and developed improvements that made the fixed products more reliable and better performing.
By 1956, Minneapolis Speaker Reconing Company had earned a reputation for quality, leading a loyal customer to commission Bernice and Cliff to design and manufacture a line of speakers. This project transformed Bernice and Cliff’s company from a simple reconing service into a full-fledged manufacturer and becoming the Minneapolis Speaker Company, MISCO. This new line of speaker would then become MISCO’s first popular product line, the Red Line speakers.
Years of success and growth followed. In 1990, the Digres entrusted their son, Dan Digre, to lead the company. Under Dan's leadership, MISCO continued to innovate, expanding into new markets and acquiring leading-edge testing equipment. The acquisition of Warkwyn in 2016 and Oaktron further bolstered our capabilities and expanded the range of customers we serve. More recently, MISCO continued its growth by launching the premier brands ToneSpeak for guitar speakers and Bold North Audio for Hi-Fi sound.
And we're still looking for the next "wedding gift" to inspire future innovation.
1949
Cliff Digre, a B-17 gunner during World War II, attended radio school in Minnesota. In class, he repaired a scratchy speaker from his wife's radio, which led to the development of the Minneapolis Speaker Reconing Company.
1956
A customer asked Cliff Digre to design and manufacture an 8-inch speaker of the same high quality as his previously reconed speakers for a drive-in theater. The first order is a huge success. The line expands to automotive speakers and 12" speakers for hi-fi sets. MISCO begins to manufacture Red Line speakers.
1980
The company has begun to focus on OEM sales servicing the growing drive-thru commercial sound industries, building on its famous waterproof designs.
1990
Cliff's son, Dan Digre, takes over company management responsibilities as President of MISCO. MISCO expands into new markets such as aerospace, medical, and pro-audio.
2001
A new, expanded engineering and manufacturing facility is built in Minnesota. The new factory allows the layout to maximize efficiencies in speaker manufacturing; MISCO expands its product line to include amplifiers and complete audio systems.
2015
MISCO acquired Warkwyn, North America's most comprehensive R&D audio lab, and relocated it to Minnesota. The synergy established with Warkwyn places MISCO in a unique position to serve the industry with North America's most extensive loudspeaker design, testing, and manufacturing capabilities.
2016
MISCO acquired Oaktron from Mitek Corp and moved it to Minnesota. This acquisition further expanded MISCO's commitment to USA manufacturing, especially in developing capabilities and product offerings for its customers in the military, aerospace, and mass transit markets.
2019
MISCO launches the Bold North Audio brand with the introduction of the MS 10-W, designed to match the acoustic signature of the Yamaha NS-10M systems exactly.
2019
MISCO builds and moves into a new state of the art R&D, manufacturing, test & measurement and warehouse facility in St Paul, MN.
2021
MISCO launches the ToneSpeak brand with its premium line of electric guitar and bass speakers, and impulse responses. The ToneSpeak line increases MISCO's ability to serve the musical instrument industry.
Read more of our history
Dan Digre has dedicated more than 40 years to the loudspeaker industry, continuing his parents' legacy of innovation and quality. As a past president of ALMA International, Dan has played a pivotal role in advancing the industry.
“We help our customers deliver precisely the right sound in their products and installations for thousands of diverse applications, from medical to military, gaming to aerospace, and beyond.”
With 43 years of experience and a mini-master's from the University of Saint Thomas, Dave Wilson brings extensive expertise in manufacturing systems, quality management, and business administration.
“My focus is ensuring that MISCO's operations are efficient, effective, and always aligned with our commitment to excellence.”
Cobi Stein brings nine years of experience as Director of Marketing and Artist Relations for Eminence Speaker, where he managed sales and distribution.
“I'm thrilled to build upon MISCO's tremendous success across the many industries we support. With our engineering and state-of-the-art testing, I am confident that any audio solution is within our grasp.”
