Wireless crew communication is easy to set up with the SYNCO Xtalk Series intercom headsets and Xtalk Link. This guide covers four situations:
- Crews of up to 13 people;
- Crews of 14 to 21 people;
- Crews of more than 21 people;
- Crews working across floors or buildings.
Let’s look at how to set up communication for each one.
For up to 13 people: Use SYNCO Xtalk headsets with or without one Xtalk Link.
For crews of up to 13 people, you can use the SYNCO Xtalk headsets alone or combine them with one Xtalk Link. Plug a 3.5mm headset with a microphone into the Xtalk Link, and one crew member can use it as a handheld intercom.
Setup 1: Use SYNCO Xtalk headsets only
Choose this wireless communication setup when all crew members will wear headsets. A pre-paired Xtalk kit reconnects when you power it on, so the team can start talking without further setup.
Setup 2: Use one SYNCO Xtalk Link with up to 12 Xtalk headsets
Use this setup when one crew member wants to operate a handheld intercom while the others wear headsets. The Xtalk Link serves as the Master, connecting that operator with up to 12 headset users. Follow these steps to set it up:
Step 1. Power on the devices
Turn on the SYNCO Xtalk headsets and Xtalk Link.
Step 2. Set the SYNCO Xtalk Link to Master Mode
Hold the Xtalk Link’s top A button until the second beep, then release. Repeat until you hear “Master Mode” and the screen shows “Master.”
Step 3. Pair up to four Level 1 headsets
Within two minutes, hold the Xtalk Link’s top A button and a headset’s A button. Release after the first beep. You will hear “Connecting and Pairing,” and signal bars will appear on the Link’s screen. Repeat for each Level 1 headset.
Step 4. Restart the devices
Restart the Xtalk Link and all paired headsets. For a crew of up to five people, pairing is complete.
Step 5. Pair Level 2 headsets if needed
For a crew of more than five people, pair the remaining headsets as Level 2 units. Each Level 1 headset can connect to up to two Level 2 headsets.
Within two minutes, hold the A buttons on a Level 1 and a Level 2 headset. Release after the first beep and listen for “Connecting and Pairing.” Repeat for the remaining Level 2 headsets.
Step 6. Restart the devices again
Restart the Xtalk Link and all headsets after pairing the Level 2 units.
Step 7. Enable the Xtalk Link intercom
Plug a 3.5mm headset with a microphone into the Xtalk Link. Short-press its lower A button. The button stays lit while the intercom is enabled. Short-press it again to mute the operator; the light will turn off.
Step 8. Adjust the volume
If the Xtalk Link audio is too quiet or too loud, short-press the + button to cycle through low, medium, and high volume.
Step 9. Announce with Dominant Mode
Short-press the Xtalk Link’s lower B button. The screen will show “Dominant Mode,” and other headset users can listen but cannot speak. Short-press the button again to return to the group conversation.
Step 10. Switch Boost Mode if the connection is weak
Hold the Xtalk Link’s + button and release after the first beep to switch between Boost Mode 1, 2, and 3. Boost Mode 1 is the default.
For 14 to 21 people: Use one SYNCO Xtalk Link with multiple Xtalk headsets.
Use this setup when more than 13 crew members need to talk together. The Xtalk Link acts as a repeater, connecting two headset groups of up to 10 people each. Plug a 3.5mm headset with a microphone into the Link, and its operator can also join the conversation, bringing the total to 21 people.
Step 1. Pair the headsets within Groups A and B
Set up each group separately. A full 10-person group has one Master headset, three Level 1 headsets, and six Level 2 headsets. For a smaller group, add only the Level 2 headsets it needs.
1. Set one headset as the Master. Hold its A button and release after the second beep. You will hear “Master Mode.”
2. Set three headsets as Level 1 units. Hold each headset’s A button and release after the third beep. You will hear “Level 1 Pairing.”
3. Set the remaining headsets as Level 2 units. Hold each headset’s A button and release after the fourth beep. You will hear “Level 2 Pairing.”
4. Pair the Master with the three Level 1 headsets. Within one minute, hold the A button on the Master and all Level 1 headsets. Release after the first beep and listen for “Connecting and Pairing.”
5. Restart the Master and Level 1 headsets.
6. Pair the Level 1 and Level 2 headsets. Each Level 1 headset can connect to up to two Level 2 headsets. Within one minute, hold the A buttons on a Level 1 headset and its Level 2 headset. Release after the first beep and listen for “Connecting and Pairing.”
Repeat for the remaining Level 1 and Level 2 headsets.
7. Restart all headsets. Power them on in this order: Master → Level 1 → Level 2.
8. Repeat these steps for the other group.
Step 2. Set the Xtalk Link to Link Mode
Power on the Xtalk Link. Hold its top A button until the second beep, then release. Repeat until you hear “Link Mode” and the screen shows “Link.”
Step 3. Pair Group A’s Master headset with the Xtalk Link
Within two minutes, hold the Xtalk Link’s top A button and the Master headset’s A button. Release after the first beep. When you hear “Connecting and Pairing,” check that signal bars appear beside the A icon. Then, restart all devices.
Step 4. Pair Group B’s Master headset with the Xtalk Link
Within two minutes, hold the Link’s top B button and the Master headset’s A button. Release after the first beep. When you hear “Connecting and Pairing,” check that signal bars appear beside the B icon. Then, restart all devices.
Step 5. Enable wireless communication between the groups
Short-press the Xtalk Link’s lower A and B buttons to let the corresponding groups join the shared conversation. The buttons light up red, and the A and B icons are highlighted on the screen. You can enable either group or both.
The Xtalk Link operator can hear all connected headsets, even when a group has not joined the shared conversation.
Step 6. Adjust each group’s volume
Short-press the + button to cycle Group A through low, medium, and high volume. Short-press the – button to adjust Group B in the same way.
For more than 21 people: Use multiple SYNCO Xtalk Links with Xtalk headsets
If your crew has more than 21 people, you can connect additional headset groups using multiple Xtalk Links.
To calculate how many Xtalk Links you need, use this formula:
Number of Xtalk Links = (number of crew members − 13) ÷ 8
If the result is a decimal, round it up to the nearest whole number. For example, a result of 2.1 means you need 3 Xtalk Links.
For a crew of 37 people: (37 − 13) ÷ 8 = 3 Xtalk Links
Pair the headsets within each group first. Then follow the Link Mode steps above to pair each Xtalk Link with the Master headsets of the two groups it connects. This brings the groups into one conversation.
Notes:
*M = Master; Lv.1 = Level 1; Lv.2 = Level 2.
*These team-size totals include one person using each Xtalk Link as an intercom. To speak through an Xtalk Link, the operator must connect a 3.5mm headset with a microphone.
For crews across floors or buildings: Use two SYNCO Xtalk Links with Xtalk headsets
Use this setup when walls or floors disrupt the wireless connection between two crew areas. It supports up to 20 headset users, with up to 10 in each area. The headsets connect wirelessly within each area, while a cable between the two Xtalk Links carries the conversation across the barrier.
Step 1. Pair the headsets in both areas
Set up two headset groups, each with its own Master. Follow the headset pairing steps in the 14–21 person setup above.
Step 2. Set both Xtalk Links to Line In Mode
Power on each Xtalk Link. Hold its top A button until the second beep, then release. Repeat until you hear “Line In Mode”, and the screen shows “Line In.”
Step 3. Pair each Xtalk Link with its local Master headset
Within two minutes, hold the top A button on the first Xtalk Link and the A button on its group’s Master headset. Release after the first beep and listen for “Connecting and Pairing.” Check that signal bars appear beside the A icon.
Repeat with the second Xtalk Link and the other group’s Master headset. Restart the paired devices.
Step 4. Connect the two Xtalk Links
Use a 3.5mm TRRS CTIA male-to-male cable to connect the Line In ports on the two Xtalk Links. The cable is not included, so you will need to buy or make one.
Note: In Line In Mode, crew members communicate through their wireless Xtalk headsets; the Xtalk Links cannot be used as speaking intercoms.
Equipment needed for the wireless crew communication setup
👉SYNCO Xtalk XPro or Xtalk XMax headsets:
Required for every setup. Choose the right model you need.
- Xtalk X -Up to 5 users per headset-only group; single-ear, 350-meter range.
- Xtalk XPro - Up to 9 users per headset-only group; single-ear, 500-meter range.
- Xtalk XMax - Up to 13 users per headset-only group; dual-ear, 500-meter range.
*Note: Xtalk Link works only with SYNCO Xtalk XPro and Xtalk XMax headsets. The two headset models can be mixed in the same system.
👉SYNCO Xtalk Link:
Needed to connect larger crews, give one person an intercom position, or bridge two crew areas by cable.
👉Power for each Xtalk Link:
A 5V 2A USB-C power source or an NP-F970, NP-F750, or NP-F550 battery.
👉3.5mm TRRS CTIA male-to-male cable:
Needed to connect two Xtalk Links in Line In Mode. Buy or make it separately; it is not included.
👉3.5mm headset with a microphone:
Needed to speak through an Xtalk Link in Master Mode or Link Mode. It is not included.
👉Compatible firmware:
Use standard 180 ms firmware for the headsets and standard firmware for Xtalk Link. Check the versions with SYNCO EasyGo before pairing.
👉Buy the SYNCO Xtalk Link or Xtalk wireless intercom headsets you need.
FAQ
1. Can the Xtalk Link be used as an intercom?
Yes. Plug a 3.5mm headset with a microphone into Xtalk Link to speak and listen in Link Mode or Master Mode. It cannot be used as an intercom in Line In Mode.
2. How to connect two SYNCO Xtalk Links with a cable?
Set both Xtalk Links to Line In Mode and pair each with its local group’s Master headset. Then connect their Line In ports with a 3.5mm TRRS CTIA male-to-male cable. The cable is not included; you need to buy or make it separately.
3. Is SYNCO Xtalk wireless crew communication one-way or two-way?
Both. SYNCO Xtalk supports full-duplex two-way communication so that crew members can speak and listen at the same time. For a one-way announcement, the Xtalk headset’s PTT function or Xtalk Link’s Dominant Mode in Master Mode mutes the other headsets while their users continue listening.
4. How to set up SYNCO Xtalk wireless intercom for professional crews?
If your crew needs a base station, group management, or connections to other audio systems, see the SYNCO Xtalk Master wireless intercom setup guide.