Vives University College, in Flanders, Belgium, employs more than 1,200 staff and has more than 13,000 students enrolled across five campuses: Bruges, Courtray, Ostend, Roulers, and Thourout.
Of note, the Roulers campus houses a total of 1,000 students, and recently opted to completely upgrade the wireless microphone systems used across campus. Bruges-based A/V installer Deltavox Projects was tasked with finding and implementing a solution, and elected to use Shure Microflex Wireless to meet all of the University’s criteria for this project.
In terms of what exactly the University was looking for in a new wireless system, the Deltavox team was in search of a product that was easy to use, but would offer excellent sound quality and seamless operation without interference. Further, given previous concerns around battery life, the selected system would employ internal batteries for the transmitters, and would be easy to expand in the future.
While newer to Shure’s wireless offerings, Deltavox CEO Johan Missault chose to go with Shure Microflex Wireless, explaining: “Because of the system’s features and operation on DECT systems, we decided this was the best solution.”
The system is also easily capable of future expansion, which also played a large role in the decision. Because the MXW system has two-, four-, or eight-channel expansion options up to a maximum of 80 channels, the remaining classrooms can also be fitted with Microflex Wireless in the future without difficulty.
With the upgrade, all of the University’s seminar rooms and theaters are now equipped with an Access Point Transceiver (MXWAPT) and a single or dual set of transmitters, consisting in each case of a handheld microphone, a bodypack with a headset, and matching charging stations (MXWNCS). Additionally, lecterns in the theaters are also fitted with Microflex wired gooseneck microphones.
Since the installation, the new wireless systems have been free from interference as requested, as MXW’s automatic frequency coordination ensures continuous use of clean, interference-free RF. Transmitters with flat batteries are also a thing of the past with MXW’s advanced Lithium ion rechargeable batteries, which have an operating life of up to nine hours of continuous use, and can be fully charged in two hours, with the charging status visible at all times on the charging station. The overcharge protection ensures extended battery lifetime.
“Our aim was that we wouldn’t have any more problems with our wireless systems, and we are very pleased with this installation,” says Andrew Clauw, Vives University’s head of AV and IT services. “In the past, I had to go to the classrooms every week to adjust settings and ensure the systems were operating well. But since the new systems were installed, I haven’t been called to the rooms once for this reason.”
