You're pressing the button, but nothing happens. No track skip, no ANC toggle, absolutely nothing. The earbuds play audio just fine, but the controls are as dead as Monty Python's parrot. Frustrating, but usually easy to fix.
What went wrong?
The NL25 has real physical buttons on the back of the buds, not touch controls. The most common reason they stop working is simple: the firmware got its knickers in a twist. Electronics do this sometimes – they just decide to stop obeying for no apparent reason, like a cat.
Another common cause is that the buds aren't properly paired with each other. If only one bud responds, or neither one obeys, this is most likely the culprit.
Third option: the buds aren't actually on, even though they seem like they are. If there was a protective film on the contact pins in the case and you didn't remove it before first use, the buds may have never charged properly in the first place.
How to fix it
1. Check the contact pin protective film
- If your earbuds are new, check the metal contacts on the bottom of the buds. There might be a thin plastic film blocking the charging connection. Remove it.
2. Do a factory reset
- Place both buds in the case
- Open the case lid (the opening groove is on one side – don't yank it from the hinge side)
- Press and hold the case button for 5 seconds
- The buds will flash and reset
- Re-pair the earbuds with your phone via Bluetooth settings
This fixes the vast majority of issues. The reset clears the pairing between the buds and forces them to start with a clean slate.
3. Check your pressing technique
- The NL25 controls work via a physical button on the back of the bud. One press, two presses, or a long press, depending on what you want to do.
- Right bud: 1x = play/pause, 2x = next track
- Left bud: 1x = cycle ANC mode, 2x = previous track
- The press should feel like a click. Hold the bud lightly between your fingers and press the button on the back, so it doesn't get pushed deeper into your ear at the same time.
4. Charge them properly
- Make sure the buds sit snugly in the case and the contact pins line up correctly. The case LED tells you the charge level – press the case button once to check.
- Let the buds charge in the case for at least half an hour before trying again.
If nothing helps
In that case, get in touch with us.
Shoot us an email at info@valco.fi. Include:
- Your order number
- A short description of the problem
- A photo of the buds and the case (just to be safe)
A fault covered by the warranty is handled as a warranty replacement: you get a working unit in its place. We don't repair NL25 buds, but broken ones get recycled for spare parts for new earbuds. We don't chuck headphones in the bin, and every recycled bud gets us one step closer to that Death Star.
