Along with the main console, the SoundStation2 EX includes an interface module that plugs into an AC socket and connects to the main phone line via the included 7-foot RJ-11 cable. In addition to the phone and console jacks, the module has an RCA audio-out jack for connecting to external devices such as a recorder or speakers, and there's a jack marked with a laptop icon that allows you to share the phone line with a modem, a fax machine, or a headset. Also included is a single 21-foot cable that provides communication and power from the interface module to the console. Our review unit included a pair of extension microphones (an extra that normally costs $199) with 7-foot cables, which are useful if you need to extend the range of communications for larger conference rooms. Each microphone has its own Mute button and LED indicator.
Installing the SoundStation2 was a snap, and the intuitive menu screens made it easy to add and edit phone book entries, set up bridge connections, and perform administrator tasks such as assigning passcodes and running diagnostics. We were pleased with both incoming and outgoing sound quality, and Polycom's Acoustic Clarity Technology provided clean full-duplex communications between multiple conference callers.
