Do you want the best headset? 
With more and more people finding their way on to conference calls, which can be audio or video, the need for good quality AV equipment is more important today than ever. We’re spending more time on Zoom calls, Microsoft Teams calls, RingCentral calls, Google Meet and the list goes on.
We all want to sound our best and professional, and in order to do that, it takes a little time and research in order to find the right components needed to get the job done.
In this blog, I’m going to help shortcut your research efforts a bit by providing you with a product review of the new Poly Sync 60. This is a speakerphone that’s capable of working with your computer or mobile devices. The Poly Sync 60 is part of the Poly Sync family of speakerphone models 20, 40 and now, the big brother in the new Sync 60.
I’ll go over some of the product features, and when done, I’ll do a microphone and sound test. Specifically, I’ll test the Sync 60 to see how well it picks up my voice, and how well the speakers sound.
Lastly, I’ll show you how to daisy chain two Poly Sync 60 speakerphones together to see how easy it is to get them connected, and how good it sounds when two units are paired together.
Before I get started
I wanted to let you know that I recorded a Youtube video on this very topic. If you’re like a lot of people who prefer to watch content over reading it, then this video is for you.
By viewing this video, you’ll be able to not only physically see the Sync 60, but you’ll be able to hear it live. You can then more easily determine if this is a good product for you and your needs.
Starting with the Sync 20, Poly has introduced a line of elegant, great sounding and fully featured speakerphones. The latest in that evolution is the new Poly Sync 60, and like the models that have come before, the Sync 60 is a great looking and sounding speakerphone.
Whether you have a need for a great sounding call for yourself, or for a team, the Sync 60 is a great product to evaluate and consider. It’s chalked full of features, and it’s expandable which helps to make it unique among many of its rivals.
LED’s
There’s a pair of LED’s that run the entire length of the Sync 60 for status notifications. For example, if you’re adjusting the volume, the LED status bar moves upwards or downwards to visually let you know where you are within the volume range.
If you’re muting the microphones, the LED status bar will go red to visually let you know the microphones are muted. This feature makes it hard not to know you’re muted. Most models will provide a single red lamp to alert you of microphone mute which is a bit subtle, and can be easily not seen.
The Sync 60, by contrast, tends to scream it out with the two LED’s that span about 15 inches (38 centimeters) making it hard to overlook.
Microphones
Unlike other speaker phones that have a single microphone, the Poly Sync 60 features a 6 microphone array for great voice pickup. Whether you’re in the near field, or at a distance, the Sync 60 will pick up the sound of your voice, or your fellow attendees, without difficulty and with remarkable clarity.
The microphones are said to pick up your voice up to around 10 feet (3 meters). However, in my tests, it picked up my voice at distances greater than that. Plus, if you pair up the second unit, your microphone pickup distance is extended even further.
The Poly Sync 60 is designed for rooms having a dimension of up to 20 feet by 20 feet (6 meter by 6 meters).
Expandability
One of the features that I really like on the Sync 60 is its ability to wirelessly connect two Sync 60’s. This gives you the ability to accommodate a larger group of people while delivering an even better audio experience over just a single unit.
The second unit connects to the main unit via Bluetooth. The process is simple, and literally takes no time at all to get it up and running. Having two units working in tandem gives you more available microphones and two loudspeakers.
As a result, your conference mates will be heard loud and clear, while the far side incoming audio will sound even better than a stand alone Sync 60, which by itself sounds pretty awesome.
As a footnote, when connecting the second unit, there is the need for an optional accessory; the Poly BT600 USB Dongle/Adapter. Something to be mindful of if the Sync 60 is on your radar, and you have interest in pairing two units together.
Charging Ports
Anyone that uses a Smartphone throughout the day understands the importance of keeping the battery charged. One nice feature found on the Poly Sync 60 is it comes with a pair of USB charging ports.
This gives you access to two ports where you can plug in your Smartphone or Tablet and get them charged up while using the Poly Sync 60. This is a very convenient feature you don’t typically see on Speaker Phones.
Connectivity
The Poly Sync 60 allows you to connect in two different ways:
1. USB. You can plug in the Sync 60 to the USB port on your computer using the included USB-A cable. There’s also a USB-A to C converter included.
2. Bluetooth. The Sync 60 also allows you to connect wirelessly to your mobile devices with no wires required. Also, when using two Sync 60’s, the second unit is connected to the host unit via Bluetooth, so no wires to get in the way.
3. USB Pass Through. When using a USB camera, you won’t need to take up another port on your computer. Seems there’s never enough available USB ports as it is. Instead, you simply plug in the USB camera into the pass through port found on the Sync 60, and you’re all set.
The Sync 60 is very flexible in providing you with options to get it connected. Whether you plug it into your computer USB port, or wirelessly connect to your mobile devices, you’ll find the Sync 60 easy to get set up and working.
Audio characteristics
The Poly Sync 60 sounds good, and that’s not by accident. It incorporates the latest audio technology that includes full duplex for naturally occurring conversations. It also features noise reduction, and echo cancellation to help keep your calls sounding professional and limiting distractions that might occur in your work environment.
How does it sound?
Sound is really a very subjective matter. What sounds great to one person, may not sound so great to another. Still, I have to say that the Poly Sync 60 sounds great to me. The quality of the speaker gave me a lot of satisfaction when hearing high or deep tones.
Overall a very nice, rich sound and not tinny in any way. The great sound got even better when I paired up the second unit. By doing that, I had the luxury of having two loudspeakers rather than one, and of course six extra microphones.
This is my take on it. Would yours be the same? Hard to say really. In order to know for sure, you’ll have to hear it for yourself. Naturally hearing it live is best, but hearing it on video is second best. I’d highly recommend that you watch my video so you can get an idea what the Sync 60 sounds like.
Final Thoughts
Straight up, I really like the Poly Sync 60. It’s extremely attractive for a Speaker Phone, with nice appointments throughout. But, it’s more than just good looks. It’s a high quality business tool that can help you through your important calls, whether via video, or via your computer or mobile device.
The Sync 60 is versatile and allows you to connect in a variety of ways. That’s helpful given we use a variety of devices these days.
Having the wireless expansion capabilities can really come in handy if you’re organizing a meeting that includes a group. The Sync 60 will handle it with ease.
I like the fact that you can use the device to charge your mobile phone or tablet. That’s really convenient. And, the pass through port for a USB camera helps to free up your in short supply USB ports on your computer. A well thought out product I’d say.
I also like the fact that the two LED’s help you to know your status. They’re so long that it makes it next to impossible to ignore them. Yet, they’re not so large as to be unsightly or going counter to the overall design and aesthetics of the product. They work perfectly as designed.
All in all, the Poly Sync 60 is an easy to use, great sounding, fully featured, plug and play Speaker Phone that’s flexible and reasonably priced with an MSRP price of $599.00. Anyone who’s in need of a Speaker Phone for their Zoom, Teams, Meet, RingCentral calls etc. will find the new Poly Sync 60 a willing and capable partner.
