Wind and ANC are a bit like cats and dogs – they just don't get along. This isn't a VMK20 problem, it's a physics problem. Let us explain why.
Why ANC doesn't like wind
ANC works by having microphones listen to ambient sound and producing an anti-wave to cancel it out. Works brilliantly for steady, low-frequency sounds – airplane hum, train rumble, office air conditioning drone. Wind is a different beast.
Wind isn't a steady sound. It's a chaotic, turbulent airflow that hits the headphones' external microphones directly and causes mechanical interference. The ANC algorithms try to cancel out this interference, but since wind changes every millisecond, the result is often the opposite: ANC amplifies the disturbance instead of removing it.
This applies to all ANC headphones. Sony, Bose, Apple – and yes, ours too. Physics doesn't care about price tags or brands.
How to get things under control
- Turn off ANC in the wind. Sounds daft, but it's the best advice. Without ANC, the headphones' passive isolation does a better job than an algorithm trying to fight a windmill. On the VMK20, the ANC button is on the left ear cup – press it and the green LED turns off.
- Check the cushion fit. If there are gaps between the cushions and your face, wind gets straight to the microphones. Gently press the headphones against your ears – if the sound improves, the cushions aren't sealing properly. Old cushions harden and lose their shape over time. You can order new ones from us.
- Update the firmware. Download the Valco app and check if updates are available. We've improved the ANC algorithm in updates, and a newer version might handle wind interference more cleverly.
- Try ANC with an AUX cable. Plug in a 3.5mm cable and test ANC. This also resets the Bluetooth circuit. ANC on the VMK20 works independently from Bluetooth, so you can use it wired as well.
- Shield the microphones. If you walk or cycle in the wind a lot, pulling a beanie or scarf over the headphones helps a surprising amount. Not stylish, but effective.
What about that static hiss?
If you hear a faint hiss in silence with ANC on – that's normal. The ANC microphones and processor always produce a small noise floor. It disappears the moment you start playing music. This isn't a bug, it's a feature. Well, physics really.
If nothing helps
If ANC seems to perform poorly indoors and in quiet environments too, the problem might be something else. Drop us a message at info@valco.fi – include your order number and describe the issue. A photo of the headphones would be great too, so we can check the condition of the cushions. Our service team in Kajaani will sort it out.
Unfortunately, nobody's figured out how to tame the wind just yet. But once we finish that Death Star, we might be able to blast the wind away.
