MIPRO Wireless Systems at the International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust
Museums today, no matter what subject they are devoted to or where they are located, no longer only perform the subject function of presenting exhibits. Often they are also meeting places where conferences, conventions, lectures, scientific or business events can be held. In order to be able to conduct such activities, not only the right space is needed, but also the right equipment and technical tools. We're talking not only about systems that allow you to display content wirelessly from your own laptop, but also, and perhaps most importantly, systems from the sound department that guarantee perfect audibility during events where the word is the most important thing.
The International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum was recently equipped with new MIPRO wireless microphone systems, supplied here by Audio Plus. We decided to take a closer look at the installation, find out what made us choose this manufacturer's solutions and see how they perform in everyday use.
The founding act of the International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust (ICEAH) was signed in 2005, during the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi German concentration and extermination camp situated in Poland. It was established as a response to manifestations of racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism in the modern world. The center conducts activities aimed at children, young people, teachers, educators, lecturers, excluded groups, as well as individual adult visitors. It organizes educational stays for young people, conferences, educational projects, training courses, exhibitions, in-depth, longer visits to the Memorial, as well as workshops, lectures and discussions. The MCEAH is part of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and cooperates with the largest centers and centers on the subject in the world, including Jerusalem and Washington.
The largest events so far during which MIPRO wireless systems were used in the facility were the official celebration of the 77th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in 2022 and the recent International Educational Conference in June this year.
The topic of a headquarters for the ICEAH was raised as early as its establishment in 2005, but it remained unresolved for many years. Initially, work was prevented by the lack of a local zoning plan around the Memorial, and later by the lack of adequate funds for the project. However, the authorities of the institution did not stop in their efforts, and in 2016 a decision was made that the Education Center would find its place in the historic building of the so-called Old Theater. The task of rebuilding and modernizing the building and adapting it to new needs was entrusted to the company Skanska, who carried out restoration work on the facade, installation of new woodwork, thermal adaptation, new installations, as well as taking care of the facility's surroundings, which today consist of sidewalks, benches, trash garbage cans, roads, parking and adequate lighting. The facility itself, after reconstruction, includes lecture halls, a reading room with a library, checkrooms, a room with catering facilities, technical rooms, conference rooms, a reception area, offices for education center staff, and an auditorium located on the first floor, which can seat 188 people.
This year, the institution has taken another important step to prepare the center's space for hosting a wide variety of conference, educational and historical events, and has equipped the facility with a comprehensive wireless microphone system from MIPRO to address all requirements for both in-house and external events.
Speakers of the conferences using handheld transmitters from MIPRO during the meeting
Most versatile system
Prior to the delivery of solutions from MIPRO, Monacor's IMG Stageline microphone sets were permanently installed in the auditorium. After several years of use, however, it was decided not to replace it, but to expand it with an additional system used primarily during outdoor events. Therefore, today the solutions of both manufacturers are used interchangeably. The two Monacor wireless microphones are used for small events or workshops for young people, while the new system is used for the largest, most demanding conferences or meetings. However, both wireless systems are permanently plugged into the public address system, without the need for complicated operation and adjustment.
Of course, as part of the entire implemented system, MIPRO also provided antennas, which are an extremely important element of the installation.
The managers of the institution wanted to equip the auditorium with the most versatile wireless microphone system that could handle up to 8 speakers at a time, and which would be characterized by mobility and the ability to change transmitter configurations frequently, depending on the nature of the event. In addition, the team working at the facility also wanted the devices installed in the back of the auditorium to take up as little space as possible, so only four-channel receivers were considered. Efforts were made to configure the system to meet the needs of many different venues and different numbers of users.
This is what Szymon Plawecki of MCEH says about the process of finding a new system for the institution: "Being a state institution, we had to pay attention not only to the criteria and specifications of the system we needed, but also to the price. There are only a few proposals on the market for the configuration we were interested in, but among them the offer from Audio Plus met all the most important conditions. Cooperation with Audio Plus was mainly about choosing the best solutions for us and the purchase of the system itself. After sending a request for proposal, the company's representative was fully engaged and tried to clarify all doubts. In addition, already after the purchase, he was happy to provide technical support."
Additionally, the team working in the facility wanted the devices installed in the back of the auditorium to take up as little space as possible, which is why only four-channel receivers were taken into account.
In the end, MCEAH decided to purchase two four-channel receivers of the highest series working in analog, with which it works, depending on needs, with either eight wireless handheld microphones or eight bodypacks with tie microphones. The entire system is complemented by an antenna splitter and two directional antennas that provide stable coverage in the auditorium. There are also plans to retrofit the set with a MIPRO management module, so that the entire system can be controlled and monitored directly from a computer.
The system has already been thoroughly tested during a wide variety of events held in the auditorium. From workshops and classes with young people from all over the world, to seminars, study stays and large conferences, anniversary celebrations or meetings with Survivors of the Auschwitz Nazi German concentration and extermination camp. Each of these events is usually accompanied by lectures and panel discussions conducted from the stage, which is an ideal field for extensive use of wireless microphone systems. Perhaps the biggest events so far have been the official commemoration of the 77th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in 2022 or the recent International Education Conference in June of this year.
Szymon Plawecki, evaluating the equipment purchased by the education center, admits: "Given the rather wide spectrum of operation that the MIPRO system had to deal with during events at our site, it performs very well. A positive surprise was the fast and precise frequency synchronization of the transmitter with the receiver, as well as the clarity of information on the receiver's display. The second surprise was the ACT 700H transmitters, specifically their warm tone and versatile sound. It is known that these are not the classic stage microphones used by artists, but for our needs, where the microphones will mainly be used for discussions and lectures, they seem ideal. An additional advantage is their charging method – via USB-C, which makes our work easier, shortens the charging process and solves frequent battery changes."
Microphones from MIPRO provided to the facility also make it easier for the audience to ask questions during the conference.
Summary
The MIPRO wireless microphone systems supplied to the International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust have made it possible to expand the center's capabilities and functionality and meet the demands of both the institution itself and external organizers. Now we can be sure that every word will be heard perfectly, and every voice in the discussion will be equally important and properly understood.
COPY: Lukasz Kornafel, AV Integracje, https://avintegracje.pl/
PICTURES: Marek Lach, MCEAH
