In the ever-evolving landscape of remote work and virtual meetings, the right set of headphones can make a world of difference. The Poly Voyager Surround 80 UC enters the fray as a promising contender, especially for professionals for whom the world is their office.
The Poly Voyager Surround 80 UC sports a sleek, modern design, shedding the typical corporate headset look for something more stylish and subtle. The build is primarily plastic, which might raise questions about durability, but it feels robust enough for regular use.
The leatherette padding on the earcups and headband strikes a good balance between comfort and premium feel. One slight drawback is the non-collapsible design, which does take up more space on the tabletop, or backpack.
However, it does pack away nicely with its hard, felt-like, carry case that packs away the headset cables and dongles.
At 9.7 ounces, the headset is reasonably light, minimizing neck strain during extended use. The touch controls on the right earcup are a nice touch, offering intuitive navigation through music tracks, volume control, and call management.
The discreet placement of Teams and Phone icons on the earcup subtly indicates its business-oriented functionality.
For video conferencing, the Voyager Surround 80 UC excels. The boomless mic design, coupled with six voice mics and four ANC mics, ensures that your voice comes through clearly, even in noisy environments.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) is effective, cutting down background noise substantially, which is a boon for both the user and their call participants.
Listeners on the other end experience a clear conversation and have no complaints.
The on-call indicator, a red light around the earcups, is a very enterprise-like feature that visually communicates to others that you’re on a call, reducing interruptions. This feature, combined with the dedicated mute button, makes managing calls straightforward, especially during back-to-back meetings.
When it comes to music, the Voyager Surround 80 UC offers a mixed experience. The sound profile leans towards the high end, delivering clear vocals and crisp highs. However, the bass is somewhat lacking, which might disappoint those who prefer a more balanced or bass-heavy sound.
The soundscape is limited and it isn’t as expansive as other music-first premium headsets in the market.
The headphones support a range of Bluetooth codecs, ensuring a stable and quality connection with various devices. The lack of a 3.5mm jack might be a drawback for some, but the inclusion of a USB-C to 3.5mm cable somewhat mitigates this issue.
The battery life of the Voyager Surround 80 UC is impressive, offering up to 21 hours of talk time and 24 hours of listening time on a single charge. The quick charge feature is a lifesaver in busy work environments, allowing for rapid recharging between uses.
Connectivity is another strong suit of this headset. The inclusion of the BT700 dongle ensures a stable connection with PCs, and the Bluetooth 5.3 support allows pairing with up to two devices simultaneously.
This dual connectivity is particularly useful for those who frequently switch between computers and smartphones.
A noteworthy feature of the Poly Voyager Surround 80 UC is its integration with the Poly Lens App, elevating the user experience significantly. This versatile app acts as a control center for personalizing your headset and other Poly devices. It’s intuitively designed, allowing for easy customization of settings to suit your individual needs, whether you’re in the office or on the go.
The Poly Lens App keeps your devices and software up to date, with notifications for available updates ensuring you’re always equipped with the latest features and security patches. This seamless update process is a big plus for professionals who can’t afford downtime due to outdated software.
An innovative aspect of the app is its focus on user wellness. It offers reminders aimed at promoting physical and mental well-being, a crucial factor for those spending long hours at their desks. These reminders can help in maintaining a healthy work-life balance, an often overlooked aspect in the hustle of work.
The app also includes comprehensive support features, from guides and troubleshooting to a ‘Find MyDevice’ function (available on the mobile version of Poly Lens), which are invaluable for minimizing workday disruptions. This level of support and customization offered by the Poly Lens App makes the Voyager Surround 80 UC not just a tool for communication, but a smart companion for the modern professional’s workspace.
Priced as a premium product, at around SGD 600 online, the Voyager Surround 80 UC needs to justify its cost. For professionals who spend a significant part of their day on calls or in virtual meetings, the investment seems worthwhile. The comfort, call quality, and user-friendly features like the on-call indicator and mute notifications add significant value.
However, for users primarily interested in music listening, the sound profile might not meet the expectations set by the price point.
The Poly Voyager Surround 80 UC positions itself as a versatile headset for the modern professional, and the digital nomad. Its strengths lie in its superb call quality, user-centric features, and comfortable design.
While it falls a bit short in delivering a balanced audio experience for music enthusiasts, its performance in a professional context more than makes up for it.
If your workday revolves around virtual communication and you need a reliable, feature-rich headset, the Voyager Surround 80 UC is worth considering. However, if musical fidelity is priority, you might want to explore other options within the same price range.