I’ll keep documenting here, because it might be useful when requesting service/refund.
Two hours after the previous post, the battery level on the right bud has gone from “low” to “medium”, but now it won’t connect instead. It turns on with the standard start-up sound and states battery level, but when I tap it on the list of available devices, I just get an error “Could not connect to Soundcore Liberty Air 2”. Tried 3 or 4 times and chucked them back in the case.
It doesn’t seem like they turn off when they’ve been put in the case - they stay on and show in the list of available devices (but can’t be paired with). Only after about 5-10 minutes do they actually turn off. At the same time, they do not automatically turn on when they are taken out of the case again, but have to be started up with the touch button.
Having another crack: this time around I’ve started the right one up and am scanning for available Bluetooth devices - but now it doesn’t even appear in the list. After a while, they turn themselves off with a little sound sequence. Start them again with the touch button - still do not appear as an available device (it is possible they are appearing but without their name - there are a couple of unidentifiable devices in the list).
Back in the case again (sigh). Tried to reset and this time around I did get a flashing red light on the right one after 10 seconds (though not on the left one).
Take 'em out and try to pair again (they are not in my paired list since I removed them at the start of this).
They still won’t show in the list of available devices (at least not under the model name). Tried turning on the left one instead, just for a laugh. That one both gives the sound indication that it’s in pairing mode, and appears in the list. I can even pair with it, but not with the right bud. Pressing and holding the touch button produces one quick tone (“bom”) but no further auditory feedback, and it doesn’t appear to do anything - at least it’s not visible anywhere on my mobile.
Ok. Getting a little frustrated now.
Put them back in the case. All 3 lights on the case comes on for a few seconds. Then the left and mid light stays on for a few seconds more, while the right one fades on and off. Then all three come on again, only to go out again. This all seems very random to me. Open the case, hold the reset button down for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds. No lights at all, on either of the buds - no white light, no blinking light, no red light. Close the case again. The three lights on the case still come on and off, at about 3 second intervals.
Take 'em out again. Get another anti-bac wipe out and clean the connectors - I haven’t got rubbing alcohol so doing it as best as I can. I notice as I’m cleaning the case that the left one is flashing very rapidly, whereas the right one is fading in and out at a slower pace. Then the left one flashes red and goes black. The right one has gone black as well, now. They do not appear in my mobile’s bluetooth list.
Pop them back in the case. No lights, until after about 10 seconds when both come on a solid white. The left one goes out again after 10 seconds or so, the right one stays on. Then the left one comes on again. Are they sentient? Is there some tiny intelligence, trapped as a ghost in the rather wonky and useless machine? Who can say!
They’re staying on with solid white light for a good while. Eventually the right one goes out, and then the left. Then they come on again. They still don’t appear in my bluetooth list on the mobile. But maybe that’s ok, since they are still int he case.
Turn off bluetooth on my phone, try to reset the headphones again. The left one resets, I think (it flashes red anyway). The right one stays stubbornly, I think a little churlishly, dark. I can pair the left one, no problem. But the right one won’t work.
Tried again to reset the earbuds, this time pushing the right one hard into the case as I was holding the reset button. Nothing happened for about 30 seconds, but then it started flashing rapidly, and as I let go of the button, it briefly flashed red. Now it pairs! Finally!
Let’s see if it will still pair tomorrow morning, when I will want to use them again.