Hotel room is booked and I’m excited. Been going to the Indiana/Ohio/Michigan events since 2009, but never been to Iowa in all these years. Looking forward to seeing some new faces! Bringing my brother as well to join in the fun.
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What is the Address and Time do I need to sign up or just come.
I will be attending again this year with a new pair of “mystery” high end 3 way towers that I am currently working on. Hope to have them ready to play in time. Unfinished cabinets, though.
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Location is linked earlier up in the thread. Oct. 16th and 17th, I’m guessing starting at 9am, but I’m not sure about that.
This will be my first time attending here. Does it start at 9am on Saturday? Is there anything going on for Friday evening? Trying to plan out my schedule. I’ll have at least one pair of speakers, Potentially a second if I can get them done in time.
Hey Rob! Folks typically start rolling in around 2-4 or so Friday afternoon to start setting up and getting some tunes going. Festivities will occur through Friday evening just jamming out to music, assembling speakers that need assembly, troubleshooting gear that needs troubleshooting, and having a couple beers (or maybe more than a couple) while chatting about tech and stuff. It’s a good time!
People will probably start filing in around 8-9 or so Saturday morning. I don’t know when they start testing as usually I’m late for the first couple, but I would guess no later than 9. Festivities will occur again Saturday evening once everyone had a chance to present their speakers for the event. I think we’re often done with the demos 5 PM that day, but it depends on how many speakers are presented. Last year a couple of us jammed out til…something past midnight, but it’s a bit hazy as to the specific time. We got very loud.
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I really hope I can attend again this year. Some job stuff might wreck that 
we’ll see. I don’t think I will have anything new to bring though. I could bring something previously demo’d if no one has any objections.
Hope you can make it, Craig! Just put a sticker on the back of one of yours and call it “Revised”.
I’m probably recycling last year’s failed project. Sounds quite a bit better now in my room, but we’ll see how it does in the big room.
Hello follow DIY brethren. Let’s get this party started. Arrangements are set at the usual venue in Ankeny, IA.
Below are the details. Most important rule: Be considerate of your DIY bros. Any questions, please contact JR, who will direct you to Mrs. JR, who will enforce this rule. Pro tip: don’t mess with Amanda.
IowaDIY 2026 — October 16–17, 2026
Friday, October 16 & Saturday, October 17, 2026
Best Western Premier — Ankeny, Iowa
Hotel
Best Western Premier - Ankeny
2502 SE Tones Drive
Ankeny, IA 50021
(515) 965-5678
We have a group room rate of $129/night + applicable taxes.
The hotel group block includes Queen/Queen and King rooms.
FYI - you can get better rates via AAA, AARP, etc. Explore all options.
Friday, October 16 — Informal Meet & Greet
People will typically start rolling in around 2–4 PM Friday afternoon. We will in the BW Meeting Room.
Friday is our informal Meet & Greet. There is no formal presentation schedule.
We’ll spend the afternoon and evening:
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Getting settled and setting up gear
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Assembling speakers
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Troubleshooting whatever needs troubleshooting
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Listening to music
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Checking out everyone’s projects
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Talking audio, technology and DIY, and whatever.
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Having a couple of beers…or maybe more than a couple
Friday night is also “run what you brung.”
Most of us will probably have more than one design or project with us, so Friday is a great opportunity to get some listening time on things that aren’t part of the formal Saturday event.
This is your time to manage. Just remember that everyone should get a chance, so please don’t bogart the time or space or you will feel the wrath of Mrs. JR.
Saturday, October 17 — The Formal Event
8:00 AM — Setup
9:00 AM — Show starts
Please plan on being there and ready to go by 8:00 AM for setup. The show will start promptly at 9:00 AM.
The exact ending time will depend on how many projects are presented, but we’re generally expecting the formal portion to run into the afternoon, potentially until around 5 PM.
The 12-15 Minute Presentation Format
We’re keeping the formal presentation slots tight:
4-5 minutes — House track
4-5 minutes — Personal demo
4-5 minutes — Setup/teardown
12-15 minutes total per time slot
That’s tight, and we’re going to be right up against the clock.
Please save extended Q&A and technical discussions for the informal time or take them into the lobby.
Please give presenters your full attention
During the formal presentations:
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No chatting, crunching, slurping, bitching, etc.
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No jingling keys, coins, etc. in your pockets. That’s just weird.
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No distracting behavior.
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Please pay attention while someone is presenting.
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If you’re asked to quiet down, please respect it, or go home.
Everyone deserves the same opportunity to present their work and have people actually listen to it.
It’s simply a matter of respect for your fellow DIYers.
Lunch
We’ll take approximately one hour for lunch. We usually do pizza lunch, compliments of MAC.
Details on exactly what we’re doing for lunch are TBD.
Saturday Evening — Run What You Brung
Once everyone has had a chance to present their projects, we’ll return to the informal “run what you brung” format.
This is the time to pull out the other projects you brought, listen to other people’s gear, experiment, compare notes, and generally have fun.
There is no formal schedule for Saturday evening.
And yes, this is an alcohol-friendly event. 
Important Ground Rules
Most importantly: HAVE FUN.
There are no feedback cards and no competition, and that’s intentional.
We’re absolutely encouraged to talk about what we’re hearing, ask questions and have open conversations about the projects. However, unsolicited feedback isn’t always welcome.
If someone wants your opinion on their speaker, design, measurements, crossover, sound, etc., they’ll ask. So please ask before offering criticism or feedback.
The formal presentations are also not the time for extended technical debates. Save those conversations for the informal sessions or the lobby.
The whole point of the weekend is to bring people together, listen to some interesting stuff, learn from each other, and have a good time doing it.
IowaDIY 2026 at a Glance
Friday, October 16
2–4 PM onward: Informal Meet & Greet
Evening: Run What You Brung, music, setup, conversation & hanging out
Saturday, October 17
8:00 AM: Setup
9:00 AM: Formal event begins
~5:00 PM: Formal event expected to conclude, depending on the number of presentations
Evening: Run What You Brung & informal listening
Location: Best Western Premier — Ankeny
Hotel: (515) 965-5678
Group room rate: $129/night + applicable taxes
Hotel booking: Best Western Group Reservation
Looking forward to seeing y’all in October!
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I guess you guys will probably see my ugly mug this year again. What I’m bringing to present TBD. I’ll come up with something.
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We’ll prepare accordingly