An explanation may not be required; simply call it a malfunction. This valet is working well for me. A good wide sound stage with very good height gives an expansive sound to the song, only aiding that hard-hitting instrumentation that comes in often. 5 inches taller than my short Ugg boots. They were very good about providing me a refund, but I didnt love them enough to repurchase them again. The headphones arrived in a unsealed box so any body could have swapped the headphones without me knowing I had to spend 5 minutes unravelling the cable as it looked like the headphones had been put in the box in a rush the cable was all twisted. Nice and soft lather. And this is with no use! I will definitely be buying a pair again, maybe a pair more suited for the winter. And they are also so comfy if like me you go on long walks in the summer.