Ploy Voyager Free 20 True Wireless Earbuds Review
As we start to think about summer ending and getting back to the grind of commuting to work or going back to school, it might be a good time to upgrade your wireless headphones. As I have mentioned, users can choose from many types of headphones today. There are ear ds, earphones, in-ear headphones, on-the-ear headphones, and over-the-ear headphones. For the past few weeks, I have been testing the Poly Voyager Free 20 True Wireless Earbuds, which the company sent me to test. These new wir ess in-ear headphones have many great features, including good battery life, ANC, and more. Check out what I learned from using these wireless earbuds at home, in the office, commuting, at the beach, and exercising these past few weeks.
What are Poly Voyager Free 20 True Wireless Earbuds?
The Poly Voyager Free 20 True Wireless Earbuds are wireless Bluetooth earbuds with Active Noise Cancelling that can provide an immersive audio experience all day. It has excellent battery life and more. Here is a breakdown of all the essential features these portable wireless earbuds have to offer:
Adaptive Active Noise Canceling (ANC) Mode
Experience the ultimate in noise control with the Poly Voyager Free 20 wireless earbuds. The adaptive ANC mode automatically adjusts to your fit and movement, canceling the right amount of noise for a quiet, comfortable experience. Standard mode is optimized for communication, providing natural audio that is ideal for extended use. Use the Poly L ns Mobile App to select your preferred ANC mode and test the feature during calls or media playback.
Transparency Mode
Stay aware of your surroundings with two transparency modes:
- Environment Mode: Optimized for hearing what's happening around you, perfect for busy streets.
- Speech Mode: Focuses on face-to-face conversations, ideal for office settings.
Switch between modes via the Poly Lens Mobile App, which also lets you customize the button function on your earbuds for easy mode toggling.
Receive Audio Testing
The Poly Voyager Free 20 dynamically adjusts the receive frequency for optimal communication and media playback. Select a known music track from your Bluetooth device to evaluate music response and use the button controls on each earbud to play, pause, or skip tracks.
Boomless Microphone Array with AI Noise Reduction
Enjoy crystal-clear calls with six noise-canceling mics (three on each earbud) that form a beam-forming microphone array. Enhanced by an AI machine learning algorithm, these mics minimize background noise, ensuring your voice is heard clearly. Make calls from anywhere—home, a café, or on the go—and experience exceptional audio quality.
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Smart Sensors
Smart sensors in the Poly Voyager Free 20 respond to your actions:
- Putting On: Automatically answers incoming calls.
- Removing: Keeps the call in the earbuds and pauses/resumes music or media.
Customize these settings using the Poly Lens Mobile App.
Battery Life
The Poly Voyager Free 20 earbuds, together with the charging case, offer impressive battery life:
- Earbuds: Up to 8 hours with ANC on and 12 hours with ANC off.
- Charging Case: Provides up to 2.5 full charges, totaling up to 28 hours with ANC on and 42 hours with ANC off.
The charging case quickly recharges your earbuds—10 minutes provides 2 hours of listening time, and a full charge takes just 2 hours.
Style, Comfort & Durability
Designed for all-day wear, the Poly Voyager Free 20 earbuds are discreet and lightweight, each weighing just over 5 grams. The slim charging case fits easily in your pocket. Find your perfect fit with four earbud sizes (XS, S, M, L) included. Use the Poly L ns Mobile App to test and ensure the best fit. With an IP56 water-and-dust-resistance rating, these earbuds are built to withstand the elements.
Other Key Features:
- Adaptive ANC: Automatically adjusts to your environment.
- AI Noise Reduction: This is for clear calls wherever you are.
- Battery Life: Up to 42 hours with the charging case.
- Water & Dust Resistance: IP56 rating.
- Customizable Fit: Four sizes (XS, S, M, L) with a fit test available via the app.
Enjoy superior sound quality and advanced features with the Poly Voyager Free 20 True Wireless Earbuds, designed to meet all your audio needs with style and reliability.
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How do you set up and control the Poly Voyager Free 20 wireless earbuds?
The setup for these true wireless earbuds is straightforward. Getting these Bluetooth wireless earbuds operational with your mobile device will take only a few minutes. Follow this guide to go from unboxing the earbuds to listening to your favorite podcast or music.
Initial Setup
- Unbox Your Earbuds: Remove the Poly Voyager Free 20 earbuds and the charging case from the packaging.
- Charge Your Earbuds: Place the earbuds in the charging case and connect them to a power source using the provided USB cable. Allow the earb ds to charge fully before first use.
- Download the Poly Lens app: While your earbuds are charging, download the latest version of the Poly Lens mobile app to your mobile device. The app is available for iOS and Android and works on laptops with Bluetooth 5.3 and a Windows operating system.
Pairing the Earbuds
- Power On: Remove the earbuds from the charging case to power them on automatically. Alternatively, if they are off, press and hold the touch sensor on either earbud for a medium duration until they power on.
- Enter Pairing Mode: If the earbuds do not automatically enter pairing mode, press and hold the touch sensor on either earbud for a very long duration (approximately 5-7 seconds) until the LED indicates pairing mode.
- Connect to Your Device: On your smartphone or other Bluetooth-enabled device, go to the Bluetooth settings and select "Poly Voyager Free 20" from the list of available devices to pair.
Using the Earbuds
Here is how the touch controls work on the earbuds:
- Power On/Off:
- Power On: Press and hold the touch sensor on either earbud for a medium duration.
- Power Off: Press and hold the touch sensor on either earbud for a long.
- Status Check: To check the battery status or other indicators, press the touch sensor on either earbud for a medium duration.
- Incoming Calls:
- Answer Call: Short press the touch sensor once.
- End Call: Long press the touch sensor for a medium duration.
- Mute Call: Short press the touch sensor twice (Double press).
- Media Controls:
- Play/Pause: Short press the touch sensor once to play or pause media.
- Track Forward: Short press the touch sensor twice (Double press).
- Track Backward: Short press the touch sensor three times (Triple press).
- Voice Assistant and Modes:
- Voice Assistant/ANC or Transparency Mode: Press and hold the touch sensor for a long duration to activate the voice assistant or switch between Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Transparency mode.
Advanced Features
The advanced features are the ones that you might not use as often as the other features. These features include how to activate and use your mobile device's voice assistant, like Google Assistant or Siri. They also provide how to switch between ANC and Transparency modes.
- Mute Call: During a call, short-press the touch sensor twice to mute the microphone.
- Activate Voice Assistant: Long press the touch sensor until the voice assistant activates, allowing you to give voice commands.
- Switch Between ANC and Transparency Mode: Long-press the touch sensor until you hear a confirmation tone indicating the switch between modes.
Following these instructions, you can set up and operate your Poly Voyager Free 20 True Wireless Earbuds efficiently. Enjoy the seamless experience and superior sound quality they offer!
How much does Poly Voyager Free 20 earbuds cost?
Poly Voyager Free 20 True Wireless Earbuds cost $149.99 and can be purchased on HP.com and Amazon.
Testing results
After weeks of using the Free 20 earbuds on my train rides to the city, on long walks outside, and just sitting down at the beach with family and friends, I got a good sense of how the Poly Voyager Free 20 earbuds performed. Here is what I liked and didn't like about these earbuds:
What I Liked:
- Excellent Sound Quality: The audio is impressive, especially with ANC on.
- Good Battery Life: Long-lasting battery, further extended with the wireless charging case.
- Comfortable Fit: The right earcup ensures a snug and comfortable fit.
- Lightweight Design: Easy to wear for extended periods without discomfort.
- Compact Case Size: Conveniently small and portable.
- Quick Charging Time: Fast recharge for less downtime.
- App Integration: Useful for tracking battery life and sound customization.
- Fit Test in App: Ensures the best fit for optimal performance.
- Tutorials in the App: Helpful guides for setup and operation are easily accessible.
- Push Control: More reliable than touch controls, preventing accidental commands.
- Transparency Mode: Offers two settings (environment and speech), though switching modes requires the app.
- Custom Button: Versatile, used for switching modes or activating voice assistants.
- Clear Phone Calls: With ANC on, calls are clear, and external noise is minimized.
- Value for Sound Quality: Sound is comparable to higher-priced models like the Poly Voyager Free 60+.
What I Didn't Like:
- Limited EQ Settings: The app only offers three preset options (Bright, Flat, and Bass), lacking more customizable sound settings.
Who should buy these true wireless earbuds?
The ideal buyers for the Poly Voyager Free 20 True Wireless Earbuds span a range of lifestyles and needs. Professionals will appreciate the reliable, high-quality audio for calls and meetings in diverse environments such as home offices, cafés, or while traveling. Commuters will benefit from effective noise cancellation and the ability to stay aware of their surroundings for safety while using public transport or walking in busy areas. Travelers will find the long battery life and comfort perfect for extended use during flights, road trips, or daily commutes. Fitness enthusiasts will value the water-and-dust-resistance rating and secure fit for workouts and outdoor activities. Music and media lovers will enjoy superior sound quality and the convenience of easy controls for an immersive audio experience. Finally, tech-savvy individuals will appreciate advanced features like AI noise reduction, adaptive ANC, smart sensors, and the ability to customize their earbuds via a mobile app.
Summary
The Poly Voyager Free 20 earbuds deliver excellent sound quality, effective ANC, and a comfortable fit, making them a solid choice for daily use. While I was a little disappointed that the app's EQ settings are limited, the overall performance, particularly in sound quality and convenience features like the push control and transparency modes, make these earbuds a great option for buyers of wireless earbuds. They are comparable in comfort and sound to the Jabra Elite Active 75t but with added benefits like a comprehensive app and solid ANC capabilities. Therefore, I recommend the Poly Voyager Free 20 True Wireless Earbuds if you are looking for a solid and high-performing pair of Bluetooth earbuds for less than $150.
Pros
- Various modes of ANC
- Durable design (IP56 rated)
- Comfortable fit
- Google battery life
Easy controls
Cons
- App lacking EQ features
- Equalizer only has three options
Check out The GearBrain, our smart home compatibility find engine. It can help you find, buy, and connect any smart device. It can even help you find all types of headphones and other smart devices or systems that are compatible with your existing smart devices, such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa-enabled devices.
