Headphones' noise cancellation or EQ acting up? Sound feels cramped, hisses weirdly, or ANC seems to be doing more harm than good? Don't panic. This is usually fixable without a repair ticket, and without your blood pressure spiking.
What went wrong?
The headphones' ANC uses four microphones and an ADI chipset to calculate noise cancellation. It's a surprisingly complex system, and every now and then it ties itself in knots. Typical causes:
- The firmware is outdated. On an old software version, ANC can behave unpredictably. Updates fix actual bugs, not just bolt on pointless features.
- The ear pads aren't sealing properly. ANC needs a closed space to work. If the pads have flattened out over years of use, noise cancellation suffers. Physics is physics.
- Bluetooth is causing interference. If the headphones try to connect to two devices at once (multipoint), ANC can start acting strange.
- EQ settings on your phone don't affect ANC. Your phone's own EQ only adjusts the music signal, not how noise cancellation works. Those are two separate things.
One more thing worth mentioning: a faint static hiss when ANC is on in silence is normal. It's a side effect of active noise cancellation. Put some music on and the hiss disappears.
How to fix it
Try these in order:
- Reset the headphones. Plug the 3.5mm AUX cable into the headphones and unplug it. This resets the Bluetooth chip. Turn the headphones off and back on.
- Update the firmware. Download Valco Updater (Android, Google Play) and install the latest software version. The app supports the VMK25.2 and VMK15.
- Check the ANC button status. ANC has its own button on the left earcup. A green LED means ANC is on. Note: ANC is separate from Bluetooth. It doesn't turn off automatically when you power down the headphones, you need to press the button separately.
- Check the condition of the ear pads. Press the headphones against your ears and listen for improvement in ANC. If it improves noticeably, the pads have probably flattened out. Replacement pads are available from us.
- Disconnect extra Bluetooth devices. If the headphones are connected to your phone and computer at the same time, try disconnecting one. Then restart both your phone and the headphones.
- Test ANC with the AUX cable. Plug in the cable and turn on ANC. If noise cancellation works over the wire but not wirelessly, the problem is on the Bluetooth side.
What about the phone's EQ?
If you adjust EQ from your phone's own settings, remember it only affects the music signal, not how ANC works or the headphones' own sound processing. The VMK20 doesn't have a separate app-based EQ, so your phone's native EQ is what you're working with. It works fine, just don't expect it to fix ANC problems.
If none of this helps
If resets and updates don't do the trick, send us a message at info@valco.fi. Include your order number and a photo of the headphones (especially the ear pads and the ANC button). Our repair team in Kajaani will fix the unit. We don't throw headphones in the trash here.
If the headphones are over three years old and ANC has started acting up, that could just be normal aging too. We'll still fix it, but outside of warranty you'll need a repair package. A small price to pay for not having to buy a whole new pair. Even the Death Star approves.
