Are your headphones' active noise cancellation or equalizer acting up? Does the sound feel cramped, buzz oddly, or does ANC seem to do more harm than good? No worries. This is usually fixable without service – and without unnecessary spikes in blood pressure.
What went wrong?
The headphones' ANC uses four microphones and an ADI chipset to compute noise cancellation. It's a surprisingly complex system, and sometimes it gets tangled. Typical causes:
- The firmware is outdated. With an old software version, ANC may behave unpredictably. Updates fix real bugs; they don't just add pointless features.
- The ear pads don't seal properly. ANC needs a closed space to work. If the pads have flattened over years of use, noise cancellation will worsen – physics is physics.
- Bluetooth connection interferes. If the headphone tries to connect to two devices at the same time (multipoint), ANC may behave strangely.
- EQ adjustments on the phone don't affect ANC. The phone's own equalizer only adjusts the music signal, not how noise cancellation works. They're two different things.
One more note: a slight static hiss with ANC on in silence is normal. It's a byproduct of active noise cancellation. Play some music and the hiss will disappear.
How to fix it
Try these in order:
- Reset the headphones. Plug a 3.5mm AUX cable into the headphones and unplug it. This resets the Bluetooth circuit. Turn the headphones off and back on.
- Update the firmware. Download the Valco app (or check valco.support), and install the latest software version. This is by far the most common fix.
- Check the ANC button status. ANC has its own button on the left ear. A green LED means ANC is on. Note: ANC is separate from Bluetooth. It doesn't turn off automatically when you turn off the headphones – press the button separately.
- Check the condition of the ear pads. Press the headphones against your ears and listen for whether ANC improves. If it clearly improves, the pads are likely compressed. Replacement pads are available from us.
- Disconnect extra Bluetooth devices. If the headphone is connected to both your phone and your computer at the same time, try disconnecting one. Then restart the phone and the headphones.
- Try ANC with the AUX cable. Plug in the cable and turn ANC on. If noise cancellation works with the cable but not wirelessly, the problem is on the Bluetooth side.
What about the phone's equalizer?
If you adjust EQ in the phone's own settings, remember that it only affects the music signal – not ANC operation or the headphone's own audio signal processing. VMK20 doesn't have a separate app-based EQ, so the phone's native equalizer is what you use. It does work, but don't expect it to fix ANC issues.
If it doesn't help
If resets and updates don't work, send us a message at info@valco.fi. Include the order number and a photo of the headphones (especially the pads and the ANC button). Our service team in Kajaani will repair the device – we don't throw headphones in the trash.
If the headphones are over three years old and ANC has started acting up, it may also be normal aging. We'll still repair them, but outside the warranty you'll need a repair kit. A small price to pay so you don't have to buy entirely new ones – and even the Death Star will thank you.
