VMK20 headphones broken – warranty return
Electronics break. It's an annoying fact, but a fact nonetheless. Plastic fatigues, components act up, and sometimes a device just decides to quit cooperating for no visible reason. Good news: at Valco we repair devices, we don't chuck them in the bin. Bad news: you need to read this article to the end.
What counts as a warranty fault?
VMK20 headphones come with a 24-month warranty from the date of purchase. The warranty covers material and manufacturing defects – meaning situations where the device breaks during normal use without an external cause.
Typical warranty cases:
- Headband snapped during normal use
- Bluetooth stopped working
- One ear went silent or the sound crackles
- ANC circuit died
- Some other fault that you didn't cause yourself
The warranty does not cover situations where the headphones have taken a hit, gotten wet, ended up as the dog's chew toy, or been run over by a tractor. We'll still fix those too, but you'll be paying for the repair yourself. Fair enough, right?
If your headphones are over 24 months old, the warranty has expired. Still worth getting in touch though – our repair service works after warranty too, and the price is a fraction of buying new headphones.
How to get a warranty repair
The process is simple. No forms in triplicate, no phone queues.
- Send an email to info@valco.fi
- Include in your message:
- What's wrong (keep it short, no need to write a novel)
- Order number or proof of purchase
- Photo of the fault – one is enough, as long as we can see what's broken
- We'll reply and let you know the next steps
- You send the headphones to our service centre in Kajaani
- Jasse or someone else from the service team fixes the device
- You get your headphones back in working order
The whole thing usually takes a few days from when the headphones arrive at our end. We can't promise anything about postal speed – that's in the hands of the postal service and the Lord.
Before you send – check these first
Sometimes a fault isn't actually a fault. Worth trying a couple of things before you pack the headphones in a box:
- Bluetooth acting up: Plug in the 3.5mm AUX cable and unplug it. This resets the BT circuit. Then restart the headphones and your phone.
- ANC stays on even when you turn off the headphones: That's not a fault. On the VMK20, ANC runs on a separate circuit with its own button. Press the ANC button separately.
- Slight hiss in silence with ANC on: That's normal too. The ANC microphones produce a small amount of background noise that disappears the moment you start playing music.
- Ear cushions wearing out: After over a year of use, cushion wear is normal and not a warranty issue. You can order replacement cushions separately.
If none of these apply and the device is genuinely broken, go straight to the email step.
If nothing helps
Drop a message to info@valco.fi. Attach a photo, your order number, and a short description of the fault. We won't ask you to fill out a ten-page form or call some number where you wait 45 minutes listening to elevator music.
We fix the device and send it back. That's how simple it should be. Every repaired pair of headphones is a small victory against throwaway culture – and another step closer to that Death Star.
