There's no good feeling quite like waiting for your replacement earbuds, opening the package, and realising a couple of days later that the same problem is still there. It's like taking your car to the garage and getting back nothing but a windscreen washer fluid top-up.
We know this is frustrating. And it's our cock-up, not yours.
Why is the issue still there?
There are a few reasons:
- The fault didn't show up in testing. Sometimes the problem is intermittent and doesn't show up on the test bench. The device gets declared working and sent back. Annoying, but human.
- The fault description was unclear. If the description was incomplete, we may have looked into a different issue than the one bugging you. Communication is hard, just ask anyone who's been through a divorce.
- The same fault turned up in the replacement unit too. Electronics can be stubborn sometimes, and a rarer fault can turn up in a second unit as well. It happens.
- You got instructions instead of a fix. Yeah, that's not a solution. If the problem is with the device and not with how you're using it, a little instruction slip in the box isn't going to help.
What to do
- Document the fault as precisely as possible. Write down what happens, when it happens, and how often. Which earbud? Is there any sound at all? Is a light flashing? The more detail you give, the more surely we'll hit the right spot.
- Take a short video, if you can. A ten-second clip says more than a thousand words. Especially with intermittent faults, this is worth its weight in gold.
- Try a reset before sending them in. Place the buds in the case, plug in the charging cable, and hold down the touch panel on both buds for five seconds. A blue light will flash once. This probably won't help if the previous round didn't help either, but give it a go anyway – electronics can be a mysterious thing sometimes.
- Send us an email at info@valco.fi. Include:
- Your order number
- A photo or video of the fault
- A description of what's happening (and what should be happening)
- A note that the device has already been with us once or been replaced
If that doesn't help
We don't repair NL21 buds. A fault covered by the warranty is handled by swapping in a working unit. If the same fault shows up in the replacement too, we'll swap it again. This time we already know what to look for, so the unit gets tested specifically for that fault before it ships. Broken buds get recycled for spare parts, we don't toss headphones in the trash.
If the device is under warranty – and for the NL21 that's 24 months from the date of purchase – this won't cost you a thing, obviously. The warranty covers material and manufacturing defects, and a clearly recurring fault is exactly that.
If the same fault keeps coming back even after several replacements, we'll assess the situation case by case. We're not going to leave you stuck in an endless replacement loop.
Nobody should have to send their earbuds back and forth like wartime pen pals. Let's get this sorted in one go – or at least on the second attempt.
